Maryland, Vermont, Alaska and now Missouri have all banned felt-soled wader boots.
Although felt soles may be the best bet for keeping anglers from slipping and taking a plunge, they are also potentially damaging to fisheries, as the felt allows for spores and larvae of non-natives to transfer from water to water.
Missouri is a wade-fishing state. We have many beautiful warm-water streams and enough cold-water fisheries to make our Midwest neighbors green with envy.
Felt-soled waders and wading boots are usually found in high numbers in states where cold-water fisheries draw out-of-state anglers, like Missouri. Anglers can transport invasive species in felt from out-of-state waters, which is exactly why they had to be banned.
If you were to wear ....