If the wind is blowing and there's a chop on the water, don't venture a distance farther from shore than you can easily cover kicking into a stiff headwind. Lightweight waders coupled with long underwear and fleece pants will provide a warm multi-layer system suitable for most lake water temperatures. 5-mm neoprene waders should be used for the coldest waters, but they can make the fisherman too warm in the summer. See our high lakes primer for clothing suggestions. Only experience can tell you exactly how many layers and the thickness of clothing you'll need for optimum comfort.
New fins come out yearly, as the designers work on making the fins more hydrodynamic.
A good pair of fins is worth the price. Cloth laces rot, wear out, and break under water, so try to avoid fins with laces. Some fishermen have such long fins that they could win a race with the Man from Atlantis. Wading boots are nice to have, but an old pair of sneakers works just fine. Some wading boots are too big to fit into some of the fins, so have an old pair of sneakers handy.