safety: fishing rough, remote topography

k-bob

k-bob

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Jul 29, 2009
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Just saw the movie 127 Hours, in which a rock climber gets stuck so badly in a spill that he'd give his right arm to get out, OK, I'll stop. (The climber seemed pretty casual about safety, for example, using an ipod while climbing).

I like to fish rough, remote places for brookies and usually go alone; I can often get away at the last second on weekdays.

I am doing the Winter Review of Gear, and wonder if there's safety enhancements I can make. I have never been injured, just broke a few fly rods and other stuff in spills. Still, you could get hurt out there, and there is usually no one around. I ran into about as many rattlers as fishermen in 2010, just a few of each.

I carry a cell, but you can't count on cell service in ravines.

I am doing more to tell my wife where I am going, but of course I often hit multiple streams in a day, and change directions when something looks promising.

I carry both a NOAA-registered 406 mhz locator beacon (bass pro sells them, 'bout $400 but no annual fee) and a good garmin gps with topo and electronic compass.

I wear excellent turtleskin snake gaitors from knees to boot tops. There is probably very little chance of poisonous snake bite -- the few rattlers I've run into were not aggressive, unlike watersnakes and black racers. But the turtleskin wraps save your waders from getting cut by thorns, and they might help avoid cuts from underwater stuff I crash in to. Completely comfortable.

Think I will actually put the TU sticker on my car. I assume cops scan cars found in weird places for signs of where the owner might be. ("Would some idiot actually go fishing down in that hollow?")

Have learned to not tuck my fishing shirts in to my waders. I had a deer tick biting my side once, and the tick's path to me would have been longer if I kept my shirt tail out.

Carry a decent rain jacket in vest. Have good Simms wading boots, falling is probably the most likely problem. I have a serious blaze orange vest for hunting season. Trekking poles help: faster and more stable hiking.

Have learned to make some noise moving up streams so I don't walk in and surprise Yogi, or Mrs Yogi and Boo Boo.

Think I'll stay out of crazy ravines when the ground is frozen and snow covered. Too hard to see ice patches from tiny trickles underfoot.

So, am I state of the art? Jet pack? :)
 
You sound a lot more prepared than most, and I'm sure in the event of an emergency, you would be pretty good.

Only suggestions I have for you is to throw in a mylar emergency blanket and some water purification tablets. You can be out there for a long time and a little extra warmth and water will get you a long way.
 
Wow! I carry almost nothing and often forget a multi tool or knife.

Sometimes I carry a water purifying straw but I like to pack light for brookies streams.
 
definitely sounds like your well prepared but I found it hard to believe that with your gear you don't pack a small first aid kit. I realize that most of the time it wouldnt be absolutely essential but I always like carrying one in my pack. can't hurt to pack some band-aids and tylenol. I like taking a kit along mostly band-aids, to help keep out any infections when I fall and cut myself. Just a thought...
 
You take a lot more precautions than I do.

I try to keep a small zip lock with me packed with TP, ointment, bandaids, asprin and some bug repellent. 50% of the time i forget to transfer it from pack to pack or vest to pack though. Probably should add a knife or cutting tool and some waterproof matches to the mix.
 
TP, ointment, band aids, aspirin, emergency blanket, meds if ya need them, water, matches, whistle/mirror, granola bars/dry soups, magnesium fire starter (great on wet days) stainless cup for heating water/cooking (can hang on belt) multi tool all in a small pack or fanny pouch. Leave a note on vehicle which way you are headed. and take a dog, good to eat if ya have to..
 
You DO take a lot of precautions...good stuff to all. I would say the most important thing is letting someone know where you are and when you will return. If your plan changes, call (if you can) and let someone know. Also, in your vehicle, you can leave a note as to where you plan to travel. That would give rescuers a direction in which to search.
 
Afish,
living up here in no mans land you almost have to all the time. I do because of my condition too. I carry certain items every day out in the woods/streams. doesn't take up much room either or weight.
 
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I have some shopping to do, which I enjoy in the off season!
 
if you have to take one med, make sure it's asprin. Not only for aches, fever, pain reliever, etc but it can be a life saver if you're ever faced with a stroke or cardiac issue...
 
I sometimes take a flask of bourbon in case I get stranded and feel like catching a little buzz before I die like a dog on the side of the stream.
 
sandfly wrote:
and take a dog, good to eat if ya have to..

Hey Lou - you might want to re-evaluate your choice of fishing partners! :-o


 
Understand hypothermia and listen to your bodies warning-wandering around in wilderness areas alone,I always carried a razor sharp knife in case I had to operate-never did,wouldn't know how-
the one about ticks great advice.
Sorta mixed emotions about notes on car-invitation to break in if they know you aren't close.
 
Those cheap plastic tents do work-our woods are full of them but if you are in high country don't have the opening pointed down hill or you may wake up at the bottom of the mountain.
 
Does anyone have/use a SPOT (Satellite Personal Outdoor Tracker)(http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/6636)?

Modest 100-150 investment for the hardware and another 100 annual for communication service. it would give my wife peace of mind while I'm out by myself.
 
Great thread.

I'm getting more into remote fishing and one stream in particular my wife worries about me fishing. I've fallen a few times and once I didn't see a crack in 2 big rocks and one leg slipped down all the way to my thigh... could have easily broken a leg. Now I try to fish that stream with someone else just in case. I always have food and water on me on any trip. I usually wake up early and don't want to eat that early, but after some hard fishing I realize I need some nourishment. I know I should carry some other things that were mentioned in this post, so thanks guys!


Ryan
 
afishinado wrote:
I would say the most important thing is letting someone know where you are and when you will return. If your plan changes, call (if you can) and let someone know. Also, in your vehicle, you can leave a note as to where you plan to travel. That would give rescuers a direction in which to search.

I think this is THE best way to keep safe. The fact of the matter is that in PA, you are rarely if ever more than a couple miles from a road. Usually much less. If you are able to walk out of the woods, you willl. If you are not, someone needs to know where you are to be able to find you.

Knife, *lighter, map, water, a bite to eat, dress accordingly and let someone know all the areas you are likely to be. If you have a cell phone, take it and make sure it is charged.

*If my life depended on it, I would rather have one Bic lighter than 50 boxes of matches. Check to make sure the lighter works ahead of time of course.

Kev
 
In most brookie excursions, the cell phone is next to useless.

As you already know, I don't take as many precautions as you. I do try to let someone know where I'm gonna be and when I expect to return. Especially if I'm meeting a PAflyfisher there for the first time, cause ya never know, he could be an ax murderer or something. :)

On longer trips far from the car I try to take some grub and drinks, and a waterproof lighter. The grub and drinks are nice to have anyway, they make it more enjoyable. The lighter is very light and not a nuisance. Though it certainly wouldn't be a good experience, I could make a fire and spend a night if I had to.

Should probably use a metal container for my water, that way you could boil creekwater over a fire if you need more... I don't. I figure straight creek water will suffice in a pinch. Yeah, within a few days you'll develop the %^##s and need to see a doctor to rid yourself of the giardia and other nasties, but I can't foresee a situation in PA where you're gonna be in the woods that long. I'll take giardia and doctor's visits over dehydration and death.

If I have a heart attack or something, well, I guess I'm SOL if I'm alone.

Favorite line I got from Gierach, but pull out once in a while....

Wife or boss asks: "How can I reach you?"

Answer: "You can't"
 
I do alot of remote hunting and fishing in areas without cell phone access and wouldn't be without my Spot. Since I am gone for a week or more at a time this allows me to send preset messages to people that I am OK. Recently I have been renting sat phones as well to be more in touch.
 
an emergency whistle is good to keep in your fishing bag/vest as well. they can be heard for miles, much further than you can yell.
some good old common sense goes a long way also. plus some basic survival knowledge.
 
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