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Thanks for all of the replies so far, there is lots of useful info there to think about.
That Ridgemonkey marker light that clicky mentioned sounds good so will check that out for marking the out of bounds areas.
Framey, that info about the RNLI 'Float to live' is gold as well... Certainly something I would not think to do naturally in a panic!
Wandle, thanks for recounting your mishaps and thank goodness for the American serviceman pulling you out!
I have once fallen in to water that was 5c in a winter wetsuit when I first attempted wakeboarding and it was amazing how tight my chest got, it really was a struggle to breathe for a good while. The instructor was shouting at me to relax and breathe as well so i even that didn't come naturally  That was like going in starkers because a wetsuit doesn't warm you up until a layer of water is trapped in the neoprene and can be heated by your own body heat. I'd hate to go in the water in fishing clothing/waders in those temps!
I have also found this video by the late Hugh Falkus who jumped into a river with thigh waders, this shows how quickly you go under if you raise your arms in a panic too
Hugh jumps in a river fully clothed with waders
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In reply to Post #11
Same as this, and figure it all out before you have a fish on.
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For me they are a death trap.
Given the depths you are talking of and if it’s to net fish, I’d go for a pair of crocs and shorts / pants. Go no further than your knee and netting fish is fine.
Waders and yellow braces are on trend but mine stay in the van and only come out for the 40s must be photographed in the water - hence I’ve only used them twice!
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The lake I fish is very shallow and also silty so I use a bashing stick for safety as my rods are out in the water,if I get stuck in silt I can use the pole(I only use the 2 sections) to pull myself out.
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I allways use a storm.pole for a prodding stick when wading,I will then.leave a storm pole in situ with a night.marker float on it for if I have to wade at night..the r idgemonkey marker light works well. Comes on at dusk switches off at daybreak..
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In reply to Post #3
Elliot grey did one a few years ago now just after Samir’s one
But his was with life jacket and waders
May be easier to find
The RNLI
Have some advise
https://rnli.org/safety/float
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I've not done much wading in lakes but plenty on rivers, one of the best tips I can give is to wear a fairly tight fitting belt, if you do overstep the trapped air in the legs will bring your feet to the surface allowing you to back paddle back to the edge
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Use a spare landing net handle to prod the bottom all around before taking the next step. I’ve had times the silt is firm and there is small pockets of soft stuff. Once ended up 1 leg up to my thigh and other on solid bottom. All whilst playing a fish!
For reference, if you do end up going in with waders on, kick you legs up and float on your back. Do it quick enough and you’ll trap air in the boot section for a float. From this position you should either be able to paddle your way to safety or kick the waders off to swim. Never wear anything too heavy underneath either. As mentioned before wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid for extra safety.
In the situation you describe, I’d wade out whilst I’m setting up and put a storm pole as a marker for where the drop off is. That way you know to never exceed that.
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In reply to Post #6
In my opinion chest wading is more dangerous than using an inflatable pvc boat with life
jacket on most lakes, the inability to guarantee silt depth and foot placement. At least in a multi chambered pvc boat if you got a puncture youd make it to the edge.
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Here's a mishap for you ..
No1...I was 13 ,father drove up the line to fish the Thames at Sonning for Barbel, he went up to the weir on his boat ...left me on my own by the road bridge ,and gave me a useless rape alarm for safety...!! ,no....before anyone thinks ,batty stuff no just no ...OK.. and so I was float fishing for perch til I couldn't see no more ,so fired up the tilley lamp ,which I knocked over,right next to my brand new canvas brolly ,and promptly fell into around 12ft of Thames ,as I slipped, I whacked my Hardy fibatube FjT trotter ,removing a fuji glow in the dark ,three legged eye ..I also remember having on a pair of Dunlop thigh waders ,the ones you can fit to a belt ,fortunately for me the coat I had on stopped them filling up straight away ..and that's how I remembered it ,anyway..
I panicked ,lucky an American serviceman pulled me out ,and I spent the night shivering in the back of father's van in a loaned USA flying suit ..
The alarm ,failed as it got wet ,in the morning he turned up with my uncle Phil ,bollocked me for ruining my rod ,and shut the rod in the van door by 'mistake..'...
I think the pub was called the French Horn...nearby..when I returned a few hours later ,home ,my mother gave him fcuk over it...
I have other incidents ,lol
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In reply to Post #3
Thanks Vossy and that is true, what holds my 4oz of marker lead might not take so kindly to 15 stone standing on it playing a fish!
I looked for the Nash Samir video but couldn't find it, was it part of a longer video? The public lakes podcast text mentions waders but it's 2.5 hours long 
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In reply to Post #2
That is not a bad shout to be fair, I use a life jacket for wakeboarding and kitesurfing.... and although I am confident in water, anywhere I go to do sports in the water mandates a life jacket.
I guess I am risk adverse having seen how quickly it escalates when water is involved, but the real issue for me is that I just don't know what would happen with waders in the mix.
Just now looking for wading life jackets to see what I could find, I found that Cypography have tested falling out of a boat with waders and life jacket here Cypography life jacket boat test
Saves me flinging myself in the pond to find out 
Actually, in kitesurfing the 'self rescue' technique is taught in the first lessons so I'll probably get in there with some waders and give it a go
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In reply to Post #1
People will say all sorts about water and waders, have a look at Nash Samirs video where he jumps in a swimming pool wearing them, make your own mind up, rivers are not the same as still waters imo.
Even if you're familiar with the lake bottom you should always use a wading stick/landing net pole to check the bottom in front of you as you walk out. Just because it was safe last time you went out doesn't mean to say it will be next time (see below), unless you're confident of that fact. Next time you watch a lake being drained down on youtube see if the owner wading is using a wading staff/stick, he nearly always will.
Meres are prone to shifting sand/silt which can become like quick sand, and the fact it shifts means you should always be on your guard.
Newly excavated waters will take decades to settle and banks can collapse at any time. A water close to me had a bank/ledge collapse 15 years after being dug. I'd be especially careful going near any edge to deeper water in this case, and in general.
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In reply to Post #1
Surely if your that concerned buy a life jacket, you will then have complete peace of mind !
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Wading out to net or release a fish is sometimes necessary due to shallow margins but it does strike me as a risky business, especially for the accident prone amongst us!
A new lake I fished the other day had margins that were ankle deep... until reaching a steep drop off to 4-6ft depth within just one more step forwards... then sloping down to 8-12ft.
I have heard that waders won't drag you down to the bottom as such, if they fill with water then that water is the same weight as the water around it. At the same time, there was a story I read some time ago where a young lad died on a work party clearing margins and seemed to have been swept away in strong currents, the extra bloat and surface area probably didn't help.
Is there also a risk that if you go right under that some trapped air in the waders could make it harder to keep a head above water?
I'm after your stories of mishappenings, close calls and how you have adapted your methods to reduce the risk... Or even better still, if you always feel safe then how have you avoided any issues so far?
Does anyone use a tether rope to grab hold of or use a wading stick at all and do they help?
The best idea is not to get into trouble... but are there any gems of wisdom to help us if we do?
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