# Scary moment on the Big D



## benjaminrogers (Jul 11, 2011)

Last night my girlfriend, Beth, suggested I go out fishing this morning which was kind of weird because I have my 2 yo daughter this weekend. I typically don't like fishing alone so I hit up sbreech and we decided to head to two a couple ponds we like that back up on the Big.

When we got there we decided to head out to the creek. The flow was about 480 yesterday so I was a little worried but when we got there the current was challenging but fishable. We cast for awhile until we realized that our flies were water skiing in the current. Moving up stream a little bit further we tried in some slower current to no avail.
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At this point I want to say that before I bought my waders I read just about every article on this board about wading and I was still undecided but if I learned anything while in the Navy was don't be stupid.
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Finally we decided to head to the ponds because of the stiff current and that's when it happened. Whether it was my walking stick breaking, the current sweeping out my feet, or a combo of both doesn't matter. 

I went down hard. The current was strong enough to keep me from getting situated to stand up and the shock of the cold really knocked my brain for a loop.

sbreech came over as quickly as possible and grabbed my fly rod which I had managed to hold on too. I eventually got up and made it to shore where I stripped off my shirts to get some weight off. To do so I had to undo the cinch strap built into my waders, my chest strap, and my fly fishing chest pack.

He gave me his jacket and we made pretty good speed back to the car. When we got there I took of my waders and to our surprise my fleece wading under pants were pretty dry and so was one of my feet.

Now I'm okay, sitting at home and chilling out but I wanted to share a few things with you. These are my opinions.

1) NEVER EVER WADE BY YOURSELF

2) IF YOU'VE GOT CHEST WADERS WEAR YOUR CHEST STRAP SNUGGLY ENOUGH THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS GIVING YOU A GOOD STRONG HUG.

3) THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ENOUGH SAFETY GEAR. NEVER. NO WAY NO HOW.

I knew it would happen one day. Just wish the water hadn't been so darn cold!!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Good advice and glad you made it home safely.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

One thing is for sure. Even if we do everything right, something can go wrong.

That water was darn cold...


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.....Glad you're OK! --Tim...............................................................................................................................................................


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

Glad your ok Ben!!!


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

nothing more scary than cold water...been thru the ice two times...u never get used to it...glad u r ok..


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## benjaminrogers (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks everyone! It was pretty freaky. I'm lucky to only come out of it with a busted walking stick and some bruises...........


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## meisjedog (Oct 4, 2010)

I won't try to wade the D in anything over 300cfs, especially below Harrisburg. Even at 300cfs, if I fell, I knew I was going for a ride.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

B...
Always a lesson to be learned. You mentioned "walking stick". Was it made for wading? Wooden staff? I am a HUGE fan of the Folstaf Wading Staff. It may cost 100 bucks, but I think my life is worth having a tool I can trust. If you buy one, get the 3/4" & remember to wax it at each joint.
Mike


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## zachxbass (Jun 23, 2011)

I'm sure that was terrifying for a moment. I've never used waders before but i've fallen without them in a swift current on the little miami. That scared the crap out of me. I can't swim very well... luckily i only went downstream about 5 yards before the river slowed enough for me to get up. Most of the time i won't wade anything deeper than my waist. Slow current or not, and i never wade alone. 

Glad you're OK!


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Welcome to the survivors club. The cheapest safety gear for wading is a safety belt, or even a piece of rope used in it's place. Glad it all worked out and you are still with us.


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## LilSiman/Medina (Nov 30, 2010)

In PA last spring my buddy took a fall in the Tionesta when it was realy high and flowing. He was crossing a shallower part of the river and it was so high that the shallowest part of the river was above his waist and almost to his chest. As he crossed, he spun 3 times and lost his footing and headed towards a deeper pool which would have drowned him. My older brother grabbed him and he almsot slipped in too but he was strong enough to pull him closer to the bank and out of the current. As they walked towards me to tell me what happened my buddy saw felt his chest and he untightened his wader string and found a clear line where water had been. The Only thing that saved him was the string tightening his waders. ALWAYS TIGHTEN THEM. They will save your life.


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## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

Ben, glad your ok. Anyone that wades in streams long enough will have a mishap of some kind. A slip, a stumble, misjudging water velocity can all lead to a fall. I fish Oil creek in PA frequently and the saying there is "there are two types of fishermen on Oil Creek...those who have fallen in, and those who have lied about not falling in." Most falls are just embarassing, but when the stream is running high and off colored we all need to be extra careful. Not worth the consequences...


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## benjaminrogers (Jul 11, 2011)

No it was actually a high grade aluminum collapsible walking stick. One piece just let go...



ohiotuber said:


> B...
> Always a lesson to be learned. You mentioned "walking stick". Was it made for wading? Wooden staff? I am a HUGE fan of the Folstaf Wading Staff. It may cost 100 bucks, but I think my life is worth having a tool I can trust. If you buy one, get the 3/4" & remember to wax it at each joint.
> Mike


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

yikes. never wear chest waders myself, but I do wade alone 99.9% of the time.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

yeah, you know I waaade alooone...I prefer to be by myyyyyselllf.


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

benjaminrogers said:


> ... sbreech came over as quickly as possible and grabbed my fly rod which I had managed to hold on too. ...


Quick! Grab his fly rod while he is down!  

j/k, glad you both made it out safely...


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Glad to hear everything was alright and I've had to learn that lesson more than once. Good thing for me when I wade alone, my chest strap is tight and I flatulate often for added bouyancy. 

You may have seen me floating down Oil Creek briefly last Spring when I thought my hip waders with no cleats would give me more stealth. It was also the only time I fished with my cellphone in my pocket instead of a ziplock. I'm learning I guess. 

I've also made underwater appearances on Elk and Rocky River a couple times. Last Spring was the first time in 6 or 7 years so I got too confident and one of those big round boulders at Oil sent me swimming downstream for a few seconds. That was still cold in early June.

Rickerd


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