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Having a safe holiday...
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The public's perception of fly fishing as a sedate sport where a fold away stool and a tartan flask are key pieces of equipment, is a million miles away from the reality. If you've ever waded down a gravel bar of the Tay in spring or been caught out on Lough Currane in a gale, you will know why fly fishing can be a genuinely dangerous sport.
When Fly Fishing Breaks staff go fishing, safety equipment is a must-have on our kit list, whether fishing from bank or boat. We would strongly recommend that you consider the following before taking to the river bank or going afloat:
- Check you are wearing the correct soles on your waders. Felt soles for rocky or pebbly rivers are a must, but are very slippery if you are wading on clay or mud or walking over wet grass. Cleated rubber soles are better on clay but like ice skates on rock. Studded felt soles are a good compromise. Better still, are wading boots that offer you an interchangeable sole, so you can change your footwear to suit the terrain.
- Wading staffs can save you from a dunking when crossing a river or deep-wading. Choose one with a heavily weighted base to counter the flow of the river, and a lanyard to keep it attached to you when you fish. Multi-section tent pole style staff should be avoided unless they have a robust locking mechanism. They can become stuck between rocks at the base and when pulled to be freed will collapse or worse still spring out and cause injury.
- Always wear a life jacket when deep-wading or using a boat. We use automatic lifejackets in a boat in case you should be thrown out when hitting a rock under power. The life jacket will inflate automatically whether or not you are conscious and turn you the right way up. We prefer manual life jackets when wading as automatics can be easily set off by mistake when playing a fish or entering a pool.
- Always wear polaroids to protect your eyes. If you are fishing at night, a pair of lightweight clear cycling glasses makes a good investment; £10 is a small price to pay for keeping tube fly trebles out of your eyes.
- Always dress for the worst weather you might encounter.
- Make sure you take adequate insect repellent, but read the labels: some of these products have harmful chemicals that may damage your lines and breathable clothing, so look for fishing-friendly sunscreens and bug-sprays.
- If you're fishing dam-controlled waters or those prone to flash flooding check you know when releases are due or are aware of any severe weather forecast in the area.
- Stock up on liquids and food, tuck some chocolate into your waders and keep a water bottle in your vest. Hot drinks can also be essential in keeping your core body temperature up in early spring and late
autumn.
Safe fishing! | |
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