We hear stories all the time about the dangers of this, that, or the other with respect to fly fishing. And indeed our beloved sport does encompass far more than just casting a line and sitting around safely waiting for the fishies to bite. We drive, boat, walk, and hike to places off the beaten path in order to find that elusive trout, bass, or other favorite catch. 

What I don’t hear too much about, however, is how to safely traverse the terrain once you actually step into the water. I am by no means an expert at wading, but I’m putting pen to paper to provide what I think are some of the more important tips for wading safely.  

I think the foremost tip to successful wading is to always, always, always use a wading staff! I cannot stress this one enough. Your staff is like your third leg, and boy does it come in handy. Some say that a solid staff is best, but I’ve had a collapsible staff for almost ten years and have not had any trouble getting where I need to go. I would say that this is a personal preference thing, so find what works for you. 

Secondly, although most of us don’t think much about the bottoms of our shoes, the soles of your boots are actually quite important if you plan to wade. Rubber soles are a big no-no, as they have little to no traction in pebbly or mossy situations. The preferred sole material is felt, and a tried and true enhancement to that felt is to screw about twelve small hex head screws into the bottoms of your soles, six at the heel and six at the ball of the foot (just be sure that the screws aren’t so long that they penetrate the shoe itself!). I’ve been in many a situation where those screws gave me the added traction I needed to navigate some tricky river bottoms. 

Thirdly, be sure you have the right waders for your needs. Neoprene waders are most often recommended for cold water, winter fishing, but I have found that breathable waders with a couple of layers of clothing underneath work just fine. Again, this is one of those personal preference things, so find what’s right for you. I personally think I should spare the public from having to see me in neoprene waders (a large sausage comes to mind)! 

If you wear breathable waders, I strongly recommend wearing a belt. In case you do fall in the water, the belt will stop the water from rushing in and billowing out the legs of your waders. Some water will still get in, but slowing it down could give you extra valuable time to reach safety. 

Fourthly, be aware of your center of gravity when wading. When you take a step forward, be sure that your front foot is planted firmly before switching your center of gravity from the back foot. Remember that there will be rocks and other obstacles under the water that you can’t see, even with polarized sunglasses (which I recommend wearing, by the way). If you remind yourself to take slow, small, shuffling steps, you’re far less likely to take a swim. As they say, slow and steady wins the race. And remember to use your wading staff! 

And finally, keep your eyes on where you want to go, rather than on the water. If you spend too much time watching what your feet are doing, you’ll end up off course and somewhere you didn’t intend to go. If you are taking the types of steps I discussed in the previous paragraph (slow, small, and shuffling), you should be able to “feel” the river bottom and thus be able to look ahead and not at your feet. 

I hope these tips are helpful, and Happy Wading!