Go to bass pro and get you some good river shoes and fast dry shorts. Then get your butt in the water! I wade and rock hop the river here all the time. While your at it, pick up a 20.00 machete, get it razor sharp and attach it to a sling so you can where it around your shoulder. A machete makes fast work of snakes swimming at ya! That becomes important when you are hip to chest deep wading between rocks.