Brians writes:

I've read that keeping your wading belt tight, and close to the top of
your waders is your best bet. If you fall in over the top of your, the
high wading belt will keep most of the water out, and not "balloon" full
of water. There won't be enough water pressure to force it's way past a
high belt. The same can't be said for a belt worn at your waist. It's my
understanding that this was tested by a white water rescue team, and
worked. Also the legs up and in front(like sitting in a recliner)was the
safest method.

I can't speak for the Michelin Man legs full of air, but that certainly
seems like it could be a problem.

I don't think it is, because generally, when you are wading, there is very
little air in the legs portion of the waders (or the the torso portion if you
are deep) because of the water pressure. The waders cling to your legs. The
two times I had serious dunkings there was no air in the leg portion of my
waders (or, very little). The one that Jeff Miller witnessed, I did a backward
full Reid off of a rock into about 7-8 feet of water, with a not too swift
current. I "saved" my self by bouncing off of the bottom to get my head above
the water for a breath of air. I did this two or three times until I was in
water that I could stand. There was a foot of water in each leg, but a lot of
that drained in when I got out of the water and removed my wading belt.

The worse Reid I ever experienced was falling into a river (Second Current of
the Rapid in Maine) and the current swept me into water that is at least 15
feet deep and is part of a large pond. I ended up about 50 feet from land, but
managed to backstroke my way into water (Third Current) where I could stand.
It was scarey, of course, but it taught me that I probably could survive any
falls into *that* river. (Didn't lose my rod, either.)


I believe Dave L mentioned a vest as a potential problem. I was in a
serious situation, and found the drag from my vest to be a big factor.
Once I rid myself of the vest(with fish in net hanging from it), I was
able(barely)to climb out of the water. I wasn't in waders at time.

brians, oh, and the fish was safely released. ;-)

The vest, especially one weighted with many fly boxes, lunch, raincoat, and
all the other crap one carries, is the main problem. I had an acquaintance who
drowned while wading about 1/2 mile below the Lake Francis Dam in Pittsburg,
NH, where the Connecticut River begins. He was notorious for taking chances
wading (on the Rapid River) and apparently was in deep water when they released
the dam. They found his body down river. But, his is the only death I have
ever heard about because of wading, and I think he probably was doing something
foolish.

This past May, some dude in a kayak tipped over in the Rapid while they were
running a good flow. He had on waders and somehow got free of the kayak. His
waders filled with water *while* he was glinging to a rock in the middle of the
river. He told friends of mine (that saved him) that he took his knife and
literally cut the waders from his body. He was in the water about 20 minutes
before someone heard him and went for help. The guy that saved him, a
vetinarian from Mass., waded out to him while attached to a rope. They both
waded back to shore with the aid of the rope, wading staff and each other.
They recovered his rod, backpack, and kayak downstream.

Sorry for the long post.....