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[halcyonguitars]

Ok, I'll bite.

What do you do?

[Noahs Arc]

I'm curious as to how you handle yourselves in the water too.
I wouldn't call myself the most "daring" wader, but at 6'5 280 I can get through quite a bit of water just because of my height. That said,
If its bad enough I will use a big stick and place it firmly downstream of me with every step.
I always cross at a tail out after looking at the run below me for strainers.
I always try to start as far upstream from my target landing as conditions allow.
Make sure my phone and keys are in the ziplock bag.

[clarkii]

Depends on what the substrate is.  I once found myself wading across a tailout that was composed of gravel.  It was about waist deep, and got to mid torso, while also being quick.  It wasn't that I couldn't handle it, just that I found my platform was eroding away under my feet.

Good sized and firmly seated rocks, I have no problems.

I am 5'8", used to catch in baseball so I have leg power and stability.  Currently I am also swimming 4-5 times a week.

[243Pete]

I'll never understand how some people can wade out past their hips in moving water. A friend last year ended up taking almost a half hour to move less than 30 feet to shore, he waded out and moved up the current till he was waist deep cause he kept seeing fish jumping in one area, I warned him about how it can be easy to walk upwards on current but trying to walk back down can be dangerous especially if there isn't any large structure to slow the under current so every time he tried to take a step down he almost got swept off his feet.

Heard to many sad stories of people drowning, loosing equipment cause they fell and even being totally turned off of fishing cause of the traumatizing experience of being taken down river.

[Johnny Canuck]

Never wade about a dangerous structure such as a log jam and always leave a buffer area so if something goes wrong you have an area to correct it. I have lost my balance before while wading and the easiest thing I found to do was run with the current as then you are able to regain your balance, moving at an angle towards the shoreline also helps. I usually also end up being a break in the current for friends as I am a very strong wader, one time while wading a buddy got swept off his feet and I was able to grab his hoodie and he was able to stand back up quickly and recover. Interlocking arms and bracing in the shoulder area helps but can also cause problems if the other wader isn't as strong.

[clarkii]

I'll never understand how some people can wade out past their hips in moving water.

Experience, strength, core, and balance.

[TheLostSockeye]

I do quite a lot of "risky" wades but Most of the time i take my time and plant my feet well. I have years of experience wading in rivers so its no issue with me. When im fishing my favourite run and i get as huge 20+lb spring doe to take my bait and it starts taking off down the rapids i have no choice but to go after it. The water i cross is relativity fast and over waist deep probably around the bottom of my rib cage. But hey what we do to get some fresh roe  . Most of the time i will land the fish except for the last time i went out. By the time i crossed i had 100+yards of line out and it had gotten wrapped around a rock and there went all my line 

[Tylsie]

It all comes down to ones comfort level; but this should change all the time, river to river, day to day, and after one gains experiences. Both good and bad. That being said, am I the only one who wears a fishing PFD? I love my NSR Chinook (yes I know it is not CCG approved, but it is USCG approved and I doubt the vest knows where I am from). I have left to much stuff on a river bank to use a tackle box so I took to wearing a vest for all my fishing. It just made sense to get a vest that had built in flotation. It holds everything I need for a day of fishing, is incredibly comfortable, and could save my life.

[243Pete]

Experience, strength, core, and balance.

That I know well about, but what I meant was more like "Why wade out that far when more or less the fish are quite literally where you are now standing?" 

[fishingwithjohn]

tip - clear water is always deep than it looks

[Spawn Sack]

Fair enough Everyday and Hook, some people like yourselves are strong waders, know their limits, and can safely wade in water that would be dangerous for others. And I do agree with the "wade to your ability."

I was targeting more "novice waders" esp those with spiffy new waders eager to get their wade on! And just throwing out a general reminder to err on the side of caution when wading out to fish and/or get to a fishing spot.

I would consider myself a reasonably strong wader, but I've gone in a couple times and had a few scares so now I don't even come close to pushing my limits.

I don't wear a PFD in the Vedder as I don't wade into spots that would necessitate it. In the boat I always wear my PFD.

[Nicolas The Fisherman]

I have lost my footing a couple of times on the C-V which is why I try not to wade too much. It's not that I feel I can't wade across these spots, it's the fact that I don't like "risking it" so to speak. I think EveryDay is right, wade within your own limits. Don't wade a somewhat risky looking area just because others are doing it. Ask yourself if you feel that its safe or not. If you don't feel its safe, move on and find another spot. The grass aint always greener on the other side to begin with. You're there to fish, not to see how strong you are and how far you can push yourself.

[milo]

When I looked closer up river I could see people fishing of these rocks out in the fast water!! REALLY?!? How did you even get there? Unreal.

You mean something like this?



The above picture is 9 years old. I wouldn't even dream of doing it today. Not even with a wading staff.

My 2 pieces of advice:
1. If it feels sketchy, it probably is. Cross elsewhere.
2. Never, under any circumstances attempt to wade above a log jam or sweeper even if it is an easy wade. Most accidents happen when you feel it's "safe".

[clarkii]

That I know well about, but what I meant was more like "Why wade out that far when more or less the fish are quite literally where you are now standing?" 

Are you talking wading out that far to fish or wading out that far to cross? Two different scenarios both with different answers.

[Knnn]

Some solid advice here, and thanks for the reminder.  Unless the water is flat calm with little or no flow, the knees are the limit for me.  Saying that I have crossed fast deep water up to my waste in water, buddying up (arms locked across shoulders) with an experience angler who knew the flow very well .  We almost seemed to run across the water at 45 degrees to the flow, almost dancing across the stones, because we were so deep and buoyant.  With plenty of run out it did not feel dangerous at all, but that was because I was with someone who had been doing this for 20+ years at the same location.

One follow up question I have often wondered about is the belief that, if the waders fill with water, they will drag you under immediately and drown you. 

But why?

I understand that if you fill your waders and stand up, i.e.out of the water, all the water makes them incredibly heavy and difficult to walk around in.  Therefore, you feel the weight would drag you down and certainly it makes standing up more difficult and presumably dragging yourself up a bank would also be difficult.  However, the water inside your waders has the same buoyancy as water outside your waders and therefore with your head and shoulders above the water, apart from the weight of the wader material and possibly some added friction, I do not see how there would be any difference to your buoyancy or movement compared to being fully clothed?  If you fall in with lots of clothes on, does all the water trapped between your cloths drag you down.  I don't think so.  Sure it is harder to swim, but that is just the weight and drag of the clothes, not the water inside them.

I wonder if this perceived risk, which may be non-existent (I am yet undecided) actually causes people to panic, which increases the risk of drowning.

Thoughts?

I know some of the following are only for neoprene waders but I presume the same principles would apply to breathable waders.

http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/killerwader.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXJR1hZbzXk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m0_naq0-qc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3b9mUiFc0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKwObngww3g

http://www.flyrodreel.com/magazine/2006/november/can-your-waders-kill-you












While the belt would stop the wader from filling rapidly, it would have the added benefit of trapping some air and increasing your buoyancy.