Wading dos and don't

[SirWinston]

Original reply moved from other thread.

Originally Posted by Slick Moedee

For those of us that do not wade all that often, could some one shed a little light how this occurs and what you do to minimize the risks. Is it more often than not the inability to stand up once dunked? Now I am not a complete newbie, wader belts, avoid going solo, knowing hte area, etc., but as I expand my horizons from the rock points of the Northshore I would like to tap into the experience of those that have been there and done that.

While I am only a journeyman surfcaster, with only a few years under my belt, and certainly not an authority by any means, I do not go out without the following:

tight cinched belt

PFD (mine is manually inflatable - a decision made versus the auto-inflation possibly going off from a wave wash), worn even when I'm on a beach. (I also use it to hold the lip gripper and keep it it out of my way)

korkers - regularly checked for missing/worn down studs (which is a very common situation even though I only fish 2-4 times a week)

As to location, I generally don't go to any that I haven't had the opportunity to learn either in daylight or with/from an older and wiser soul (Cheers to a number of surfhounds - Eddie and to Toonoc at DH and you others !!). Even then, there are a few places that I don't go out on at night unless it is either very peaceful or I'm with another fisherman. I don't like having to keep an eye out for that bloody wave that just waits until your attention is elsewhere


I also try to go out knowing that, even with as much preparation as possible, all it is doing is moving the balance of the odds a little bit further in my favour....