Every fisherman appreciates a ûgood pair of durable sea boots. ûWe need them while drift fishing ûroily rips that flood the cockpit.

Choosing the right sea boot is a lot like picking the right spouse. It gets real personal. And if you don’t get it right the first time, you can be miserable for a long time. Getting it right consists of making three correct choices. In order:

Use. Will you be cruising the coast, crossing oceans, fishing, hosing down the decks—or window shopping in a light rain?

When handling lines and ground tackle in a blow, you’ll find yourself continually at the mercy of ohmigosh seas and whatever else Mother Nature chooses to deal you. In this case, a tall boot (14"-16") is best. If coastal cruising—when conditions are more benign, watches…