How I Fell Into The Water On Sunday

[hoosierbass07]

  I guess I learned on Sunday fishing from the bank can be just as dangerous as fishing from a boat/kayak/canoe.  

 

  I've been bank fishing the last two years and kayak fishing the last year.  On Sunday the temps were supposed to get up near 70 and I thought it would be a good time to go to my favorite state park to bank fish.  However, when I got the park it was raining slightly, windy, and sort of lousy out. 

 

 I got to the park and went to my number one spot where I caught some big bass in the spring.  To get to my spot I had to walk down a steep hill that has loose rocks on it.  Anyway, things looked different. The water was higher than normal and that sort of got my mind bewildered some.  Things just didn't look normal.  But I fished anyway in the wind and drizzle rain.  About twenty minutes into this my left foot slipped on a rock and I started to go down into the water.  I stopped my falling for a split second but began to fall again and my left leg went into the water and then my left arm and then my left side.  I'm lucky by whole body didn't fall into the water.  

 

 Anyway, I got back up and was not hurt and rod and reel were not hurt either.  I fished for a few more minutes but called it a day and went home.  I was thinking - Wow, that could have been worse than it was.  I was lucky I didn't fall all the way in.  

 

 I just learned some more information about that park.  I was told this evening that a bridge is being repaired past the dam and the dam can not let any water out because the workers need the water low to repair the dam.  Add to that we have had a lot of rainy weather the last week.  That all adds up to a really high water level at the lake.  And that is why my favorite spot looked odd.  

 

 When I look at the whole picture - lousy weather, me wanting to fish and catch a bass really badly, water level up higher than it usually is, me standing on dangerous loose rocks = that equals me falling into the water for the very first time.  

 

 I guess the message  is - you have to always be very careful even when bank fishing and if things don't feel right or look right, don't fish at that spot. 

[ClackerBuzz]

glad your ok.  last year a bank fisherman drown in my home reservoir.  his lawn chair and some tackle were sitting on shore the next morning.  his wife reported him missing and they knew they had to start looking for a body.  everyone thought he fell in while trying to get un-snagged but really it could have been a situation like yours or a dozen others. years ago i had a bad experience while stream fishing b/c i stepped on a log jam that I shouldn't have. it was nearly the last thing i did. makes you be more cautious and realize how things can go bad in the blink of an eye. now fishing always takes a back seat to my safety and surroundings. putting the adrenaline rush of a hook set ahead of ur personal safety usually means ur behind is in the fire

[boostr]

We're gonna have to start wearing bank PDFs

[J Francho]

I think one of my worst fishing incidents was slipping on a rock while fighting a trout in a stream.  I was in only a few inches of water, but ended up dislocating a finger, tearing a finger nail off, and bruised my back pretty bad.  Never mind landing with my head facing upstream, and filling my waders up to the belt with ice cold water, lol. 

 

I did manage to not break the rod or lose any gear, and I got the fish.

[SHaugh]

A lot of people don't realize how soft a lake bottom can be. A friend slipped off a steep bank down 3 feet and buried himself waist deep in muck when I was a kid... we couldn't get him out for about an hour... it can be like quicksand. The vacuum created by that soft mud won't let you go very easily.

that's why most people end up going face first just inches from the shoreline when they slip in.

[everythingthatswims]

I think one of my worst fishing incidents was slipping on a rock while fighting a trout in a stream.  I was in only a few inches of water, but ended up dislocating a finger, tearing a finger nail off, and bruised my back pretty bad.  Never mind landing with my head facing upstream, and filling my waders up to the belt with ice cold water, lol. 

 

I did manage to not break the rod or lose any gear, and I got the fish.

A trout stream is one of the most dangerous places to fish IMO, especially because a lot of trout fishing is done in the winter wearing waders while it is freezing cold out, and you may be fishing miles from your car. Big boulders, steep banks, heavy current, slick rocks and possibly ice! The things we do for fish....

[J Francho]

Yep, I agree.

[FrogTosser88]

The ponds i fish have a super soft bottom like that.. I bet if you fell in and your arm or something went into that stuff.... You would have no leverage to pull yourself out....