Anybody ever take a dunking with waders on? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Swimmer · 11-15-2005, 11:47 AM

I was just curious if anybody has ever gone under and had difficulty regaining footing and getting back up on the beach? What did you have to do to avoid distaster/drowning? Any sugestions for the newbies when wading.

5/0 · 11-15-2005, 12:10 PM

Once,I was fishing for salmon in Paluski,New York.way up state.I took a real nice digger tumbled and rolled & completly submerged, rod in hand the whole time.The scuba session lasted only a few seconds (I shoulda broght the spear gun instead)& I traveled maybe 30 feet or so,It felt like forever.Some how I landed on my feet.
I was also totaly green to wading in fast water,after that I was a quick study to wading in fast moving water.Somebody (

)was looking out for me that day.
Alot of people are using PFD's now a days.

Some how the rod didn't brake

5/0

Christian · 11-15-2005, 12:40 PM

a couple times this season, in water up to about the top of my stomach fishing a boulder feild.

basically i just tripped. having a wader belt on over my skinz helped alot, would have been bad if i didnt have the belt. basically, i just swam out of it and stood up and continued fishing. no water made it below the belt.

im switching to a wet suit next year because this type of thing scares the crap out of me and i know ive wading way too deep to be safe in waders.

dickmont · 11-15-2005, 12:41 PM

years ago i was swept into a deep pool while trout fishing in georgia. even with a wading belt, waders fill very fast and provide zero flotation. it's possible to swim, but you wouldn't want to do it for long. i now wear a simms dry top. i was completly submerged by a wave last sunday and popped up dry as a bone except my head and hands of course. i still wear a wading belt with the dry top, sort of an insurance device, and on the jettys i also wear a manual inflatable pfd. a dry top is a very good investment in your comfort as well as saftey.

Rappin Mikey · 11-15-2005, 01:00 PM

If you have to bring a cell phone, make sure you wrap it in two zip locks. Shorted mine out a few weeks ago going for an unexpected dip off of WH. Waders will float when you are submerged (the water on the inside weighs the same as the water on the outside) The problem is that as the waders fill up, current or big surf can pull and drag you, making it hard to get back to shore. Always wear a wading belt. Even though I don't use one, PFDs are the safest bet.

Springtides · 11-15-2005, 01:01 PM

Tripped up at Carpenters one night . Wearing waders with belt plus aquaskinz with belt. To my suprise I was horizontal and had a hard time gettin upright and on my feet again because of the air in my waders. Quickly used the rod as a stick to hoist me up.

UserRemoved1 · 11-15-2005, 01:34 PM

I took a dump off a rock in the Westfield about 10 years ago just below the Chesterfield Gorge...it happened in 3' of water...in January. I gained a new respect for why people drown...I got the wind knocked outta me from the shock of the 38 degree water...I could NOT stand up again. My buddy was 10' away on the enbankment and saw the whole thing and had already put his rod down to go in after me when I was finally able to stand up again. THREE feet of friggin water. I literally could not get my feet under me. THAT is the scariest feeling I have ever had in my life. Always bring a change of clothes when it's cold...I had all I could do 10 minutes later at the truck to get my cold wet stuff off.

Nebe · 11-15-2005, 02:12 PM

this spring i went down and my plug bag strap got stuck under a jagged rock. Damn near drowned

dickmont · 11-15-2005, 02:14 PM

i don't know mikey. i figure bootfoot waders, korkers, large plug bag, plus assorted other stuff that i'm wearing none of which has any inherent flotation and together weighs 20 or so lbs...gravity wants to put that stuff on the bottom and me with it. it's possible to swim encumbered like that but not without a lot of effort. if you get the wind knocked out of you you're in even deeper trouble.

vineyardblues · 11-15-2005, 02:25 PM

First off one word a WADER BELT....
And to answer your question, it's an old wisetail , your fine in waders. Might be a harder swim and cold as hell and getting back up to shore with your waders full but you will be fine.
Frank D did a whole report for an insurance company and proved that you will float and swim with waders on. And I am sure the waders now adays are much lighter then the waders Frank used... Frank is old ...lol

ps. as Frank said they never went to court

VB