Rescued by a Spin Fisherman

[Ty@Landpark]

On a late rainy Sunday afternoon just before Christmas I went out solo stalking steelies along a stretch of AR and experienced an calamity. While working a nymph moving along the river edge my left foot suddenly sank into some soft sand causing me to loose my balance...and down I went in the opposite direction that my foot was planted, and then,....SNAP!!! As I laid near the river edge I had sense to keep hold of my rod and reel as not to compound the misfortune. I knew in a heartbeat my prognosis wasn't good - "I think I broke my freggin leg". My attempt to stand upright was futile at best. I survey the landscape and observed a fellow angler approximately 100 yds or so upstream...too distance to hear my calls for help. I was able to catch the angler's attention by placing my cap on top of my 9' rod and began waving it frantically. The angler upstream must of realized something was afoul visible by the unusual distressed signal I was exhibiting while in a lame position. The angler then began making his way towards me...as I laid thinking "a fellow fly fisherman is on the way to aid me". When the angler reached me I noticed ...he's not a fly angler...he's a spin angler. He was a true comrade that helped me off the river embankment, called CHP, and hiked out to the access road to meet the paramedics and lead them back to where I was laying. So, a few points I'd like to offer here...1) best to go out fishing with a buddy, 2) make sure you cell phone is fully charged & check reception, and 3) we're all fellow anglers, regardless of fishing method (fly, spin, baitcast) and when in trouble they'll come through. I look forward to seeing you all out on the water sometime around late spring when my leg is rehabed. Until then...good fishing!

[jlmelend]

Amen!
Hope your leg is healing up so you can get out there again!
Blessings to the one helped you and thanks for posting about something important!

[Darrin.Deel]

sucks about your leg man.

the only real Bait vs fly animosity I've had is on the feather right in oroville. It's not that they baitfish, but that they're dumbass tweakers snagging a bunch of spawning steelhead

[Dave Neal]

Wow...bummer bout your leg! What a freak dealio...

As far as the spin fisherman, I agree. It doesn't matter if you fling plugs, toss bait, drop shot or cast spoons, fish an indicator or lay down the dry fly...cast a single, swing a double, dead drift bugs with legs or heck...even peg a couple eggs! We're all fishermen, er, fisher-folks, how about just ANGLERS?!!

Fishing is fishing... as long as you are doing it legally, having fun, and being respectful of those around you.

I bet you woulda helped out that fellow, too, if he had been in your boots.

[Mik]

I hope you have a speedy recovery so you can get back to fishing. It is always in the back of my mind when I go boulder hopping around creeks and rivers that I could get seriously injured. Unfortunately, I go to places that cell phones don't work and usually far from civilization. My buddies and I use two-way radios when we are in the canyon. I mostly use it for screaming "Fish on".

[wjorg]

Hope you get well quickly buddy! We are happy you are here to tell the tale!!

[Charlie Gonzales]

I was just asking myself "wheres Ty". Hope you have a speedy recovery my friend. I wonder if that was Mark that helped you: did he have long hair, tall thin guy.

But none of this means you have to stop fishin... Just sit in the back of the boat with your leg up and all you have to worry about doin is mending and setting the hook.

[STEELIES/26c3]

I surely would have helped anyone in that situation... but I actually received a call that day from my fishing buddy Benny who relayed that our friend Steve had responded to the call...

Small world we have here~

M

[NorCal Angler]

Hey Ty,
Good to hear you are healing... I wish you a continued speedy recovery. Ya know, when your leg is all healed I'm going to hold you to your offer to show me a few things on fly fishing. I've always wanted to learn.

I'd like to add just a little note to your story; I did hear you when calling for help and thought "great! He must have caught a big one!" but after further thought and watching you for a few seconds, realized no, somethings wrong. So off I went. We did get Ty up the embankment, we tried to walk a bit while supporting himself on my shoulder, nope, then we discussed briefly about me carrying him, but we both said we would be worse off if we fell and I got hurt. So we found a flat spot, and that is where Ty lie, in the rain while I called for help then met them out by the road... Ty, you were a trooper! The rest is history.

As far as the Fly/Spin fisherman thing? I've never heard anything like it until I came up here to NorCal... and to be honest, I'd prefer to fish a baitcast reel. Not really fond of Spinning reels at all... But, it makes no difference to me how you choose to fish as long as it's legal, and you are a good steward with what we have been given. Practice good C&R when applicable, and if you choose, take one home to the dinner table once in awhile. (I do!)

Yes! We all have our own idiosyncrasies, preferred fishing methods, ect.... and we all have something in common as well; The love for the hunt and constant search for a bend in the rod.

We live in an awesome area with all sorts of great fishing. So make sure not to spend too much time online and get out and enjoy it! I know STEELIES/26c3 does!

See you on the water.
Steve

[David Lee]

Ty -

Sucks about your leg . Thank goodness it wasn't your neck/back/head , eh ? Get well soon !

Steve -

No good deed goes unpunished ........

PM me your target species , and a mail address , you get a box of custom flies (can't buy these anywhere) for being a good guy .

David , who loves a happy ending .