Daytona weekend 2003 I was fishing Lake Beulah, temp was 16 that morning and had warmed up to 22. I was fishing 22 ft in the 1st blue hole. I decided to move to another blue hole to get out of the wind. I fired my boat up and hammered down, when I started to turn the steering cable had froze to the pulley at the wheel. It snapped and ejected me from boat. Now a cold Sunday, in the winter ain't no body on the lake, but here is the moral......I HAD ON A LIFE JACKET AND THE KILL SWITCH. Guys I remember the water felt like 10,000 needles going in my skin, i could not catch my breath. I made it the rear of the boat and threw my coat sleeves on the deck, they froze and I thought at least they will find me. I pulled my self in and dropped the TM in and went as fast as I could. The guy at the boat ramp had been trying to un thaw his water and saw what had happened. I ran boat into the bank and went to truck and stripped to my underwear. He loaded my boat for me.


Every year I tell this story and hopefully it make you stop and think.....SAFETY! USE YOUR KILL SWITCH AND WEAR A LIFE JACKET!!!!!