Freshwater current and depth can be deceiving. Fast water does not have to be deep to pull your feet out from under you. Knee-deep water can easily sweep you off your feet if it’s fast enough or if the bottom is slippery enough. In fast water you should avoid wading above your knees, but the general rule of thumb is to stay shallower the faster the water is moving.
As I pointed out above, looking where you are walking and proceeding cautiously will help tremendously in keeping you upright. Take your time and never shift your weight from one foot until the other is firmly planted and stable. Be aware of how much the current is pushing you as you go along. Turn back if you feel uncomfortable.
Be particularly careful in shallow water. A fall in deep water will get you wet, but a fall on stream-side rocks can cause serious injury and break bones. The slippery bottom combined with the current can make regaining your feet a real challenge in fast, shallow water.
When turning around in fast water, always pivot in an upstream direction. Rotating while facing downstream will allow the current to push you forward, possibly into a deep hole.
Never walk where you can’t see where you’re stepping. If you fish until dark, be sure to use a headlamp and make sure you’re familiar with the area.
Crossing The River
Reading the water will not only help you find fish, it will also guide you when crossing a wide section of river. The safest areas are usually the tail end of a pool or the head of a wide riffle where the water is usually shallower. Always angle your path upstream. If at some point you realize you can’t go any farther, you can always retrace your steps. If you angle downstream, the power of the current may not allow you to retrace your steps, pushing you into unknown territory and possibly a deep section.
Situational Awareness When Wading In Moving Water
A couple of years ago, I was wading in a wide section of a big Maine river when I started to struggle to keep my feet. I thought I was just getting tired. I was making my way to the bank when a large tree trunk passed by. Suddenly, I realized that the water was rising. That’s why wading was becoming harder.
I made my way to the shore and crawled up on a boulder anxiously waiting for my husband, who was fishing downstream. When he finally joined me he was visibly ruffled. The rising water had caught him off guard as well. It turned out that the dam upstream had been opened but the operator had failed to sound the warning alarm. When we returned to camp, many fishermen had had close calls.
That experience was a strong reminder to be aware of your surroundings, always.
When wading a tailwater (below a dam) you should know the release schedule for that day, or if there’s not a schedule, find out any trends you should be aware of. The local fly shop is a great resource for that information. But even that knowledge wouldn’t have helped us in this situation.
When wading, take note of the water level on surrounding rocks—this will help you gauge whether the water is rising or falling.
In some situations, a rainstorm far upriver can cause the river below to swell hours after the storm has passed. Paying attention to weather forecasts and the current radar is also important to wading safely.
This is not an exhaustive safety list, but I hope it gives you a good foundation for safe freshwater wading. Fishing is a lot more fun with both feet firmly on the ground.
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