Ever had a close call like this?

Bonneville Dan · 02-08-2004, 10:54 PM

If you think it can't happen to you, think again. I hike a lot of river bank, but never wear a PFD, even when heavily layered for winter fishing. Since I started wearing felt bottom wading boots a couple of years ago, I rarely slip on wet slimy mossy rocks anymore. I guess I was getting a little overly confident in my sure-footedness, because yesterday I took a slide that will change my ways. My wife and I spent the weekend at the coast, and of course the fishing gear went along. After last week's floods, you could bet the silver lining would be in the form of the biggest blast of fresh steelhead of the season. Seems my timing was good. In the first five hours of light I landed and released two wild hens, missed a third fish, and a fourth broke my 20# main line at the swivel on a powerful run. Then the drift boats started to arrive at my strategically chosen stretch. It was like a parade, one after another. Needless to say, the fishing didn't improve after that. The hoards of weekenders had surely raked every square foot of water from the upper boat ramp to the mouth by now. It was time to head above the upper ramp into canyon water, visited today only by bankies if at all. My wife knows to pad my expected return time by an hour or two, so I knew I still had time for a little more fishing.

I pictured the spot I had fished before. There's a precise place to cast and quickly sink your rig to the bottom so it scoots down the gravel through a particular stretch of holding water. I discovered how much it mattered last winter. Miss it and your gear will rip downstream in a flash. Nail the spot just right and you'll know whether it's holding a fish within a few casts. To get into position, it is necessary to carefully walk along a solid rock bank that slopes at about 45 degrees near the top, rounding off to a slightly steeper grade near the water. Few features existed on the rocky bank for gripping, but the felt boots were holding their own. It's deep and turbulent, fast flowing in places though the surface was calm in spots. The water was perfect. Flow was a little higher than I'd seen it before, but there was enough color to the "steelhead green" water that the fish wouldn't spook as easily. I plotted my path to the casting location after each step, where a little crack or bump in the rock here and there would assure my safe passage. As I took a step, my holding foot somehow slipped. Down the rock face I went, in slow motion, still hanging onto two poles with one hand and a cooler in the other, my toes, knees, elbows and fingertips working in unison to attempt to slow my descent downward. Instead it accelerated. I was suddenly in the water up to my chest, but for some reason I stopped there. My feet were completely in suspension, so apparently the buoyancy of my neoprene waders and the lower two thirds of my body enabled my finger tips' gripping the rock surface to stop me. First thing was to get rid of the poles and cooler, which I tossed as far as I could without slipping again. The cooler rolled after it hit but the poles stuck. Not that it mattered much at that point. I could feel the cold water trickling down to my toes inside the waders, even with the pressure of the water against them. Getting out of the water wasn't going to get any easier if the waders were to take on another 35 pounds of water. Well, obviously I got myself out, carefully crawled my way up the bank and retrieved all my gear. I fished for a few more minutes, but sort of lost interest at that point.

My wife asked me this morning why I slept in instead of fishing another morning, and I just said that I felt like spending the day with her. I still haven't told her about my near mishap, since she worries about me when I fish alone, and I hate to give her more to stew about. I'm not going to take somebody along with me every time I fish, since I prefer going by myself once in a while, and my trips are often spur of the moment. It probably wouldn't have helped yesterday anyway. So I suppose the best solution is to take along a life jacket of some sort. People drown every year in bank fishing accidents, but wearing a standard life jacket gets in the way of casting or getting gear out of your vest pockets, so we almost never wear them bank fishing. Looks kind of dorky too. I think there are combo fishing/self-inflating life vests available, which I'll be looking into. If not, what the hell, I guess looking dorky is a small price to pay for some good life insurance. Most of us would never take a kid along on such a trip unless the child was safely equipped. We should probably show ourselves the same care.

Ty · 02-08-2004, 11:47 PM

A casual aquantance that I used to fish the mouth of Tanner Cr with drowned with his waders on in the fall on the Trask R about ten years ago.

Makes us remeber that we are mortal and sometimes have to think about more importnat things than catching fish sometimes.

How come I can never remember what those things are??? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

:shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

[ 02-09-2004, 12:48 AM: Message edited by: Ty ]

Hogmaster · 02-09-2004, 12:13 AM

PHN -

1) Glad you came out of your "near miss" OK

2) Good suggestion to consider the PFD. It is why several years ago I bought a vest that has a CO2 cartridge. One just never knows. Not only that, but I have found that blowing just a little air manually into the vest helps insulate and keep body heat in.

3) This was an excellent piece of writing! I see you are a relative newby by posts but not tenure. Keep making posts!

For me, it was on Eagle Creek with a steep cliff face, wet ground, a 20' drop to rocks and water and white-knuckled clinging after a root wad came loose, that got me thinking about the relative fraility of wingless bodies...

[ 02-09-2004, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

SilverFly · 02-09-2004, 12:40 AM

I thought I had "controlled falling" down to an art form until 3 years ago. The felt on my wading boots was wearing a little thin but I was always "too busy" to fix them. Until one day fishing with my Dad on the Washougal I stepped on some slick bedrock and my foot shot out from under me so fast I couldn't react. My left elbow took most of the impact and shattered my radius in 3 pieces. Fortunately, I wasn't wading because I was in NO condition to swim!

Glad you're still with us.

GOT2FISH · 02-09-2004, 12:51 AM

Yes I have at Mill City and Mahaema, now I have a Sterns inflatable havent had to test it yet Thank God. :shocked:

cully · 02-09-2004, 05:19 AM

If hogmaster doesn't mind I'd like to add to his list...4. get yourself a pair of spiked felted boots.

big john · 02-09-2004, 05:41 AM

hey, HOOKY: as HOGMASTER mentioned in his point #3, you spin a darned good yarn. keep up the good writing, and thank you.

flywrapper · 02-09-2004, 05:58 AM

ditto on the inflatable vest!!!!! After a near-death experience while canoe-tipping, I wouldn't go banking, boating, or conoeing awithout one.

ampersat · 02-09-2004, 05:58 AM

I'm getting older and a little less stable myself. I landed on my behind a few weeks ago walking a steep-ish bank on the Sandy. The fist sized rocks I was walking long just slid out from under me. I didn't come close to getting wet but I could have.

Many years ago I was at a scout camp in Arkansas and a buddy and I were trying to find a shortcut to the rock climbing class. We ended up stuck on a cupped ledge with a 15'+ drop to a pretty steeply sloped area dotted with trees. Because of the shape of the rock above us, simply standing up would've pushed us forward off the ledge. I can't remember how we managed to get ourselves onto that ledge but we stayed there for about an hour contemplating our fate and options. In the end, we used our scout belts tied together to loop over a tree above us to provide the stability needed to climb out of our position. My buddy went first, then helped me get out. That day defined in me a healthy respect for the positions we end up getting ourselves in when we are distracted by the goal too much to pay attention to the path we must traverse to reach it.

I was at Joes not long ago and spied the inflatable vests there. For the peace of mind and comfort they provide, the price really isn't that bad.

Gus Orviston · 02-09-2004, 06:57 AM

Once fishing for steelies on the tucca I was wearing the old rubber style waders, I found out the hard way that the water between back and shore was getting deeper every step I took down stream, and I was standing on a point. Going downstream seemed easy enough, but finally the realestate I was on was tapering a away into the deep hole below. At that point the sand started coming out from under my footing speeding up the process and water started lapping into my waders. I threw my rod to the shore and decide I had to make a break for it ASAP. I then leeped down river and towards the shore, I wanted the current to help me in my quest of getting back not fight it. My next two steps were neck deep water, but I had the momentum I needed. Once I started downstream I was able to steer myself towards the shore and keep my footing..although my waders were full at this point. I was pretty darn scared. To this day I am cautious when wading with the current, if you can't walk back against the current make sure you have a pathway back to shore.

gus

[ 02-09-2004, 07:58 AM: Message edited by: Gus Orviston ]

SalmonJeff · 02-09-2004, 07:05 AM

wow. glad to hear that you are ok. :shocked:

I was on a camping trip about 4 years ago and was way to sick to have gone but went anyway. Well there was a nice strech of trout water just down from our camp. I went ahead and got my waders on and went down and fished without any problem and on my way back I decided to fish a particular hole one last time. As I was trying to land a nice 3-4 lb class trout I managaed to step back into a huge deep bucket which imediately took the water over my head. By God's grace I managed to get pushed onto a gravel bar where I could crawl out.It didn't help any that I was in a pair of xl waders from my dad that where way way to big. I now have a pair that fits great shouldn't take on as much water in the same situation :blush: .

but I totlay understand the concern and I however dont cary a P.F.D But after reading your story and remembering mine maybe I will. great post and great job on the coastal steel

.

MonkeyBoy · 02-09-2004, 07:05 AM

Scary! I highly recomend the inflatable sos suspenders. Force yourself to wear it all day the first couple of times. They are so comfortable that you will get used to them and not realize you have it on anymore. Wear your life jacket, that is what they are for, saving lives!

Bonneville Dan · 02-09-2004, 07:13 AM

Sounds like a few of you appreciate first hand how suddenly circumstances can catch you by surprise. I hope others who have never thought about it will start thinking about it.

Ampersat, your story reminds me of some really stupid ropeless rock climbing we did during college days in Arizona. Easy going up, nearly impossible coming down. And that was with no alcohol involved.

Gus' story draws a picture of why I never wore waders until I was given a pair of neoprene waders as a gift. The old style are death traps. His story sends shivers down my spine. The new style is better, but can still be dangerous.

Thanks for the tips on inflatable vests! More first hand reviews of those products would be appreciated.

Off to work,
Dan

West Linn Wader · 02-09-2004, 09:14 AM

As my iFish handle implies, I have been known to hit the bank on occasion, especially for winters. I have a SOSpenders PFD but I was only using it in the boat, mainly because it didn't work well over my fly fishing vest. I recently ditched the vest and now use one of those soft tackle belts which doubles as a wader belt and allows me to wear my PFD. I find this set up much more comfortable and I feel much safer wearing the PFD which is also where my iFish patch resides!

GS/WLW

ColdSteel · 02-09-2004, 09:30 AM

Thats a scary story man, glad to here you made it out ok.

I've taken a couple spills myself over the years and just last month a bank fisherman drown after falling into the Washougal River. I have the inflatable PFD but hardly ever wear it on the bank, maybe its time to start. I did get the felt boots with the spikes in them and think that has helped out some.

Lundman · 02-09-2004, 09:59 AM

Back in my Life guarding days we would have a day where people would come to class with there waders and practice swimming and filling up the waders. This was back in the non-neoprene days. If you do find yourself in a bad situation you came take the top of the waders and get a GULP of air in them - this will provide enough buoyancy to hold your head above water and get your feet in the down stream position - ready for that possible headache.

It might seem strange but take your waders to your local pool - yes they are open in the winter time - and PRACTICE would to do if you find yourself without real-estate to stand on....

I'm past the prevention stage - I need the cure...

Good luck with your fishing adventures...

corkyking · 02-09-2004, 08:06 PM

I wear my co2 infaltable all the time. It's quite comfortable.

The little ditty from the David Letterman show keeps going through my head " WILL IT FLOAT, WILL IT FLOAT "

I fired it a while back and it inflated nicely.

I installed a new co2 cartridge and it looks good but the little ditty from the David Letterman show keeps going through my head " WILL IT FLOAT, WILL IT FLOAT "

First Bite · 02-09-2004, 08:29 PM

Ditto on the PFD. I purchased a Stearns inflatable vest after I saved my Father-In-Law from drowning on the Wilson several years back. Haven't had to use it but it's always on in the winter.

Mark

Reel Premier · 02-09-2004, 08:35 PM

For all of the guys that don't want to wear your PFD over your vest, consider one of the CO2 charged waist belts that are on the market now. Just clicks on around the waist, can also act as a wader belt to keep water from rushing down to your feet in the event of a fall.

Riverkeeper · 02-09-2004, 08:37 PM

Quote:

And where it says, "Jerk to Inflate", I assume it's talking to me.

skybuster · 02-09-2004, 08:39 PM

My closest call came on a duck hunting trip. My pup was chasing a greenhead and I didn't have faith in the dog yet. I dropped into a hole and the waders were full. Worst part was I couldn't let go of the shotgun over my head. I don't know how I did it but I got out.

The moral is that no duck, goose, or fish is worth that price. I froze the rest of the day, but was just happy that I got out of the river.

By the way, shortly after submerging myself the pup came out of the brush with the bird in its mouth. Shoulda trusted the mutt.

WishinIwasfishin · 02-09-2004, 08:52 PM

I have the stearns inflatable ($60 or so)I like it, and almost always wear it. Its not enough for the Big Blue though and wear a Off shore type there. My buddy wears a Suspenders inflatable that is much more comfortable. I test mine annually and put a new CO2 cartridge ($10) in for safe measure.....
Life's too short.
glad your OK

salmurai · 02-09-2004, 11:43 PM

Another vote for SOSpenders. They are really comfy. I wonder if I'm going to remember to pull the cord.

TillamookChinook · 02-09-2004, 11:58 PM

I'm the dork you see on the bank with the blue inflatable PFD. I bought it at West Marine for about $60 the day after the boating tragedy at Garibaldi last year. I thought about 11 people drowned crossing a rough bar and none of them wearing PFDs. Then I thought about all the swift rivers I wade in alone.

The inflatable I bought does not interfere with my fishing vest. It is similar to an old "Mae West", but more compact.

And where it says, "Jerk to Inflate", I assume it's talking to me.

TC