Wading staff for slippery rivers

[stevie steelhead]

After fishing the Upper Sac and the Mcloud rivers this past week, I finally realized that a wading staff would be a good thing for slippery rivers.
I am interested in your input about which wading staff I should buy.
I fish a lot by traveling to my river fishing spots in inflatable kayaks and inflatable rafts, so a collapsable wading staff would be essential.
Thanks for your advice and input.

[Fats]

After fishing the Upper Sac and the Mcloud rivers this past week, I finally realized that a wading staff would be a good thing for slippery rivers.
I am interested in your input about which wading staff I should buy.
I fish a lot by traveling to my river fishing spots in inflatable kayaks and inflatable rafts, so a collapsable wading staff would be essential.
Thanks for your advice and input.


I came to that same conclusion a while ago as well... (actually, my wife did and I was to proud to see her logic for a few years!) I started off trying some of the Treking sticks... the really expensive ones with the springs in the grips to absorb shock. They work well the first time you get them in a river but the guts corroded on me and if I had to adjust them when they had water inside... they never locked up well enough for me.

The folstaff is more stable... but sometimes getting them apart at the end of the day can be a chore. I haven't shopped for any collapsable staff's recently, my wife and I have just committed to the one piece variety. We get ours at the hardware store in the tool department... very sturdy and about $10 bucks. I do have to drill a hole in it when I get home, but when my wife leaves hers on the top of the roof... I don't get to upset!

[Bill Markwood]

I love my Hart's River Stalker. It's made of wood and comes with an elastic cord attached to the handle. It's not collapsable, but it floats. I don't wade without it. It also makes a great walking stick.

[Motofish]

I'm with Bill on this one, a good solid one piece wood staff is the safest, a collapsable wading staff may just do that at the most critical moment while wading. Rocky areas like the Pit river will eat your sectioned staff and leave you in the middle of the river trying to put it back together again.

[nightgoat]

One more vote for the River Stalker. I don't wade without it. I tried collapsable metal staffs that only lasted 6 months. I've had the River Stalker for 8 years.

[Fats]

One more vote for the River Stalker. I don't wade without it. I tried collapsable metal staffs that only lasted 6 months. I've had the River Stalker for 8 years.

My rake handle may just out last yours... (If I don't lose it!)

;)

[Craig Nielsen]

Stevie:

Ron Hart's Riverstalker is a local favorite for the Mt. Shasta area guides where (as you discovered) we have some of the most challenging wading on the planet. Hart's staff is inexpensive, sturdy, relatively quite and durable but has the disadvantage of not collapsing. Ron is also a great guy, a superb guide and it feels good to support him. I own a couple of his staffs.

I am a big fan of collapsible staffs and have used and broken nearly every one imaginable including several Folstaffs, some Riverstalkers and a few used ski poles as well! Most collapsable staffs such as the Folstaffs suffer from an elastic cord that comes apart at the most inopportune times and the pieces can stick together and be a bleep to take apart. Ski or trekking poles collapse but are still a bit too long for my taste and hang awkwardly from their attachment.

Since they were introduced I have switched to the Simms Staff. It is a clever design that replaces the faulty elastic cords with a cable that locks the staff together so that it works like a ski pole when locked but folds into three or four sections (depending which length you buy) and slips into a neoprene sleeve on your wading belt. The sections fit together well and come apart easily. A well designed cable retractor attaches to the handle to prevent loss while wading as well.

The first few years durability was an issue but Simm's warranty covered them and the four new ones I use in my guiding business for the last few years have worn well. I have several hundred days of use on my current staff. The only disadvantages to these staffs are that they are noisy and pricey, though I believe a good value considering the expense of medical visits these days ;>).

Feel free to drop me a line at ShastaTrout (http://www.shastatrout.com/contact/) if you have additional questions or concerns.

[Rich Leonetti]

I love my Hart's River Stalker. It's made of wood and comes with an elastic cord attached to the handle. It's not collapsable, but it floats. I don't wade without it. It also makes a great walking stick.

I also have the Hart's River Stalker. I like it because I don't think the wood make as much noise as the metal ones. The last two outings I have not brought it with me. The last two outings I have also slipped and fell. Luckily my buddies didn't see and laugh at me... and even more lucky, I didn't drown. Thankfully I now leave it in my truck and will be using it religiously.