Having fished the upper Wye for several decades and braved the treacherous slippery rocky slabs and sudden drop offs and ledge’s  I was lucky never to have taken a full immersion in it’s rushing waters.  When I first went to fish there we wore latex waders, socks and leather brogues with felt soles and studded heels.  These were pretty good but very cold in the spring but generally ok.  Then came pvc waders such as the Ocean ones which were popular but again felt soles and studs were a must.

There were of course some close calls and once on the Spey wading a gravel shoal with a fast current the gravel started to wash away under my feet and treading water for some time before being able to back out was no joke.

However a couple of seasons ago I broke my duck.  I was invited to fish on the Usk and didn’t bother to put on my modern Goretex wades but slipped on the old Ocean waders.  I was alone and  started off at the head of a fast run. The river was quite narrow with a good push of water but didn’t need to wade too far out –luckily.

I actually had a take half way down the run which didn’t stick and I fished on down the stream under a very high bank until I was waist deep and it was getting deeper with every step so I decided to go back the way I came as there was no other way out.  As I did so, for some reason I still don’t understand, I simply toppled over backwards and found myself on my back with my feet on the surface staring at the sky.  I was able to reach behind and grab a bramble but had the hell of a job with so much air in my waders to get my feet down onto the bottom.  You may remember the Hugh Falkus  video where he showed you could indeed float like that..  Had I been wearing a wader belt it might have been even worse. I lay there for a while contemplating life and the universe but eventually regained my feet with some difficulty. 

My first thought was for my mobile phone in my trouser pocket and then my salmon rod which I had let go of.   The rod was a few yards downstream in more brambles so the deeper wade to get it was no problem as I was thoroughly soaked anyway.

It was no easy task wading back about twenty yards with waders full of water but eventually I did where I emptied them out and retrieved my phone which was  I found out later was waterproof at least to some degree.  I walked back a couple of fields in stocking feet to the car, took off as much wet clothing as I could and with no spares in the car  drove home.

On reflection I was not in too much danger being close enough to the back to grab some vegetation but at the time it was a scary moment with no prospect of any help.   Yes I had no wading stick and no lifejacket which when fishing on your own perhaps you should, especially if your getting on a bit.

No doubt many of you have taken a ducking and once on the Tay a friends cap came floating past he  having fallen in further upstream, luckily his body didn't follow!!

Better be safe than sorry. Take care and wear a lifejacket if the river you are fishing warrants it.   Had I fallen in one of the fast gutters on the upper Wye it could be a different story.  Thankfully incidents of anglers drowning each year a relatively few it seems but it does happen.

Don’t let the next one be you.