WEAR A PFD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KU_Bassmaster.]

A lot of us are starting, or will be starting soon, to venture out on the water for the first time this year.

Don't forget your most important piece of equipment. No not that new rod and reel set up or that hot new bait. A PFD!!!!!!!!!!! And WEAR IT!!!!!!!

There is no reason with the suspender type PFD's out now not to wear one when the water is as cold as it is, if not at all times.

This tragedy happened at my lake yesterday.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/mar/02/fisherman_drowns_windy_lake/

Sadly it probably could have been prevented if they had been wearing life jackets. I am pretty sure I know where they were fishing it it's no more than a stone's throw from shore. With water that cold your body just doesn't work. An olympic gold medalist swimmer is useless with water as cold as it is right not

WEAR A PFD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alpster]

There is no reason with the suspender type PFD's out now not to wear one when the water is cold, if not at all times.

WEAR A PFD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent advise KU!!!

If you can't stand to wear even a suspender type PFD as KU suggests, I have one that is in a fanny pack you wear it around your waist. I never take it off while in the boat. I also wear my suspenders when the boat is under power. The suspenders inflate automatically when they hit the water, the fanny pack has a pull cord.

Ronnie

[powerman970]

Good advice and I'll be the first to admit that I never wear one.  I have considered it, planned on it but never done it.  I guess it's time to think about it again.  The autoinflates are on sale at BPS if I remember right.  Maybe I'll grab one today.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Good advice and I'll be the first to admit that I never wear one. I have considered it, planned on it but never done it. I guess it's time to think about it again. The autoinflates are on sale at BPS if I remember right. Maybe I'll grab one today.

I was the same way until a couple years ago.  When I was launching my boat I tripped or slipped (I really don't remember) and the next thing I knew I was in 40* water with no PFD.  Luckily I was only in about 3-4 ft of water, but it was AMAZING just how hard it was to get to my feet.  Like I said before, your body just doesn't work in water that cold.

That was my eye opening experience.  Went home, took a shower, and immediately went to get a auto inflate PFD.  I now where it at all times until the water starts to get near the 60* mark.

[MaxDal]

I have sospenders and they would basically always stay in the storage section of the boat.

But last year, after catching a nice bass I bent over to put her back in the water, when a wave hit the boat sideway on the opposite side and I went overboard..... Had a lot of clothes on, and I can't tell you, clothes get freakin' heavy as soon as they are wet. Eventually made it back safe and sound !

Anyway, a friend of mine and I agreed that I went overboard just to bring this female bass back to her home...... Hey you have to be courteous !  :

But put your PFD on !

[tkite16]

It was bad yesterday KU. We fished Blue Springs Lake and about got blown off the lake.   We put ours on and I hardly ever wear one.

[twors]

I get some funny looks sometimes but I wear a Mustang auto inflate  100% of the time....hot or cold.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Another preventable tragedy.

Many of you may remember, we lost a father/son last yr in the exact same way.  No pfd's 48 degree water, they assumed (being in a small pond) that they could make it to shore if they flipped.  They didn't.  DON'T ASSUME,.....WEAR IT!

[Yakfish]

What a shame.

Water temps in the 30's and even 40's will immobilize and kill you in a matter of minutes. This guy was in deep trouble with or without a PFD but the extra couple of minutes that the added buoyancy would have bought him could have saved his life.

WEAR YOUR VEST!

[moloch16]

I recently bought my first boat (14' Jon with 9.9 motor) and thought it would be great fun to go out fishing this winter.  I went fishing in the fall when the water temp was down to about 55 and was amazed out how frigid even that water is.  (I had to put my hand in up to my elbow to add/remove the fish finder transducer).

When I got home I parked the boat for the winter.  I'm the sole income for my 4 kids and wife, they don't need Dad drowning in some frigid lake, PFD or no!

Can't wait for it to warm up a bit more.  Itching to take my boat out but I'll do it when it's safe

[michbass]

Got a Mustang Hydrostatic last year for birthday and wear it anytime on St.Clair river and the Detroit River because the current is go great. During tournaments it is easier just to leave it on instead of off/on. It is comfortable and even on the hottest days doesn't seem bad.

I need to get in the habit of wearing it anytime I am alone. As stupid as it sounds feel dumb wearing it on inland lakes. I figure by myself though I need to start.

[jrhennecke]

Excellent reminder!

[Sam]

I purchased the Mustang Survival Coat and plan on wearing it this weekend on Lake Gaston and Buggs Island.

I also have the Suspenders that I will be wearing when I take off the coat.

We lost two very nice young men (teenagers) on Swift Mountain Lake last year as their canoe flipped and neither were wearing PFD's.  It was a tragic ending to two wonderful and promising lives.

Our Virginia B.A.S.S. Federation has just announced a new rule that whenever your boat is under way (motor running) you not only must be wearing your PFD but it has to be connected to the kill switch.

If not, even when launching your boat or going around in circles waiting for blast-off or the weigh-in, you will be disqualified.

Remember, when you enter the water you are in a foreign environment that is not designed to support human beings.  Therefore, the environment will win.

So please wear your PFD.  

[oxbowbass]

OK Ku, I am convinced.  I will wear the suspenders from now on.  I have to disclose that my wife is watching me write this as she has been on my case for some time now to get in the game and fish safely.  Especially since I fish alone so frequently, I hereby promise to use my PFD each and every time I go out.

Good advice.

[huskertko]

On this subject, because I need to get one, but what would the difference be between a Cabelas $100 auto/manual inflate PFD and a $250 Mustang auto inflate PFD?  Other than comfort.

I was looking at the inflatabelt style, but they are manual inflates and in 40 degree water, that can put the body in shock almost instantly, meaning no time to pull the cord.

[GobbleDog]

It's rare, but fisherman have died from hypothermia in Florida lakes too.  It happened in Lake Harris a couple years ago after some dude came flying out of the canal at top speed, hit a wake, and was thrown from the boat.  He was wearing a life jacket, but he was unconsious and after floating for 12 hours or so he died of hypothermia.

Honestly, I only wear them when they're required during tournaments.

[ba7ss3in]

Thanks, I have a mustang auto-inflate but hardly ever wear it. I will

[twors]

On this subject, because I need to get one, but what would the difference be between a Cabelas $100 auto/manual inflate PFD and a $250 Mustang auto inflate PFD? Other than comfort.

I was looking at the inflatabelt style, but they are manual inflates and in 40 degree water, that can put the body in shock almost instantly, meaning no time to pull the cord.

I've researched this greatly last year before buying my Mustang. Basically it boils down quality of fit and the amount buoyancy of they provide. The cheaper inflatables will have 25lb of buoyancy while the higher end models will have 35lb. It is said that 25lb will right SOME

people face up after deployment while 35lb models will right MOST people face up. So I guess it depends on your size on wether to get the 25lb of 35lb model. IMO, manual inflatables and belts never made much sense to me. Neither would help if your were knocked unconscious for whatever reasons.

I wear the Mustang Tournament. Its a 35lb auto-inflate and I like the neoprene collar along with is highly visible color of red. They are on sale at BPS for $160

[GobbleDog]

If somebody is wearing an auto-inflate PFD and I dump a bucket of water on them, will it inflate?  And if so, is it as funny as I'm imagining?

[huskertko]

On this subject, because I need to get one, but what would the difference be between a Cabelas $100 auto/manual inflate PFD and a $250 Mustang auto inflate PFD? Other than comfort.

I was looking at the inflatabelt style, but they are manual inflates and in 40 degree water, that can put the body in shock almost instantly, meaning no time to pull the cord.

I've researched this greatly last year before buying my Mustang. Basically it boils down quality of fit and the amount buoyancy of they provide. The cheaper inflatables will have 25lb of buoyancy while the higher end models will have 35lb. It is said that 25lb will right SOME

people face up after deployment while 35lb models will right MOST people face up. So I guess it depends on your size on wether to get the 25lb of 35lb model. IMO, manual inflatables and belts never made much sense to me. Neither would help if your were knocked unconscious for whatever reasons.

I wear the Mustang Tournament. Its a 35lb auto-inflate and I like the neoprene collar along with is highly visible color of red. They are on sale at BPS for $160

So if I bought a Cabelas one today that has 35lb of bouyancy and I find it comfortable to wear, then the $200 models aren't really offering me much if anything more than I already have, right?

I bought the Cabelas one because they had the price mismarked and I got it for $75 instead of $100.

[32251]

At the end of the summer, Wal Mart marks down the auto inflate type of vest. I bought three last year for $99 for all of them. One for me one for my son and one for my wife.

I put it on when I approach the water...the reason is that I have read of tragic events where somehow the person either passed out or fell and was knocked out and drowned.  When your launching your boat that is a time where an accident could result in you being knocked in the water and out for just enough time to drown.  

The comfort factor of wearing no vest is not worth the possibility of ending up dead.  Even the fishing pros on TV only wear PFDs when the motor is running. They should be required to wear them all the time to set a good standard for other fisherman.  

I don't know about you guys, but I am close to 60 and have not swam a lick since high school!  Don't fool yourself into thinking you could get your out of shape butt out of 25 feet of water 30 or 40 feet offshore.  

Wear it!!!

[flechero]

If somebody is wearing an auto-inflate PFD and I dump a bucket of water on them, will it inflate?  And if so, is it as funny as I'm imagining?

No, my understanding is that there is a pressure activated "switch"  that only releases when submerged in water...  it just getting wet triggered them, there would be misfires on most rough or rainy days.

Even if you could cause it to fire with the bucket, I don't think it would be as funny as the cost of the recharge kit you'd be buying....  

[IllinoisBasser]

Cabela's has Adult life jackets for a little over 10 bucks right now.

They also have childrens for under 10 bucks.  I picked up 5 life jackets.  You can't put a price on a life, that's for sure.