JoeW
08-14-2010, 07:44 AM
The moral for this post is: "It's easier to wade down the river, than back up!"
This happened to me, just once! Check out the map, click it for a bigger image, and follow along:
I was wading in chest waders along the Cattaraugus Creek in Western NY, fishing for Steelhead in an area unfamiliar to me. The creek was about 60 yards across at this point with a fairly strong current running right to left. Water was a bit discolored, couldn't see bottom in waist deep water. Found a sand bar running out into very deep water and waded out into the creek along the bar. Depth of water over the bar was about belt buckle high, with a fairly strong current running over it, but I was comfortable with that. Waded out to where the bar ended, dropping off very quickly to water 6 feet deep or more (I was feeling my way along with my feet). Here's where I made my mistake!!!! I proceeded to fish in the deeper water and slowly worked my way DOWNSTREAM, feeling with my feet and staying on the bar. I figured I could aways turn back to the shore and wade back along the bar. Reached a point where..... the bar apparently ended to my left as I could feel a quick drop off. So I turned to wade cross-stream back to shore. Uh Oh! The bar dropped off there, too! The bar was hook shaped! And I was standing at the point! Deep water on three sides, the only way out was to retrace my steps and go back, AGAINST the current! Waist deep and with that current, it took me nearly hour to literally inch my way back to the spot where I could turn and get back to shore. My legs felt like rubber and I was shaking! Fishermen have drowned in that creek, and I almost made the list!
I'm posting this so you don't let yourself fall into this same kind of trap, especially if you wade deep! Remember: "It's easier to wade down the river, than back up!" Good luck. Best---- JoeW
This happened to me, just once! Check out the map, click it for a bigger image, and follow along:
I was wading in chest waders along the Cattaraugus Creek in Western NY, fishing for Steelhead in an area unfamiliar to me. The creek was about 60 yards across at this point with a fairly strong current running right to left. Water was a bit discolored, couldn't see bottom in waist deep water. Found a sand bar running out into very deep water and waded out into the creek along the bar. Depth of water over the bar was about belt buckle high, with a fairly strong current running over it, but I was comfortable with that. Waded out to where the bar ended, dropping off very quickly to water 6 feet deep or more (I was feeling my way along with my feet). Here's where I made my mistake!!!! I proceeded to fish in the deeper water and slowly worked my way DOWNSTREAM, feeling with my feet and staying on the bar. I figured I could aways turn back to the shore and wade back along the bar. Reached a point where..... the bar apparently ended to my left as I could feel a quick drop off. So I turned to wade cross-stream back to shore. Uh Oh! The bar dropped off there, too! The bar was hook shaped! And I was standing at the point! Deep water on three sides, the only way out was to retrace my steps and go back, AGAINST the current! Waist deep and with that current, it took me nearly hour to literally inch my way back to the spot where I could turn and get back to shore. My legs felt like rubber and I was shaking! Fishermen have drowned in that creek, and I almost made the list!
I'm posting this so you don't let yourself fall into this same kind of trap, especially if you wade deep! Remember: "It's easier to wade down the river, than back up!" Good luck. Best---- JoeW