Winter Thread Topic: Surf Safety Tips & Tricks
 

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/imag...qua+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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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

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.

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.

From OTW magazine
 

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.

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.

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.