Man Overboard

[Ranger 519]

I haven't posted in awhile but I got to tell you guys what happened to me today-I fell overboard while fishing alone. I can't tell the wife because she'll worry I'm not careful enough and I will never tell my fishing buddies because the jokes would never end. It was the strangest thing-I was on my way to the front of the boat, stopped suddenly, lost my balance and took the big plunge (head first). I didn't have on my vest but I was fortunate that I was in the back of a calm creek and when I surfaced the boat was within reach and I was able to climb on board. I know this is no joking matter but I got to admit I am still laughing at myself. Fortunately all is well except for my prescription polarized sunglasses, which are now at the bottom of the lake. By the way, I changed clothes on the boat and kept fishing. Now I know why I keep that extra set of clothing on the boat.



I don't believe we have every done an "Overboard Survey" so who amongst us have taken the accidental plunge while fishing?

 

[Greg J.]

Well, not while fishing, but I did end up in the water a couple of times while in the Navy. Long stories, one of which involved too many adult beverages in Palma, Spain, (walked off the pier) lol. So, where did you hide the wet clothes so your wife didn't find them? Glad you're okay!

 

[Rick Hale]

Greg -- Glad to hear you are OK.. What was the water Temp there? You had your angle watching after you..

Here in KS the water temp is still in the 30-40 range.

Do you have a ladder on your Boat??



Glad the I put a ladder on my Deep-V Targa-- would be tough getting in my boat. No I have not taken the plundge yet.



You didn't say -- did you catch any fish?? LOL



Take Care-- HaleDamage-----------------Rick

 

[Jim Carlson]

Glad to hear that you are OK. The way we waltz around on our bass boats it's odd more of us don't fall in.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Man that's scary Greg and I'm glad you're alright! Yep, I've been in twice in my life. The one time when I was alone I had a heck-of-a-time getting back into the boat.



Bill

 

[Thomas Macaluso]

Flipped out of my 929 two years ago during a club tournament on the Hudson in mid-October . If I had been by myself I wouldn

 

[Brian Bell2]

Slipped overboard in the stick marsh years ago... not a good feeling when several minutes before I saw several gators ( big-uns ) It was difficult to climb back into my then 700LX, my new boat has a built_in ladder in the Transom.. Triton came up with a pretty cool concept the emergency boarding ladder is built into the transom on the X series 186 and 196 boats.. Its realy easy to use also, pull pin and put a little presure on it and it deploys, push it back in that it locks into place to stowing..

 

[Paul Ritter2]

If you ever fall out of a bassboat there is one way to get back in the boat if you're wearing a lot of clothes and are weighed down. I stumbled off of my 882 last year and couldn't get back in over the side. I remembered something that I had read on this post a long time ago and it saved my butt. I swam to the engine and stood on the cavitation plate and pressed the tilt button on the side of the engine. Instant elevator up to a position where I could climb onto the transom.At that point I didn't care if my weight damaged the tilt motor- which thankfully it didn't. It could possibly have saved my life and I got the info here on this site. Lots of great tips here.

 

[Donn Norton2]

I've fell in years ago during a tourney. My non-boater and I each had a limit of SM. The smallies were coughing up crawdad guts and clogging the intake for the recirculator in the live well. So I would stick my head in the live well to blow out the guts and than stick my head in the lake over the side of the boat. Did that several times the last time I slipped right in the lake, I had no problem getting back in the boat, it was summer, warm water. After I got home I put a screen over the intake for the livewell recirculator. My non-boater had a good laugh.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I've not gone in, but come close. One of the reasons I purchased Sospenders last year - and wear them ALL the time on the water. Glad that you are okay.



Waterwings - spent a really drunk weekend on Palma Majorca (Spain) in the early 70's. Whew!



Tex

 

[Chris F.]

I've been in once. Trying to get a snag out of a low branch. I think I did it pretty gracefully. I landed on my feet in 3 feet of water. Only had one witness, my dad laughing in the back of the boat.

 

[Al Greco]

Fell in the water once many years ago. I was in my 170DC and had just picked up 5 young men who had flipped their john boat. I was heading to shore with the trolloing motor on high and hit a stump and fell in. Good thing I didn't fall on a stump. My partner pulled me in the boat and all was well except for my trolling motor shaft. Scary as hell when you fall in the lake with a bunch of clothes on. The bad thing is I didn't have any life vests left as they were used to keep the 5 folks from drowning as none of them knew how to swim nor did they have a live vest.

 

[Staci Matheis]

I think it was Mini who gave the cavitation plate trick.



I've never fallen out accidentally, thank goodness. Both of my boats have had boarding ladders just for that purpose. I'm a poor swimmer and, with my weak heart, falling overboard could spell disaster without a ladder.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Feel over in three to four foot rollers on the main lake. Broke a good rod in the process. Glad I wasn't by myself.

 

[TrepMan]

Only fell in one, while I had my jonboat. River was 50 degrees, air temp 80! Was in the front on the trolling motor when I decided to relieve myself. So I just dropped pants and started to go off the front of the boat. Forgot I left the Tmotor on Auto and it ran aground in shallow water! Boat stopped, I didnt!!! I went in feet first up to my bellybutton, BRRRRRR. Luckily no one saw it, my manlyhood was in tact and I kept fishing till my pants dried off!! I did have my life jacket on, and need to remember that more in the summer!