Wading Staffs

[briansII]

I'll be sure to get me a wading staff, just need to figure out what staff to buy.

I have a pair of Leki trekking poles, wondering if they might work as a wadding staff?

I think the trekking pole would be fine too, as long as you don't mind dragging it behind you. If it's strong enough to lean into and support your weight, it should be strong enough for 99.9% of what you'll need it for. If you wade aggressively, some of your weight, and the current will be exerted on the staff. I would MUCH prefer a metal/carbide tip on the trekking pole vs a rubber tip. Especially if you want it for the Pit....or any slick, rocky river.

The thing about a collapsible staff is, it's folded and holstered. When you do need it, it's easy to deploy. I personally could not use a trekking pole, because I don't like dragging a staff behind me. It hangs up on stuff, and I tend to fish with a lot of line out. I only deploy my staff for difficult wading, so my needs may differ from others.

briansII

[BrownBear]

We learned some lessons the hard way about trekking poles, and this applies to all we tried:

When wet, the leg locks often slip under heavy pressure- As in those moments when you need the staff most.

The locks also may freeze up, leaving you with at least one section fully extended when you'd rather it be shorter. Never decided whether it was silt, the result of heavy locking pressure trying to avoid slips, or just general fatigue with age.

The cheap aluminum models that look so appealing as a "bargain" will fold in half with very little side pressure, the kind you get when the tip wedges between two rocks as you slide sideways with your weight on the staff. Best overall were a pair of Leki's, but at $200 kinda expensive compared to Simms if you only need one. Close behind were staffs from William Joseph (not sure they're made any more) and FishPonds at $100. The FishPonds were best about resisting jams, but they also will get suddenly shorter now and then when wet.

[NorcalBob]

I second what bear says. Collapseable trekking poles may work in most situations, but when the $%^& hits the fan, those locks may give way and your pole may collapse on you. Don't ask me how I know this
I frequently use two types of wading staffs: 1) Hart's River Stalker (which is basically a broomstick cut and modified into a wading staff) when I'm wading super hairy stuff (like the Pit) and I'm not interested in taking out my wading staff out of its holster constantly; and 2) a Simms folding wading staff, for less hairy stuff where I don't need a wading staff constantly (yep, it's pricey but it sure does work good!). I highly recommend both, because at my age it takes too darn long to heal up after a fall!

[Papasequoia]

I've become so dependent on a staff that I can't even keep my balance anymore without one. My ankle is still sore from a fall about three weeks ago when I forgot mine. One foot slipped on a rock, it threw me off balance, my arms windmilled, the foot twisted beneath a neighboring rock and slammed the side of my ankle into it hard, then, still off balance, I fell backwards into the water chest deep on my butt. I am 99.99% positive that this wouldn't have happened if I had had my staff with me.

Your first choice is folding or trekking pole style and they both have pros and cons. I don't like the folding one because of having to fold it, unfold it, fold it, unfold it as needed and store in a pouch. After a few times of doing that I would probably get sick of packing it and unpacking it and just leave it in the pouch when I should have taken it out, so what's the point in having it? I use the staff all the time, not just for sections that I think might be difficult, so in that way everyone probably has a different outlook.

So, I went with a staff. I bought some off-brand pair of hiking staffs from Big 5 and have never had problems such as BrownBear describes, but ymmv. I still have the second half of the pair in the garage unused a few years after buying them. They probably cost $30 or so. The downside to staffs is, as Brian mentioned, they can get in the way often, and yes, that can be a pain. I have partially solved this with a two carabiner and bungee method. Think of it kind of like a net with a bungee and two magnets - stored close when not in use, but able to be quickly deployed when needed.

One carabiner is tied on to a 3-4 foot piece of stretchy cord (similar to what is on nets) - that's what I clip on to my waistbelt. The other end of the cord is tied onto the strap of the trekking pole so it doesn't get lost, and also tied in is the other carabiner with help from a key ring. When not in use, I clip the two carabiners together so the handle end is close to my waist and it drags along behind me, although usually this is just what I do with it when standing still and casting. When in use, hiking along the stream or wading, I just unclip the carabiners and I have a few feet of stretchy cord to move it about and to retain it should I drop it accidentally or on purpose. Like Jim, I will sometimes just let it float downstream from me while fishing, then pull it up by the cord when I need to resume walking or wading. The drawbacks are that yes, sometimes line can get tangled around it like any pole, and sometimes the cord gets caught on streamside throny bushes, but overall it works for me and the two carabiner method keeps it close to me when I have a lot of line out.

[acorad]

3rd what BB said. I use an old aluminum ski pole, it basically just dangles by a tether behind me in the water when I'm not using it. Now and again it gets caught in something, but it's usually very easily un-stuck. I guess I could find a shorter tether so it would get caught even less.

Andy

[Benny]

So I bit the bullet and bought the Simms Wading Staff. Comes with everything pictured. It was expensive and set me back $160+ with the tax. Anyhow it looks good and is fairly easy to set up.


Nylon strap and rubber grip attach to the retractor via a plastic clip.


The retractor has a braided spectra for stronger and improved durability. Not sure what they used to come with before this improvement.


The sectional pieces are connected with a coated cable. From the looks of it, it's a real solid connection.


And of course the bottom section that will be helping with keeping me upright in the river.

[BrownBear]

That's it!

We leave the retractor attached to the staff and scabbard, then put the scabbard on our wading belts. Always there and out of the way till you need it. Just pull the staff from the scabbard, shake it out straight, then lock.

[Sasha]

I don't own/use one currently.

[fly addict]

I don't own/use one currently.

I don't think any of us used one at your age, but there is one in your future!

[planettrout]

I don't own/use one currently.

I don't think any of us used one at your age, but there is one in your future!

Heh,heh...


PT/TB

[Sasha]

I don't own/use one currently.

I don't think any of us used one at your age, but there is one in your future!

[Rasputinj]

I picked up a wading staff for use on Kern it has saved me a few times.

On a side note I did slip on a piece of ice on a boulder on the Kern during the winter walking down from the road and broke my fall by landing on my Sierra net which is now in two pieces and need to send back to Greg to see what he can do.

[Benny]

On a side note I did slip on a piece of ice on a boulder on the Kern during the winter walking down from the road and broke my fall by landing on my Sierra net which is now in two pieces and need to send back to Greg to see what he can do.

That's a very expensive fall for sure, hopefully Gregg can fix or do something for you.

[Benny]

Now I'm up in the air trying to decide whether to go to the Pit or not. My buddy dropped out on me and quite honestly I don't feel safe wading the Pit by myself......

[Dr. Ice]

Trekking poles work fine if they do not have baskets. When you need both hands (fish on!), it can dangle from a shock cord downstream. Otherwise, I just push the wrist loop up my net arm and it never bothers me. As I have taken falls in all kinds of water, I use one most of the time. Even shallow water is slippery.