Northwest Fishing Reports

This sucks! I hope they find the guy. Scary I and I'm sure a bunch of you guys fished that section before. Be careful out there guys.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/t ... er13m.html

Aww, man. I wish I would have been there, I have lifeguard training! Be careful guys and bring a wading stick. Use caution and don't over do it. That's always a bad thing when the river claims a fisherman's life. I very familiar with that stretch of river and I think I can imagine where that happened.

The logjam part probably has some thinking of a particular spot downstream a little of HWY 18 bridge. Dangerous trying to wade all the way across to start with this time of year. Doing it in low water in August can give you some idea how the depth can change quickly and bottom can get slick. And the main current can be where you wouldn't think too.
Total bummer and heartfelt sincere wishes of remembering the person to any of those affected by the tragedy.

Just announced on ch 4 news;

body recovered about 90 minutes ago.

Yeh, that really sucks. Make's you pay alittle more attention to where you cross if at all.

The older I get - the shallower I wade.
It wasn't always that way as I used to be an "adventurous", to say the least, wader. I always wore a cinched tight wader belt and ended up floating down stream on 3 different rivers. The last time I was just able to barely back stroke away from a sweeper. The following year I was on the gravel bar where they pulled a dead guy floating by out. Not a pretty sight or memory. I don't often wade fish rivers anymore but when I do its with safety in mind. A good wading staff is a great help in maintaining balance. No fish is worth your life. Think of what your family would do without you. Be careful out there.

I was almost in danger when I was younger. Gives you a whole new outlook on the rivers. I like my buddies saying. If your gonna play in mother natures yard you better pay attention.

And most of you give me a hard time when I say, "Wear a PDF when you wade.".

Very tragic. I lost my footing fighting a pink salmon. Fell into the river only five feet from shore. Its easy to lose your footing with the current when ur waist deep in the river.

To be honest, there was a drop off in front of where I fell down, I was lucky my knees caught the river bottom. I thought I was safe five feet from shore, but I never saw it coming. That could of been me, because I cant swim to save my life.

One time while wading a small stream near a beaver dam, I found myself slowing sinking. I had waded into bottom sediment that was like quick sand. Fortunately, there was a log close with a branch attached to it for me to grab on to and get out. Any moving water is unpredictable. I use a wading staff every time I enter a river or stream for stabilizing myself and testing the bottom where I am going to step.

returnofthefish wrote:To be honest, there was a drop off in front of where I fell down, I was lucky my knees caught the river bottom. I thought I was safe five feet from shore, but I never saw it coming. That could of been me, because I cant swim to save my life.

This is why I shuffle my feet and not step like normal. In rocky areas this is obviously a no-go but most of the time shuffling is a real life saver. +1 on the use of a wading staff for crossing, and a wading belt, both could potentially save your life. I would like to think in that situation I would do more than offer him the tip of my fishing rod to grab onto, but I'm sure it all happened fast and reactions were unsure and panicked.

Be safe out there everyone.

I was down there today. Someone has put in a small cross next to the river. Even talked with a guy that had come all the way down there didnt even know the guy but wanted to pay respects.
Also today some kids were out on the log jam one of they got a hook to the eye or eye lid. the emts came all the way out there. Poor kid had to walk all the way back to the road with the hook still in.

Saw some kids playing down by/in the Stilly yesterday evening as well, I told them to go home. The river is still up and swift, too dangerous to be "playing" around. On wrong step and its splash, water temps this time of year are in the 40's as well.

I bring a rope on the river now after so many drownings. I've got 100 feet of rope to get to the guys that go over. I think that people should always have rope on the river. It's cheap and it will save a life someday.

Saw somewhere that the victim was wearing a hip wader, water poured in and weighed him down. This makes me think twice about buying a hip wader. They seem to be more dangerous than chest waders.

I wear the pant style waders most but do have chest waders and have used hip boots as well. Regardless of what you are wearing they almost all come with some form of safety belts to wear with them. They are to prevent the water from filling the waders. I always wear it, I have had a couple close encounters and am glad I was wearing it. Outcomes could have been different if I wasnt.

Always, always wear the waist belt that comes with chest waders. I've gone in the water a few times and it has stopped my wader from getting filled up. I won't go in the water without it on.

Im going to start wearing the belt too. I have seen a lot of guys out there with out them.

Can a fanny pack be used as a belt? My chest wader didn't come with a belt (bought at the clearance sales when Joe's went under a few years ago), but sometimes I carry a fanny pack around the waist, would that count?