For kayak fishing, you have two basic choices for shoes—something that is designed to get wet, or no shoes at all. For me, I’m not really a barefoot kind of fisherman, or even a flip-flop kind of guy.

Water shoes are essential for protecting your feet from sharp coral, slick rocks, cold water, mosquitoes, and sunburn. The best water shoes keep you steady on paddleboards, comfortable on beach runs, ...