Watch Your Step

[WatchinTheWater]

A Denver news station aired a piece this morning about a man fishing in Cheeseman Canyon that took a nasty fall on some icy rocks. After a long tumble a large boulder stopped him from ending up in the water. The boulder may have caused further injury but it probably saved his life from either drowning or hypothermia. His injuries included three or four broken ribs, the associated punctured lung, and fractures of the pelvis (really bad ouch) and arm. Thanks to a family hiking in the area and a couple of other people fishing the man was rescued and recovery began with a month stay in the hospital.

I know I am guilty of taking a few risks to get some fish but no fish is worth your life or the long recovery time of a bad injury from a foolish decision.
BE CAREFULL OUT THERE!

I hope all of you have a great 2010 releasing many finned friends.
Dave
WTW

[fflutterffly]

Good advise. Also, in bad weather never fish alone.

[castaway]

Thanks Dave...

I have had a near death experience on a creek, as it wasnt even me being "extreme" just standing on a ledge over looking the river.

With all this rain, rocks and cliffs will be very unstable for a long while. I second that - BE CAREFUL!

[beachbum]

I fished Deckers a lot in the 70's. It's pretty cold, and not easy wading. The point is valid for here too. A swim in freezing weather is a quick way to hyopthermia. If it ever happens (it has to me), and you can't get to a warm car, start a fire immediately, and warm up. Fire is a lifesaver.

One of the good things about rubber sole wading boots, is the snow doesn't clump on the soles, like it does on felt. Be safe, and stay dry!

[BradW]

Dave,
Have any experience with bad falls? Its always good to reinforce good safety practices, especially when you're off the beaten path and near water. Hope all is well in the Rockies and you're keeping warm (except when chasing big browns in the Yampa).
Thanks for the reminder,
Brad

[WanderingBlues]

I had a nasty fall in DC while boulder hopping. I seriously thought I might not get out as the pain in my hip was crazy. Now, I try to bring a buddy. And, I always let my wife know where I'll be.

[duckdog]

i had an experience on the upper o many year's ago that kinda spooked me and really made me pay attention to where i step along any river with snow on the ground.
there was about 2 ft. of snow on the ground , the river was not open to fishing, i was jump shooting duck's. i had started at the campground and sloged well past hot creek to pickoff my last greenhead. now i was trying to get back to my truck and hotel room where my wife was waiting to go to breakfast. i cut accross a slight depression along the river only to find that it was an iced over back eddy covered with snow. as i steped onto it one leg went through the ice and i went face first into the mess. lucky for me that back eddy was only about 4 ft. deep and i had on wader's. the river was running low so to say that i was lucky is a massive understatement. i did wind up with the worst leg cramp that i have ever had and it took hour's to get back to my truck , useing my shotgun as a crutch and only able to walk 50 or 60 yds at a time before having to stop because of the pain in my cramping leg. needless to say i didn't make breakfast- i made dinner. karen had called the mono co. sherif and they pulled up just as i got to my truck. what i learned on my fun day out---- if you are going to be exerting yourself in very cold weather [it was 10 below zero that morning] do not drink alcohol the night before.----bring plenty of water, even in cold weather you can become dehydrated [ i had NO water with me].------NEVER BE IN SUCH A RUSH THAT YOU STOP PAYING ATTENTION TO WHERE YOU STEP ALONG A RIVER WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND !
to any of you heading to the upper o this winter , be carefull and take nothing for granted or it will bite you in the butt, if that back eddy had been 2 feet deeper ? ---mike.

[ashtree1]

yeah a couple weeks back was on a stretch of river that was too cold and too fast and little too high for me to be having any business or success on. With no Wading belt on I very slowly waded out in the middle of it up to my chest faster as I got deeper in it and even though one false step could have me under in a bad way I still kept trying to get across in different parts. For the first time in a long time I had a feeling I was doing something I wasn't suppose to and that life was in jeopardy and was just stupid to risk it all to get across this stretch. I really could of died if I push the issue on getting across that day and several times falling in on sections kept reminding me of what a dumb a** I was being risking not making it home to my family.When I first started fly fishing a guy was found dead in a area I fish (probably heart attack/natural causes/who knows), but everytime I walk by that part I think of what it would be like to die cold and alone. Stay safe guys its not worth it I know alot of guys believe its a good death to go out doing something you love but almost all of us got someone depending on us to make it home.

[Eric]

Thanks for the reminder.. couple of things I do is never fish alone and always carry a first aid kit,fire starter and the Adventure medical emergency bivvy sack.
Eric

[1mocast]

Dave,
Thanks for the reminder...I for one have done some stupid things all in the name of trying to retrieve a fly...Or getting to a better spot on polished granite...

[fly_baby]

Thanks for the reminder. I've always heard that the combination of felt soles and snow is a dangerous combination. Heck, felt soles muddy banks are a bad combination.

Ava