Waders Danger question

Do yourself a favor and try it. I did it a number of years ago with a rope
tied to my arm. I jumped off the dock at Lakewood Camps in Maine into some
cold water. I had a friend in the water and another on the dock with the other
end of the rope. Swimming ashore on my back was no trouble whatsoever. The
biggest hindrance was not the waders or shoes or wading staff, but my fishing
vest (minus my fly boxes!). I went back into the water to see if I could take
my vest off while in deep water. I couldn't. So, in fast water, like others
have said, get on your back, point your feet downstream, keeping them near the
surface, and backstroke to shore or to a place where you can stand.

If you are fearful, buy an inflatable vest - one with a co2 cartridge. Orvis
sells a very good one with co2 and a manual inflation stem. Also available are
suspenders (as Fortenberry has pointed out).

Good Reiding.

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Sierra fisher" wrote in
:

Water in your waders increases your surface area, and the current will
have
an easier time pushing you around (including under water, if a current
wants to suck you down).

Yes, but there's no reason for your waders to be ballooning underwater, as
the pressure outside is equal to the pressure inside. Look at a plastic
grocery bag floating downstream: its usually collapsed, or just drifting
half-open. Its not ballooned out like a parachute. As long as you are making
some swimming efforts with your arms, you should have no problem steering
yourself and resisting undercurrents exactly as if you were floating without
waders. Like I said, I'm going to the pool with my waders this weekend to
get some real experience with this, but I've seen the videos and read the
writing.

Also, if you try to move a wader leg that's full
of water, it will be harder to move simply because you're moving more
weight. You lose agility at a time when you can least afford to lose it.

Again, since your leg isn't all ballooned full of water, there should be
very little extra water mass to move. Its when you get half OUT of the water
and your waders are full of whatever water came in that the
weight/maneuverability problems arise, which is why you crawl/roll/flounder
through the shallows to shore.


I find that water infiltrates my loose-fitting breathables more easily
than
a snugger-fitting neoprene.

I'm sorry to hear that you've had so much experience with this! :-)


Bottom line, wear a belt, consider a flotation device, and wade very
cautiously and conservatively if you're not a strong swimmer or if you
lean
toward panic when dunked.

None of those can hurt, thats for sure!

--riverman

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
Do yourself a favor and try it. I did it a number of years ago with a
rope
tied to my arm. I jumped off the dock at Lakewood Camps in Maine into
some
cold water. I had a friend in the water and another on the dock with the
other
end of the rope. Swimming ashore on my back was no trouble whatsoever.
The
biggest hindrance was not the waders or shoes or wading staff, but my
fishing
vest (minus my fly boxes!). I went back into the water to see if I could
take
my vest off while in deep water. I couldn't. So, in fast water, like
others
have said, get on your back, point your feet downstream, keeping them near
the
surface, and backstroke to shore or to a place where you can stand.

If you are fearful, buy an inflatable vest - one with a co2 cartridge.
Orvis
sells a very good one with co2 and a manual inflation stem. Also
available are
suspenders (as Fortenberry has pointed out).

Good Reiding.

These are all good postings, I'm glad that I asked about this since I'm not
a good swimmer.
I had no idea about on what to do if my waders got filled with water, and
the suggestion about trying it might be a good idea, to see if I can float
on my back with my feet up. Might look stupid in the pool, but it could
also save my life someday.
-tom

hell dave, you performed a fine test that day at blue rock hole on
penns, imo... i learned quite a bit. it sure fukked up the fishin tho. g

jeff

Dave LaCourse wrote:

Do yourself a favor and try it. I did it a number of years ago with a rope
tied to my arm. I jumped off the dock at Lakewood Camps in Maine into some
cold water. I had a friend in the water and another on the dock with the other
end of the rope. Swimming ashore on my back was no trouble whatsoever. The
biggest hindrance was not the waders or shoes or wading staff, but my fishing
vest (minus my fly boxes!). I went back into the water to see if I could take
my vest off while in deep water. I couldn't. So, in fast water, like others
have said, get on your back, point your feet downstream, keeping them near the
surface, and backstroke to shore or to a place where you can stand.

If you are fearful, buy an inflatable vest - one with a co2 cartridge. Orvis
sells a very good one with co2 and a manual inflation stem. Also available are
suspenders (as Fortenberry has pointed out).

Good Reiding.

hell dave, you performed a fine test that day at blue rock hole on
penns, imo... i learned quite a bit. it sure fukked up the fishin tho. g

jeff

Dave LaCourse wrote:

Do yourself a favor and try it. I did it a number of years ago with a rope
tied to my arm. I jumped off the dock at Lakewood Camps in Maine into some
cold water. I had a friend in the water and another on the dock with the other
end of the rope. Swimming ashore on my back was no trouble whatsoever. The
biggest hindrance was not the waders or shoes or wading staff, but my fishing
vest (minus my fly boxes!). I went back into the water to see if I could take
my vest off while in deep water. I couldn't. So, in fast water, like others
have said, get on your back, point your feet downstream, keeping them near the
surface, and backstroke to shore or to a place where you can stand.

If you are fearful, buy an inflatable vest - one with a co2 cartridge. Orvis
sells a very good one with co2 and a manual inflation stem. Also available are
suspenders (as Fortenberry has pointed out).

Good Reiding.

Jeff opines:

hell dave, you performed a fine test that day at blue rock hole on
penns, imo... i learned quite a bit. it sure fukked up the fishin tho. g

That was a good one. I've looking at Reid's 1st Place Duck Ass Award for 2001
shudder as I type. It hangs on my wall of fame at eye level, constantly
reminding me that lawyers do not have any training in life-saving. Or
retrieving a friend's fly box! d;o)

I'll never fish with you again until you learn how to play Taps on a harmonica.

When I was younger I was a maniac wader. My thinking was, if I would
make the effort to wade into places that other anglers avoided, I could
reach unfished water. It did work, but it also resulted in lots of dunkings
including some total immersions with a downstream drift. Didn't wear a
wading belt and never felt handicapped by the waders until I got a place
I could stand up. Then there were problems. This was especially true with
the latex waders that I used to buy before neoprene came out. The latex
waders were VERY stretchy and would hold a huge amount of water. It was
impossible to stand up with all the water weight and I took on the
appearance of The Michelin Man.

In addition to the age factor, I think a good part of it was that before
neoprene waders, it was close to impossible to keep waders
in a condition that would keep you totally dry (at least for me) . And if
you were already wet, getting a little more wet wasn't a big deal.
Now with improved waders, if it's cold enough (or the water is) to
wear waders, I no longer want to get wet and modern waders do a
good job of keeping you dry. So I use the built in wading belt on my
waders. I haven't gotten a total immersion in a longtime but I've taken
water over top of my waders and the wading belt does a fair job of
keeping the water out. You'll get some seepage, but not alot of
water.

Willi

Tom asks:
Just curious, what happens if one accidentally gets in too deep and your
waders fill up with water?

Mr. Reid will be along shortly to help you with this one.
Tom

Tom asks:
Just curious, what happens if one accidentally gets in too deep and your
waders fill up with water?

Mr. Reid will be along shortly to help you with this one.
Tom

(Tom Littleton) wrote in news:20041028182430.26483.00003447
@mb-m07.aol.com:

Tom asks:
Just curious, what happens if one accidentally gets in too deep and your
waders fill up with water?

Mr. Reid will be along shortly to help you with this one.
Tom

Does the answer go "start writing your acceptance speech for the Duck's
Butt award?"
'

Scott