Worst Wading Experience?

O

outsider

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This happened to me about 25 years ago. My father and I went to the Martins Creek area of the Delaware river to fish for shad on a very cold April day. The water was high. For the first and only time ever, I brought and wore a flotation vest. I stepped off a sandbar and my chest waders filled with water, and I was floating down the river. I managed to hold on to my rod and paddled my way to shore. I probably would have drowned that day if I wasn't wearing a flotation vest. Really shook me up.

I also got stuck in the mud at the upper end of Scotts Run Lake for what seemed like 20 minutes before I could free myself.

And I knew someone who didn't heed the warning siren on the Lackawaxen River, and he spent hours standing on a rock in the middle of the river, waiting for the water to drop.

Anyone else have any scary experiences wading?
 
That same guy had to take a dump along the Lacky one day, pulled down his chest waders, and missed his target. Pulled up his chest wader with a load in them.

One more very scary experience I had: I used to fish a small lake owned by the Camp Fire Girls. There was a small channel at the upper end of the lake with about a foot of water in it. And bass laid in it. Well, I snagged my popper in a branch on the other side, so I thought I'd wade out and get it. I took on step off the bank and I was up to my crotch in mud, never hit bottom. Fortunately, I grabbed a tree root and pulled myself out. The state would not let them dredge the lake due to the presence of Bog Turtles. Surprised that no one drowned there.
 
Outsider,
I would think if that would have been my first time with a vest it would have happened every time there after also. I haven't done much wading yet, so no good stories of my own.
 
the dump is even more funny , sorry but im tearin up as i type this hahaha heheh hohohoho..........
 
they make wading staffs for a reason.also wading belts, and a co2 pull life vest, but using commonsense....PRICELESS
 
Lonewolve wrote:
they make wading staffs for a reason.also wading belts, and a co2 pull life vest, but using commonsense....PRICELESS
Click to expand...

I was young and invincable at the time, or so I thought......
 
You're not the only one who got stuck in the famous mud at Scotts Run Lake. I don't know how I got myself unstuck with my wading boots still attached. Had a similar experience at Lackawanna Lake years ago.
 
Outsider,
all men are invincible when we are young, I can tell you i learned what to do if i fall in on purpose, i had a pair of red ball felted bootfoot waders an went to the Delaware here above easton and jumped in , figured the best way to learn how to handle a situation is to literally immerse myself in the moment
at the time it was june an the water was up but not muddy , it is true that if you have the belt properly adjusted it will keep most of the water out an if you bend yer knees and face downstream while you use your arms to sort of side stroke you will hit the bank after a while. I actually did this and i was 24 at the time, water doesnt scare me i have a deep respect for it, and i know i can get out an survive.
Two worst places people drown locally are Delaware Water Gap, and Foul Rift over the years.
Rule #1 if you cant swim, you have no business being in the water till you learn, you are never too old to learn.
Rule#2 always tell someone where you are going that way if you dont come home they know where to start looking,
Rule #3 Always try to fish with a buddy, if something happens one or the other can get help.
Always use commonsense..rember there are old waders,and bold waders, but seldom will you meet a old bold wader
BTW i jumped from the trestle where Martins Creek dumps in, out on the middle of the trestle feet first.
 
Well during one of the first times I drove out to MT in the late 1960's I waded into the Madison River. It was swift but I was in my late 20's and felt like I could wade anywhere. Well it was very easy to wade out to about waist deep but when I had fished awhile and caught nothing I wanted to come back in. The water was so swift I had trouble just turning around to face back in towards the bank.

I was screwed, I couldn't move up against the current to get back to shore. Luckily for me a drift boat came close enough to me that I could ask him if he would let me hold onto the gunwales as he rowed me to safer water. I know he was tickled to see me in this predicament but he let me hang on as he rowed to shore. It taught me a valuable lesson about the Madison.

 
Last year fishing the Lehigh. Some of you might know the area. The island right below Bowmanstown ramp. My cousin, a friend, and I crossed over to the island right where the river splits. Water was up but we got across with little problem. They released water and when we went to cross in the same spot the current dragged me 20 yards down stream. I was tiptoeing the whole time but could not stop myself. Grabbed a stick and was able to slow myself and push me to wadeable water. I was pretty shaken and my friends were as well. They thought I was a gone. I did not tell my wife about the incident for about two weeks. Did not need to scare her, because I fished the same spot probably 6 times the next two weeks. Lol
 
Salmon River several years ago. DSR near the school bus. Dad right by my side. Highest we had experienced it. We started to wade out. Could actually feel gravel washing out from under our feet. Had a tough time turning around and getting back. We both had wading staffs. I thought we were going in for a few seconds.
 
Worst wading experience is definitely the Lil juniata river and letort spring. Both completely dangerous.
 
I've told this story to some members here, but I have never posted it. Last spring my 7 year old son and I fished Hell Run. For those that don't know this stream it has high steep walls that come down to the waters edge. We started at the upper end after the waterfall. We were able to cross the plunge pool without a problem and fish on down.

Well, on the drive there a pop up thunderstorm appeared. After a little fishing the water muddied and rose pretty fast. It quickly got to the point were my son wasn't able to wade anymore. This became a serious situation. He can't walk up the stream, I can't carry him. Luckily I had about 10' of rope in my vest. With the help of the rope we were able to scratch and claw our way on the bank back to the waterfall. At the waterfall I did have to carry him to the stairs.

That was a scary time, and as far as I know, his mother still doesn't know about. If she knew, he'll fishing the kiddy pool untill puberty.
 
My great uncle drowned on the Salmon. They released water and he did not hear the warning siren. Long time ago.
 
Years ago, while fishing the Yough near Confuence. It was a hot Summer evening. It was getting dark and I was having trouble picking my way back to the side of the river I had parked on. Ended up taking some cold water down my waders. IT just took the breath right out of me. I had to mentally tell myself to not panic, just try to swim to the bank and collect myself. No one even knew I was down there, it could have been pretty bad. And I still don't fish there any more.
 
The Salmon River is a dangerous place. I was at the DSR and was looking for a spot to cross. The river was high and muddy. What I thought wasn't deep, was a lot deeper than I remembered. I was on a long flat rock that started sloping down. I slid and had about two inches of waders left before water spilled in. Luckily that was as deep as it got. I thought I was going in. I have seen a few other guys float past at other times. We would have to do the buddy system to cross on a few occasions. I did take an unwanted swim at chest creek last week too. Thank god for wading belts.
 
Wading Wills Creek is an accident waiting to happen with every step. The rocks are slippery and just when you think you have it, you find a rock at a 45 degree angle and your foot slides down it till you find bottom. Sometimes it's a long slide along with an unwanted stretching exercise.
 
The little J scares the crap out of me, I will not go there without a wading staff. Even with one I've been stuck on the "other side" for a while. Only place that has ever put me in over my head. I know that Shane loves to swim in the J also. People who think wading staffs are for the weak are stupid, and I hope to not hear of them drowning some day.
 
Hmm, well. Tionesta Creek. I was somewhere between 16 and 18 years of age, fishing with a friend in the early season.

666 runs the North side of the River. It's a large stream, large enough that in it's ordinary "spring" condition it is only crossable in a few spots. We were about half way between 2 bridges, so nearest bridges are 2 miles up or 2 miles down.

Well, being young and dumb, we crossed to fish, which allows you to escape the crowds of the road side and fish different water. It was barely crossable. Cept, it was raining all day. Stupid idiots didn't even bother to keep track of how high it was getting.

You guessed it. Quitting time, uncrossable. We're in freakin sight of the truck, but it's a 4 mile hike around. Swimming for it seems like a good idea!

I took off the waders, swam the river, and boogied for the truck and heater. He didn't. After I was across and to the vehicle, he figures I can drive to the bridge, cutting the 4 mile hike into a 2 mile one!
 
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