As we started discussing last week, it is time to put some important topics up and bang them around for future use. We'll remind some of ourselves and help the noobs out.

Based on losing guys the past few years there will be a focus on safety. This week's topic is: Surf Safety Tips & Tricks . We'll cover gear later. I'll start with a couple:

Know your area, scout during daylight hours. So easy to forget but not only will you see stuff during the day that will help you catch fish but you may see obstacles or danger spots to be aware of that you will miss at night.

Buddy system. Can't say enough. Fish with someone.

make sure when jumping those rocks you were good footwear ,, korkers or other type of , spiked foot wear ,, always take a moment to see were would you go if you hook into a large fish and you need to move around !

Have good situational awareness. Keep a good eye on what's going on around you and what it could mean in the near future.
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going to a new spot? going out on the rocks?
take 10 and watch the waves. it seems that from my own experience and talking to others, it's the waves that all of a sudden come from either side or even behind that get you.
as in, just where they hell did that come from?????????

Be mindful what the weather is offshore. Rogue waves are the worst and sometimes happen unexpectedly after a hurricane passes. I never really believed how bad they could be until I experienced a real one.

I was fishing cuttyhunk after a nasty tropical storm with 4-5' swells and great fishing. Was almost top of the tide and seas were building. We were fishing during the evening when you could still see. Off in a distance you could see this massive swell forming. It was almost unreal at first. When it started to get close it just doubled in height and we had to run back as the wave engulfed everything up to the sand banks. If it was at night and didnt retreat we would have had some bad bruises or broken bones. After that I am very paranoid during big swell events.

Know where you are very well. I never fish a new spot at night without a scouting trip in daylight. Also, once you get situated, always have a plan for landing a big fish. More fish are lost and more guys get in trouble because they never take this into account.

If you wade out any distance into the water it's a good idea to have a small compass on you just in case fog rolls in on you. You don't want to be caught out on the flats disoriented in fog as the tide is coming in.

When fishing next to current standing in the water, wear an inflatable PFD at least, you never know, one slip and your in trouble fast.

When fishing the canal, be careful walking down the rocks when there are hot chicks walking/jogging/rollerblading by on the bike path. It can be distracting.

I know I've done many all nighters. And have gone out on the rocks super tired. When tired I don't push it like I normally would. Being tired brings on optical allusions, sometimes, and this can be dangerous. Awareness goes down and sloppiness comes into play.
I am very cautious now, especially after taking some falls.
Plan accordingly, get a short nap in if needed. Prevention is the key!

I echo what has already been stated. Also, when wearing waders, ALWAYS wear a belt. A good dry top can keep you out of some bad situations as well. It's also a good idea to carry a knife, and pliers that can cut through hooks.

If you are heading out alone let someone know where you are heading and about when you expect to be back. If you are fishing remote areas have a cell phone with you, if I am wetsuiting then it’s in a dry bag in a backpack on shore near where I am fishing. Have a readily accessible knife in case you get tangled up in discarded fishing line, netting, lobster pot rope etc… Have a good pair of pliers that will cut a hook out of our hand or body.

Always check your gear before you head out to make sure you have everything you need and it's in working condition. Last season, I once forgot my headlamp and another time got to where I was fishing and found out the batteries had died. Fortunately, one of the times I was with someone who carries and extra headlamp and he let me borrow it. Thanks, Greg.

have a fishing buddy.
seriously think about your moves and if you get wiped off a rock..where not to land. be aware all the time and never take your eyes off the waves.

I always carry a whistle around my neck. If you get hurt it's less effort to blow one then to shout, it's louder then shouting and it's sound stands out from breaking surf etc. Also have a small compass and emergency light on the same lanyard.

Barbs are for rookies. Just crush 'em so you can pull the damn hooks out of your hand and keep fishing. You don't need them (at least on a plug) and all they cause is trouble. Saves you having to carry godawful heavy pliers as well. Lets you unhook fish in the dark without a light. Speeds up the release. Try it for a season, you'll like it.

a big part of safety is using your head. Don't take chances. Its not worth going "a little too far out" or "just a little into the current" , etc. When faced with a potentially dangerous situation , just say no. You can avoid 100 bad situations using your head more easily than you can deal with a single bad situation once you get into trouble.

I almost forgot: Always carry 2 lights. My backup light has saved me more than once.

New guys have a tendency to get over excited. This is natural. But slow it down! The fish will be there! I'm talking about all aspects of what we do. Get the gear ready before hand. Tie leaders ahead of time if ya can. Someone mentioned two lights. Well I have a third! And most importantly, know where your fishing!
And when your done, put everything where you know it will be for the next out. Develop some system of organization. This is helpful and alleviates a chaotic mess!

Trust your instincts. If you think its too dangerous or you just have a bad feeling, dont do it. Make sure your brains are bigger than your balls.

Respect the ocean. Do not fish alone when the weather is heavy. 2 lights ALWAYS.

Stay calm if you get into a jam. Your clear thinking brain is your biggest asset when it hits the fan. Take a breath and assess, then assess again.

Happy and safe holidays to all.

My safety precautions: (mostly for wetsuiting)

*sharp dive knife (blunt tip)
*headlamp, 2 neck lights (one red, one white)
*just added a whistle to the neck light lanyard
* I sometimes (should more often) carry a floating princeton tec strobe light... compact, waterproof, visible for 1 mile... just in case I get swept way out.
http://di1-3.shoppingshadow.com/images/pi/f0/93/62/28111900-260x260-0-0_princeton+tec+aqua+strobe.jpg
*I carry a laminated card with my name, info, and emergency contacts inside my plug bag... If I lose my bag someone can return it, if I am found dead, My family can have their world crushed sooner than later.
* I try to let someone know which spots I will be hitting that night. ( I never say what time I'll be back... I always fish longer than I say i will)
* No deep swimming when alone...
*Started keeping bolt cutters in the truck for cutting out hooks.

Use a wading stick in rocky areas. In NH it's not uncommon at low tide to have to walk out 200 yards through rockweed covered rocks. Korkers are a must but they don't handle this very well. Since started using a wading stick rarely fall and can move faster. Old ski poles work great.

As someone already said carry pliers that can cut a hook. In May a fish jerked it's head and drove a VMC treble into my finger. My pliers couldn't cut the hook but managed to cut the ring.

Wet suits supply padding if you fall and if your in current or cold water you'll have a better chance if you go in.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Put some thought into how you would get yourself out of a jam. Determine the proper sequence of actions to get out of the gear that you can't swim with should you fall off the jetty and get swept out to sea. Then consider you may have to do it under water while holding your breath. Maybe test your plan in your buddy's pool.

Look around, get familiar with the conditions, and identify potential hazards and escape routes before you lose yourself in the joy of fishing.

Carry a sheath knife you can use one handed.

Beware striped kitties!
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Barbs are for rookies. Just crush 'em so you can pull the damn hooks out of your hand and keep fishing. You don't need them (at least on a plug) and all they cause is trouble. Saves you having to carry godawful heavy pliers as well. Lets you unhook fish in the dark without a light. Speeds up the release. Try it for a season, you'll like it.

Great advise. I would also like to add that even though that hook was removed easily it still carries bacteria. If the puncture starts turning funny colors go see a Dr.! Ask me how I know ;)
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Having been in a rescue situation I can shed some light on the subject.

Here's what I have learned

1. Know which way the current moves down the beach. Think in terms of a ripcurrent and how lifeguards tell you get out of them.

2. Some sort if water proof light if fishing after dark attached to your helps with location in a search and rescue attempt.

3. Do whatever you need to do to keep calm if caught in asituation.
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A sobering reminder Greg :(
God bless you

I almost forgot: Always carry 2 lights. My backup light has saved me more than once.

and make sure you check that back-up periodically. One night last season my primary failed and so did the backup. It was a very long and slow walk over shifty bowling ball sized rocks under a new moon. I only ate it 2 or 6 times :smash:

Always remember a ground swell will build with an incoming tide 99% of the time.

For the guys who where an inflatable pfd, check out the ACR pull pin strobe. under 50$ and well worth it.

When fishing next to current standing in the water, wear an inflatable PFD at least, you never know, one slip and your in trouble fast.[/QUOTE]

This is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment there is.I know there a pia and expensive but,after your floating away trying to save your rod and equipment this is the only after the fact protection device left.Even guys fishing together sometimes are left helpless to help due to whatever conditions exist at that time.We've all read about these tragic events.

going to a new spot? going out on the rocks?
take 10 and watch the waves. it seems that from my own experience and talking to others, it's the waves that all of a sudden come from either side or even behind that get you.
as in, just where they hell did that come from?????????

I agree with this 100%. Could be the simplest but most important thing to remember. Just give yourself 10 minutes to analyze the wave patterns. So many times ive thought a spot was fishable only to see 4 minutes later it being swallowed every 4 sets. Dont get me wrong, ive been blasted of my share of rocks. I dont always follow my own advise.

When the tides are super low, scout out your spots during the day. You might be surprised at what you see.

Again, wait ten minutes while you watch the surf before heading out!

Never turn your back to the water.

If thunderstorms are forecasted don't stray far from a walled hard roof structure (tents aren't safe), there is no safe place outdoors. Wait atleast 1/2 hour after the storm has passed before going outside.
In order to determine how far off the storm is count how long between the lightning and the thunder and DIVIDE by 5, 10 seconds means 2 miles and a bolt of lightning can travel 10 miles.

This is a good thread – the past season saw two of my friends perish in surf fishing accidents and it weighs heavily on my mind. The way I see it is that surfcasters should learn from close calls – most of the guys who’ve been casting for many years surely have a story or two about getting knocked off a rock. I do and I definitely learned from the experience. Younger neophyte surf casters are more susceptible to making a mistake that could cause injury or death – unfortunately the first mistake could be their last. Couple youth, a wetsuit, and the feeling of invincibility and you increase your chances. And like my good friend Big Ed says, “As soon as you step into the water you’ve added the necessary ingredient to die”.

They call it an accident for a reason – accidents are unpredictable. It’s the things YOU DON’T EXPECT that could kill you. One example is a guy I know that was swimming to a rock in water well over his head. As he’s swimming the braid comes off his reel and tangles his feet and hands immobilizing him so he could not even tread water. He can’t even get to his knife/pliers to cut himself out. If not for a buddy he may have taken his last swim.

Had another friend talk about a good night fishing on a rock but getting blasted by waves on a flood tide which knocked him off his perch into deep water repeatedly. Guy is married and has a family. I’m thinking what the hell are you doing going back on that rock – it’s just a damn fish!

My friend Al Pellini was one of those killed in a surf casting accident this season – hopefully all of you have read the letter his wife Marilyn wrote to On the Water imploring that other surf casters NOT DO what her husband loved to do which was swim to distant rock perches all alone. She and her family are devastated by his death. We don’t know what caused Al’s death – but judging from his over 40 years of surfcasting experience – it was something he didn’t expect.

Just remember - the most important piece of safety equipment is between your shoulders – use it!

DZ

This has been a good read. Thanks guys

One more thing and not to piss anyone off but please don't drink before or while you fish. It's just plain stupid. Pop the cork after you are done and you will enjoy it more.
One night long ago I was alone out on the reef at Black Point. There were a couple of characters on Nathans Rock chunking and drinking beers. Long story not so long one of these stooges fell off the deep end of the rock. I ended up grabbing the guy by his hooded sweatshirt as he thrashed by in the current.

Plenty of time to drink once the rods are racked. You need all your wits if you are in the surf.

1) Most surf deaths occur within a day or two of a tropically influenced storm passing offshore and generating a big swell. Snip out those deaths, and you lose about 75% of the fatalities. Don't go on those days.
2) Realize when you are tired your judgement and balance are the first things to go and play it more conservatively. The fisherman who died at Sachuest Point, that accident occurred at 4:00 in the morning. I believe his partner was quoted it was the last spot they were trying before calling it a night.
3) Don't fish with guys who may be insane. Realize, that you will probably be compelled to help them for taking a risk you did not agree with. Or you will foolishly follow them because you don't want to them to think you don't have any balls. Either way, now you're in their s_it even though you knew better.
4) No one has ever been found dead wearing a p.f.d.

Never turn your back to the water.

I second this, in a nor'easter this fall I found myself turning towards the beach when changing lures, I got knocked down and never saw the wave.

4) No one has ever been found dead wearing a p.f.d.

If only this were true :(

Good judgement IS paramount.

And it is all too easily lost when one has been living the nocturnal life and is stumbling around in the dark in the wee hours.

I recall a night at Block when we were ending a long fish less weekend at North Rip. The tide was screaming east and several off my crew headed out in ankle deep water to see how far they could get. Me, I was so tired I was imagining things, nodding off midcast, and generally out of it. I started to follow them, but soon grew uneasy with the thought of being swept off the bar ala Ben Lubell. I returned to the safety of fish less waters and hoped my buddies would be OK out there. Fortunately they all returned safely.

A bass, even record sized one, is just a fish.

NOT worth it.
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Jon, that's way the rip at Wasque on Chappy can get. The ferocity of the seas is overwhelming. I tell people, "You wear waders there, but you don't get wet." One wave is at your ankles, the next looks like a moving van steaming at you. The tide screams there. Nothing but absolute, total respect. Having said all that, the fishing can be spectacular.

Keep your wits about you.

Waders are good to stay dry but it's good to know when not to step in the water in them. Fast currents and shifting sands are a trademark of sand bars.Wear a pfd and leave the waders off. Bring dry clothes an a towel.Several yrs back I lost a couple fishing buddies on the Vineyard when the sand turned to liquid under them at the Tisbury Pond opening.No pfds an waders killed 2 of them.
Be smart enough to stay within your abilities. What is normal to some is risky for others. What some of us hard cores do we've done for yrs and do with experience.But a chance wave can do the best without a pfd.Look what happened to a real good hardcore at the canal.Take it slow and be safe. No point in gettin killed to try to go too far unsafely.

If only this were true :(

I'm not referencing boaters. Sometimes they fall down drunk and break their heads on the gunwale, then go over the side with a fractured skull and a life jacket on.

You know of a surf death where a person was wearing a p.f.d.? I was researching an article on surf rescues and I spent a full day in the morgue of the Narragansett Times reading about all the surf accidents for the last fifty years - I didn't come across any. Must be pretty recent if it did happen.

I'm not referencing boaters. Sometimes they fall down drunk and break their heads on the gunwale, then go over the side with a fractured skull and a life jacket on.

You know of a surf death where a person was wearing a p.f.d.? I was researching an article on surf rescues and I spent a full day in the morgue of the Narragansett Times reading about all the surf accidents for the last fifty years - I didn't come across any. Must be pretty recent if it did happen.

No I don't know of any surf fisherman that have died with a pfd on. I do know of some that were on boats. Not saying it never happened, but I agree with your point. I'd bet less than 5% of all surf fisherman wear pfd's all the time. I fish with a lot of guys but might know one. It's just that some places like hazard ave or Beavertail that when it gets really snotty out , I think you'll need a lot more than a pfd to get your ass out of the drink. I'd be curious to see the stats for the whole east coast or US. :)

I dont know what it is about wearing a pfd, its not something you see very often at all. Ive only seen one person wearing one, that was during the day time. I have an inflatable, that i wear on occasion at beavertail. It rides in my truck all year and last year i didn't wear it at all. More than once i have thought about getting into a "situation" and having it in my truck. I wouldn't mind seeing a inflatable PFD that fits on the strap of a plug bag being invented. It wouldn't be ideal since it would float all over the place but it would give you something to hold onto if you went for a float.

Not sure if this is so or not, but do you all think we consciously or unconsciously equate bigger risk with bigger reward? Does getting out to that distant rock equal more fish or bigger fish?

Sometimes getting out on the farthest rocks makes all the difference in the world.

In 2 of my fishing spots that are over 1/2 mile walk over rocks/boulder fields I have marked the safest "path" with a small paint brush and dab of forestry "flashlite" paint, which "shines" when hit with a headlamp. Its just a small dab of paint so its tough to see unless your looking for it and know the starting point, which I do. Very helpful on those pitch black nights when fog and/or spray make for difficult to find anything beyond 5 ft in front of you. I do this in the summer while Im out getting mussels and stays pretty visible throughout the fall, although needs to be done every year.

I also carry a "throw bag" in my back-pack which is used in swift water rescue. Its basically a rope and a little bouy that can be tossed 30-40 yards with little effort and "drag" someone in if they are caught in the surf.

Abut 3 yrs ago I was out fishing Oregon Beach for blues late afternoon alone....I noticed the fog rolling in of course but was having fun catching blues on every cast..I then turned towards the beach and the fog was so thick I could not see it..I turned around knowing I was facing the beach somewhat and started in..Thankfully I heard voices coming fron the beach and aimed for them..After a while I got to the beach and was about 300 yrds to the left towards the jetty..Safely,,At least the water is fairly shallow there

Not sure if this is so or not, but do you all think we consciously or unconsciously equate bigger risk with bigger reward? Does getting out to that distant rock equal more fish or bigger fish?
Yes it does.
Those far rocks and inshore reefs are superb fishing spots - that's the allure. Particularly inshore reefs where you have to either wade deep or swim with a wet suit on through a sluice-way way then up onto the reef to fish the steep drop-offs on the seaward side. They are killer spots - literally.
Traditionally, the best boatmen have been the ones that know every rock and can fish these spots in the dark with a swell on. Those no-man's land spots were the bread-and-butter of a lot of very successful rod and reel commercials. However, you needed to be highly skilled at boat-handling to even think about trying such places.
Look at this way: As tragic as it was, if Al Pellini was swimming out to a spot, there's no need to question whether or not it was good spot. Al possessed a vast, multi generational knowledge of the sport and spots that was passed first-hand and undiluted, from the legendary post-war fishermen that were the founders of modern surfcasting in our region. He had that and his own considerable knowledge and personal experience, gleaned from decades of fishing.

One more thing and not to piss anyone off but please don't drink before or while you fish. It's just plain stupid. Pop the cork after you are done and you will enjoy it more.
One night long ago I was alone out on the reef at Black Point. There were a couple of characters on Nathans Rock chunking and drinking beers. Long story not so long one of these stooges fell off the deep end of the rock. I ended up grabbing the guy by his hooded sweatshirt as he thrashed by in the current.

Plenty of time to drink once the rods are racked. You need all your wits if you are in the surf.

X2 - This is a direct result of having a few before fishing at night.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/stripertalk/67751-want-know-how-herring-feels.html

Squid kids you were very lucky. There's a big hole that forms out there at times that gets to 20ft after a good storm.I've taken a kayak over it and have been less than 50 ft from guys standing waist deep almosy 1/3 mile from shore. it's like barnstable or Monomoy. take a compass. you can't swim in waders plus an incoming tide is a bitch.

I was fishing the one of the breachways one night under a heavy swell, perhaps 50 feet from the end. I wasn't on the end because it was too dangerous. This dude comes bolting down the breachway all excited to have the end to himself. Five minutes later, he's missing. A wave knocked down a crevice and his foot was stuck and he is yelling for help and big rollers were coming in every third set.
He tells me his foot is stuck. I told him to take his waders off he was taken aback, so I yelled at him to take them off right now because we had no time. He got them off, which easy extricated his foot from the crevice and I yanked the waders up, and I pulled him up and got him out. I escorted him back to his car, where soaked and shaken, he profusely thanked me. I got him out of there in less than a minute and just before another roller would have taken me out also and probably broken his leg.
Now, when I encounter a person who does something like that, I warn them that they're on their own if they get wiped out. If they don't listen to the warning (and they never do) I pack up and leave. It's not in my makeup to sit bye and watch someone die or get hurt badly - I know I'd go out to help. But I don't ever again want to be put in the position of getting myself killed over a fool.

Another "safety item" I had an experience with this year, and one that I shared (and got help from) with a member of this site. Met him for the first time under this circumstance.

It was mid- September around 3am and I had just landed a nice bass in the 30lb class. The hook-set was perfect, right corner of the mouth in the "thick" part of the jaw. I grabbed my pliers to remove hook and it was stuck pretty good. I wanted to get the fish back in the water ASAP so I gave the hook a hard and forceful yank, something Ive done 100s of times with no thought. The hook came out and got buried into my thumb up to the shank. I tried to remove it to no avail, it wouldnt even budge. I started the long walk across the boulders to my truck for an early morning ER visit when I noticed someone fishing in a wetsuit fishing about 50 yards away. I asked him if he had cutters, he said no. But had 50lb mono and would pull the hook if I wanted. I never met him before so I was kinda leery but after thinking about an ER visit and missing out on some good fishing I decided to let him do it. Downward pressure on the shank, count to three and a yank the hook was out. Blood squirting everywhere I just taped it with electrical,had a very thankful conversation for about 10 min. with him and I was on my way and caught a few more, although not as big. Thanks again, you know who you are! And for anyone who hasnt tried the mono trick. It works and is pretty painless if done right.

Morale of the story. I now carry a 3' strip of 50lb mono and heavy wire cutters in my back-pack. And I think about what Im doing before I do it, even when its something as "routine" as unhooking a fish.

I would say this:

If you don't have the confidence that you can fish a particular spot safely then don't fish it.

I say this because as I have become older and have some physical issues that make fishing certain places not really safe for me anymore.Does this limit the amount of quality fish that I can catch?Absolutely but I still manage to whack a decent fish once in awhile and I'm still out there enjoying my time on the water.

Wearing Korkers in rocky areas is a good idea, but wearing them doesn't necessarily mean that you won't slip and they can cause you to trip.

If you can't swim, learn or consider taking up another sport.

Downward pressure on the shank, count to three and a yank the hook was out. Blood squirting everywhere I just taped it with electrical,had a very thankful conversation for about 10 min. with him and I was on my way and caught a few more, although not as big. Thanks again, you know who you are! And for anyone who hasnt tried the mono trick. It works and is pretty painless if done right.

Morale of the story. I now carry a 3' strip of 50lb mono and heavy wire cutters in my back-pack. And I think about what Im doing before I do it, even when its something as "routine" as unhooking a fish.

Just a word of caution here - similar event happend to me years ago. I thought about doing this but chickened out and went to the ER. Doc told me I was smart not to do it because the hooks barb was caught on a tendon/ligament - would have done permanent damage had I yanked it out.

DZ

I'm with you. My two extractions have been done by guys with medical degrees.

Good judgement IS paramount.

And it is all too easily lost when one has been living the nocturnal life and is stumbling around in the dark in the wee hours.

I recall a night at Block when we were ending a long fish less weekend at North Rip. The tide was screaming east and several off my crew headed out in ankle deep water to see how far they could get. Me, I was so tired I was imagining things, nodding off midcast, and generally out of it. I started to follow them, but soon grew uneasy with the thought of being swept off the bar ala Ben Lubell. I returned to the safety of fish less waters and hoped my buddies would be OK out there. Fortunately they all returned safely.

A bass, even record sized one, is just a fish.

NOT worth it.
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Woody I remember the night well. I'm glad I looked at the dissappearing bar when I did. The walk back definitely had everyones' attention!!
Wetsuiting: I advocated through my club articles of the possible dangers lurking into deeper waters. Your gut usually tells you should I or should I not. Use your head and stay close to your buddy.

Really good thread here.

Like most guys here I carry two lights, a headlamp and a neck light with a rescue whistle taped to it mounted on surgical tubing.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/stripertalk/74089-safety-lights-whistle.html

I lost my hat and headlamp a few years ago while trying to avoid a rogue wave, ducked down between two rocks and the wash broke over me, luckily I had my neck light and was able to make my way back to shore safely.

I always try and fish with at least one other guy, if I do fish alone I will fish the "safer" spots.

Know your limits and stick by them.

When we do swim to a rock or point, we go one at a time, watching the other guy get to the point safely, that way if something was to happen were in a better position for a rescue.

Were in the works of putting a "rescue bag" together for next season. Something light enough where theres no reason not to bring it every trip.

So far the bag includes: small air horn, basic first aid kit, bolt cutters, whistle, roll of electrical tape, and a throw bag.

Hoping to put all the gear in a dry bag or small back pack, then the cell phone in a dry bag in case we need to call serious help.

The two guys I fish with are going to make the same bag so that we all have the same rescue gear, so no matter what happens we will always have at least one full kit.

The other things I always do are text the girlfriend where I am, a lot of times plans change at the last minute and you end up somewhere else, even though shes sleeping at least theres a time line of where i was last if something was to happen.

Be safe, its been said before but "its just a fish"

There was night this season that I found myself headed out to a dangerous spot requiring a swim in very rough seas... I had a bad, uneasy feeling before I even left the house, and it only grew, since I knew that with very big water, I had NO business going where I was going alone. Something just pushed me to go, as if I had no choice. I knew there would be fish there... I fished for 20 minutes, stuck 2 nice fish, but I swear that to this day, I have never actually felt a presence of near death like I did that night. it felt like the grim reaper was casting a snag hook right by my head... It was a VERY stupid place to be, in huge surf, completely alone... We all say "listen to the voice in your head"... But sometimes we dont...

Well that convinced me.

NEVER listen to the voices in Pete's head! ;-)
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Never turn your back to the water.

Or to an ex-wife.
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hahaha Woody... I cant tell you how many times I have looked at nasty conditions, and said "aaahhhhh... should be alright!" I need to cut that crap out!

When we used to go out of nauset inlet, just circling around inside waiting for the swells to lighten up a bit. You'd get your window and blast over the bar. . . . scary stuff standing a boat on it's tail. :eek:

If you're driving home after an all nighter and start to nod off. Get off the road and either catch a couple zzz's and/or get something in your system to keep you alert.

If you're driving home after an all nighter and start to nod off. Get off the road and either catch a couple zzz's and/or get something in your system to keep you alert.

Back in the day my partner and I use to drive from No. RI to P-Town, fish the Back, drive home, sleep 2 or 3 hours and spend some time with the family. Then do it all over again that night.

A couple of times I fell asleep at the wheel and RJ was asleep in the passenger seat. The Cranberry Highway is very lonely at 5 AM on Sunday morning. We finally wised up and started stopping at the rest area right after Bass River. Catch an hour sleep and be good to go.

Don't try to be a hero. If you start nodding off. STOP and sleep a bit.

It's just that some places like hazard ave or Beavertail that when it gets really snotty out , I think you'll need a lot more than a pfd to get your ass out of the drink.

Plain and simple: Don't fish Hazard or East side of Beavertail in a big swell. There are experienced guys on this site who have gone down or been swept off the rocks at both places and are lucky to have come out alive. There are better, safer alternatives near both locations anyways...

If you're driving home after an all nighter and start to nod off. Get off the road and either catch a couple zzz's and/or get something in your system to keep you alert.

Ive came closer to death driving home from fishing more often that i was in serious danger in the surf. I have a place in RI that i stop at if im tired and another place on 495 if im coming home from the cape. One year i got a real scare and put my blazer in 4 wheel drive and made a rest stop on 495. I just drove down into the ditch on the right side of the road and got a few hours of sleep. Caffeine doesn't do the trick for me at night.

The Unitarians of the Transcendentalist Movement of the early-mid 1800's like Emerson, Alcott, Thoreau, Parker, etc., they believed that God spoke to us through intuition.
It was a radical notion to put forth at the time because it undermined the power of the clergy to act in intercession. However, I believe in it and always heed my intuition.

Agreed on the driving thing... This is the most dangerous part of surfcasting for me...

For some reason allot of people say that, fine with me though "sometimes its best to be a loner"-Frank D. What year was that trip John? We didnt catch much, but between the group of guys we had and franks cooking we certainly had allot of fun and never went hungry.Well that convinced me.

NEVER listen to the voices in Pete's head! ;-)
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Hi Pete. The trip was 2009. Yes sir eats were great. Fishing was slow to say the least. Good time.

Anyone ever use one of these?

Spot 2 Satellite GPS Messenger

49891

Anyone ever use one of these?

Spot 2 Satellite GPS Messenger

49891

I have one I bring out on the boat and on the kayak. Thankfully haven't had to use it yet. I think I need to renew my subscription to the service soon, though.

I think the spot gps requires a monthly fee.

I would also suggest when wading you should test your forward foots stability before moving, The wave action can create a sudden dropoff that can be very dangerous.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I think the spot gps requires a monthly fee.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I'm pretty sure it's $100 a year. Not bad for something you can take with you wherever you go.

If anyone has a spot device how does it compare to an epirb device that doesn't require a fee, is the an advantage having one over the other? How about a vhf radio that has gps and wil lbroadcast your position in an emergency? I suppose it depends upon how far off shore you go, I really have no idea which is best. Perhaps I should start another thread so the most important tips are easier to read for those who might not read through all the tips that have been posted, maybe a sticky could be put together that covers the most important safety tips.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I wrote this story on surf rescues (http://fishhardlivelong.com/Articles/Narragsett_Surf_Rescues/Narragansett%20_Surf_Rescues.htm). What makes for a well executed surf rescue is not technology but leadership and planning.

I'm with you. My two extractions have been done by guys with medical degrees.

There is oviuosly a degree of common sense that comes into play when removing a hook and just "how bad" the impalment is and location. As with anything common sense rules.
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No fish in the sea I'd trade my life for.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Anyone ever use one of these?

Spot 2 Satellite GPS Messenger

49891

I would vote wholeheartedly against the spot- We had one when our boat went down. Too many buttons with extraneous features (do you really need to send a text message, or update facebook???), and a double press cancels the distress signal, with no notification.

Nice to think that you'd be rational and calm in an emergency situation, but the truth is that at first you're going to be panicked and pressing everything. Even worse if it's night out.

I'd recommend something like this:

McMurdo Fast Find 210 Personal Locator Beacon with GPS - Free Shipping at REI.com (http://www.rei.com/product/791972/mcmurdo-fast-find-210-personal-locator-beacon-with-gps)

No fee, waterproof to 33', strobe incorporated, but most importantly- ONE BUTTON. When it's on, you know it, and it stays on. Food for thought.

Maybe if you are driving a beach buggy, along a stretch of beach without landmarks, but other than that, I don't think a G.P.S. is necessary for surfcasters. Once you walk into a spot and fish it, if you catch anything substantial, the spot is burned in your memory.
If you don't catch, I think the simple act of walking in, and the fact that you can only really hit so many spots in one night is enough to familiarize you.
I only had one spot that I kept taking the wrong turns into, so I stuck a small piece of electrical tape on those standup boxes they have for underground phone and power lines. Horizontal for left, vertical for right. That was like 11 years ago and the tape is still there

I would vote wholeheartedly against the spot-

I'd recommend something like this:

McMurdo Fast Find 210 Personal Locator Beacon with GPS - Free Shipping at REI.com (http://www.rei.com/product/791972/mcmurdo-fast-find-210-personal-locator-beacon-with-gps)

No fee, waterproof to 33', strobe incorporated, but most importantly- ONE BUTTON. When it's on, you know it, and it stays on. Food for thought.

Thanks for your input and the link.

Maybe if you are driving a beach buggy, along a stretch of beach without landmarks, but other than that, I don't think a G.P.S. is necessary for surfcasters. Once you walk into a spot and fish it, if you catch anything substantial, the spot is burned in your memory.
If you don't catch, I think the simple act of walking in, and the fact that you can only really hit so many spots in one night is enough to familiarize you.
I only had one spot that I kept taking the wrong turns into, so I stuck a small piece of electrical tape on those standup boxes they have for underground phone and power lines. Horizontal for left, vertical for right. That was like 11 years ago and the tape is still there

I walk out pretty far on some damn foggy nights, 20 yard visibility and my garmin has kept me on track, not getting messed up in a guzzle or two. Bars everywhere , the compass shows me direction the gps lets me follow a track in and out. Lifesaving knowledge.

I think the point of the McMurdo an others like it is that if you get in trouble or hurt they call for help.A compass is best for surffishing as the batterys don't wear out.