Quote Originally Posted by DaleW View Post
Well, you would think that someone as smart as me would have known all about this ...! Well, did not.
Thanks for the tip and although I do the wading staff thing, going to try this first chance. For me the only concern would be falling and possibly breaking my fly rod in the process. (O.K. to break a leg or an arm, but the fly rod ... never!)
Holding the rod flat over the water, and thrusting downward is the motion you want to make. If you're pushing it tip first, you're guaranteed to break the rod. It takes quite a lot of downward pressure to get the rod to move close to the bottom (in water 3-4 feet deep) and this downward pressure is what makes it possible (most of the time) to correct your imbalance without your rod ever coming close to the bottom. You'll have plenty of time to ascertain if you're going into the drink, to release downward pressure on the rod, thus saving the rod, and taking your dunkin'.