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Posts: 2
| A friend and I were talking about the upcoming fishing season. Which led to some big fish stories and some close calls on ruff water.
The song and story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot came to mind and we talked more about the Great Lakes and big waters of Canada and Minneasota (my friend is a native from the Arrowhead of MN).
You see I'm from Nebraska and my home state musky lake is 3000 acreas, not a big lake by any means, but it still produces some good musky. I have fished LOTW, but to be honest with you, big water scares the hell out of me. I always say you have to respect big water or it will kill you.
I'm facinated by the big waters of Canada and MN, doesn't mean I want to get caught on them in a strorm, but non the less.
Waters the closest you've come the icy mansion below and where?
Edited by huskerwatson 4/13/2013 10:45 AM
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Posts: 246
| Doesn't take big water to have an accident. There is a 2000 acre non-musky lake close to me that has claimed many lives, some of those bodies were never recovered due to the depth and cold water. It's a big bowl so if the wind picks up quickly there is no place to hide if you're out in the middle. In fact someone drowned a few weeks ago, found him submerged 70ft down in the water column.
As to your question. I never came close thankfully.
Edited by zombietrolling 4/13/2013 12:31 PM
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Posts: 8782
| Was out many years ago on Lake Michigan in a 16' boat... Small craft advisories, wind advisories, 7-10 footers... It was back and forth between having the boat airborne and taking waves over the side and front. Guys were taking turns crawling around the floor bailing the boat with buckets because the bilge pump couldn't keep up. Nobody could stand. I was a kid, so I really don't know how close we came to biting the big one that day. I was too busy puking to care. I can tell you that today I wouldn't even go out in that #*#*, much less take a kid along. I love fishin' but not that much! |
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Posts: 518
Location: Cave Run Lake KY. | Ron. 11/10/1975 ------ My no good brotherinlaw and I in the day that I still hunted ducks, I used to take a weeks vacation and drive up to to Ashland Wisc. to hunt ducks on the Bad River Slough near Odanah Wisc. We had permission to hunt the Slough from the Tribal Chief. Put in at the Hy 2 boat launch just before sun up. headed down river about ten miles to the slough and put in about 25 decoys to what look to be a good day of hunting then it started to rain and wind picked up, The Slough has a sand bar where the river runs into lake Superior and protects the Slough from the big waves of the lake. The next thing was the rain was freezing to the boat. I said pull the decoys and lets get out of here,by the time we got back to the the parking lot was coverd with ice and snow. Im glad I didn't have a heavy boat as the lot was all ice. I dropped Ed. off in Ashland and headed for Hayward and HY 77 and Spider LAKE were we had a summer home I droped the boat and decoys off and headed for Hy27 south by that time we had a full blown snowstorm. Going south on 27 nere the Sawyer, Rusk Co. line there are big cedar swamps and I had trouble just staying in the midel of the road when out of the swamp comes runing a wolf that allmost runs into the side of my car he turned around in his tracks and was gone.south of Laysmith I broke out of the storm and had dry roads. turn on the radio and they said that the Edmund Fitzgerald was lost with all hands that afternoon. about the time I was droping Ed. off, the Fitzgerald was sinking. not far from the Bad River. We were never in any real danger but i will never forget that day. marv. |
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Posts: 1529
| i was on st clair that very day. the lake flipped. water went from knee deep to 7 ft. the whole marsh was underwater. we made it out without decoys,guns rtc. sadly others drowned.. i must say the over 50 years on big water that day is BURNEDinto my mind. |
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Posts: 556
| Out on ERIE doing some spring walleye fishing---14 miles out when the weather turned quicker than we thought it would---11 fters all the way back in---lots of water crashing up and over and inside the boat. 2 + hrs to get back in---All I know is a few walleyes are not worth my life----Any chance of weather these days and I am much closer to the marina----Just not worth it to take a chance---especially in spring and fall with the cold water. |
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| Thirty years ago I was in a boat that capsized in the Detroit river. I was nine. Not a fun day but everyone is still here to tell the tale. |
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Posts: 410
Location: Wakefield, MI | Worst I've been in was like 4 foot waves on Harris Lake in Vilas Co. Nothing too extreme, I don't go on big water so if bad weather rolls in i can boogie pretty quickly. I'm especially careful in the late fall, stuff starts getting slippery quick.
My friends uncle was on the Fitzgerald when she went down. |
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Posts: 16
| Out on Lake Michigan in my buddies 19 ft tiller beautiful day, out farther than we'd ever been. Weather turned fast I rember looking to the west and seeing black coming are way we were already heading in when all hell broke lose waves coming over the side waves coming over the front crawling on are hands and knees bailing water like crazy I've never been tossed around in a boat like that. There were alot of things that scared the #*#* out of me that day with all the waves and spray the motor would sputter now and again, but never died. I still don't know how we made it in that day.
Edited by Wolf 359 4/13/2013 9:17 PM
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Posts: 1289
Location: WI | I forgot to put the plug in one day in Nov a few years ago. Luckily it was calm, but the dock was pulled so I beached it. Couldn't figure out how my gas was leaking...then "oh crap!" |
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Posts: 221
| I was fishing alone at night several summers back before I had the weather at my fingertips. I had checked the forecast earlier in the day and it had said slight chance of rain. It was a cloudy night so I couldn't tell how the weather was changing, and hadn't really been paying attention anyway. I had marked a few fish in a 12 foot weed bed and missed one boat side, so I was staying out later than I usually would. All the sudden lightning came booming down and thunder came immediately after. I knew this storm was close, but I kept seeing fish. I could hear the rain coming from the west when all the sudden my rod doubled over and it was on. The rain hit about the same time I set the hook. I was out alone so I quickly threw a life jacket on, buckled it up, and kicked everything important under my console and started fighting the fish. I tried to get it an as soon as I could, but by the time it was in the net I was soaking wet, my bilge was struggling to keep up with the rain and waves breaking the side. This isn't a big lake, but when the wind starts gusting the waves can get huge. Especially in a 16 foot aluminum boat. I quickly measured the fish (42 inches) and slipped it back in the water. There was no way I could get a picture without damaging the camera, so that one will have to live on in my head.
It was crazy. I pounded into the waves to get to the shoreline and the storm blew over after about 25 minutes. My boat was filled with water, and I was soaking wet. I was so amped up from the storm and the fish that I never really thought about how dangerous that situation was. Well, until later at least. I slept really well when I got home that night. |
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Posts: 338
| On my very first trip to Lake St. Clair was the only time I really feared for my life n a boat. Got caught in a Storm last June in a Ranger 619 and it was a ride from Hell back to Millers Boat Dock. If you ever go to Lake St. Clair...... Watch the wind and if it even looks like it might storm....... GET OFF THE LAKE!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 358
| It was either 1968 or 1969 fishing with my Father in the 1000 Islands in a 16ft. wooden Peterboro boat with a 9.9 Johnson. We got caught in a storm. I could tell Dad was scared he made me cinch up my lfe jacket straps and hold two throw cushions we used as seat cushions and told me what to do if the boat capsized. We made it back ok, however it was an experience I will never forget. Dad did one heck of a good job getting us back without capsizing. I have never taken a chance remembering that very experience to this day. |
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| 2 years ago i was out with a buddy. saw some weather rolling in and we headed for the ramp. as we pulled in a guy pulls up in a pick-up and says ''you guys know we are in a tornado warning?'' i sprinted for the truck and we got the boat out. turns out a buddy of mine who is a storm chaser was filming a funnel just sw of us at about that same time. |
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Posts: 109
Location: Pewaukee, WI | Not to many troubles musky fishing but when I had a boat on Lake Michigan for Salmon I've been in some pretty big waves out there. Many time while in the being in the bottom of a swell we couldn't see land. Once I had to scoop UP to net a fish. The worst was when a storm came in quick and on the way in to port we had waves coming over the bow. Might not sound like much but I could stand up in the cabin below deck on my boat. We figured the waves where a honest 6 to 8 footers. |
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Posts: 1168
| Waiting for jomusky to add his submission. That was an unbelievable day. Easy to have a chuckle about it now because everyone was safe but still a good reminder that anything can happen even on very familiar water. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Minnesota | We capsized a jonboat while duck hunting a river about 10 years ago. Having a 100+ lb rambunctious dog in a 12' jon on a fast flowing river is a bad idea. Flipping the boat while wearing your chest waders is an even worse idea. We lost our guns at the bottom of the river, but we were able to get away with our lives. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | 3 of us went to the bottom in a jonboat, I'll never forget the guy in back yelling BAIL! BAIL! as the front half of the boat was already underwater.
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Posts: 299
| Great topic!! I had just last season on LSC where I was fishing alone with my dog and a absolute violent storm came up on me so fast that I couldn't outrun it. I was 12 miles from the dock and maybe 5 miles from a "safe haven" and got caught right in the middle of it trying to outrun it with 3-4 footers. The lightening is what terrified me so I had no choice but to stop moving and wait it out. I got down in boat, cuddled my dog and prayed the boat didn't get hit. Lightening was so close that it blinded me for a bit and lost hearing for a few minutes. I had another time where we were outrunning a storm on LSC and had to change direction due to water spouts. 2 very big water spouts cutting across the lake headed right for me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with my own eyes. St. Clair is no joke and turns of you instantly. I've vowed from now on to check weather updates hourly on days with potential for severe weather. Also to try and be within reach of safe haven. There's several places on LSC that will allow you to dock and get off boat and away from water. I've used personal home docks in some of the channels before without asking and most homeowners have been very understanding. I've even had a few wave me in and help me tie up. There are some good people still out there!!! |
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Posts: 166
Location: Alexandria, MN | Have seen both Mille Lacs and Leech go from zero to 5 footers in 30 minutes or less. Both lakes can be scary - especially in a smaller boat. |
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Posts: 1760
Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | phselect - 4/15/2013 10:04 PM
Have seen both Mille Lacs and Leech go from zero to 5 footers in 30 minutes or less. Both lakes can be scary - especially in a smaller boat. me too  |
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Posts: 706
Location: Richland Center, WI. | Not me but my oldest son and daughter came close to sinking the boat on the Chip. Was putting the boat in at the Lake Chip Campground landing. Son asks if he can take the boat around to the campsite. I say sure, Daughter jumps in and away they go. I notice they don't seem to be going very fast. They finally get the boat over to the campsite and my son says the boat is not running right, could not get it up on plane. I notice that the carpet on the floor of the boat is changing colors. Now I ask if anyone put the plug in! We each thought the other did. Thank God for bilge pumps and minnow buckets!
Ken |
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Posts: 536
| I put in on stony point leech lake, ended up way up in portage bay when a big storm blew in from the south, I tried to hide behind 5 mile for awhile but it was getting worse hail, lightning ect, ended up heading back to landing in 6fters in a 18.5' bass boat with waves crashing in at times. Some of controls were getting so wet that they were running my high lift motor mount on there own. |
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Posts: 313
Location: Bemidji, Lake Vermilion | Nearly drowned/died twice. Both times I knew it was bad and stayed in a bad spot anyways. It got worse. If you think you should leave, you should leave. Won't do it again. |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | Ill add our adventure in 2006 on Lake St. Clair. 30 mile an hour winds whipped St. Clair into 7 footers one day off the Ruscom river. We were 5 miles out and frantically pulling in planer boards when it hit. Had to do about 4 miles into the teeth of this storm to get protection from the land. One wave filled the boat as we dropped into the trough between two waves. It actually passed over our Bimini top. I thank God for that Windshield on that day which diverted most of that waves off to the sides. Had we been in a totally open boat we would have got buried right there. As it was I did the only thing I could and trimmed up and floored it rising the bow way up into the air and dumped most of the water out the back. Almost lost the dog but he was attached with a leash. My 18 foot Starcraft super Fisherman has twin bilge pumps and both worked so we were pumping her out almost as fast as it was coming in. I had to work the throttle a lot and we took a some huge waves right to the bottom which rattled our teeth but kept water from coming over the bow. Having a weather app and or knowing the forcast is one of the most important things to know when on St. Clair. If they say 20 mph winds plan on 25 . Even guys in 31 foot cruisers get beat up out there in high winds. Its not fun when the wind blows. Mike |
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Posts: 31
Location: Mapleton Mn | I've had some real bad times down on Lake Okoboji in the spring time with a north wind. Not real fun in a 17ft bass boat. Also had a bad experience on pool 4 that I will never forget..... |
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Posts: 25
| Got caught on Lake Superior a couple of years ago 7 miles out 6-8 footers...my dog did not enjoy that trip back. |
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Posts: 373
Location: Maine Township, MN | leech lake strain - 4/16/2013 5:26 PM
I put in on stony point leech lake, ended up way up in portage bay when a big storm blew in from the south, I tried to hide behind 5 mile for awhile but it was getting worse hail, lightning ect, ended up heading back to landing in 6fters in a 18.5' bass boat with waves crashing in at times. Some of controls were getting so wet that they were running my high lift motor mount on there own.
Same story! Had almost the same type of system minus the lightning and hail come in and had to head back in 4'ers in a 16.5' boat averaging 6mph to time the waves right. Got soaked! Knuckes were white and hands were pruned. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Wisconsin | This one is a tad long..sorry. Fishing in Nortern Alberta with my BIL who lives there, he takes us out to a large remote lake, and I mean remote.We are taking Northern Alberta at the end of a 50+ mile gravel road, and I use the term road very loosely. Not a soul for miles! He has his boat with my Dad, and my brother and I are in my 680T. A beautiful morning, fishing is great, sun shining and all is good. Even had the RAF doing a practice run sneek up on us and "buzz" right over us and I mean really low. The pilot gave us a thumbs up as he went by again, pretty cool. Man those jets are screaming loud and they are on top of you before you know they are coming. And then, later that day...the weather changed and in a heartbeat. We were at the far end of the lake and had to cross right thru the worst of it. It was a bowl style lake so no where to escape. Told my BIL to just go back while he could, with a much larger boat he beat the worst of it by getting off fairly quickly. He drove of out of site. For us, we had a long, heartpounding and down right scary ride to endure. Waves just pounding us, and crashing over the sides and bow. Had the bow up to help with waves, but the wind was so strong it would turn us as it wished. My 50HP tiller was doing its best but we were making very little headway. My brother was bailing as fast as he could and we were still full of water and getting lower in the water and going slower and slower. I really thought for sure we were going down. My brother, who is Mr. Adventure extreme had his life jacket on and was hanging on for dear life. We both were almost swept overboard several times, and had to stop, drop and just hang on a few times as the waves just crashed over the boat. It was a big body of water and we had a long way to go, man it was like an eternity. When we finally got close enough to see the launch, we were so happy. We knew the general direction to head, but the storm was so strong that we could not see the shore in any direction. My Dad had already backed the trailer in. The waves were so big they would make it so I couldn't see the trailer or the tow vehicle one second and then in the swell the trailer would be exposed down to the wheels. As we got closer,my brother jumped in and they all tried to hold the boat over the trailer, but she would just rise up with each wave and then crash down on the trailer. I thought the boat was toast. Finally got her on and pulled out. My BIL said we had to hurry before the gravel rd was impassable. The drive was another adventure, for another post. Like worst drives on a fishing trip?? That was a trip I will never forget! |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Two years back we went out onto Sturgeon Bay with Brett Alexander for an ice trip. Temps got into the mid 40's with rain, we lost over 6" of ice overnight and the next morning when the sun came up and the fog lifted, we saw the ice literally heaving and rolling.
We knew we were in trouble when Brett said, "I think we need to go".
Took us 3x as long coming off as we had to plank across open water and cracks with the ATV's. Longest hour in a half in my life. |
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Posts: 580
| This is a great thread. I've had a few scary experiences in some of the open water areas of LOTW, but thankfully, nothing like some of these stories. Still, after a few of my experiences, I've admittedly become a major wuss with any possibility of lightning, wind and/or big waves. Some might just say that I've smartened up....but big water is scary stuff! As was said above, if you think that might need to evasive action, don't question it, just do it and do it ASAP! |
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Location: On the O | Last year I was fishing on a stretch of the river and I could see the storm moving towards me, the sky was black and I knew it was just a matter of time before the rain hit, but it was also that prime pre storm period where I just knew some fish would be on the move. The launch was just across the river so I wasn't worried about making it in. I watched the storm roll in and never once saw a flash or heard any thunder, so I thought to myself, what's a little rain might as well stay out. Well as soon as the wall of rain got to where I was fishing there was a huge BOOM (never saw the flash) but it scared me good. Headed to the launch and sat in the truck for 50 minutes watching the storm. Was able to get out again after but needless to say I don't need to see a flash anymore before I head in.
Edited by BigC 4/18/2013 11:59 AM
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Edmund Fitzgerald - How close have you come to the icy mansion (sinking)?