[Guest]

This is similar to another thread. I think it's a warning that needs to be emphasized.

In a (I hope) short time Spring will start. We're all anxious to get out there and enjoy the tug. Keep in mind there is a danger that could easily kill you.

Ice.

Several years ago I was fishing the Missouri River in early Spring. I had waded out to knee deep water below a large piece of shore ice that extended about 20 feet from shore. It was bare ground just downstream where another large piece of ice had broken off and floated away. That should have clued me to the danger, but I only saw a small pod of bows rising to midges.

I hooked up a frisky bow and was finessing him out of the current toward shore.

The slab of ice hit me in the back of the knees and slammed me face first into the cold water, knocking the wind out of me. My face was pressed against the gravel and the slab slid over my back. I tried to push myself off the bottom but it was like having an aircraft carrier on top of me. I couldn't even slide sideways.

I guess I was either just friggin' lucky, or too stupid to die.

The slab pivoted out into the current and off my back. I got up to all fours. I was scared shitless and my whole body was shaking out of control. I took a deep breath and started coughing.

I was alive.

Be careful. There isn't a fish in the world worth dying for.

Trapper

 

[4357]

Could save someone's life... thank you!

 

[smc]

This is similar to another thread. I think it's a warning that needs to be emphasized.

In a (I hope) short time Spring will start. We're all anxious to get out there and enjoy the tug. Keep in mind there is a danger that could easily kill you.

Ice.

Several years ago I was fishing the Missouri River in early Spring. I had waded out to knee deep water below a large piece of shore ice that extended about 20 feet from shore. It was bare ground just downstream where another large piece of ice had broken off and floated away. That should have clued me to the danger, but I only saw a small pod of bows rising to midges.

I hooked up a frisky bow and was finessing him out of the current toward shore.

The slab of ice hit me in the back of the knees and slammed me face first into the cold water, knocking the wind out of me. My face was pressed against the gravel and the slab slid over my back. I tried to push myself off the bottom but it was like having an aircraft carrier on top of me. I couldn't even slide sideways.

I guess I was either just friggin' lucky, or too stupid to die.

The slab pivoted out into the current and off my back. I got up to all fours. I was scared shitless and my whole body was shaking out of control. I took a deep breath and started coughing.

I was alive.

Be careful. There isn't a fish in the world worth dying for.

Trapper

Holy Cow!! But did you catch the fish?

 

[Guest]

Could save someone's life... thank you!

Before then I really didn't see it as dangerous. I guess I knew that eventually the ice would melt and break off.

Obviously, I see Spring fly fishing differently now.

 

[Guest]

Holy Cow!! But did you catch the fish?

I did recover my rod, but lost the fish.

 

[smc]

I did recover my rod, but lost the fish.

Man, that would have been pretty much an unsolvable mystery for the coroner. Kind of like getting killed by an ice bullet that just melts away.

 

[Guest]

Man, that would have been pretty much an unsolvable mystery for the coroner. Kind of like getting killed by an ice bullet that just melts away.

I'm guessing the Coroner would just conclude I had drowned.

When people say, "Well at least he/she died doing what they love." they probably aren't thinking drowning.

That saying, along with many others, is just something people say when they feel awkward and don't know what to say. It's like "Time heals all wounds." Complete bullshit. If I lose a leg will it grow back after a certain amount of time?

I digress.

Mea culpa.

 

[Tsar Bulba]

At a review of fire safety presentation a presenter asked the question....."Are you good or just lucky when it comes to safety". He then asked us to review all those situations where we were "lucky".

I am pleased to say....that I have always been real safety oriented on fires. Given my position...there is no reason to get killed for a TV station.

However, I added up those situations where I got into situations where I almost died....most of those were when I was engaged in recreation activities, not working. That number did scare me.

It is pretty funny that we are very careful when working and somebody is paying us, but then when we are "playing" we forget and almost kill ourselves.

I will never place my life in danger for a buck......but I did it for a fish.

 

[creekx]

I guess I was either just friggin' lucky, or too stupid to die.

Post of the day!

But seriously, thanks for the warning/reminder...

 

[Guest]

Vladimir. Good point.

I think my weakness is complacency. If Im fishing and I see fresh bear tracks, Im on alert and careful. The times Ive gotten hurt were mostly times when I was in a situation I’d been in many times before and got overconfident.

 

[Jojo]

That is such a scary story @Trapper!