WADING SAFETY - Intro

From FlyFisherman.com, written by Dick Galland (owner Clearwater House)

Intro   Gear   Strategy   Buddy

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.

Intro   Gear   Strategy   Buddy