SIMMS Wading Safety: always a good review
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Joined
·
250 Posts
Some good tips and advice here; I had been warned that using a wading belt would trap air in the waders which would raise your legs and dip your head under in a mishap but I think I'll go with the wisdom here; even two belts!
Really good stuff. A wading staff is a super idea, have used one for years. My basic question is why cross the river? Knee deep is scary if I can not see the bottom. Learn to cast! No room for a back cast, Try a spey cast. No fish is worth a dunking or drowning!
Joined
·
289 Posts
I think thats a pretty common misconception. I know my dad says the same thing and blew a gasket when he saw me wearing a belt. What they don't realize is that the belt slows the water from entering the waders and giving you that extra time to swim to shore. With no belt your waders fill so fast that once they are full you pretty much can't kick your legs to swim.
Joined
·
21 Posts
great learning piece , a must watch
Joined
·
3,648 Posts
Swim?
There is no way you are gonna swim in a cold, fast river, with or without your waders filled with water. The best you can do is to float on your back, feet first down the river and try to back paddle and steer your drift back to shore, or clear of anything you might get caught up in & drown. Good luck with that. Carry a knife that you can get to in the event you need to slice open your waders to let the air out & get your feet down, or drain the water out once you get close enough to crawl out on the bank.
More than likely if you take a dump, it will be the result of finding yourself in a current seam you misjudged and being swept off your feet in a stupid move while trying to get out. And it doesn't take much in a situation like that to lose your footing,,,on just one foot,,,for a few seconds,,, and down you go.
This time of year, you never know whats gonna come floating down the river at ya. Keep a sharp eye out between casts & don't be so far out you can't get out of the way before something knocks you off your feet.
There is no way you are gonna swim in a cold, fast river, with or without your waders filled with water. The best you can do is to float on your back, feet first down the river and try to back paddle and steer your drift back to shore, or clear of anything you might get caught up in & drown. Good luck with that. Carry a knife that you can get to in the event you need to slice open your waders to let the air out & get your feet down, or drain the water out once you get close enough to crawl out on the bank.
More than likely if you take a dump, it will be the result of finding yourself in a current seam you misjudged and being swept off your feet in a stupid move while trying to get out. And it doesn't take much in a situation like that to lose your footing,,,on just one foot,,,for a few seconds,,, and down you go.
This time of year, you never know whats gonna come floating down the river at ya. Keep a sharp eye out between casts & don't be so far out you can't get out of the way before something knocks you off your feet.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Join the discussion
