Most Underrated Equipment: The Wading Staff
If you’re anything like me, you probably spent the first few years of your fly angling career eschewing one of our sport’s greatest inventions — the wading staff. Perhaps you still refuse to use one to this very day because it seems cumbersome, or you just plain don’t like the way it looks. And hey, I get it. I started fly fishing in my 20s. How many 20-somethings do you see out there on the water bothering with a wading staff? I saw it as a literal crutch, something I’d need much later in life, when wading got too difficult or my balance started to falter.
Not to beat my past self up too badly over that mindset — but I had no idea what I was talking about! Not only does a wading staff keep its user safer, which should be a priority regardless of your age, experience, or athleticism, it also helps you catch more fish.
Why use a wading staff?
You know that one stretch of your favorite river, the one you can almost safely cross on foot, but not quite? Enter the wading staff. The extra point of contact and support will allow you to maintain your balance through deeper runs and help you get to fish that other anglers can’t access. It will allow you to take that one extra step out into heavy current as you euro nymph your favorite run on the Lower Deschutes. You can also use your wading staff to measure depth or test the speed of the current before stepping in yourself, which is extraordinarily useful on an ultra-clear spring stream like the Metolius River, or a chalky one with low visibility like the Crooked.
I also find my wading staff quite a handy tool out of the water. Many of our local rivers are hewn into solid volcanic rock. Those that aren’t are lined with loose fist-sized rocks just waiting for an opportunity to help you roll your ankle. Walking along the banks can be just as treacherous as wading, without the forgiving presence of water to cushion a fall. That’s doubly true on a wet day or an icy one. A wading staff makes a great walking stick.
When summertime rolls around, a lot of folks ditch their wading staff in favor of a more stripped down approach on the water. Who needs a wading staff when you’re wet wading, right? Well, ask anyone who has spent time fishing in Central Oregon during the warmer months — a wading staff can serve as an early warning system for rattlesnakes. Before you scramble over that basalt embankment, tap your wading staff against the rocks to let any slithering friends know you’re coming. You can also use it to prod bushes and brambles before you pass through, ensuring your own safety as well as the reptilian residents.
Will my wading staff get in the way?
In short, yes. Sometimes. But you shouldn’t let that deter you from using one.
Listen, fly fishing is a game of bewildering tangles, frustrating snags, and unintended
consequences. Even the best anglers spend time hung up on their own gear packs, losing nets to low-hanging tree branches or extracting line from around a wading boot. Drift boats and rafts, tools of the trade for most professional guides, are also full of features that feel purpose-built to unintentionally snag line at the most inopportune moments.
Part of becoming a better, more successful angler is understanding where those opportunities for mayhem exist and figuring out how to avoid them as often as possible. It’s a losing battle, which is why we keep at it. Nobody gets into fly fishing because they like things easy.
Certainly, I’ve had casts disrupted when my line loops around my wading staff or its carrying case in some unseen way. I’ve even had moments of sheer panic when the same thing has happened in the midst of fighting a nice fish. It happens, and as you get used to its presence, it happens less.
Despite the occasional hangup, I’ve had many more instances in which the wading staff has been a true saving grace, and allowed me to safely and speedily chase a monster fish downstream that I’d never have had the opportunity to land without a technological assist.
Plus, losing a fish or making a bad cast might suck — but both are much better options than sacrificing your safety!
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What are my options?
At NWFFO, we carry two wading staff models — the Simms wading staff and the Grass Sticks wading staff by Fishpond.
The Simms wading staff is our higher-end model, intended for anglers who expect to use it regularly. It is thin, sleek, and can be folded and tucked away in its carrying case. The Simms wading staff is adjustable in height and features a 34” integrated ruler along the side of the staff to help you measure water depth and trophy fish. It comes with a hard sided carrying case that sits comfortably on the hip, and features an attached retractor system that allows you to drop the staff into the water or on the bank by your side for hands-free fishing. The Simms staff also features a comfortable foam handle and a button-lock mechanism that makes it extremely easy to break down and adjust.
The Fishpond wading staff is a more wallet-friendly model, better suited for anglers who only intend to use it in specific situations, or for guides looking to equip clients with a more budget-conscious option. They are highly durable, but do not break down and are not height adjustable – so they can be a bit more cumbersome to carry. What really sets this wading staff apart from the competition is its aesthetic look. This wading staff is made from bamboo, a favorite material of fly anglers for centuries. Don’t let the antique look fool you, this is a strong wading staff with a ton of flex, and can be put to the test under any condition.
If you’d prefer to make your own, we also carry accessories to help complete your DIY set-up – like retractors and tethers to keep your staff secure, or rubber tips to give you an even more stable point of contact when traversing a slippery PNW stream. Make this your safest and fishiest season on the water yet!Â
About Joseph Beare
Joseph Beare is a guide for Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters and a regular contributor to the NWFFO blog and newsletter. A former sports reporter, Joseph has been telling stories about outdoor and athletic endeavors for more than 20 years. As a guide, he specializes in unique trout trips, including local year-round water in winter, alpine expeditions on Mount Hood in summer and spring, and searun cutthroat floats in the fall. You can find him on Instagram @pdxflycollective.