Good deeds done on the water

[Hookset]

I tie, a lot. It always makes me feel good to supply patterns that are producing when asked by other anglers “ watcha catching them on?” Maybe not as brave as saving imperiled rafters on a river, but if it improves someone’s day on the water- I’m good with that

 

[fishbadger]

In the same vein, this one time last year, after I caught my limit of steelhead, I gave some of my bait to this one guy, and then he caught his limit of steelhead. They wouldn't bite flies. That's all I can think of. Not a lot of good deeds on the water for me. I hope it doesn't count against me on my approach to the pearly gates.

Nice idea for a year-end post C/22. . .good idea from a genuinely good guy. Happy New Year to ya,

fb

 

[wetline dave]

It was probably around late August 2005 when I was fishing off Maury Island and a yahoo who had driven over my line while playing a decent fish and cutting me off ran out of fuel and was basically screwed. It was tide change time and it was going to start running out and it was a big exchange.

Now I am in an 8 foot Livingston with a 5 horse Tahotsu and I have filled my tank with the last of my fuel. No I tell him I have no fuel on board but I will attempt to tow you, a 21foot Trophy. We rig a tow line as I have two cleats on the rear gunwales and proceed to slowly tow the SOB across the Sound. Now this is a very slow process as there is great disparity in weight. But slowly I get him moving and heading across the sound with Redondo as the final destination. I was aiming for Dumas Bay, about a mile south and yahoo was going ape shit on me. I told him the tide would push us north towards Redondo and I didn't have the size or power to fight it.

Finally after a LONG crossing I got the SOB to the dock and my tank breathing fumes.

All he said to me was it took you long enough to get us back to the dock. And you scuffed the side of my boat when you pushed me into the float and are you going to pay me to get it buffed out?

Ya sure I said and my rescue will be $1000.00 in cash and sign on the bottom of my bill to acknowledge receipt. Last I saw or heard from the ungrateful SOB!

Dave


'

 

[landlocked]

Was fishing East Canyon Reservoir here in Utah a few years ago with a friend . It was early spring ,just after ice off, water still in the high 30's. He was fishing out of his fishing kayak ,and me out of my pontoon boat. Headed back to shore after a day of fishing. I am probably 50 or so yards away from him, when I heard the splash . There he is in the water ,kayak upside down. I motor over as fast as I can. He has on neoprene waders ,and they are pretty full of cold water. He's hanging onto the side of the kayak, I grab the kayak ,and we manage to get it back upright, but he can't get back in , I grab ahold of a handful of waders, and butt, and we managed to get him back in. Big problem he is getting pretty cold at this point. His electric motor came off ,battery ,some fishing equipment etc are now in the bottom of about 80 feet of water . I hook up his boat with the anchor rope ,and we head to shore. Got him out of his waders ,and into the warm truck, and he finally started warming up . It was a memorable day for sure , not so much a good deed as just being there to be able to help him, not sure if he would have survived by himself, and there was nobody else around. He got outriggers for his next trip on the water for the kayak.

I fish East Canyon a few times a year. That water is brutally cold and gets deep fast! He was lucky you were there.

 

[up2nogood]

I fish East Canyon a few times a year. That water is brutally cold and gets deep fast! He was lucky you were there.

We were headed to the boat ramp , so it was on the dam end, yes it was pretty deep , if I remember it was 90 feet or so . I was over to his house a couple days ago, and we were talking about it. He was saying that he was pretty sure he could not of got back in the Kayak.

 

[JamesRPL+]

Access to Mora bar was tricky in the late winter cause you had to cross an older beaver dam. Flood waters would wash out the middle often,also hide the breach if you weren't careful. Bout 20 yrs ago I was returning to my truck to warm up, this old guy, bout my age now was going to cross the dam. I waited for him and saw him go under. he was small built and I was able to drop my pole and grab his collar b4 he headed out to Rialto beach. He cussed me all the way back to his truck . Opened the cab and gave me a beer, drove off, no further discussions.

 

[cdnred]

Access to Mora bar was tricky in the late winter cause you had to cross an older beaver dam. Flood waters would wash out the middle often,also hide the breach if you weren't careful. Bout 20 yrs ago I was returning to my truck to warm up, this old guy, bout my age now was going to cross the dam. I waited for him and saw him go under. he was small built and I was able to drop my pole and grab his collar b4 he headed out to Rialto beach. He cussed me all the way back to his truck . Opened the cab and gave me a beer, drove off, no further discussions.

Doesn't sound like he was very apprecitive of your help if he was cussing you all the way back to his truck. Some people just don't realize or even care how lucky they were that you happened to be there to help him like you did. He could've been swept a long way down the river before he'd manage to get himself out of that mess. Good for you, that you were there and able to help him..

 

[Snagly]

I have two stories that are damned near identical that took place in 2019 up in BC, separated by a couple of weeks. In each case, my fishing companions were getting on in years (over 80 and high 70s), displaying prosperous bellies and wading in swift, but shallow water. Each man slipped, fell, took a lot of water over their waders and couldn't get back to his feet. The water was knee-deep in both cases (on the same river but about 40 miles apart) so they apparently weren't in danger of drowning, but it was late fall and the water was below 40F. I put my rod down and went to their aid.

The first fellow, I helped to his feet with great effort, and we waded to shore arm-in-arm. Got the water out of his waders then hiked over a mile back to the truck before hypothermia set in. The day was a short one on the water.

The second angler was the same build as the first fellow, but I couldn't get him to his feet for love or money. I gave him my wading staff and then found a stout stick on shore, and he pulled himself across the cobble in ONE (!) foot of rushing water until he was on the shore, exhausted. I got his keys and drove his pickup down to the waterline (we were fishing a long gravel bar) and he finally got to his feet by pulling himself up using the front tire and wheel well as handholds. Again, all that cold water had left him exhausted and we headed for home, dry clothes and a big fire.

* * * * *

Both fellows said, "If you hadn't have been there, I probably wouldn't be alive." I'm thinking, "Gentlemen, you were in 1'-2' of water. I don't think it was that dramatic." But if you've got bad ankles, arthritic knees, weigh 30-40lbs more than you did in your prime, and are close to 80 years old, even the little things can take you down.

I'm twenty years younger than those fellows, but I take fewer risks than I used to. It doesn't take much going wrong to ruin your day and maybe a whole lot more when you're no longer a young stud.

 

[Zak]

I have two stories that are damned near identical that took place in 2019 up in BC, separated by a couple of weeks. In each case, my fishing companions were getting on in years (over 80 and high 70s), displaying prosperous bellies and wading in swift, but shallow water. Each man slipped, fell, took a lot of water over the tops and couldn't get back to his feet. The water was knee-deep in both cases (on the same river but about 40 miles apart) so they weren't in danger of drowning, but it was late fall the water was also below 40F. I put my rod down and went to their aid.

The first fellow, I helped to his feet with great effort, and we waded to shore arm-in-arm. Got the water out of his waders then hiked over a mile back to the truck before hypothermia set in. The day was a short one on the water.

The second angler was the same build as the first fellow, but I couldn't get him to his feet for love or money. I gave him my wading staff and then found a stout stick on shore, and he pulled himself across the cobble in ONE (!) foot of rushing water until he was on the shore, exhausted. I got his keys and drove his pickup down to the waterline (we were fishing a long gravel bar) and he finally got to his feet by pulling himself up using the front tire and wheel well as handholds. Again, all that cold water had left him exhausted and we headed for home dry clothes.

* * * * *

Both fellows said, "If you hadn't have been there, I probably wouldn't be alive." I'm thinking, "Gentlemen, you were in 1'-2' of water. I don't think it was that dramatic." But if you've got bad ankles, arthritic knees, weigh 30-40lbs more than you did in your prime, and are close to 80 years old, even the little things can take you down.

I'm twenty years younger than those fellows, but I take fewer risks than I used to. It doesn't take much going wrong to ruin your day and maybe a whole lot more when you're no longer a young stud.

Were they wearing snug wading belts?

 

[Snagly]

The first man definitely had a wading belt and that helped keep his legs somewhat dry. But he still had water up to his calf on one side. Most people don't cinch their belts down tight enough or use elastic ones.

The second fellow wasn't wearing a belt and took on a lot more water even though he had fallen in shallower water.

* * * * *

Good question! (I wear either two or three wading belts when late fall or winter steelheading and it makes a big difference.)

 

[Driftless Dan]

Two stories:

1 I taught myself to fly fish after watching many of Larry Schoenborn's Fishing the West shows. I bought myself a 7'6" Eagle Claw 6-wt, DT line, and a Pfueger Medalist. I fished NW Oregon coastal streams exclusively for a couple years, never seeing another fly fisher. Then one day on the S Fork Nehalem, I saw an older gentleman fly fishing. I "safed" my fly and watched him. He gestured me over, and we spoke for a long time. He gave me casting pointers and a half dozen flies. I have never forgotten that man or that day.

2 One day I was coming back on a nasty logging road from fishing small lake in the same area (that NOBODY knows about, not even on maps!) and came across a truck along the side of the road with two flat tires. I think they had been scouting for places to hunt later that season. I drove one of the guys into town and had lunch together while the tires were being patched. They really wanted to give me $50 for my services, but I felt a free lunch was more than enough.

 

[Driftless Dan]

Most people don't cinch their belts down tight enough or use elastic ones.

I agree on the elastic. I had a nice strong web belt from a cheapo pair of waders that I put on my new Patagonia's, which had an elastic one. I use pant-waders here in the Driftless, where streams seldom require wading past the thighs, and I need that belt to keep my pants up!

 

[hookedonthefly]

Oh, with 10,000 plus river miles and 5,000 plus salt miles, the stories I could tell. The most wicked, mean thing I’ve ever seen was the MF of the Salmon at around 9’. We rescued a guy that was on the swim after flipping. 10 mile swim. He had resigned himself that he was gonna die. 7 people with throw bags and geared ready. We could have never gotten him out without all of us being proficient at using/practicing with throw bags. Ever seen literally 2 story waves on a river...scary as S+. The best bar in Bellingham is next to the boat launch on opener for crab... Ha! Do indeed stay safe out there. Peace, Ed
*Edit - The only people I’ve met that can drink more than skydivers are whitewater rafters.