By Bob Currie, Vessel Examiner
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Station Galveston Flotilla
Recreational Boating involves a lot of different activities. Besides just cruising around, some of the activities that involve boats include skiing, tubing, scuba diving, duck hunting, fishing, and wade fishing. As you can see, many of the activities that involve boats include those activities where you actually get out of the boat.

The Station Galveston Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary operates out of the USCG Station Galveston base on Galveston Island. They provide assistance to the Coast Guard by providing maritime observation patrols in Galveston Bay; by providing recreational boating vessel safety checks; and by working alongside Coast Guard members in maritime accident investigation, small boat training, watch standing, and property administration.

This column is about how you can increase your safety while wade fishing from your boat. Wade fishing is very popular in our area, and is generally considered a safe practice. There are, however, circumstances that increase the risk, as well as methods to overcome those risks. In the past few years we have lost many wade fishermen to drowning. Some waded out too far from shore and were overcome, but we have had some who left their boats to wade fish and were lost. We had a fisherman who lost his life wade fishing in the Swan Lake area of Galveston Bay just this past week. This column is dedicated to him in the hopes that we may learn how to be safer when we wade fish from our boats.

The following recommendations all lead to a safer wade fishing trip. The more you incorporate into your wade fishing trips, the more likely you are to return home safely. One of the handiest safety tools is the Coast Guard smart phone app. Check it out.

File a Float Plan
When a boater is reported late, we have got to know where to begin our search pattern. I talked to the coxswain of the US Coast Guard search boat for this latest death, and he said it wasn’t until the fisherman’s boat was found anchored and unoccupied that they had any idea of where to begin searching. The float plan found in the Coast Guard smart phone app is the easiest to use. You can store several different itineraries within the app, and send it with just a click to a couple of relatives or friends. The app even allows you to store pictures of your boat. If you don’t check in with the persons to whom you sent the float plan by the agreed to time, then they have all the information they need to give to the Coast Guard to help with the search.

Dress for Immersion
One recent death involved hypothermia. If only the fisherman had dressed for immersion he might be alive today. He died in water he could stand in. In the summer it may be okay to wade fish without waders, but in cooler weather a good set of waders are essential to staying dry and warm. In addition to waders, wear a wading belt. A wading belt can slow the flow of water into your waders if you are immersed and give you time to right yourself. A good hat is also essential to protecting you from both the sun and the cold. You must also know the water temperature. Although a good set of waders can help keep you warm when the water is cool, in many cases it may not be enough. One method of determining the water temperate is to click on the NOAA Buoys icon within the Coast Guard app. Each buoy transmits a host of weather information. If you do end up getting immersed, be sure to have some towels and dry clothes on board your boat so you don’t become hypothermic on the boat ride home.

Wear a Life Jacket
The common denominator for all wade fishing deaths in our area is that none of the fishermen were wearing a life jacket. You should wear a life jacket designed to keep your head elevated. In one recent rescue, the rescued person had been in the water for nearly 48 hours. He also was in water in which he could stand. He watched as boats passed by, but could not gain their attention. His life jacket saved his life. His buddy, who was also in the water with him, drifted away in the night and drowned because he did not have a life jacket. I once had a boat owner tell me during his Vessel Safety Check that he didn’t need to wear a life jacket because he was a world class swimmer. I asked him how well he swam when he was unconscious. Hopefully he got the message.

Wear Good Wading Shoes
Wade fishing is not the time to wear flip flops or other loose-fitting shoes. Rubber soled water shoes with cleats patterns are the best. If you are wearing a pair of waders, you will have to buy shoes at least one size larger so they fit comfortably over your waders. In the warm months I sometimes wade in just blue jeans, so the wading shoes I wear then are a size smaller than the ones I wear over my warders. Most immersions are due to slipping in mud or on rocks. Good wading shoes can help you keep your grip on the bottom. If the water you are wading in starts getting deep, consider getting back in the boat and moving to a shallower area. Step sideways in deeper water to help maintain your balance. Try to avoid mud. Sand and gravel are better wading substrates.

Wear Shin Guards
Shin guards to protect against stingrays are essential equipment in our area. Our prime wading areas are also the prime feeding grounds for stingrays. What fisherman has never caught a stingray? They are everywhere, and they are especially dangerous to wade fishermen. When wade fishing you should always shuffle your feet when walking. This will help stir up the stingrays so you don’t step on one. It is when you step on one that you are in danger of that venomous spine being driven into your calf. Always move slowly when changing positions, even when backing up.

Take Safety Equipment When You Leave the Boat
Sure, you have to carry a rod, tackle, bait, and net, but don’t skimp on the items that can save your life. If you are 20 yards from your anchored boat and a rogue wave dislodges the anchor and your boat floats away, what are you going to do? If you are prepared, you will have a whistle, a knife (non-folding preferably), a mirror, a personal signal light, and a radio. Yes, a radio. There is no excuse for not having a marine FM/VHF radio on your boat and in your possession when you leave your boat. You can now get a waterproof, floating marine walkie talkie for less than $100. It fits in the pocket of your life jacket quite nicely. You can reach the Coast Guard immediately on Channel 16. For a little extra money you can upgrade to a marine FM/VHF radio with DSC (Digital Selective Calling) and have pushbutton emergency calling that sends a digital signal to the Coast Guard with your name, boat information, and other pertinent data.

Another option is to also have some personal signal rockets. Those of us who go out in patrol boats always have personal signal rockets and/or orange smoke. The absolute best piece of equipment is the automatic personal locator beacon. They are expensive, but they can be rented. They are automatically activated when immersed, and send a distress signal to the Coast Guard.

Never Fish Alone
Another common denominator with many wade fishing deaths is that the fisherman was fishing alone. In correlation with fishing with a partner, it is equally important that each fisherman have all of the discussed safety equipment, including the radio. The fisherman who drowned this past week was fishing alone. He was not wearing a life jacket, and he had no radio. I also recommend that before you step out of the boat you give the persons to whom you sent your float plan a phone call and let them know that you are anchored and about to wade fish near the boat. Your Coast Guard app will give you your exact coordinates to give to your friend. Be sure to let them know when you safely return to the boat. There is no such thing as too much information when your life could depend on it.

Consider Using a Wading Staff
River fishermen have long used wading staffs to aid them in remaining upright and avoiding deep holes. Google “wading staff” and you will find many choices. Some are fold up types that can be carried on your utility belt. Any type of stick will do. If you have any experience at all wade fishing, chances are you have stepped off into a deep hole. Remember the gasp reflex. When you are immersed in cold water the gasp reflex can make you inhale water. We had a drowning death on my home beach in two feet of water due to this reflex. The goal is to not be immersed. A wading staff could help.

Summary
If you are going to wade fish from your boat, consider the many options listed above to help you return home safely. Each option you add decreases your risk of drowning.

For more information on boating safety, please visit the Official Website of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division at www.uscgboating.org. Questions about the US Coast Guard Auxiliary or our free Vessel Safety Check program may be directed to me at [email protected]. I am available to perform free Vessel Safety Checks, and I will come to your location to perform them. SAFE BOATING!

[2-25-2019]