Have You Fallen In The Water By Mistake=Boat Or Shore

[Fishinthefish]

Definitely did once. We were loading the boat at the launch. It was time for me to step out, some ******* next to us decided it was time to power load his boat. I figured I could jump to the dock before the wake hit. I was wrong, very wrong.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Twice. From a bass boat. At a tournament. (Small club but it made the rounds anyway)

First time, I was wearing my comfy crocs and it was at launch. We had to get on the trolling motor right away, because the water was too low to use the motor to back off. I had backed out of the way a good distance and being dark, I felt rather than saw  the lily pads wrapping around the trolling motor. So I had to press on the back plate to raise it up with the cord. Well it was nice and wet from dew and my croc just slipped on the dew and I just remember feet flying up and hitting the water back first, still hanging on to the trolling motor cord. I pulled my way back up and hanging off the side, walked the boat back to shore,  hand over hand around to the back and crawled on like a seal. Not very graceful at all. My husband comes back from parking the truck and see's the other couples trying to get it on video (too dark..whew) and says" Why is my wife in the water??" I just said I can honestly say there are NO fish by the ramp! ( I never wore Crocs fishing again!)

 

Second time, most recently, and cold.. brr water, but almost at weigh in time anyway. Same little couples club. Having a good day, I caught my limit of three decent keepers and hubby was trying to finish his limit. I was wearing gloves which were a bit damp, and made a cast, watching my rod come right out of my hands, bounce off the deck into the water. I got down, grabbed missed, then grabbed again ..Got it! Put my left hand down on the side rail, (which hubby likes to keep polished up) Felt my hand start to slip.Then felt my momentum and rear end slide me over the side like a giant slinky. I still had my left arm hanging onto the side rail, had my vest on, but with the cold and extra clothes, It was tough staying up. Plus I wear a face buff and with it being soaked, I was sucking in water. In all that struggle to stay at the boat, I lost the rod and hubby pulled me on board. Its in 10' of water, but next time we are on the lake, I'm dragging a big treble retriever there. I know the reel will be trashed, but I want my Halo rod back!

 

I am also buying those floating rod, cushions!

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

My wife and I had to flip a canoe on a float trip because some drunk was swimming in a narrow, fast water area. We were going to slam into him if we didn't. Glad I didn't have any of my expensive gear with me or I'd have really been ticked. I've been really close to falling out of the boat more times than I can count, but I've been lucky enough to not fall out, yet.

You're a better man than me lol

[bighed]

Once on Dardanelle, fishing open water alone in November.  Water temp about 60 so not too bad.  No lifejacket on and back in the boat before the Iphone died.  Once on Falcon in 2' of water, Croc on wet gelcoat gunnel and I went over.  Mustang inflated after I stood up, Iphone died, son laughed.  Once on Texoma after having a new prop worked.  I forgot to put the big arse washer on before the prop nut.  Tried to back off the trailer but felt like there was no prop.  Looked hard and could see a glimmer at the end of the ramp in about 8' of water.  Stripped down and bailed off the back into 54 degree water.  Got my prop and a few cheers from the gallery.  Always take a change of cloths!

[WRB]

Our lakes don't freeze over during the winter, we get frost and sometimes thin ice early mornings on boat docks and the bow can get slippery. I was fishing with freind who has a BassCat with Evinrude trolling motor that I was not familiar with several years ago. The deck was frosty, I was stiff and hooked into a good bass. The trolling motor would return to a sideways position when you take your foot off the peddle, plus the on-off switch was near one side of the peddle. While fighting this bass I moved to the side of the bow front to keep the line away from the trolling motor. When the fish ran back the opposite direction I stepped back hitting the peddle on switch, the motor spun the bow and I stepped forward and out of the boat into deep cold water.

It is very difficult to get back into a bass boat with heavy cloths and shoes on. Luckily I was fishing with my freind and he helped me get back into the boat, wet cold and angry at myself.

I now keep a heavy rope tied to the stern cleat to aide me getting back in my boat when fishing alone.

Tom

[macmichael]

I fall out of my boat at least twice a year. Actually just last week I was getting it ready for a Table Rock trip and fell out of it while it sat on my drive way. Broke a couple of ribs. I fell out last year at Guntersville reaching for a lure. WT was 48 degrees. Once I even fell out while trying to connect the boat to the trailer at the end of the day. No balance what so ever.

[A-Jay]

I fall out of my boat at least twice a year. Actually just last week I was getting it ready for a Table Rock trip and fell out of it while it sat on my drive way. Broke a couple of ribs. I fell out last year at Guntersville reaching for a lure. WT was 48 degrees. Once I even fell out while trying to connect the boat to the trailer at the end of the day. No balance what so ever.

 

Wow ~ Hope you're OK

 

A couple of pieces of advice for you.

1) while on the water definitely wear a life jacket.

2) while in your drive way, wear a flak jacket & a football helmet.

 

 

A-Jay

[ww2farmer]

Yes, twice. Once a few years ago while I was out by myself, I tripped over all the rods I had on the deck, lost my balance, and rather than risk falling on my rods/graph/etc...I basically jumped feet first off the boat into about 4' of water. Just grabbed the boat and walked it and myself to shore and got back on. Water was a little nippy....48 degrees, and that ended the day right there.

 

 Second time was just this past fall. My partner was causing a scene on the back deck yelling at some guy on the shore. Evidently the guy was running from cottage to cottage peeking in the windows and was buck naked. I didn't see it, but the banter from Rick (the guy in the back) was so comical I literally passed out from laughing so hard. I came to UNDER WATER. I shot back to the surface in a total freaking panic gagging and hacking up water, with Rick running circles around me with the TM on high not knowing what to do, or what happened. I calmed down right quick and swam over to the boat, and held on to the side while he took me to where I could touch (we were in 30-40' of water when I went over). Then I walked to shore, got on a dock, and got back on the boat. We even fished for a little while longer laughing about it.

[RSM789]

I think Rick's version of your story would be even better - "So I was yelling at this Peeping Tom who was completely naked when all of a sudden, my fishing partner fell in the lake..."

[notevenanibble]

I slipped on some rocks fly fishing in Cherokee, nc a few weeks ago. The air temp was 25 degrees. It was not fun at all. Had to leave early.

[Catch and Grease]

Not yet....

[Hyrule Bass]

never fell in the water while fishing but i did throw myself off a wave runner one evening at smith mountain lake. it happened so fast all i remember is the life jacket shooting me back up to the surface, i have no idea how deep the water was or how deep i went down. i do remember putting my hands above my head so i wouldnt float up and hit my head on the bottom of the wave runner. climbed back on and took off riding again. luckily i was in a quiet cove that doesnt get a lot of boat action. smith mountain lake gets a ton of traffic that really stirs the water up at times. honestly after that, i would drive the wave runner out to that cove, shut it off, and jump in for a swim at times....

[matuka]

Ok, I wasn't involved in this one, but I have to share it with you anyway. Our bass club,(all guys)had a very nice woman join a few years back, lets call her Jan. She presented herself well, and knew how to fish. Of course the chatter amongst the guys was if you were partnered with her, what do either of you do when nature calls. Game day comes along, and she is the co angler with a guy, let's call him Steve. By mid-morning Jan needs to relieve herself and asks Steve to back into an overhanging willow. Gentlemanly Steve complies as apparently she's had experience with this maneuver before. Steve is casting off the front and hears a bit of a splash behind him. Not knowing what it is, he resists the urge to turn around and find out. Five or so seconds later he decides to risk sounding stupid and asks "how ya doing"? No answer. Forget it. Steve turns around and sees a pair of tennies wiggling above the water, and the owner submerged somewhere below it. Steve to the rescue! The details of this part were never revealed, so I guess you can fill in the blanks. Jan slipped while squatting, got tripped up on the rigging and had daintily slid into the drink. Now imagine trying to get back in with your jeans wrapped around your ankles, and not make a sound and preserve your dignity. After the "rescue" I guess they had to laugh real hard. Steve issued her a rainsuit and they fished the rest of the day. Jan took all the ribbing like "little mermaid" and "Bubbles" in stride as well, later being elected as a board member.

[Ski213]

Ha! This brought back some kind of buried memory I have. I don't remember all the specifics, maybe I've subconsciously blocked it out. I attempted to make a jump from a boat to a courtesy dock. I don't remember why I had to jump but I evidently felt the need. I remember it being a good distance. My forward foot made the dock and it would have been successful leap except that that same foot slipped across the dock while the other leg went down in the water. I don't remember why or exactly how it all went but I sure do remember the impact.

[scaleface]

I have fallen off the front deck of a bass boat at least 4 times. The last time I was throwing a cast net and in I went .

[RSM789]

...The last time I was throwing a cast net and in I went .

 

I am imagining this from the perspective of the baitfish you were trying to catch.  There these baitfish are, swimming around, minding their own business, when all of a sudden this giant predator from above crashes into the water...

[buckeye12]

Fishing a tournament with my son on Ohio River two years ago. Pouring the rain down. Set the hook and rod flies out of hands. Son had just got me Brand new Orra sx on Cabelas XML rod for xmas. Dove in head first, full rain gear, and grabbed rod. Surfaced and son had the corniest look on face and couldn't say anything!! I told him to grab rod and see if fish was still on. No such luck but still had combo!!

[Catch 22]

Ok, I wasn't involved in this one, but I have to share it with you anyway. Our bass club,(all guys)had a very nice woman join a few years back, lets call her Jan. She presented herself well, and knew how to fish. Of course the chatter amongst the guys was if you were partnered with her, what do either of you do when nature calls. Game day comes along, and she is the co angler with a guy, let's call him Steve. By mid-morning Jan needs to relieve herself and asks Steve to back into an overhanging willow. Gentlemanly Steve complies as apparently she's had experience with this maneuver before. Steve is casting off the front and hears a bit of a splash behind him. Not knowing what it is, he resists the urge to turn around and find out. Five or so seconds later he decides to risk sounding stupid and asks "how ya doing"? No answer. Forget it. Steve turns around and sees a pair of tennies wiggling above the water, and the owner submerged somewhere below it. Steve to the rescue! The details of this part were never revealed, so I guess you can fill in the blanks. Jan slipped while squatting, got tripped up on the rigging and had daintily slid into the drink. Now imagine trying to get back in with your jeans wrapped around your ankles, and not make a sound and preserve your dignity. After the "rescue" I guess they had to laugh real hard. Steve issued her a rainsuit and they fished the rest of the day. Jan took all the ribbing like "little mermaid" and "Bubbles" in stride as well, later being elected as a board member.

 

Smilin and grinin.That is a great story.

C22

[skeeter1980]

I haven't slipped into the water while fishing,but I did drive my friend's car off of a bridge,into a creek.And I was sober.Lol

[buzzed bait]

once i fell in while trying to get the kayak launched, water was chilly, but i kept with it and fished all day.

one time my dad and i were fishing and he was talking a bunch of sh**, leaned over to wash his hands off and bam in the water he goes.  one of those memory moments you will remember for the rest of your life.  after pulling him in by his overall straps, my brother and i laughed until we were sick.... 

thankfully mine were all in fun and games, but it does make you realize with all of these replies how so many can drown each year from simple accidents!!!

[*Hootie]

Two different occasions, about 40 years ago. Once in November, once in April. Ice water both times. Brrrrr!

Hootie

[Ratherbfishing]

Fishfightingillini, where are you?  I'm waiting.....

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I have fell plenty but nothing to write about.Here is one though funny as s::t.My buddy jimmy who is about 5' tall and 400lbs came to my pond one day as usual.i was fishing the swamp end he was goin to the other side ,,,,fast forward about 2 hours i see a fishing rod tip just barely moving over the weeds at the stream end of the pond.Im thinking wth jimmy u cant get to anything that way.I see him finally goin up the hill to my house.He is waiting for me.when i get up there.Low and behold it looks like he was rollin with the hogs mud head to toe,,im lmao at this point no clue why yet just lol loud as hell.He cussed me out ,said wayne why didnt u tell me that stream had muskrat holes around it .he had tried to jump acrosss the stream (Midget legs and 400lbs) you aint a.jumper,said he was stuck in there for 45 mins ,i died laughing at this point histrlike a Mad man

[scaleface]

When I was a kid I was planning on  fishing   the mississippi river . There was a small water flow  heading to a creek that came out of the sewage plant. I wanted to get to the other side and I could easily jump over it. I backed off a few steps then took off.My last step that was going to propel me over this black, stinky , gooey creek sank deeply in black , sticky , gooey mud. I landed face first in it.  I did the walk of shame home , covered in black mud and stinking like a pig.

[fish-fighting-illini]

Let's just say that I have categories & subcategories! Lol

From land, from a boat

Just damp, Partially submerged, fully submerged,

Almost involved a Boyscout attempt of lifesaving me- I told him to stay on shore I'd sooner drown 1st! long story, maybe expound later? (Eyeroll).