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| This past Saturday, the body of a musky fisherman was recovered on Big Sand Lake in northern WI. He had been missing since sometime the previous Sunday. His boat was found along shore last Monday, motor running.
They don't yet know what happened, and if the story is correct, he was not wearing a pfd.
Folks, if you are fishing by yourselves, seriously think about wearing a pfd while you fish.
I bought a self inflating jacket and wear from the time I leave the dock until I get back when by myself. I am a strong swimmer, for over twenty years I swam at least 3 days a week but a pool and a lake are very different and the circumstances of entering the water are very different. Even if you have a heart attack/stroke and the pfd can't save you, at least your family will not have the heart ache of not knowing where your body is.
Sorry for preaching but the thought of this fellow's family waiting, worrying, for a week just really got to me.
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | One topic worth preaching about |
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Posts: 119
| Well said |
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Posts: 43
| Wow that is awful. I wonder how he got knocked out of the boat with the motor still running. I have sometimes worried about falling out while fishing and hitting my head on the way out or something. But I never thought as much about getting knocked out while the big motor was still going. I will have to start wearing a pfd. |
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Posts: 1209
| I have been guilty of letting my boat idle (3.5mph) while taking a leak, there is no way I can catch that with clothes on. Many ways to go if your not wearing a life jacket. Prayers to the family |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | I hope everyone made it off the water safely on lotw today. I had never been in that much wind sustained 31mph with gusts on a bigger body of water. I was thwarted from taking two routes and finally found a way back. I thought i was spending the night out there. We took in alot of water and was pretty blind in some areas. The gps helped me drive back. We put on our life jackets before we left. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Where were you and heading to Todd? |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | We worked our way around to sabaskoshing, from sunst lodge on oak island. Only seen one fish before the double hail storm that hit us, got a 40ish fish right before. Tried to go west then north, nope, tried another route north and went back through and around the way i came. Hit a couple open spots that were a little rough but the bigger problem was every wave blowing into the boat, mostly in my face and chest. Alot of water. We would have taken alot more if not too much the other two ways. |
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Posts: 52
| Hi Todd, next time hide out at Tamarack, we would have been happy to help you out. As it turns out we have a few empty cabins tonight. Its still pretty windy as I write this. Glad you made it back safe!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 153
Location: Storm Lake, IA | It was a rough one on lotw today.. didnt get hail must of stayed to the south. We hid out in tug channel and johnsons passage. Was a fun run down through monkey rocks on the way home. |
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Posts: 897
| Yeah, you need to be careful when you go SE from Oak. That area of the lake gets big fast in any wind. Plenty of places to seek refuge rather than battle your way back. |
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Posts: 504
Location: Ludington, MI | Thank you, Nof8 for the reminder. I always wear one in the cold weather and I shouldn't stop when it's warm out. I have the inflatables and I won't leave the dock without them again. This is a good read by my friend Dave Mull. It prompted me to buy my inflatables in the first place: http://www.glangler.com/_blog/Great_Lakes_Angler/post/MULL's_BL... |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | have also gone to inflatables and they are on 100% of the time on big water and always when the big motor is on. a good habit to get into and a great investment for everyone in the boat. |
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Posts: 43
| That article by Dave Mull was a very good read. Very glad that all 4 of those people made it out of the water. |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Great article, not only does it speak to safety but to what we really cannot control when circumstancez align to create a dangerous situation. Alone, each circumstance can be dealt with but coming together, unpredicted and quick things can be out of hand before you have realized it. No one is invincible.
Edited by ToddM 9/5/2017 10:47 AM
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Been wearing an inflatable for the past four years. No problem with comfort, and it's nice to have the feeling of safety. Not quite as agile as I used to be, and worry about my stability on windy days! Todd, Yes, the LOTWs can be a nasty place at times. Looks like you wisely stayed on shore today. Tomorrow is suppose to be nice. |
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Posts: 320
| Todd, glad you made it ok. Can't wait to hear the story in more detail next week at the meeting over a beer or two. I'll buy. Good luck up there & have a safe trip home. |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | We went out about 1 or so. Didnt musky fish until the last two hours, stayed out of the wind. almost got our third ever double header, had a fish blow up on my crankbait out from the boat and my partner had his rod load up in the 8 a second later. |
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Posts: 114
| Four years active duty USCG early 1970's. Mostly aids to navigation on the Missouri & Mississippi rivers, but occasionally our vessel would be called in for search and rescue. Unfortunately, most of these calls would turn into search and recovery. Recovery events always involved victims that weren't wearing PFD. Often the bodies would go under and not come up until after bloating. If the water temps were low, this could be weeks after going in; not pretty.
I'm a big fan the modern self inflating PDF's. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Lake Forest, Illinois | http://www.unifiednewsgroup.com/stoughton_courier_hub/obituaries/er...
a6-8491-0887d2dfc25a.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
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Safety - Again