WADE SAFELY Blog
Developing good wading habits will enable you to catch more fish, fish more confidently and prevent broken bones or worse. When I started fishing the Yellowstone River thirty years ago I was shocked at the heavy water my guide, Ray, wanted me to wade through. It seemed Ray always knew a hot spot where we cold catch many large rainbows but to get to it we’d have to lock arms in order to cross unbelievably fast, deep runs. Fortunately the great fishing was worth the effort, although there were times I wondered if our bodies would was downstream as far as Billings.
A good wading staff such as the Folstaf stick, I personally find invaluable. I use mine in the small mountain streams as well as in the big rivers. Remember, if you fall down in water waist deep you get wet, if you fall down in water ankle deep you break bones.
When you are crossing a powerful river or just moving to a new fishing spot use the wading staff in your upstream hand. In this way if you slip and fall the force of the current may help you regain your balance.
For general safer wading consider your wading staff as a leg. What I mean is, as your wading always plant the wading staff securely and keep it there as you step forward. This way you will always have one foot and the staff steady on the stream bottom and you can move forward safely.
For more information on fishing trout or smallmouth streams throughout the state of Virginia, be sure to check out my book Virginia Blue Ribbon Streams-A Fly Fishing Guide. I wrote this book with the intent to help you find the best trout streams and bass fishing throughout the state. It does include some of the native brook trout streams in the Shenandoah National Park.