I am sure I have read on the board somewhere about wading staffs? I wasn’t going to try and get one, but I have had alot of knee problems lately and I’m probably facing another surgery. Anyway, I slipped a little today at work and wound up sitting on the floor. It took a while before I was able to get up and walk, but at least the floor at work wasn’t in 4 ft of water. It got me to thinking about all of the slick rocks in the creeks around here, and made me a little more cautious about getting in the water. Perhaps today’s little tumble was a blessing in disguise, anyway if anyone knows of a good wading staff for a big clumsy man, I’d appreciate the help.
HnT
You will get some responses from this request. Be ready to sort. I have used and recommend the Folstaf - it’s pricey (~$100) but very sturdy. (I’m 6’2" and 265 and rely on it even in ankle deep water on freestones, etc…) I’ve seen some of the lighter ones but I’m not a ballerina so do not wish to rely on something flimsy. I also use an oak staff which one of my friends carved for me but not as portable. YMMV.
mcsteff
i a big guy too / i started making these for my wife / she like it so well made me one / and many people have copied it / u start with a solid firber glass cattle sorting rod drill a hole in the handle end with a i bolt attach your cord and snap and bingo your done /i will garnette they will suport your size and have less then 20 bucks in it
Hey sourdough, that is a great idea, I worked at a local stockyard when I was in school and have used exactly the kind of sorting pole you are talking about. I wasn’t wading, but they have kept plenty of ton+ bulls off of me.
HnT
When I bushwack I never take my oak staff; it gets hung up too much in the brush. Even on some of my access places on the South Branch of the Au Sable you need to clear some growth before you get to the water. That is why I love my holstered Folstaf. Never been able to figure how to shorten the staff when you want it short and lengthen it when you want it lengthened…but then I don’t have to thanks to the folks at Folstaff. Again YMMV.
mcsteff
I never fish without one. I like the Fishpond wading staffs they’re very light and they float (less tiring during a day of fishing). I don’t like the folding ones because I’m afraid that I won’t always use it.
Also, make sure the staff is long enough for you. It should be as high as your armpit.
The shock cord staffs are nice except when you’re arm pit deep and the tip gets wedged and the whole staff comes apart when you give it a yank to pull it out. The added benefit of a solid staff is it works well on snakes.
I have one, my friend has one. Stouter than an Folstaff, folds shorter than a Browning (staff). I like to keep it in the holster when I am NOT in trouble so it is not in the way.
I bought a Folstaff last year. Really like it. It’s nice to be able to holster it and keep it out of the way. Bought the larger one. That extra support really helps out. I would recommend buying any staff.
There’s a reason that Folstaf has been around for more than 30 years! My first one is over 20 years old and still going strong!
While there are other options out there, nothing is as simple, dependable and [u]compact[/u]. Just make sure to get the 3/4" diameter and the proper length for your height. There are plenty of knock-offs but none fit as tightly or have as good a tip as the Folstaf. I also like the fact that my arse is not dependant on some little spring loaded button or a screw-locking shaft. The simple wedging of sections that is employed on a Folstaf guarantees that it won’t collapse when you need it most.
I recently bought my wife a Travlr which is the 1/2" diameter portable model to carry in her briefcase during the winter. It gives her some insurance from a fall if she encounters any icy sidewalks or parking lots. I’m getting one for my mother too! It makes a great gift for anybody who could benefit from a little added stability when it’s slippery.
I’m with JC on this one. What’s your life worth? I good, reliable staff that you’ll carry and use is the best insurance you can have on the water. Second only to having a wader belt in my opinion.
I’m personally a fan of the Folstaff brand. At 6’3" and 285 lbs I use the 54" x 3/4" model. Having a staff isn’t a substitute for good common sense but when I find the need to probe a section of creek I think I want to cross or I’m trying to work my way back out of a run that might have a tricky spot or two that third leg sure has been a real nice thing to have.
My recommendation is to choose wisely and use whatever you get.
After taking an unwanted bath last fall, a staff is on my purchase list before spring.
I was wading a stream that I knew pretty well, or so I thought. It was a slow water area that I had waded before but it had been a couple years. The bottom was covered with leaves (it was mid October). I knew the leaves could suspend in water and make it look more shallow than it really was. As I stepped, that little voice was saying “you’re going to float your hat”. Like most good fishermen, I ignored that little voice. One step, no problem, two steps, no problem. Water was about waist deep just as I had remembered. I took a couple more steps toward an undercut bank that I thought might be a good hiding place for a big smallmouth. Even though I had waded this stream before, I had not waded in that direction on that hole before.
As I threw caution to the wind, my next step found nothing under my feet but leaves and another 2-3’ of water. There was a ledge that was hidden by the leaf litter on the bottom. I had already committed to the step and down I went.
Fortunatly, the water was only about 4-5’ deep so once I got over the shock of cold water up to my armpits, I was able to stand up. I was wearing a wading belt so I was only wet down to my belly and whatever seeped down my back to about my waist.
Since the water temps were about 50 and the outside air was in the 40’s it pretty much ended a nice fall fishing day. I had dry clothes back in the car, but that was a 2+ mile hike back. I was so frustrated, I changed and came home.
It could have been a lot worse. A wading staff would have prevented the fall because I could have used it as a probe and realized the water was deep.
So, a good staff is in the cards for me for darn sure.
I started with a Folstaff, which lasted until I lost my footing in high flows on the Bighorn and tried to plant the staff to catch my balance. It ended up in a U shape and I ended up going in over the tops of my waders (early season, not pleasant). The Folstaff was quickly deposited in the next trash can I saw.
I then purchased a Simms staff that I’ve used over ten years and been pleased with. The elastic safety strap has lost its stretchiness, so I’ll probably replace that portion, but the rest is still fine.
FWIW, a staff is a neccessity for me - I’ve had 2 bad knees & foot problems for a long time. I use a 3/4" Folstaff that I’ve used for 17 years with no problems. Before that I had an oak staff, but I favor portability and collapsability. It’s saved my butt several times.
But another point I’d like to make is about technique… If moving across the current, I hold the staff in the hand that’s on my downstream side (rod in other hand). I first firmly plant the staff one step forward of my feet, lean about half my weight onto that staff, then unweight & move the foot that is away from the staff first, get it planted, then un-weight & move the foot that is adjacent the staff. So the sequence is “plant staff and shift weight, plant far foot, plant near foot,” then repeat…When moving up- or downstream, I use my non-rod hand to hold and plant the staff, and do the same sequence. The idea is to always have the staff AND one foot firmly planted before moving the other foot.
Well, Jason… Here’s the deal. Get into the habit of using a staff, Always…
I use an aluminum ski pole with the basket removed. It don’t fold, but it’s saved my butt a few times. Main thing is… get the strongest one, don’t scrimp 'cause of $$.
and…Always use it, get to where it don’t feel right even walking to the water without it…ModocDan
I use a Leki Makalu (mountain) trekking pole, while fishing. I have had (a pair of) them for about 14 years now, and it didn’t make sense for me to buy another one, just for convenience sake. They have always gone with me backpacking and hiking in the past, and they come in handy as tent poles, tarp poles and for shoving rope up trees, etc. They have become tools I can’t live without, when I’m outdoors. I usually take one with me while fishing but I take two if I have a long or rough bush trek to get there or if it’s really uneven bottom on a river…typically like the Maitland or St. Mary’s River (MI).
The pros far out way the cons. The only con I have is that it doesn’t fit nicely into that little pocket that the Folstaf comes in, so it’s out there while your fishing. On the odd occasion your flyline can get tangled up in it. :mad: I keep it hooked to my wading belt with a carabiner. (Ok…one more…they are initially expensive.) You can shorten it up to about 22 inches and it will stay out of your way but I keep mine ready at all times on the river, for safety reasons. That way I use it ALL the time when moving from one spot to the next.
The pros… it’s expandable to all different lengths. I can make it longer or shorter depending on my need. It’s strong. If I’m hiking around on rough terrain (mountain type trekking) , one pole can take a fair amount of weight but I can double them up to take my full weight if I need to, for leaning out and getting down a big drop. ( I’m a big girl :oops:) It’s repairable in the field (if you take the parts with you ;)). I’ve never had one fail yet, other then needing a cleaning or re adjustment. It still has all of it’s original parts…and my emergency repair kit (expanders and tips) is still untouched. (don’t use that as an excuse not to keep some in you pouch).
My knees are no great shakes and my balance isn’t what it used to be.
I really rely on them and it was one of the better investments in outdoor gear that I have made in my life time.
Now, they do appear to be like expandable ski poles or Nordic walking poles, which are considerably cheaper…but they (Makalu) are much stronger and take a heap more punishment. I would NOT put ski poles or walking poles through what I do to these. You’ll get yourself hurt. I also don’t trust the commercial wading staffs to do these things. I think of them as assisting balance only. This does not mean that those other options are poor ones. They are fine…as long as you know the limits of what you have in hand.
Other than that… don’t be stupid! = taking risks you wouldn’t take if you were without them.
Like JC said…it’s your life you’re playing with. Get the best you can afford. It could save your life. Simms and Folstaf is a good product if use properly. I’d go for the higher end wading staff over the higher end rod any day.
For what it’s worth, I have been fishing big Norwegian rivers for Atlantic salmon for nearly 2 decades.
My first staff was home-made, 1 piece, and a lousy thing to carry around, very safe though.
My second one was a foldable one wich I really liked, untill… in a big current the tip of the staff got stuck between 2 boulders, and I did not realise this. On my next step the staff divided, Murphy’s law took care of the fact that it came apart below the surface so I could not see.
Suddenly the staff was approx 10 inches shorter; this resulted in a very wet angler. Fortunately it was not too deep, and only my pride was seriously damaged.
After that I bought myself the Simms, wich is foldable, but also can be locked, to prevent adventures as described above…
I am happy with it, feel safe with it, and can only recommend it…
Hans
I also use a trekking pole. I am so used to it that it does not get in my way anymore… It allows me one more thing that you cannot do with folding stuff. When wading thrugh bog every now and then my foot gets stuck deep. If i try to push myself out with the staff it will just keep on sinking… With solid pole you can either hook it on something and pull yoursef out or lay it across two grass clumps and lift yourself out. On and when i stick it into the bottom while fishing it acts as a stringer holder and sometimes a coat hanger…
