Men OVERBOARD !!!

[stickum]

My 11 year old son and I were fishing yesterday morning it was 24 degrees when we launched at 7:15 am. We had been fishing for about an hour and a half in one of our favorite holes and there were 2 older gentlemen in a small boat there close to us. We were all catching some good fish and then it happened. The 2 guys in the other boat stood up at the same time and there was a big splash!!!!. ...the water temp was around 46 so when they hit the water it instantly took their breath, 5 other boats and our selves managed to get them out of the water and to the boat ramp, they were really lucky that all of us were close by and could get to them that fast...if not I am afraid we would have read about them in the paper today.

Just a reminder to be very careful out there and keep those life vest on cause ya never know what can happen.

[Grumpa]

Those 2 gentlemen were very fortunate to have people close by that were willing to help. My brother-in-law drowned in water that was 49 degrees, it was hypothermia that set in almost immediately, he was only about 100 ft from shore but could not make it back in the cold water. Like stcikum said wear your life vest and be very careful in the cold water.

[gooch]

Let me say again that if you dont have a way to get back in the boat after falling out in winter clothing your gonna die. I would say that 99% of us could not get back into a boat if we fell out in cold weather/water. Make sure you have a ladder or rope with a foot hold in it in cold weather and make sure its accessible all the time.
Remember that dying from drowing is less painful than hypothermia.

[HOTSPOT]

Good job sir!!!!

[zappaf19]

I fish in coveralls when it is cold. Did you see if the men hadlife jackets on? If they did could they float? This is one of the things I have worried about. Will the life jacket keep me afloat with coveralls on long enough to get to my whale tale?
Bill

[crap-king]

you gotta be careful even with a vest - good job glad you were there for them - and evn though I am sure it scared him what a great lesson for your son to wittness - nothing could ever make him understand on how careful you gotta be

[FisherMike]

Last trapping season my brother in law found 4 guys up the river duck hunting that had capsized there boat. He got them all down to there vehicle where they were safe. He went back you the river to check his traps and about 4 hours later another trapper found him keeled over the side of his boat, dead. 58 years old and was never sick a day in his life. Man that was a shocker to us all.
Some of the Muskegon Co. trappers, DU and Steelheaders Ass. put up a memorial plack for him at the boat launch. That was pretty nice.

[jfraley]

I used to not wear a life jacket just because they are so uncomfortable. I got an inflateble one for christmas and I like it a lot. I tend to be more careful when it is cold or bad weather, I guess it is just common sense for some.

[stickum]

The 2 gentlemen that fell in were not wearing life vest....had them in the boat but not wearing them....I am just glad that they are okay and we were all close enought ot help them.

I do think that it helped my son realize why he has to wear that vest "all the time"....

[bentpole]

Fishermike:Sorry about you Brother-in -Law,What did he die from?
Also about the life jackets,Gooch is right about the 99%,with all the cloths we have to wear we (most )would sink like a rock.I did something afew years back just to ease my own mind,Put on my winter cloths although it was summer & my life jacket then got in the water (not to deep)just to see if it would hold me up.It did,so that was something I didn't have to wait till something happened to find out if it would work or not.Popped them in the dryer & no harm done.