ULTIMATE ANGLING - the Ultimate SA Fishing website
FRESHWATER ANGLING => Fly fishing => Topic started by: Herman Jooste on December 31, 2011, 03:51:53 PM
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After fishing Silwer Stroome at flows of over 100 tons yesterday, I realised that not everyone knows how to negotiate fishing in high flows.
Hopefully the following pointers will stop someone getting drowned.
Golden Rule : NEVER fish high flows alone, no matter how competent you are, even if your buddy is on the bank, at least he can see if you go for a "drift".
Don't fish a new venue in high flows, unless you have someone with you who knows the venue well. In normal flows the little gulley you are about to step into might be thigh deep, in high flows it could be chest deep, and then you are in for a drift. Someone who knows the venue will point these little pit falls out to you.
Have wading boots, and on the Vaal / Orange, preferrably felt soled. Wading in Track Shoes is OK for Normal to low flows. In high flows you will at the least have bruised toes and battered ankles, the worse we don't even want to contemplate.
Entering the Water. No matter how "benign" the bank margin seems, test the depth and flow with your wading stick, before stepping into the river. You never know if the high water hasn't created a fast channel 2 paces from the bank.
Wading In. Walk Crab Wise. Your stongest leg at the back, weakest in front. Shuffle the front foot up or across, depending where you are headed, making sure the back foot is FIRMLY anchored. Once your front foot is anchored, then slide your back foot up to just behind it, about a foot. Anchor your back foot, comfortably, before even thinking of moving your front foot.
Repeat the process, slowly, untill where you want to be.
NEVER, NEVER, take your back foot past the front,or even worse the front past the back, i.e. a normal walk, the flow will knock you off balance and your feet are not anchored, result will be a drift.
THE SLIP/STUMBLE, FALL & RECOVERY. Should you be unfortunate enough to loose your footing , either through a sudden surge, ( which happens often ) in higher flows or a stumble , trip over an unseen rock , the ONLY RULE is DON"T PANIC. !!!!!!!!!!!
If both feet are off the bottom,turn your back so that you are facing downstream, ( which is where you are headed ), lift your feet and go with the flow. Keep your rod out of the water, and with your free hand try and protect your @rse from banging on the rocks.
You will feel when the flow slows due to a pool or deeper water, then slowly work your way to the bank untill your feet touch down.
Then you walk out, cussing yourslef for the drift in the first place, walk all the way back up, and try again. :nuts: duh :craz:
P.S. My longest "drift" was 600 metres on the Orange. ON PURPOSE, had to get down to the rest of the group. w;k Was to lazy to wade. :nuts:
I know I ended with some humour, but SERIOOOOOUUUUSSSSLLLLYYY guys, be carefull out there. w;k :clwn
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Very nice Herman. Excellent post. :+ cred: (clap)
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Great post Hermann. Very necessary. :+ cred: Thankyou.
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Very useful tutorial Herman (clap) have some :+ cred:
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....P.S. My longest "drift" was 600 metres on the Orange. ON PURPOSE, had to get down to the rest of the group. w;k Was to lazy to wade. :nuts: ......
Hence the pic for your avatar....... :hyst:
Super post Herman, Cred to you! :+ cred:
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Thanks for the kind repiles guys.
With the stormy weather expected to hang around while the post may just help someone. w;k
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Brilliant post Herman, great effort! (clap)
If I could just add, a wading staff is also huge help on the Vaal. Not only to steady yourself but also to check the ground that you are about to step into and make sure that you are going to disappear down a hole.
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Good information.
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Great info, thank you Herman! :+ cred:
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Nice info Herman! :shre: :+ cred:
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Seeing the increased flows this weekend, I thought I would "Bump" this back up.
Could Admin perhaps put this into the stickies at the top of the thread ????
I feel it's vital information.
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Could Admin perhaps put this into the stickies at the top of the thread ????
I feel it's vital information.
Done!
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Could Admin perhaps put this into the stickies at the top of the thread ????
I feel it's vital information.
Done!
Thank You. w;k