Quote:
Originally Posted by basswipe
My take on this will be a little different.
First of all I'm certainly glad your OK but.....you did three really stupid things.
1.No where in your story did you mention wearing a PFD.I don't care who you are but trying to swim 50-75yds with a pole in one hand and gear around your waist and no PFD just isn't smart.If you were wearing a PFD my apologies and it would only be two stupid things:
2.You tried to save a bunch of plugs instead of getting to safety.Its just money and that can be replaced,your life cannot.
3.You were by yourself.Always fish with a buddy in places like that.Having someone in sight doesn't mean squat if they can't get to you.
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Basswipe, your post brings up valid points.
1. NO PFD, i do own two actually, the slimmiest one i could fine, i havent used it that much as most the wetsuit fishing I do doesnt involve long swims just a deep wade and maybe swimming over a hole, and i own an emergency pull one that inflates. The slim one i find uncomforatble and difficult to use with the plug bag. But after this happened, going to force myself to use it and make it work.
2. When i attempted to grab the plugs i wasnt in any danger yet, the plug wasnt lodged in my arm at this point and i was still safe just swimming near the rock, so attempted to save the plugs that were floating by and stuff them back in my bag, and climb on the rock. but when i extended my arm out thats when the plug became lodged in my wetsuit and arm. then i ditched the one plug i did grab and headed in.
3. In any other circumstance i always fish with one or two other guys especially when we do make a swim, the usual protocall is one guy goes first and onces hes safely to the spot and has caught his breath, the second guy goes, so that in case something happens your buddy has an eye on you. If i happen to fish alone, i play it save and will fish a "safer" spot.
the only reason i went solo is the other guy i went with wasnt comfortable swimming that far out as hes newer to wetsuiting. and the swell/surf wasnt anything of issue until i got that far out.
hindsight is always 20/20.
This was meant to hopefully help someone learn from my experience and bad calls, let the plugs go, fish with a buddy at all times if possible, pdf even if just for the swim out and learn from every outting.
Hope everyone stays save and thanks to everyone else who shared a close call story.
Chef