River Safety

[wjorg]

I thought you would at least get a laugh out of this, if not a helpful reminder. "God smiles kindly on idiots, children, and the United States of America." ~Kaiser Wilhelm II

So I was drifting a coastal river this weekend, right on the perfect day, we only got one. We were drifting down in a smaller drift boat and I was standing in the front. We were going through a not so intimidating run, not really even a riffle, just a transition from tailout to run....I saw the rock first.

Initially it seemed like another little weed covered thing in the water that we would harmlessly glide over from time to time....but this one was different. Ive rowed enough....those little weed nubs dont break the water like a solid medicine ball sized rock in a foot and a half of water...right as I tried to shift my hips back to brace before I might have sat down...WHAM....and the next sensation I had was flight, and a 2nd baptism in cold water. My buddy said I did a superman....rod in hand, never dropped it. Completely submerged in the riffle. I just stood right up, reeled up my line, and started the wringing out process so we could get to the next hole.....busted off a pig in the next hole..always happens that way after I fall in.

Anyway......as my guide friend always repeated incessantly...SIT DOWN AT THE END OF THE TAILOUT. He always told me I couldnt imagine what it was like to get shot out of a boat. I'll never forget. Be safe....

[Hairstacker]

WHAM....and the next sensation I had was flight, and a 2nd baptism in cold water. My buddy said I did a superman....rod in hand, never dropped it.

I would have liked to have seen a video of that. :lol:

Reminds me of when I used to do a lot of white water rafting in my little 4-man raft many years ago. On one of our 1st trips, it never failed, whenever we would start to edge up sideways on a big boulder, everyone would move away from the boulder to the far side of the boat. Net result -- raft tilts up on boulder, and since all the weight is now on the other side, the raft would neatly flip over. I think we flipped 3 or 4 times like that on one trip before everyone learned to move towards the boulder, not away from it. :lol:

[Phil Synhorst]

Walt, good to hear that you are ok after that. Hopefully the rest of us will take that lesson to heart.

[wjorg]

..highsiding, yes, I didnt even have time to consider it. I was just thinking sit down.....it happened so fast, thats why I say it was like a 2nd baptism. If I had come down face first on the nearby log or rock, it would have been it. Too bad I didnt fall on a fish in the process...wouldn't have been the first time.

....I wish my buddy rowing at the moment had had helmet cam on, yes!

[Fats]

I thought you would at least get a laugh out of this, if not a helpful reminder. "God smiles kindly on idiots, children, and the United States of America." ~Kaiser Wilhelm II

So I was drifting a coastal river this weekend, right on the perfect day, we only got one. We were drifting down in a smaller drift boat and I was standing in the front. We were going through a not so intimidating run, not really even a riffle, just a transition from tailout to run....I saw the rock first.

Initially it seemed like another little weed covered thing in the water that we would harmlessly glide over from time to time....but this one was different. Ive rowed enough....those little weed nubs dont break the water like a solid medicine ball sized rock in a foot and a half of water...right as I tried to shift my hips back to brace before I might have sat down...WHAM....and the next sensation I had was flight, and a 2nd baptism in cold water. My buddy said I did a superman....rod in hand, never dropped it. Completely submerged in the riffle. I just stood right up, reeled up my line, and started the wringing out process so we could get to the next hole.....busted off a pig in the next hole..always happens that way after I fall in.

Anyway......as my guide friend always repeated incessantly...SIT DOWN AT THE END OF THE TAILOUT. He always told me I couldnt imagine what it was like to get shot out of a boat. I'll never forget. Be safe....

I've never been launched before... I'm glad you're ok and all you got was a good soaking!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Andy Guibord and I were drifting on the Lower A for Stripers and he was standing in the front of the boat casting. I was running the outboard 14' skiff to get us across to the other bank when the anchor that was deployed with about 5 feet of rope caught the bottom mid-way across.

It ejected Andy very nicely......

In moving water thing happen.

[Hairstacker]

It ejected Andy very nicely......

Yikes! That can be a scary river to get ejected into, unless you're near shore like when David did a face-plant into the mud while getting into a kayak. (That one would have been funny (sorry David!) if he hadn't also tweaked his wrist in the process, if I recall correctly.)

Things do happen and all we can do is prepare as best we can. Couple of years ago, I broke a foot and last year I had to have a finger x-rayed -- let's face it, fly fishing isn't for sissies. :lol:

[Darian]

Once when Andy and I were Striper fishin' in the American during a very hot day, we had a voluntary ejection of both of us into the water after running into the bank.... :eek: Took us about half hour to recover. ;) :-P

[Darrin.Deel]

I about killed my girlfriends dad going through a shallow riffle sideways on the sac below barge hole. I had floated it at 6,000 and figured it would be okay but the flows were at 3,750 and... you know the rest....

[stevie steelhead]

I was wondering about whether or not Wjorg had a PFD on his body when the accident happenned?
Also, how about the other scenarios mentioned in this thread, did you have a PFD on?
The most important lesson is to learn quickly from your mistakes on the water, and as my wife says "Always have your PFD on!".

[Kurt P]

Stevie, you raise a good point.
I don't own a PFD, though my marginal wading skills warrant it. Accidents like those described above aren't all that uncommon.
I've thought about buying one in the past (after I went down and under for a few sobering seconds crossing the Feather), but I wonder if they are very bulky or too hot in the summer months.
I'd be interested in hearing what others' experiences are with PFDs, specific endorsements would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Kurt

[Hairstacker]

I wonder if they are very bulky or too hot in the summer months.

If you get one of the manual and/or automatic inflatable ones, they're not bulky to wear at all. I have a waist-style one that I always wear when boating and hardly notice I'm wearing it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/Sachlil/LifePreserver.jpg

I think I paid $60 for this one. Haven't had to inflate it but worth every penny to me for peace of mind on big water.

[Scott V]

When I had my bass boat and fished tournaments you had to have on a life vest whenever the gas motor was running. So as you can imaging taking a vest off and on all day long became rather annoying. So I bought on of the inflatable vest to wear, and after about 2 or 3 trips with it on you really do not notice it that much. They are very light and the air goes right through it. If you do get one, make sure it is the self inflating type, that way if you hit your head or do not want to let go of your rod to pull a cord to save your life you will be saved. And I have never seen one that auto inflated from the rain.

As for wearing one, I should know better but I rarely wear mine, but if I am in a boat with a person other than myself at the wheel I always wear it.

[Phil Synhorst]

Mike, I think the question is still open about the trap and headlamp.:lol::lol::lol:

[David Lee]

Yikes! That can be a scary river to get ejected into, unless you're near shore like when David did a face-plant into the mud while getting into a kayak. ......

I remember it well .

For the record , it was a HEAD-plant , all the way up to my shoulders . The mud was stinky-stinky-stinky and the water was about a foot or so deep . I'm sure it was an amusing sight for someone .....

I was so angry ...... I made small Children in Sri Lanka cry for their Mothers . Good thing I didn't break my rod .

I HATE Kayaks .

D. -

[Hairstacker]

Mike, I think the question is still open about the trap and headlamp.:lol::lol::lol:

Trap? What trap? :-\" :lol:

The headlamp, which every fly fisherman should own as standard equipment, is for evening commando raids on the Delta for these: :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/Sachlil/9-24Delta2.jpg

That last 30 minutes of summer light on the Delta when the breeze disappears and the water turns to glass can be absolutely magical. My headlamp has a green-light "stealth" mode that enables me to see in whichever direction I turn my head without spooking fish or having to hold a flashlight in my mouth. One of the best, most worthwhile purchases I've ever made for $25. :D

[Phil Synhorst]

I see your point. I hope to start doing out of my pram, half as well as you do in an inflatable Yak.:thumbsup:

[wjorg]

I heard a great story about a wading fisherman who soiled his pants when he waded too deep and the auto-inflating lifejacket he was wearing deployed.

No I did not have a PFD on. They will save you life though.

[Kurt P]

Mike,
I like the look of that PFD. But I often wade almost to the top of my waders to cross rivers (the fishing always looks better over there), wouldn't that make the PFD deploy? I guess I'd have to take it off if I was wading that deep, which would kind of defeat the purpose. Or is there an automatic deployment shut off switch for those kind of situations?
I can't see a manufacturer's name in the photo. Do you recall who made that one? I'd like to browse their website. The green stealth head light sounds slick, too. Who makes it?
Thanks,
Kurt

[Phil Synhorst]

I heard a great story about a wading fisherman who soiled his pants when he waded too deep and the auto-inflating lifejacket he was wearing deployed.



:lol::lol::lol: That story had to have come from the guys fishing partner; there's no way I'd tell a soul if it was me.:paranoid:

[wjorg]

I have a buddy I fish with. I wont let him take his PFD off. If he does, we dont catch fish. Ever since the first time we fished....

I have another buddy who needs a PFD, he did a cartwheel(spectacular loss of balance!) in the Truckee and floated down three runs till we caught up with him and grabbed him from shore....needless to say I tried to give him Simms "Wading Safely" Video for Christmas....

[Hairstacker]

Kurt, the one I pictured is manual, so it will not automatically deploy even when wet. With that said, I don't know if it's intended to be soaked as a matter of course. In any case, it is made by Stearns and I bought it online at Bass Pro Shops.

I bought the headlamp at Bass Pro Shops at the same time (I was given a gift card). It is made by Streamlight and actually has 3 lighting modes (long and short-distance white modes in addition to green), rotates up and down with positive stops, and runs on 3 AAA batteries. Even if you don't fish with it on, it is darn handy for paddling your way back to the car and scrambling up a levee in the dark with your hands full:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/Sachlil/Headlight.jpg

[wjorg]

REI has a multitude of Headlamps. Best part is their "IF it doesnt meet your high standards guarentee."

I used to work there, not a fan of guarentee abuse, but some headlamps are nockoff faulty jokes. REI sells good models and backs their stuff off.

Not knocking the bas pro shops at all. What I like about REI is you can try them on in the store(no Bass Pro Shops in my neck of the woods) with your favorite fishing hat if you like....

[Hairstacker]

REI has a multitude of Headlamps. Best part is their "IF it doesnt meet your high standards guarentee."

Walter, good to know. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I have had very good experiences buying stuff at REI. The tent my wife and I bought there about 15 years ago was (and still is) absolute top quality in my opinion. :cool:

[Hairstacker]

I have another buddy who needs a PFD, he did a cartwheel(spectacular loss of balance!) in the Truckee

That's another one that should have been caught on video. :lol:

Speaking of which, I think it's only appropriate that I resurrect this video at this time: :lol:

http://www.bofunk.com/video/2955/fishing_bloopers.html