Are you an angler who does a lot of fishing for trout by wading off into a rapid-filled stream? Here is something to remember: Fishing can be a more hazardous pastime than hunting will ever be.

Many streams come with built-in hazards and careless wading can get you into trouble in a hurry. The safest rivers to wade are ones you know best. But when probing unfamiliar waters, be careful. Move slowly. Always have one foot firmly planted before you move the other one. “Feel” your way along slowly and with care.

Fast wading not only carries an element of danger, but also can warn the fish you’re trying to catch. By taking short steps, you’re more likely to remain on your feet, especially where water is swift and the stream bed is rough.

Should it be necessary to cross a stream, a long, stout stick can be very helpful in retaining your balance. Some fishermen may have a special wading staff but lacking that, a suitable length of strout tree branch can be cut or broken off near the stream. When actually fishing in fast water, keep your feet spread apart for better balance.

One place a wading angler can well afford to take some extra precautions is when climbing into or out of a trout stream. The best fishing waters are often hemmed in by steep, snag-filled or rocky banks. Be sure your footing is solid. Don’t depend on dead branches to hold your weight or rely on loose rocks to stay in place for you. Fall down and bang your head on a rock or stump and you might not be around to fish another day.

Some anglers prefer hip boots to waders when stream fishing, although waders allow you to reach deeper water than when in the shorter gear. It may even result in more fish if you use waders. But the fisherman in hip boots is less likely to get into trouble. You might get wet more often in the hippers, but are not as liable to be swept off your feet and carried downstream.

Don’t worry, however, about waders dragging you under or floating you upside down, should you fall in. Numerous tests have been made on this where an angler jumped into deep water while fully clothed. Just lying back and paddling a little bit can carry you downstream to shallow water. Even if the waders get full of water, they will help you float, and not at all upside down.

Here’s a tip that might save your life: When wading near shore in a trout stream or lake, you may someday get into a type of unfriendly bottom. Marl of black sticky mud can grab your feet and hold them like glue. If you struggle to get out and yield to panic, you may be trapped by the goop.

Maybe you’ll get wet, but the best solution is to drop to your knees. Surprisingly, that will enable you to “walk out” of danger. Actually, that position gives you more of a walking surface, something like the way snowshoes work on top of snow.