Thread: Lessons Learned

Yestrday there was a boat about 150 yards away, caught my eye because they were drifting somewhat sideways with the wind thru timber. Truman, my opinion, is more dangerous now than when is was lower because stumps are just below the surface and not visible. Anyway hear a commotion, turn around and one of the guys is overboard out of view on the blind side of the boat. The remaining passenger is younger, maybe young teen, so figure better get there quick in case they need a hand. By time I get the trolling motor up and half way there see the guy crawling up his ladder on the back of the boat. He gives me the high sign, says thanks and heads to load out which fortunately the ramp was within view so not a long run. Crisis over, they will soon be talking and joking about it around the fire and lesson for all of us on several fronts that like to winter fish.

Now the rest of the story which I hesitated to reveal as it says something about my IQ or lack thereof. Have a system when by myself of tieing the boat off on one corner with a 25 foot section of rope and kicking it away from the dock to avoid dock rash, especially when breezy, the ramp there has little wind protection. When retrieving it after the trailer is in the water old ham hands here drops the rope, its somewhat coiled up and the end falls about 10 feet from the dock. A million things run through your mind in an instant in such cases and weighing the alternative of having to chase a boat across open water with dark quickly approaching OR a quick winter swim I determine that the depth at the end of the courtesy ramp surely isn't over my head, so with a leap of faith in my judgement off the dock i go reaching for the rope as I hit the water. But it is over my head by a good bit good news is I have the rope in hand, bad news is I'm several feet away from the dock. With a lot of struggling and flailing manage to get back to the dock, boat in tow, and eventually get it home and into dry clothes, what an experience. And the thing most prevalant in my mind while in the water that was peeving me no end, if I drown here they will find me thinking I slipped off the dock, never knowing I went in voluntarily, what a dummy. Lots more lessons learned; wet clothes make it hard to swim, 40 degree water is as big a shock as you hear, maybe wear your life jacket till up the ramp, etc, etc. Also if you're fishing cold weather you might consider a catheter cause it was several hours before I located my pe pee after that little dunking. Be careful out there, you don't want to be the one they have a moment of silence about at camp, if that's possible.