Lets be careful out there!

[fcch]

Ok Folks, ... you get my annual safety and play safe rant

As temps are cooling down (air and water), ... little mishaps can turn ugly in a very short time.

This past wednesday, Manon, a fairly experienced angler here took a rump dive off of a small boulder on the #8 pool here.

Now, ... everything was fine and she only bruised her derni?re and her ego (as there were other anglers nearby).

She quickly scurried up to her pickup, dried off ... put on some dry clothes and settled in to a sheltered beach for some food.

So what's so dramatic about this story? .... Well, ... absolutely nothing. And that's the point.

Manon fishes alone, ... like many of us. She did however have dry spare clothes in the truck. Ample food and snacks for energy and she wasn't out of her element (deep wading, running rapids or jumping off of stumps on the trail).

When I met up with her she was warmed up ok, warm hat and scarf on, extra sweater under her jacket and munching on some real food.

Things could have been different.

• She could have been swept away, ... [/*:m:4fb16]
• she could have stayed in her wet clothes and gotten hypothermia, ...[/*:m:4fb16]
• She could have been miserable, cold and hungry. ... or WORSE, ... [/*:m:4fb16]
• she could have been forced to drive home in damp clothes, missing a wonderful day on the river.[/*:m:4fb16]

So, ...

• take those few extra minutes to check the batteries in the flash lights (gets dark early now), [/*:m:4fb16]
• put those extra Cliff bars in the glove box (and 2 in the vest). [/*:m:4fb16]
• Restock the first aid kit with those things you've used over the summer at the cottage or around home.[/*:m:4fb16]
• Remind the wife, girlfriend or neighbour that you DO have a "flight Plan" and will check in when you get out of the bush.[/*:m:4fb16]

Mostly, ... take that extra time on the river to relax and go slow ... have some fun and don't rush.

Haste doesn't only make waste, ... it can lead us to do some really stupid things

Prepare for the worst ...
Play hard ...
Come home safe.



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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:4fb16]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:4fb16]

pretty sage advice.

mgj

[Gringo]

It is good advice too - once I had to drive home in wet knickers and nothing else. Glad I wasn't pulled over by police, and that the car had a good heater.

[Steve Molcsan]

Thanks Christopher! Your a good man.

[Panman]

I keep a complete change of clothes stashed in the compartment where the tire changing tools are in my pickup. I have had to use them a couple of times.

Tim Anderson
Klamath Falls, Or

[RG/AR]

I always have a change of clothes for both my wife and myself, a couple of space blankets, some food, flares for signaling or firestarting, first aid kit, and a few other odds and ends. Most folks don't think of Arkansas as big country, but some sections find people spaced at long intervals on the landscape, and I once had to walk out in zero weather when one of my old clunkers crapped out on me.

[MarkKillam]

Great post Chris. Definitely something a lot of people need to be aware of...myself included. I usually carry extra food, a water filter to filter water to drink a a dry set of clothes...and that is in the summer. In the fall, winter and spring these items can make the difference between staying warm and hypothermia.

Also as metnioned in previous post on this
thread its not a bad idea to have extra clothers in the vehicle..I have a freezer suit and two old but still warm pairs of winter boots which I used in the freezer I work at ( -15 F) . I also have a spare sleeping bad stashed in the truck all winter.

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Take care everyone and cya around. Mark




[This message has been edited by MarkKillam (edited 01 October 2005).]

[oldfrat]

Great post, Chris. I often fish alone, so I do exactly as you say.

Two things to add to the list. An old bath towel in your vehicle. A loud whistle in your vest.

And flesh out your flight plan, folks. "Send in the troops if you haven't seen or heard from me by X o'clock" is great. Even better is here's where I'll be fishing and this is the route I'll be taking back.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

Very good advice Chris .
I went for some firewood in the back country in mid September a few years ago . My son and I loaded the truck with wood when it started to snow . We got about 6 inchs of the stuff by the time we left . It was almost dark when I put it into 4 wheel drive and started home pretty sure I was going to be the last one off the hill that night . We ran into an older couple probably in their 70's . Their small pickup truck was stuck in a small puddle of clay mud just off the main road . I didnt see them but my son said to stop an old guy was chasing the truck . They both had only light clothing and not a lot of gas in their small truck as they had been running the motor steadily to keep warm . They were only equiped with summer tires as down in the valley the days were still warm they decided to drive up in the hills to sightsee . I hooked on and pulled them out , we filled his truck 1/2 full of fire wood so he had some traction and followed him down off the mountain . It snowed another foot overnight in the high country . I shudder to think what would have happened if we hadn't decided to get some firewood that day .

[Marco]

Hey Chris,
Funny you should mention this topic. As it happens,while bank fishing,on seperate days, I took TWO ( count em) dips into the Snake River complete with ego, pride, flyrod,phone and camera ( *** over teakettle) just last week. Thankfully I was only about two miles from my Jeep and the weather was not bad. The bigger problem was the steep banks at the point of the "swim", current at about 6 mph, and I had to float down about 500 yards before I could find a spot to get ashore. Water was at a crisp 42 deg. so, needless to say,I was awake (awaken)throughout the entire episode. Even though this was not as remote a spot as you described, I concur that one needs to be prepared nonetheless. It would have been nice to have a "change" in the truck but.......... The camera and phone worked well after a brief bake on "warm" in the oven (I learned that trick "last" time").
BTW, the cutts were eating up my #14 stimulator with #20 pmd dropper. Both flies produced. I just walk upstream on the rocky bank and cast about 20 ft ahead and "BANG".
My thanks again to Rich Ward who took the time to show me( my choice of words) how little I really know about casting. We floated the South Fork of the Snake and had a great productive day. If he ever invites YOU, don't pass up the chance. Great guy and knows the river like the back...............
Thanks Rich.

Mark

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I'd rather be in Wyoming!