Swadding! Half Wading, Half Swimming, All Sketchy

[PlayDoh]

So I was just downstream of the Carseland weir yesterday, fishing, and I had a great time. I got 3 trout that fought like Ali, but I only landed one. I also got a sucker. Oh did I mention I almost got swept away? lol

 

Just past the weir the water gets waist deep or less for a good stretch past the picnic area at Wyndam. Well I was right in the middle of the river, working my way downstream swinging streamers. Due to the slow curve the river takes, the half of the river on the South-East bank moves faster then the rest.

 

Now I'm afraid to admit its not the first time I've almost taken for a trip, but I could have been screwed if I hadn't "Swaded" my way to safety. I wandered out to the South-East side of the river, and I couldn't move perpendicular to the current anymore so I had to move diagonally to get back to the middle. As chance would have it there was a pocket of deeper water I couldn't cross, at the same time I couldn't stop being forced downstream.

 

Heres where the fun started. far ahead there was some riffle, but before it was some deep water that I wanted to avoid. So since I couldn't stand my ground and even move diagonally step by step, I basically floated and crouched a little and pedaled my feet so I could push of anything they hit. Somehow I stayed dry, and just barely got to the weaker current where I could stand still, and take a breath.

 

Now If I knew there was nothing deep ahead, and the current wasn't a Mach speed, its actually not a bad way to move downstream with little effort. Maybe I'm more, um, Buoyant then most, but it was like running downstream in zero gravity.

 

So if your even in a similar jam, just remember to Swade, and go with the flow.

[Slanter]

Wow, that sounds dangerous!

 

I'm relatively new to fly fishing, and I just got myself a pair of hip waders. They are the stocking feet goretex kind, so I have a pair of wading boots as well.

 

I was wondering if anyone has any safety tips for me. I'm kind of concerned that if I ever fall and fill my waders up with water... how the heck will I get out of them?? I would have to take my boots off! It seems like it could happen pretty easily in a situation like the one described above.

 

Maybe this thread could turn into something about wading safety. I would love to hear some advice about what to be worried about from people with more experience.

[Jayhad]

I've done this many times on the bc coastal rivers.... I like to call it moon walking. There are times that you get stuck out there long enough for the panic to subside and to me I feel giddy like a young child, bouncing along the river, then water over the top of the wader ussually snaps me back to reality.

 

Play safe out there

[Harps]

Neutral density... that's what you are when you have your waders full of water. Float in a sitting position, with your feet pointed downstream to help bounce you off of rocks. Use your arms to direct yourself. Stand when you are shallow enough that you stop moving (near shore or in a riffle).

A wader belt will help prevent water from completely filling your waders, but eitherway it'll be awkward to manouver. You can control your drift though.

 

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

 

AND

Take a swift water safety course.

http://www.abcanoekayak.org/safety/rescue_swift.asp?s=3

(I took one this June with Inside Out Experience, very good course)

 

The best bet is... not to wade over you thighs in flowing water and never wade over you knees upstream of a water hazard (logjam, waterfall, dam, weir, rapid, etc).

It also helps to have a wading staff.

[Lundvike]

It is not a good feeling is it. i swaded the Menomenee (sp?) in Miliwaukee during runoff during my visit to Wisconsin. Got only a very small amount of water over my waders. cell phone died during the event for some reason.

[putzer]

I have alway been told to keep your feet pointed upstream due to the fact that if your feet

are pointed downstream they might get stuck in a tree, rock or any other debris.

Have I been wrong all these years? Looking for input.

[Slanter]

From what I know from Kayaking and stuff, I think you're supposed to point your feet downstream.

 

Why? So you don't smash your head off stuff! Plus, you can see what's coming and try to get out of the way.

[Harps]

Have I been wrong all these years?

Yes

 

Although... if you are floating feet first and are fairly flexable, you could point your toes upstream while facing downstream... heel first floating.

 

 

 

If you are wading across, wade upstream, because if you reach a point where you can't go any farther, its easier to go back, angled downstream.

[duanec]

LOVE this thread.

i too like many have gone for a swade, mine was in very early spring near Canmore many years ago. stupidly tried to cross the river, but apart from the heart-stopping cold water i quickly realized my waders were not going to fill up or cause me to drown, although i was worried about a log jam downstream. almost died getting back to my vehilce tho and i remember stripping completely down right beside a family on a picnic to get some warm clothes on [not pretty] - i was too hypothermic to care.

since then i have actually intentionally jumped into the river with my waders on to retrieve a hat [hey, it's a lucky hat], and again apart from getting a little wet i was never in any danger. plus it was a nice day in August.

like Harps posted, the key is: don't panic, feet downstream, backrow with your arms and kick your way to the shore when you can.

[PlayDoh]

I've done this many times on the bc coastal rivers.... I like to call it moon walking. There are times that you get stuck out there long enough for the panic to subside and to me I feel giddy like a young child, bouncing along the river, then water over the top of the water ussually snaps me back to reality.

 

Play safe out there

 

Right on the money, I even got the little splash into the armpit and down the side to reset my heart. After I wrote this thread I thought of "moon walking" being a better description also. lol.

 

I was trying to act like it was all part of my plan, since there were a few people on the shore, yet I was ready to ask for help if things went ugly. I can tell you this though, they would have found my dead body still clinging to my rod. I lost footing near a bank, and cause the current was so strong I had to 'take a dip', then crawl up the 8' near vertical bank with 100lbs legs. Then I had to lay on my back, and lift my legs to get the water out, sending it all up my back and reliving the feeling of being submerged. lol

 

I used to float the same stretch of water on an inner tube with friends to cool off on a hot day, so I knew I wasn't in grave danger, but then again its not hard to drown. I've even got in half stuck in silt before so there are plenty of ways to get in trouble, which is why I'm not proud of the fact I've had some sketchy moments.

 

Yet it sure is funny in hindsight.

[Gil]

I took two spills last Friday. Nothing to exciting but I got plenty wet. By the way i've done a fair bit of white water rafting. They instruct you to go with your feet point down stream to push off of rocks etc.

[PlayDoh]

I'd go feet first, and I wouldn't keep my legs too low if I knew I had a trip to take. Getting wet is often a possibility when I fish, but I don't risk drowning if the chances are anywhere near likely. If falling in is something completely alien to you, bring a change of clothes and a towel, and at the end of a hot day fishing take a dip where you know its safe. Make sure theres someone with you, to laugh at you, and try drifting a bit, after your heart starts beating again. Then you'll laugh yourself when you struggle to walk/crawl with a few gallons of water in your pants.

 

Your major concern when adrift in a fast moving river like the Bow, is getting snagged. That is if you aren't panicking and trying to swim so hard to the nearest bank that you end up breathing in water, while completely exhausted. The Bow has a lot more shallow spots then most people would assume, I'd guess. Taking a ride on the current to the next shallow spot isn't too bad, but make sure you know whats downstream first, and if not, ride high to avoid a snag.

 

Thats not expert advice or anything, just what I've decided to do when I fall in.

[SilverDoctor]

Just a comment about wading. A wading staff will help you keep your balance. I started using one about 8 years ago and it sure has made a difference. Don't go swimming any more. The other thing is wading cleats. The little screws that you sink into the soles of your waders. They help with positive traction immensely. Especially when the weed growth fires up on the rocks.

[PriddisFlyFisher]

Just a comment about wading. A wading staff will help you keep your balance. I started using one about 8 years ago and it sure has made a difference. Don't go swimming any more. The other thing is wading cleats. The little screws that you sink into the soles of your waders. They help with positive traction immensely. Especially when the weed growth fires up on the rocks.

 

The wading staff sounds like a good idea. I have been having some knee trouble (my physio says that cold water wading may be theraputic) and have been thinking of using a wading staff. Can any one recommend what type is best to use and fish with?

[SilverDoctor]

The wading staff sounds like a good idea. I have been having some knee trouble (my physio says that cold water wading may be theraputic) and have been thinking of using a wading staff. Can any one recommend what type is best to use and fish with?

 

I've tried a number of wading staffs, some where too light thus tended to float and a couple of the collapsible ones collapsed or broke at the wrong time (not really a good thing). Used a ski pole with the bottom filled with a bit of hot lead which wasn't bad.

 

The best one by far was a staff that I bought from Speyghillie a couple of years ago (Sharpe's of Aberdeen Wading Staff). Bottom weighted with a great strap system that keeps it right out of the way when fishing. He has brought a few from England for people who wanted them the last couple of fly fishing workshops that he put on. This staff is bottom weighted and stays put. Put it through it's paces here and on the big Steelhead waters at the coast. Now I wouldn't step into a river of any size without it, saved my bacon a few times.

 

You might check out some of the local fly shops to see what they have in staffs based on my above comments or send Speyghillie a pm.

 

Hope his helps

[PriddisFlyFisher]

Thanks SilverDoctor for your tips on wading staffs. You raise some important safety concerns. I can think of a number to times when wading that I could have used the extra support from a wading staff.

 

As Barry Mitchell points out in his book Alberta's Trout Highway, "Nothing you can do while fishing a river will put you in greater jeopardy than wading. Once you get into your waders and into the water you have no one to blame but yourself if you get into trouble. Typically, the bigger and faster the river, the greater the danger."

 

In his book, Barry goes on to tell a story about fishing with a buddy and getting into wading trouble on the Clearwater and having to "hold hands" to safely get out of the river.

 

"Barry and I are lucky to be able to laugh about that incident today, but only because we had each other to lean on. Had either of us tried that stunt while fishing alone, the result could have been tragic. Today we hold hands shamelessly when crossing at difficult spots, and we don't give a damn who's watching."

 

I agree with the tip from "Big Barry" about wading safely with a buddy by holding hands when crossing difficult water.

 

I was surfing the web and also came across a video on wading safety that is worth reviewing:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/18116_f...ater-safety.htm

 

Safe wading fellow fishermen and fisherwomen.