5/16/2008

Tips and Advice

Algae Covered Stones and the Wading Solution

Take the time to learn this quick tip and you may never fall in the river, or lake, again

always have felt sole waders handy when fishing rivers, streams, and lakes.
Take a good look at the soles of my waders here. The felt on the boots allowed me to fish some deep fast water that had algae-covered rocks.

Timothy Kusherets

Most wading tips are extremely cheap and can be accomplished in seconds, but there isn’t a lot of written material about it. Take the time to learn this quick tip and you may never fall in the river, or lake, again.
Getting fish on the hook from the bank sometimes means wading out into rivers, and sometimes that can be dangerous. During the spring and summer when rivers begin to run low and clear Algae begins to form on rocks making them treacherous and slippery. The lower rivers and lakes get the deeper fish tend to hold, and if you want to fish from the banks that means wading to fish in the deepest recesses of the river.
Felt on the soles of waders ensures better footing, but a wading pole will help. Wading poles can be purchased in most sporting goods stores, or simply visit a ski shop and buy a ski pole and use that to help wade out into the slippery fast water. For anglers who don’t want to carry around a pole all day, simply breaking off the branch of a tree is a great quick fix.
As you make your way out the fast water, wade with a side step rather than directly confronting the current. This will help you to get out in the river without the threat of being swept off your feet. It’s best to begin upstream from where you want to fish and wade in the direction of the current, this cuts down on body drag, and you can actually wade easier, faster, and safer.
Never wade out into streams during the warmer months without felt on the soles of boots. Even gravel develops algae, and you can slip on the smallest stones if care is not taken.
Never wade far into unfamiliar lakes. Drop-offs are hidden by the dark shade of drop-offs and are hard to see, even with the aid of polarized glasses. Always take a pole of some kind to probe water directly in front of you and always err on the side of caution. Fishing might be one of the best outdoor activities on the face of the earth, but it still comes down to the simple fact that it’s just a fish, and wading into unfamiliar water is not worth risking your life.