| We hope you enjoy your visit to Ontario Trophy Fishing! There is a direct link with Ontario Trophy Trophy Bucks within this forum. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free! If you enjoy the outdoors, especially fishing come on and say hi to the gang! Join our community! If you're already an OTF member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Tips on Wading; Article | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jan 20 2009, 11:34 AM (23 Views) | |
| Final | Jan 20 2009, 11:34 AM Post #1 |
Salvelinus namaycush
|
Wading through swift water is dangerous. Two anglers working together with arms crossed and wading staffs can cross swifter currents than an individual angler. Good wading skills are essential to becoming an accomplished angler, no less important than the other fundamentals, presentation and reading the water. Here in northern California, skillful, aggressive waders catch the best fish in the freestone waters of the Pit and McCloud rivers. In his classic book, Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout, Charlie Brooks admonished his readers to fish the difficult lies, the fastest waters, and the midstream boulders that most anglers pass by because they are difficult to reach. The reality is that few anglers are prepared physically or mentally for the challenges and consequences of wading. It can be fatal to underestimate the dangers of wading swift rivers. Few of us have had any formal instruction; still fewer know what to do if they take a spill in swift water. In this article I'll cover the essential skills of wading, developed through more than 20 years of fly-fishing schools at Clearwater House on Hat Creek. Wading well involves two decisions. First, you should determine if wading is necessary and appropriate to the water you are about to fish, and second, determine how to wade safely in a way that minimizes your impact on the ecosystem and other anglers in your area Wading Gear It's important to understand the pros and cons of various types of waders and wading gear. I'm a big fan of neoprene waders. They insulate you from the cold water, cushion your legs against bruises, and provide some floatation if you take a spill. In this respect, they are the safest waders. They typically fit snugly, preventing a great deal of water from getting inside if you go down. Their disadvantages are that they can be hot in warm weather, and they are bulky in the gear bag. All other waders--coated nylon, rubberized fabric, or the newest breathable materials--present a real risk of filling with water and making it difficult to move once you are immersed, unless you are wearing a properly-adjusted wader belt. A strong wader belt should be a fundamental part of your wading equipment, and, like a seat belt, you should put it on whenever you don your waders. Make it part of your routine, like lacing up your boots. I prefer a broad elastic wader belt so I can breathe easily. If you wear moisture-wicking clothing underneath your breathable waders, you should have no problems with heat or moisture building up inside. You should wear your belt around your waist in moderate water and cinch it high on your chest when you wade into deeper water. This allows you to trap as much air as possible and prevent your waders from filling if you wade over the top. If you fall into the river and get swept away, spread your arms to keep your head above water and point your legs downstream so that you can push off rocks as you drift. A wading belt tight around your chest will slow the rate at which your waders fill with water. Waders full of water become heavy and make it difficult to move. Water pressure will squeeze the air out of the waders but will not keep water from entering them. The right footwear is as important as your choice of waders. At the very least, you should wear felt-soled wading shoes. The felt grips slippery rocks as you wade, giving you good traction. Specialized wading soles, like Korkers, Stream Cleats, and felt soles with studs, are essential on some difficult-to-wade streams, such as the Deschutes or the North Umpqua. You should take the time to learn how to use them and to appreciate their limitations. While they provide added traction in slippery stream bottoms, they are more difficult to walk in and they add weight to your feet, which can be an advantage in difficult wading but a disadvantage if you get swept off your feet (they also scar the surfaces of boats and floors). Corkers work well on "greased cannonballs" (algae-covered stream rocks), but they can be slippery on dry river rocks. Stream Cleats also provide traction on algae-covered rocks, but they can instantly cut a fly line if you catch it between your boot and a rock. Rubber-soled boots work poorly on anything but sandy, silty, or gravely stream bottoms. The new sticky rubber soles are fine for moderate waters, but they work poorly on swift-flowing rivers where the rocks are slippery and the force of the water can push your feet out from under you. No matter which wading boot, shoe, or boot-foot wader you choose, ankle support is critical for safe wading. A strong wading shoe or boot provides the support that helps to prevent the ankle-turning foot slippages that lead to spills. The Wading Staff I believe a wading staff is the most useful tool an angler can have on a freestone waters. A staff isn't necessary in small streams, spring creeks, and shallow waters, but in a rocky freestone river, where depth and current velocities are factors, it provides safety and the difference between fishing success and failure. In freestoners--typical of trout water across the country--the fly fisher who uses a staff can usually outfish the wader who doesn't, and he will take fewer swims. Most wading staffs are more hazard than help, particularly the collapsible models that screw together or are shock-corded. They are adequate for occasional use in rivers with moderate flows and cobble or gravel bottoms. But use them on a river of boulders and they soon become wedged and pulled apart, or they may separate at a critical moment when you are crossing a swift current. You should carry a solid staff that will not come apart under any circumstances and will bear your full weight when you lean on it to prevent a fall. Evaluate a wading staff as if your safety depends on it, because if you wade aggressively, sooner or later it will. I am partial to metal ski poles with the baskets removed. They are typically made of tempered aluminum, and strong and light in weight. They are readily available from ski rental shops in the late winter when they are discarding single or mismatched poles. If you wade swift water alone, use your wading staff for support and to probe the water before you step. Keep the staff connected to your vest so you don't lose it. The line should have a break-away safety release so it doesn't become an anchor if you fall and the staff becomes wedged on the stream bottom. An alternative is to invest in a pair of new poles and keep one as a spare or give it to your fishing buddy. Choose a pole that reaches from the ground to your armpit when you are standing up straight. It will help you stay upright in the river, reach up for flies in overhead branches, and probe ahead for underwater hazards. A common objection to carrying a metal wading staff is that it is noisy. Wrapping the bottom two feet with duct tape and placing the staff carefully between rocks as you wade will minimize the noise. (Most freestone streams are noisy environments. Stick your head underwater and you'll be surprised at the ambient noise.) As an alternative to the ski pole, use a wooden, graphite, or fiberglass staff. The staff will not get in your way if you rig it as I have shown in the accompanying photograph. Attach the cord to the D-ring in the middle of the back of your vest or your wader suspenders. When you need the staff, simply reach behind, grab the cord and straighten your arm to put the staff in your hand. Reading the Water Just as you learn to recognize the places where trout hold and feed, use those same skills to identify hazards and choose a safe wading route. Consider the following common water types in terms of wading: riffles, runs, pools, flats, pocketwater, and rapids. Also consider the current speed, bottom type, and changes in depth. Riffles and smooth, shallow runs can be good places to cross a stream. Pools are usually deep and sometimes silty. The tailouts are often broad and shallow, easier to cross. Pocketwater can be good for wading and crossing because of the many eddies of slack water behind the boulders, but you should be careful in your foot placement because the boulders can entrap your foot, and the widely varying currents between the pockets can make wading difficult. Don't wade in rapids that have high current velocities. The bottom type can have a profound effect on wading. You can get bogged down in mud and silt. Sand can wash out from beneath your feet as you stand in a fast current. Gravel is a good surface on which to wade. Cobbles offer a good stable wading surface. Boulders offer current relief, but they also pose the danger of foot entrapment. More than one angler has had to unlace his boot to get his foot out from between two rocks. A boot can slide in between rocks easily and then become unremovable with the foot in it. Use your wading staff as a lever to move the rocks to free your foot. Wading Strategies Choosing a route is the key to successful wading. Learn to read the water as a wader and you will be able to move around with relative ease. Make a plan before you enter the water. Anticipate problems. Look downstream for the obstacles and hazards you must deal with if you lose your footing. If you see hazardous water below where you intend to wade, don't try to cross swift water or wade deeply. Consider wading elsewhere. A simple acronym for approaching the water intelligently is to remember WADE: 1. Wear your wader belt; 2. Assess the difficulty and anticipate the problems; 3. Develop a plan; 4. Execute the plan. When you enter the water, place your staff on your upstream side so you can lean into the current. If you begin to lose your balance, the current will tend to push you upright rather than push you downstream. Always have at least two points of contact: both feet or a foot and the staff. Plant your staff; move your feet; stop. Plant the staff again and move your feet again. Keep your body sideways to the current. Your profile surface area is greatly reduced by standing sideways, giving the current less purchase on you. Facing directly upstream or downstream exposes you to the full force of the water and can make it difficult to maintain your balance. The midstream shuffle is the gait of choice: Move your feet along the bottom as though you are blind. Use the staff to probe ahead to check the depth or define obstacles. Feel along with each foot and find a secure spot before you commit your weight to it. Keep a wide stance, with your knees flexed to keep you balanced and upright. If you need to turn around in fast water, tuck your rod into your waders or vest, plant your staff at an angle directly upstream and grab it with both hands. Lean on the staff and rotate with small steps to reverse your direction. Don't cross your legs as you turn; with crossed legs, you become unstable and may have difficulty moving back to a safe stance. Your knees are critical when you're wading. In fast water, when you get in over your knees, balance becomes more difficult, and if you have limited wading skills, you should take care until you've gained some confidence. If you want to cross the river, do so on a slight downstream angle wherever possible so you don't have to fight the current as well as the irregularity of the bottom. When fishing upstream, walk the bank or wade in the slow currents along the side and use the eddies created by rocks in the current to ease your passage and conserve your energy. In a bouldery river, keep your feet on the level as you wade. Go around boulders, rather than up and over them. (The water on one side of a boulder can be significantly deeper than the other.) Move from eddy to eddy. The little pockets of stillwater below rocks can provide a rest area. The less climbing the better. Conserving your energy will make you a more competent wader. |
 |
 
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Fly fishing · Next Topic » |
7:06 AM Nov 25
