There has been a lot of discussion lately about on-the-water safety in any small craft. Many things can go wrong on the water at any time, and it’s not just relegated to those new to fishing; accidents can happen to seasoned anglers just the same. There are several things anglers can implement to make sure they return to their families after a day on the water.
Practice safety in advance. That’s right; it’s not cool, and it’s hard to make time for, but the No. 1 activity that will save your life in an accident practicing self-rescue. Turning over in a kayak or small boat, or turtling, even in warm summer water can cause shock. But what happens when you turtle in water that is less than 75 degrees? The first reaction is to gasp, but if you are already underwater, that’s not a good idea. It’s best to practice turtling and reboarding your boat in a controlled environment. Organize a small gathering of at least three fellow kayakers or boaters and practice in a pool with trained supervision. One person should be a trained kayak safety instructor to teach how to properly exit or right the kayak. Do this enough times to be confident that if you turtle while fishing in any waterbody, you’ll be able to reboard your kayak or boat.
After having practiced in a controlled environment, operators of small craft should mentally prepare themselves in the event they turtle. It’s been proven that mentally practicing an exercise will result in improved performance. So take your controlled environment exercise a step further by mentally imagining yourself turtling in several high-risk situations: high current areas that are deeper than 2 feet (just because it’s shallow does not mean it’s safe), high winds, surf, and cold waters. Anything cooler than 75 degrees may cause instant shock and panic when hitting the water. Allow yourself to step through what will happen to you while you are underwater: what will the sensation of shock and panic be like? What will happen to your kayak in the time you are under the water? How will you retrieve it, and how will your reboard your boat?
Plan how you are going to be smart on the water, especially in watching out for other crafts. Can you select routes that will avoid boat lanes, and can you fish areas that will improve your visibility to other boaters?
On the water safety doesn’t only apply to boaters, it applies to wade fisherman as well. Practice and mentally prepare for holes caused by current and prop-washes. Another improvement is the clothing you wear like the Fish Hide Sportswear Shirts. These shirts will increase your visibility and keep boaters away from your fishing area as well as support your safety. Always where your PFD while navigating any size kayak, boat or while wade fishing.
Tobin created TroutSupport.com – Tech Support for catching Speckled Trout and Redfish.