Do as I say... not as I do..... -READ THIS

[mwardncsu]

I had an incident today that is part embarrassing, part very frustrating, part scary, and hopefully part educational.... I share it in hopes others take something away from this....

I was out catching bait in a lonely creek late this afternoon. I had tossed my net on what was the 3rd or 4th serious piece of timber and was trying to retrieve it. I saw a tree-trunk laying down the bank into the water about 75' away from me but didn't think twice that it could come that far until as I was pulling on the net the trunk on land started to shift

I had gotten the net to the point where the horn was just out of the water. I leaned over to grab the horn of the net with the hopes of releasing the net from the branches and getting it back in mostly one piece. Somewhere about then I found myself flying through the air and splashing into the 59 degree water. It's pretty amazing what all can go through your mind in that 1/2 or 3/4 second from the boat deck to the water's surface.....

I'll admit that as I hit the water I started to panic a bit - knowing I was in my jeans, bibs, t-shirt, sweat-shirt and boots....... and no life-jacket or any flotation. As I surfaced I was flailing - knocked my glasses off in the process - but after a few seconds I was able to force myself to realize I needed to calm down if I wanted to get out of this mess. The boat was drifting a bit away from the momentum of the fall, but I was probably 10 or 15 feet from the trolling motor. My boat has a swim platform and ladder on the transom, and my "emergency plan" for such a situation has always been that I would go pull the ladder down and climb in the boat and laugh it off.

I realized quickly that between the water weight I was taking on, water in the boots and me on the edge of panic that I was not going to be swimming to the back of my 24' boat, so I tried to head for the trolling motor to have something to grab on to. Swimming those 10-15' was WAY harder than I would have ever expected - I'm certainly not in Olymic swimmer shape which of course does not help, but the clothes were more encumbering that I would have ever thought. My boots are slip on "Muck boot" style boots - which probably is a good thing as they could come off pretty easily in the water if needed assuming I could get my bibs up out of the way but I decided for whatever reason not to ditch them a that point.

But, I was able to side-stroke to the trolling motor and grab on to it - and it was only then that I felt I had a chance of getting out of this mess - thinking 1st about standing on it and trying to climb into the boat but then realizing that would not work with my at my weight/shape. I then thought about working my way to the back of the boat to the swim ladder, but my boat sits too high above the water line to be able to hang on and ease myself back, and I was not going to trust my ability to swim the 24' to the back. As I collected my wits I remembered the iPilot trolling motor remote was clipped to my bibs - and while it will not talk to the TM under water, it is (mostly) water proof and thankfully work when out of the water. The boat was pointed more or less at a dock that was probably 50 to 75 or maybe 100 feet away - so I positioned myself to the side of the TM and turned it on letting it drag me to the floater at the dock.

As I neared the dock I could not get the TM to turn off (probably was in the water), but honestly I really did not care - the TM shaft took an impact to the dock and cracked the shaft but I was at the floater and thankfully a swim ladder was right there. Up onto the dock and very thankfully back on the boat.

Of course I did not have any change of clothes on the boat - but I was 5 min boat ride from my dock, and it was in the upper 50's or so at the time.

I was lucky today on many accounts... that I didn't hit my head or something on the way down, that I was close enough to get to the TM to grab on, that I had the remote control to get me to a dock, that there was a dock close enough near-by, that the water was not "too" cold and that the air temps were not colder and that I had a short ride back to my dock. A month or so from now and it could have been a different story/outcome. Today cost me a new pair of glasses, a new net and a new trolling motor shaft..... it could have cost a lot more.


As I say above - do as I say - not as I do... or, well, did..... I wrote the article below back in 2011 so I know better. But we get slack & lax. It's not "really" winter yet and the water temps are not overly dangerous.. yet. But the lack of a PDF could have made today a very bad day. My inflatable PDF was hanging on the coat-rack beside the door of the townhouse that I go out of to head down to the boat. We go out there and do our thing all the time - and you'd never think what could happen like that in a split second - one minute you're wondering how bad your net is going to be torn up and the next you're in the water wondering what to do next. I've gotten better about wearing my inflatable PDF when on the boat alone at night - but I tend to take it off when throwing the net - what could happen when throwing the net I told myself.... Wear your PDF always when alone.... ideally all the time as well.

Give the below a serious read. Probably even better, do a "wet run" of what you would do and how you'd get back in the boat - maybe something to do when it warms back up, but maybe something to do now before it gets really cold - with proper supervision, in shallow enough water, etc - better to experience in a controlled environment than think you know what it would be like - I thought I did.... I didn't.



------------------------------


Winter-time Fishing & Boating Safety
Michael Ward – December 2011

As the holiday season nears and winter begins to set in, cooler temperatures do not mean the fishing has gone cold – in fact, winter time can provide exciting fishing for those anglers willing to brave the elements. However, winter time brings some inherent risks which one must be aware of, and take appropriate caution to prevent an otherwise enjoyable outing from turning into a horrible statistic.
Hypothermia is one of the largest dangers that accompany winter time fishing as exposure to the elements can bring this upon an individual without their knowing. Certainly falling into the cold winter waters can accelerate one falling subject to hypothermia, but it is possible to be overcome by hypothermia just from prolonged exposure to the cold. It is important to know the symptoms of hypothermia so that you can recognize them not only in yourself, but perhaps more importantly in your fishing partners and take immediate action, as an individual succumbing to hypothermia will typically not recognize the symptoms in themselves.

The Mayo Clinic’s web-site lists the following symptoms of hypothermia:

• Shivering
  
• Clumsiness or lack of coordination
  
• Slurred speech or mumbling
  
• Stumbling
  
• Confusion or difficulty thinking
  
• Poor decision making, such as trying to remove warm clothes
  
• Drowsiness or very low energy
  
• Apathy or lack of concern about one's condition
  
• Progressive loss of consciousness
  
• Weak pulse
  
• Slow, shallow breathing
  

Even more concerning is the potential for falling overboard into the frigid
winter waters. The cold water accelerated the transfer of heat from your body at up to 26 times faster than when exposed to air – thus if you find yourself in the water, getting out and getting dry in rapid fashion is crucial to your survival.


The United States Search & Rescue Task Force lists the expected survival times in cold water as:

Water Temperture is:	Time to Exhaustion or Unconsciousness:	Expected Time of Survival:
32.5	Under 15 minutes	Under 15-45 minutes
32.5-40	15-30 minutes	30-90 minutes
40-50	30-60 minutes	1-3 hours
50-60	1-2 hours	1-6 hours

The above is intended to help remind us of the risks which do exist, but there are a things you can do to manage these risks. Below are a number of tips that can help make your winter time outing a safer one...

File a “Float Plan” – tell someone when you are going out, the general areas you expect to fish, and when you expect to return. If you forget to do so and are launching from a public ramp, consider leaving a note on the dash of your vehicle with your expected time of return and an emergency contact number.

Fish with a friend – it is always a good idea when on the water, especially in the winter or in other adverse conditions, to have another person with you. Should an unfortunately turn of events unfold, your fishing buddy may just become your life-line.

Wear your life jacket & use your kill switch – It is something that many of us are guilty of not doing, but when fishing in the winter, especially if alone, a life jacket may be the one thing that saves your life. A variety of styles of life jackets exist now which remove all the excuses for not wearing one – WEAR IT! The heavy, bulky clothes that we wear to keep up warm will rapidly absorb water and become an anchor around you if you do not have the flotation provided by your life vest.
The kill switch is also there as a safety device – USE IT! If you do a lot of trolling and need mobility around the boat while under way, consider purchasing an AutoTether which has a wireless sensor that you attach to your life jacket or clothes, and if the sensor becomes submerged it will remotely trip your kill switch, stopping your boat and giving you a chance to reenter your boat.

Dress for what the conditions might become – Temperatures that start in the upper 40s or 50s and sunny skies can drop quickly as the sun begins to set.

• Dress in layers so that you are prepared for whatever Mother Nature may throw at you.
  
• A significant percentage of the body’s heat is lost through the head and hands, so have a warm stocking cap and dry gloves available.
  
• Finding gloves that stay dry often seems like “Mission Impossible” -
  keep multiple sets of inexpensive “jersey gloves” (like the brown light/cheap yard gloves) in a plastic bag and when the pair you are wearing becomes wet, swap it out for a dry set. And a ready supply of hand warmers is not a bad idea either.
  
• A set of warm, waterproof boots are also a must have for a comfortable outing. However, ensure they provide ample maneuverability and have a sole that maintains a level of “grip” even in freezing temperatures
  
• For very cold weather, check out Arctic Armor. This is a set of insulated bibs and coat that are targeted to ice-fishermen “up north” and are constructed with a material which will float the wearer. They are not intended, nor should be relied upon, as a replacement for wearing your life jacket, but they can serve as a secondary “safety net” should you find yourself over board.
  

Plan Ahead – Give consideration now to what you would do should you find yourself in the unfortunate position of falling into the water. Falling out of a boat is easy.... Getting back in while out the water can be very difficult, especially when burdened by the weight of water-soaked winter clothes and boots. Even with a fishing buddy aboard, it may be very difficult to return to the boat and one must be careful not to capsize or pull your fishing partner overboard in the process. It is a good idea to try reentering your boat during the warm summer months to find a way that works for you, before encountering the situation in the cold of winter.

A few options to assist returning to the boat include:

• A swim platform with a sufficiently long ladder can be a life saver. Many of the ladders on typical swim
  platforms only have a few steps, and they can be difficult to traverse in the most ideal conditions. Consider replacing that short 2-step ladder with a 3, or 4 step ladder which will allow you to more easily climb up and back into the boat.
  
• Tie a rope to the rear cleat and leave a loop hanging over the transom that would be long enough to reach
  from the water (but not so long as to foul your prop), tying several loops for footholds and hand-holds, so that you could use this to help pull yourself back into the boat. And while a morbid thought, should you be unable to reenter the boat and the worst-case scenario unfold, securing yourself to your boat would at least allow recovery later.
  
• Climb up onto your outboard, using the cavitation plate as a foothold, and then use the trim switch to raise the motor, and yourself out of the water to where you can reenter the boat.
  

Once back in the boat, you are not out of the woods. Soaked to the core and now surrounded by air temperatures which may be less than the water from which you just escaped the worst danger may still be ahead. It is critical that you get dry and warm as quickly as possible. Bringing a spare change of clothes on the boat is a good idea. At a minimum, having an emergency blanket – the silvery foil type – on the boat is a good idea – they are very compact thus taking little space, and could help maintain enough body heat to avoid hypothermia until you are able to get back to land.

Minimize the Potential for “Slip-Ups”: The relaxation that we enjoy when on the water can be disrupted in the blink of an eye with a trip or a slip on the deck of the boat.

• Keeping things as organized and in their place can minimize the potential for tripping over a rod bow line lying in the floor of the boat.
  
• Even with their “non-skid” surfaces, a boat deck can be like an ice skating ring when you combine a bit
  of water or even early morning condensation and the sub-freezing temperatures that accompany winter- time fishing. A set of sure-footed boots is key, as is extremely careful movements. No fish is worth that quick jump to the front deck to grab a rod, or leaning too far over to lip it into the boat.
  
• Throwing a cast-net brings an added set of dangers. The water (and shad slime) from the net, coupled
  with freezing temperatures will turn a boat deck into a solid sheet of ice in rapid fashion. Perhaps this time of year one should “mix it up” and shift to jigging and casting artificials – your hands will likely thank you. But if you are one of the “hard-core” live bait fishermen, consider dipping a towel in the lake water and placing it on your deck to stand on when casting. When the towel freezes, dip it back in the lake to thaw and then replace it on the deck
  

With a little caution and some advanced planning the risks of winter time fishing can be minimized and you can join Old Man Winter in the pursuit of that citation Striper.


References & Links:
Arctic Armor: www.idigear.com/arcticarmor.php
AutoTether: www.autotether.com/at/
Expected Survival Time in Cold Water: www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm
Hypothermia Symptoms: www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothermia/DS00333/DSECTION=symptoms

[striperjohn]

Damn Mike! That's scary as hell. God was looking out for you on that day my friend. I lost a good friend in South Carolina in a very similar fashion except it was 75 degrees out and the water temps were in the high 70s. He fell in and couldn't get back into his boat. It was later determined that he'd had a heart attack trying.
One thing I'd add to your safety write up is something people don't think about much but once out of the water the chill created by the boat movement and wind can lower your body temperature enough that you could in fact have a hypothermia attack on the way home. I carry three packs of those cheapie 1.00 thermal survival blankets(look like small foil packets) in my boat and my truck. Cheap, light weight, block the wind and can help retain body heat when needed. Most military survival kits have them included and they work.
God Bless.
John

[jmr04]

Man that's scary. I'm glad your alright. I was just out catching bait. When I started it must have been warmer but as soon as it got light my boat totally iced up. Almost went in myself. Like I said glad your alright. Could have been terrible.

[Deleted]

Mike, I am very thankful that you made it out of this situation alive. I don't know what to say.

Kurt (LBJ) will be coming this week if you need a hug.

I'm a lone wolf many days on the water in freezing temps. At the end of the day it's all a risk/reward proposition. We have kids and family who need us. However we need to live and pursue our passions.

Bait fishing is an athletic sport and poses many risks.

[Deleted]

It is also interesting to me how this occurred. I suppose as you pulled the horn, it pulled back and you wouldn't let go? Will of Man versus will of nature.

Reminds of a special coon trap. This trap consists of a hole with a shiny object in it. The coon sees the object and grabs it but can't remove his arm because he is gripping the object. All he has to do is let go... But that shiney object is more important than his life.

All we have to do is stay in bed if miminimizing all risks of living were the goal. And all you had to do was let go of that horn.

[226ff]

Mike, so glad everything turned out Ok. All the times we go out and return safe and no incidents we tend to forget about what can happen in an instant..
Thank goodness for TM remotes, We must all remember to keep the remote on our persons.Once again glad you are safe, and able to return to the water. Tight Lines

[seajay]

Damn Mike , that was a serious " oh **** " moment. Glad you are still here to talk about it. As you said there are so many different variables that would have made this a different outcome. A lot of us don't think about it with nothing but catching bait on our minds until it's to late. My wife has been asking for some Christmas ideas , I believe I am going to put a couple of those nice inflatable PDFs on the list!!

[hillbilly]

Glad to hear you are ok. A good reminder for all of us that anything can happen at any time. And particularly to be even more careful and prepared for those of us who go out on the water during the colder months.

[Gator]

That was scary. What a reminder.

[Live Bait JunkEE]

taking an unexected dunk in the water is NO fun -- ecspecially when you are alone. I had 2 live bodies to pull me out and laugh the rest the day at me .. Glad your back on dry land -- see you soon --

[Deleted]

Nov 21, 2015 9:21:25 GMT -5 Live Bait JunkEE said:

taking an unexected dunk in the water is NO fun -- ecspecially when you are alone. I had 2 live bodies to pull me out and laugh the rest the day at me .. Glad your back on dry land -- see you soon --

We didn't laugh at first. I was terrified. But then once we got you warm and safe... We laughed. And we still laugh... Muhuuhaaa!

[johnk]

Wow....very sobering account of how things can go very bad very quickly. Way to keep calm and make good decisions. Glad you are OK.

[Brian]

I have climbed back into the boat on a 75 degree day from waist deep water wearing bibs... It is amazing how heavy those bibs can get. It was a real struggle even with a swim ladder. I am not certain I could do it if I was bundled up for cold weather, never mind being weakened by cold water. (I didn't fall in. I was pushing the boat off a sandbar and had intended to get back in as soon as the boat floated, but it got deep faster than I expected.)

[21 Elite]

Glad you are OK Mike. This is a reminder to all of us. We like to think this could never happen to us. It's something you read about happening to others. Me and my father just had this conversation about this type of senerio. I keep life jackets in the T-top but hardly ever wear one. The other morning catching bait the deck was iced over and I too about took a plunge. Went ahead and ordered some self inflatable vests. Reading this is a reminder why again they were ordered. To all be safe this winter with the Temps falling. And keep in mind this read when heading out. Let's not be the one everyone's reading about . That poor soul if only he....

[hotdog]

Glad your OK Mike. Thanks for the reminder. Next time don't go so far to prove your point.