“Good things come to those who wade” (fishing proverb)

“All/Good things come to those who wait” is a proverb that dates to the 1500s. “All/Good things come to those who wade” is a fishing variation of the proverb. ““Good things come to those who WADE” was cited in 1995.
 
A similar fishing proverb is “Good things come to those who bait.”
   
 
Wiktionary: all things come to those who wait
Proverb
all things come to those who wait
1.(dated) A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.
Usage notes
This version of the proverb is now somewhat dated, the more common form today being good things come to those who wait (with good instead of all).
   
Google Groups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly
Fly Fishing… the greatest sport.
Jperwin  
9/23/95
(...)
John P. Erwin (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) or (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address))
“Everything I need to know in life I learned from fishing.”
“Good things come to those who WADE.”
 
Google Groups: alt.fishing
Just for a laugh
Arklier
5.26.96
(...)
Good things come to those who wade.
 
Google Books
October 2001, Boys’ Life, pg. 41, col. 2:
As the sign on his wall says: “Good things come to those who wade.” In other words, keep trying.
     
Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Forum
fadeaway263
Posted on: 2012/6/10 21:36
Catskill Jam All Good Things Come to Those Who Wade
As you know from Krayfish’s thread a lot of guys from the forum went up to the WB and caught a ton of fish.
 
East Hampton Public Library CT
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Gone Fishing?
Good Things Come to Those Who Wade
Fishing season! Here’s a quick pick round-up of resources for the fisher man, woman, or child within you: ...