Bad Day on the water

[fishingtx]

Yesterday I couldn't catch a break, or a fish. I ended up catching lots of stumps and falling out of the boat twice. Both times because the wind was so strong it blew me into a stump and I fell in. Because the temperature out side was 47 degrees and the wind was blowing, and I don't have a phone to call my parents topick me up, I was out there tell dark in a short sleeve shirt and jeans that were soaked. I was freezing cold. Any body have days like this?

[Way2slow]

Well, since there is always that possibility of falling in cold water on a cold day, or even getting stranded and have to spend a cold night on the lake, which either can be deadly if not prepared.  I always keep a space blanket, rain suits and a poncho in the boat. The rain suits is great for a wind breaker to help keep you warm, and the poncho makes a great emergency tent.  I also keep a butane lighter and magnesium/flint fire starter as a backup and a roll of toilet paper in a zip lock bag.  Beside the obvious use, it gives you dry material to get a fire started.   These few items take up very little space and can mean the difference between either dying or just having a bad night. 

I keep my vehicles basically stocked the same way because I used to spend a lot of time in the woods.   

[Bluebasser86]

Man, your parents left you at the lake by yourself with no means of calling them in an emergency? They have cases for phones that are really water resistant. Going out underprepared is an easy way to end up hurt bad or worse. I lost a friend that was as big of outdoorsman as they get just 2 years ago because he didn't have his life jacket on or within reach when he went in the water. Being anything less than prepared is a potential for disaster. Sorry to get on my soapbox but the second annual memorial tournament to benefit his kids education is next month so it's at the forefront of my mind. 

[Ski]

Did you have your PFD on???

Glad you are OK and it was just a bad day, it could have been MUCH worse!

Suppose you broke an arm or hit your head when you fell in (not once but twice) and could not get back in the boat or it drifted away from you?

Please rethink what happened to you and take measures for the next time an emergency happens.

 

 

[E-rude dude]

Not trying to lecture you, but. Once you fell in the first time in that cold of water due to weather conditions, you have to be smart enough to say day over. Your young so it’s easier for you to survive hypothermia. That won’t be the case 10 years from now. Try to plan ahead. Get a cell phone carrier. Carry an extra pair of cloths. Pay attention to what the weather conditions are telling you.

 
We want to hear great fishing stories from you in the future.

[Way2slow]

One little trick many of you may know, but for those that don't.  If you find yourself in the water and having a problem getting back in the boat.  If the boat has a motor and it has power tilt and trim, most have a trailer switch on the side of the motor to trim the motor up.   

Stand on the anti-cavitation plate, hold onto the motor and  use that trailering trim switch to trim the motor up.  It will pick you up and almost dump you in the boat.

[bulldog1935]

On TKF forum, there's a small group of Houston attys who call themselves the Hobie Navy.  

They prefer night fishing in the lighted canals, always go to their favorite spots in spite of weather predictions and prevailing wind. 

They often find themselves fighting a gale to get home in the dark.  

 

I always use the weather links to plan, always choose the spot so I can paddle upwind first, and will never drift downwind away from home.  When my buddy Josh took us to an opposing wind spot in Feb, after the first drift and fight to get back up, I staked out and let them have it, watching them on my binoculars - until they gave up and came back in.  

You can't always count on the weather prediction - this was predicted 16-kt gusts, and when we checked again after getting home, it was gusting to 28-kt.  

 

Another day, NOAA/NWS prediction was NE 16-kt when we launched, diminishing to E 10-kt within 2 hours, and that would have been our perfect ticket home. (Did catch some nice fish.)  Unfortunately, 2 fronts reinforced each other and the NE built to 28-kt over the morning and never diminished through the day.  We had to retreat on a beam reach, and my buddy's Hobie Revo couldn't overcome the windcock, with reaching waves turtle-ing him twice.  But we were only in 3' of water.  

Know your limitations, and your boat's limitations.  

Plan your outings in detail against the weather information, and better not to go out alone.  

 

This was actually a fun ride - with drift sock deployed to stern, we rode out a 35-kt gale when a wall cloud squall rolled through.   

Without the drift sock, it would be Instant windcock and turtle.  

[813basstard]

No cell phone—check

Alone—-check

Cold temps, short sleeve and jeans—-check

No fish—-check

No PFD—-check

Extreme wind—check

Ejected from water craft—-check

Ejected from water craft again—-check 

 

Like a woodpecker in a petrified forest, you had no shot at it 

[TnRiver46]

Always wear a life jacket! I’m guilty of not wearing them plenty of times so I’m not trying to be condescending or “holier than thou,” it’s just a very good idea to wear one. I had a similar night to you once but the fishing was phenomenal. We put in at a ramp just upstream of a mile long shoal in my small boat (3 of us). We got below the shoal and caught so many white bass and skipjack we were almost sick of landing them. Then right before dark a monster striper tried to eat a white bass my buddy was reeling in. So naturally we tried to catch that fish for a while until it was well after dark. So then I have to drive the boat upstream with 3 guys through a mile long set of shoals. Well after running aground for the 10-12th time I got frustrated and just gunned the throttle trying to free the boat. Broke the prop, had to change it in the river in the dark. Then decided to just walk the boat up the rest of the shoal instead of breaking more props (I always have 4 in the shallow water boat). Who doesn’t love walking a boat upriver in swift water wearing blue jeans in the dark? Me ..........

[A-Jay]

Ten Foot Tall and Bullet Proof ~

Ahh, those were the days.

 

Seems hearing, self preservation & comprehension skills often do not display in our species

until well after mid-life.

And even then, this appears to be somewhat sporadic.

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[fishingtx]

Calm down, I had a pfd,it was a small country club lake, I know everyone that lives in the houses on the lake, I was just suborn and I wanted to catch more fish. I was fine but I couldn't feel my feet. I had a towel in the boat so I got dry quick.

30 minutes ago, 813basstard said:

No cell phone—check

Alone—-check

Cold temps, short sleeve and jeans—-check

No fish—-check

No PFD—-check

Extreme wind—check

Ejected from water craft—-check

Ejected from water craft again—-check 

 

Like a woodpecker in a petrified forest, you had no shot at it 

I had a pfd

 

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, bass4life.... said:

Calm down, I had a pfd,it was a small country club lake, I know everyone that lives in the houses on the lake, I was just suborn and I wanted to catch more fish. I was fine but I couldn't feel my feet. I had a towel in the boat so I got dry quick.

Good to hear you had the PFD 

[fishingtx]

3 hours ago, Way2slow said:

One little trick many of you may know, but for those that don't.  If you find yourself in the water and having a problem getting back in the boat.  If the boat has a motor and it has power tilt and trim, most have a trailer switch on the side of the motor to trim the motor up.   

Stand on the anti-cavitation plate, hold onto the motor and  use that trailering trim switch to trim the motor up.  It will pick you up and almost dump you in the boat.

This works have done it when I was a little kid with no upper body strength.

[Jigfishn10]

To answer your original question. I've had bad days...just not like that. 

 

Sorry to hear of your bad experience.