Great video, not enough of these on here. At what river speed do strainers become so dangerous for most people that it pins you hard enough against a branch or log that it's extremely difficult to lift yourself up and out of the water before it pushes you under? 1mph? 2mph? I fish some slow moving rivers, only when they aren't higher than usual. The Hatchie river in west Tn in particular is full of strainers and muddy water but seems to be a fairly slow river.
I don’t know of a magic number of current speed, or how to measure it. Experience teaches that answer to the question, “is this river too high to mess with today?” Having the swift water rescue course and that experience of trying to clear the simulated strainer feet first, and failing at it - that really cemented in my mind the power of current. I got to feel it on my body, and it taught me. Fear and respect are powerful. Knowledge is more powerful.
Good safety info, gents! Thanks.
Great video, not enough of these on here. At what river speed do strainers become so dangerous for most people that it pins you hard enough against a branch or log that it's extremely difficult to lift yourself up and out of the water before it pushes you under? 1mph? 2mph? I fish some slow moving rivers, only when they aren't higher than usual. The Hatchie river in west Tn in particular is full of strainers and muddy water but seems to be a fairly slow river.
I don’t know of a magic number of current speed, or how to measure it. Experience teaches that answer to the question, “is this river too high to mess with today?” Having the swift water rescue course and that experience of trying to clear the simulated strainer feet first, and failing at it - that really cemented in my mind the power of current. I got to feel it on my body, and it taught me. Fear and respect are powerful. Knowledge is more powerful.