Bug repellent is a must in most saltwater destinations.
Many saltwater fly-fishing destinations are in beautiful but remote locations that have few or no medical services. If you get sick or hurt, you could be in trouble.
Before you leave for a trip, research the medical services that are available at your destination, and plan accordingly. Also make sure to pack a comprehensive first-aid kit, complete with antibiotics, pain relievers, bandages (and tape), diarrhea medicine, and insect repellent.
To ensure your safe return home in case of serious sickness or injury, by all means purchase evacuation travel insurance.
There is no worse feeling than being on the ocean and having your innards suddenly go into nauseous convulsions. You’re the victim of a scourge that has plagued humankind since we first hoisted a sail on the ocean. Its common name is seasickness, though those who have suffered from it may also call it “sea death,” as many folks would rather be thrown to the sharks to put them out of their misery. It isn’t fun.
Without getting into the medical reasons behind seasickness, there are a couple of things you can do to help avert having it happen to you.
First, watch what you eat the night before you go fishing. Eat light. A double helping of lasagna with some garlic bread and red wine on the side is going to sit in your stomach all night, and still be there the next morning.
Bug repellent is a must in most saltwater destinations.
Check the conditions before you head out.
If you eat light, yet still suspect that you’re going to feel ill on the water, consider taking an over-the-counter medicine such as Dramamine or Bonine before you go out. Ear patches, wrist bands, and other medications can also be obtained, though in most cases you’ll need a prescription from your doctor.
What has worked for many of my clients over the years is a teaspoon of pickled ginger, the kind you can get at your local sushi restaurant or Asian market. For some reason, this remedy works almost all the time. If you’re on the water and start to get an upset stomach, eat a teaspoon of ginger—you’ll be amazed at the results.
One old-timer’s method for curing seasickness is to look at the horizon or a landmark and avoid looking down, a move that usually triggers the nausea.
Another trick, used by one of my older fishing buddies, is to never go out on the ocean without a box of saltine crackers. Eating a few crackers always worked for him.
If all else fails, start the boat and motor into the wind. A breeze on your face will help you feel better.
We talk so much about how to pick the right flies, cast into the wind, and fight fish, but we rarely cover the importance of being able to operate a skiff if called upon to do so.
It’s simple. If you’re on the water in a boat or skiff, miles offshore or somewhere on the flats, and your guide, captain, or fishing buddy is for some reason unable to run the skiff—perhaps due to illness or injury— it’s critical that you know how to run the craft back to shore and safety. The chances are slim that this will actually happen, but you never know. It happened to me once, and I’ll forever be thankful that I knew how to operate a boat.
One painless way to learn the basics of running a boat is to enroll in a boating and water safety class.
When heading out for a day on the water, make a point of familiarizing yourself with the skiff or boat’s power unit. How does the motor start—with a key-controlled electric starter, or with a manual pull cord?
Does the boat or skiff have a center console with steering wheel, or is the motor moved by a tiller? Is there a kill switch that will deactivate the motor if the switch is detached from the key?
Knowing how to operate a skiff can be useful in an emergency situation.
Where is the boat’s GPS and navigation unit? Is it set to track back to the boat’s launching point? Does the craft have a VHF radio? How is it operated and, in an emergency, how do you contact the Coast Guard?
And last, but hardly least: Where are the personal flotation devices and first-aid kit?
Familiarize yourself with all these aspects of boat operation, and you’ll be able to return the boat and its passengers to safety if something happens to the boat’s operator.
I know it looks great to have a tan, but in truth, that tan can eventually turn into skin cancer—and if you get melanoma, it can kill you. Here are some ways to keep those rays off your skin.
The recommended strength for sunblock varies. Some doctors say SPF 15 is adequate; many dermatologists say you should use nothing less than SPF 30. Whatever strength you decide to use, be smart and, during your day on the water and in the sun, take the time to reapply sunblock frequently, especially to your nose, ears, hands, and face—the parts of the body that take the brunt of the sun’s rays. After application, be sure to clean your hands thoroughly so you don’t get any sunblock on your fly or line. Gamefish can detect the odor and may spook.
The best way to protect your skin is to completely cover your body with proven protective clothing. Most new outdoor wear is not only comfortable and functional, but has an SPF rating of 30-plus, which provides you with extra protection. These outfits come in an assortment of colors and styles for even the most fashionconscious saltwater fly rodder.
A hat is one of the most basic elements of sun protection. There is such a huge variety of hats available that it’s largely a matter of preference. Some folks prefer the standard baseball cap, which provides moderate protection. Watch out for mesh trucker’s caps, however, as the sun will penetrate right through the mesh. A widebrimmed hat that covers your ears as well as your head and neck is better for overall protection. Then there’s the balaclava, which is currently very popular and can be worn completely over the face, on the neck, or merely on the head. Several versions are available, and can be adapted to hot, warm, or cold conditions.
Stay covered up to avoid the sun’s harmful rays.
It can happen at any time, even when you’re home and messing around with your tackle: You’re hooked, and past the barb. You’ve got to get the thing out, and you don’t want to head in for first aid or doctors. What to do? Well, this system works like magic, but you’ve got to have some nerve to pull it off. First, press down on the eye of the hook. Next, wrap a piece of string or cloth around the curve of the hook. Finally, while pressing down hard on the eye, give the shank a quick jerk. Put some antiseptic on the wound and go back to fishing. Caveat: Don’t try this when hooked in vulnerable areas like the face. If you want to see this technique done visually before you try it, Google the words “fish hook removal.” That will take you to several sites.
Despite long-time and widely held myths, waders and/or a wading belt cannot be the sole cause of you drowning if you fall into the river. The extra weight and cumbersome gear may make them feel as if they’re dragging you down, but they’re actually not dragging you down any more than your trousers or shirt. Swift currents, especially white water, can force you under, whether you’re wearing waders or not. Lee Wulff proved all this by diving off a bridge into a river back in 1947 wearing full waders. He let the waders fill with water and floated downstream with his head up without a problem. If you fall in with waders on, keep your head up, get your footing as soon as you can, and slosh out of the water. Repeat: Keep your head up and don’t panic. The waders will not drown you. If you’re still not convinced, wear your waders and hop into a swimming pool to see what it’s like. Of course, we’re assuming you know how to swim.
The best snakebite kit in the world is a set of car keys. Get to the hospital promptly, without panic or killing yourself or someone else on the way. If possible, carry the dead snake with you for certain identification that the bite is poisonous.
You can read a lot about lightning, learning interesting stuff, like the fact that instead of the old bromide of “never striking twice in the same place,” it usually does strike twice in the same places. The thing to remember is that lightning can, and will, kill you very quickly if you’re caught in a storm—or even on the edges of a storm—waving your rod around. No fish is worth the consequences. Take cover when a storm is approaching.
When the rain that has been plaguing your region for a day or two is coming to an end, and you’re cheering the prospect of going fishing, be aware that with the passing front will come the wind. Be ready to fish in windy conditions. On big water, fresh or salt, you might not even be able to fish the way you want to—or even get out.
In the deep South, where fishing in the black-water streams and swamps might yield a hefty stringer of bream, bass, and crappies, leaving that stringer waiting at the edge of the stream or lake while you make camp requires a note of caution. Before you reach down to pull it up, make sure a big moccasin or water snake hasn’t paid your fish a visit. The cottonmouth is venomous, poison to you and me, while the non-venomous water snake can have a lousy disposition at times and ruin your day.
Several years ago I had one of my worst scares ever while fishing on my home lake. I was in my boat alone, casting for bass around a shoreline on the far side of the lake. I’d noticed storm clouds building to the west, and I’d heard thunder rumbling. But the fish were biting, and I allowed the excitement of the moment to overrule my good sense to get back to the boat ramp before the storm broke.
Winter fishermen should be prepared with gloves, face mask and good boots and socks. Anglers must be pre pared for two special perils that this season brings. One is hypothermia—a lowering of the body’s core temperature through rapid heat loss. The second danger is frostbite.
When I finally decided to head back in, I’d waited too long. When I was in the middle of the lake, a fierce wind struck, and it seemed as though my small boat and I were in the North Atlantic. Waves were as high as my head. Spray drenched me, and the boat started taking water.
I cinched my life vest up tight. My only hope of not swamping was to turn downwind and run with the waves. After an anxious 15-minute ride, I beached in a desolate cove, where I was stuck for a couple of hours while the storm passed. Rain poured down, and lightning popped! I sat huddled in a gully, soaked and miserable, but at least I was okay.
Overall, fishing is a very safe sport, but it does involve certain hazards. Some of these may be life-threatening, others only discomforting. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” applies. If I’d started back to the boat ramp 15 minutes earlier, I wouldn’t have wound up in such a predicament. If the angler down the lake had done the same, he’d probably be alive today!
Following is a look at safety considerations in fishing, at dangers which can arise and how to avoid or deal with them. We’ll take them in order of seriousness: life-threatening first, then discomforting second.
LIGHTNING - Because fishing is an outdoor sport, you will experience different types of weather. This means that sooner or later you’ll be exposed to one of the most dangerous of all natural killers: lightning. Lightning doesn’t get the scare publicity that tornadoes, hurricanes and other sensational weather phenomena do. But each year lightning claims more lives than all other weather-related accidents combined. Invariably, some of these victims are fishermen.
Fishing has certain hazards. A combination of open water and high winds can swamp a boat if resulting waves get too high. Anglers should always watch the weather and be careful to avoid potential danger on the water.
Kids learn at an early age that lightning strikes tall objects. Tallness is relative. A fisherman in a boat on a lake is tall in comparison to what’s around him. The same is true about an angler standing on a flat, barren shoreline. In either case, if the fisherman is using a rod (particularly graphite), in effect he’s holding a lightning rod, and he’s inviting disaster.
The cardinal rule is never allow yourself to get caught where lightning is likely to strike. If you see a storm coming, get off the water or away from high areas or tall objects. The safest place to be is inside a house or vehicle. Don’t stand under isolated trees or poles. If you get caught in an electrical storm, wait it out in the lowest spot you can find, and keep a low profile. If you get caught on the water and can’t make it to shore, stow your rods and lie down in the boat.
HIGH WINDS - High winds are another weather peril for anglers in boats. Small boats and big waves are a bad combination. If you think the waves are too high, don’t go out. If you are out and see a storm coming, head in. If you get caught in high waves and start taking water, forget about trying to get back to the dock or ramp. Turn and go with the wind. Let the waves take you where they may.
If you are in a boat that does swamp, stay in it rather than abandon it. Most boats today have level flotation, and even if they fill with water, they won’t sink. Keep your life jacket cinched tightly, try to stay calm, and wait for someone to come to your rescue.
A hook buried in a hand is a quick way to ruin a fishing trip. Sooner or later most anglers will be presented with this dilemma. They have the choice of going to a doc tor to have it removed or removing it themselves by using the “yank” method described in this chapter.
FOG - Sometimes you may be tempted to head out onto a foggy lake. My advice is don’t go. When you can’t see where you’re going, you risk running into an unseen object or getting lost. Stay at the boat ramp until the fog lifts. You won’t miss much fishing time, and you won’t be taking unnecessary chances.
Also, keep a GPS or a compass handy in case fog rolls in. I have a GPS on my fish finder, and I also keep a small compass in my tackle box. Fog causes you to lose all sense of direction, and a GPS or compass can help you find your way back to the launch site.
HYPOTHERMIA - “Exposure” is the common term for hypothermia. This is a loss of body heat - typically caused by getting wet - that can eventually cause death. This is not just a winter problem. It can occur in other seasons, too. It’s usually brought on by a combination of cool air, wind and wet clothes. Evaporation of moisture from clothing causes a rapid heat loss, and this leads to a drop in body temperature. If this drop is severe, death can follow.
The first sign of hypothermia is mild shivering. This is the body’s way of trying to warm itself, and it’s also a warning signal of trouble. If something isn’t done to reverse this situation, the shivering can become uncontrollable, and the victim starts losing feeling in his arms and legs. His speech becomes slurred, and his thinking gets fuzzy. If his body temperature continues to drop (75-80° F), he will slip into a coma and possibly die.
If you or a fishing buddy starts shivering, don’t ignore this signal!
It’s time to take action. There are two things to do: (1) remove the cause of cooling (wet clothing); and (2) restore body heat. This can be done by replacing wet clothes with dry ones (especially a dry cap or hat), by drinking warm fluids (coffee, tea, etc.), by eating energy-rich foods (candy), and by warming next to a fire or some other heat source. You must stop the loss of body heat and restore it to a nor mal level. If the symptoms progress to uncontrollable shivering, get medical help fast. Remember, hypothermia is a killer.
FROSTBITE - Frostbite can be a threat to winter fishermen. In essence, this is a burn that occurs when skin is exposed to a combination of very cold air, moisture and wind. Circulation drops. The flesh becomes numb and freezes. Frostbitten toes or fingers turn white, and they’re very cold to the touch.
Frostbite can be avoided by moving around, replacing wet gloves or socks with dry ones, holding numb fingers under your armpit, or holding a warm hand over an exposed ear, nose or cheek.
If frostbite does occur, don’t rub it. Instead, place the frostbitten area next to warm skin, and leave it there to thaw. Seek medical attention.
Drowning is a constant danger to fishermen. Each year we hear tragic stories of anglers who have fallen out of boats or off the bank and were lost. This danger is easily avoided. Following are commonsense rules for making sure you won’t become a drowning victim.
WEAR A LIFE PRESERVER. - Using a life preserver is the “ounce of prevention” I mentioned earlier. Very few anglers drown while wearing a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD). Whenever you’re in a boat, you’re required to have such a preserver with you. You’re not required to wear it, however, and this gets many lackadaisical fishermen in trouble.
Accidents happen when you least expect them, and they happen quickly. If you’re not wearing your life preserver, and your boat suddenly over turns, you probably won’t have a chance to put your PFD on. Always wear your PFD when the boat is running, and zip it up or tie it. Also, it’s a good idea to wear it even when the boat’s not running, especially if you’re a poor swimmer. A vest-type preserver isn’t bulky. It’s comfortable, and it won’t interfere with your fishing.
Or, perhaps a better option is an approved inflatable-type PFD that’s worn like suspenders. If you fall out of the boat, a quick tug on a lanyard activates a CO2 cartridge that instantly inflates the PFD.
Bank fishermen should also consider wearing a PFD. Especially if you’re fishing along steep banks, tailraces, docks, bridges or similar spots. Children should never be allowed close to such spots without wearing a securely fastened PFD.
DON’T OVERLOAD THE BOAT. - One of the worst incidents in my life was watching a duck hunter drown. Four grown men and a retriever were in a small johnboat motoring across the lake where my partners and I were hunting. Suddenly the boat capsized, and the men were in the water. One couldn’t swim, and he went down in deep water before my hunting partners and I could rescue him.
The first mistake these men made was in not wearing their life preservers. They had PFDs in the boat, but they were of little use.
Their second mistake was putting too much load into too small a boat. Little boats aren’t meant for heavy loads, especially when there’s a chance of encountering high waves, strong current, etc.
How to Remove Embedded Hooks
Despite your best prevention efforts, sooner or later you or your fishing partner will likely be on the receiving end of a flying hook, or you’ll sit or step on a hook. When this happens, you have a choice. You can go to a doctor and have it surgically removed, or you can pull the hook out yourself by the following method, which is simple and fairly painless.
You’ll need two 18-inch pieces of strong twine. (Monofilament doubled over works well.) If the embedded hook is attached to a lure, remove the lure so only the hook remains. Run one piece of twine through the eye (hole) of the hook, and hold it snug against the skin. With the other hand, loop the other piece of twine through the bend of the hook (between the skin and the hook), pull out all slack, and get a strong grip. If you’re doing this properly, the two pieces of string will be pulling in opposite directions.
Now, hold the hook eye firmly in place next to the skin. With the other string, yank up and away very suddenly and forcefully. Done properly, this yields a fulcrum movement that pops the barb back out the entry hole. Wash the puncture wound, treat it with antiseptic and apply a Band-Aid, then go back to fishing. Watch closely the next few days for any sign of infection, and if any appears, seek medical attention.
You never know when a boating accident will occur. Wearing a personal flotation device is like an insurance policy against drowning. PFDs should always be on and zipped up when a boat is moving, and it’s a good idea to wear a PFD anytime you’re on the water.
This lesson absolutely applies to all fishermen and other boaters. If you’re going out on a big lake or river, be certain your boat is sea worthy enough to handle rough water. Sure, nobody intends to get caught in a blow, but unexpected storms can lead to disaster.
All boats are rated for maximum loads. Before you leave shore, figure the total weight that’ll be in the boat, and don’t overload it. Also, distribute the weight evenly throughout the boat. Don’t concentrate the weight in one area.
DON’T DRINK AND BOAT. - The statistics tell a sad story. A majority of boating accidents involve alcohol consumption. Drinking and boating is just as serious as drinking and driving. (Many states now have laws against the former just as they do the latter.) The bottom line is, don’t drink and boat! Also, don’t ride with a boat operator who’s been drinking.
AVOID KNOWN DANGER AREAS. - Tailwaters, dam intakes, rapids, waterfalls and other areas with strong currents or underwater objects pose special dangers to fishermen. Yet, some people fish these spots despite warnings to the contrary. Invariably some of them get into trouble. Never fish where posted warnings or your common sense tells you it’s unsafe. Be alert to sudden water releases when fishing below dams. After a hard rain, avoid streams prone to flash flooding.
AVOID UNSAFE ICE WHEN ICE-FISHING. - Each fall a few anglers go out on new ice too early, or in spring they try to stretch the season by fishing on ice that is thawing and rotten. Both groups are pressing their luck, and inevitably some press too far. Incidents of fishermen breaking through thin ice and drowning are all too common and could be avoided if anglers would be more cautious.
Here’s the rule to follow: two inches of new, clean ice is safe to walk on. Anything less is dangerous. Also, don’t walk on ice when you see air bubbles or cracks. When walking on new ice, have a partner follow a few feet behind, or you follow him! The person walking behind should carry a length of rope or a long pole to pull his partner out if he breaks through the ice. Take a long-handle chisel and tap in front of you to make sure ice is solid. But again, if there’s any reasonable question that the ice is unsafe, don’t go out on it!
Wading anglers should exercise special caution to avoid holes and dropoffs that could lead to step ping in over their heads.
Thin ice can turn an ice-fishing trip into a nightmare. Anglers should never test their luck by venturing onto ice that they have even the slightest doubt about being thick enough to support their weight.
Veteran ice fishermen follow other safety rules in the early and late season. They wear PFDs when walking on ice and carry long nails or pointed dowels in a handy pocket. If you break through, these can be used to jab into ice at the edge of the hole to pull yourself out.
Sunburn rides the fence between “discomforting” and “life threatening.” A sunburn is certainly uncomfortable, though the pain is only temporary. Doctors now know, however, that overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer, and this can be deadly.
Pro anglers used to wear shorts and fish without shirts, and they had great suntans. Today, though, most pros have gotten the message. Many wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and caps with flaps to shade their ears and necks. On skin areas still exposed to the sun (back of hands, nose, cheeks), they apply a strong sunscreen.
Always apply sunscreen to exposed skin areas. Sunscreen should have an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating of at least 15, and 30 or higher is better. Sunscreen should be reapplied periodically when an angler is perspiring freely, since sunscreen will wash off the skin.
There are three times when hooks “fly:” (1) When you’re casting (or when your buddy is casting); (2) when you or he snatches a hung-up lure out of a shore-side limb; (3) when you or he is fishing with a surface lure, and you set the hook and miss. These “flying” hooks can be hazardous to anglers who happen to be in their path. Be alert when you’re casting, and also when others are casting. If your bait snags on a bush or limb, don’t get impatient and yank. Try to flip your bait out, and if it won’t come, go get it.
Sunglasses or clear safety glasses will protect your eyes from flying hooks. I wear sunglasses during daytime fishing, and I wear safety glasses when night fishing. I particularly enjoy night-fishing with topwater lures for bass. Most strikes, however, are heard instead of seen. If the fish misses the lure, and you rear back with your rod, you’ve got a hook-studded missile flying at you through the dark.
Overexposure to the sun’s harmful rays can cause skin cancer. When fishing in bright sun, anglers should wear long-sleeve shirts and broad brim hats to shield exposed skin. Also, they should apply sunscreen (at least SPF 15) to backs of hands, neck and other exposed areas.
There are ways to wade a river safely, and ways to ensure that you will get wet. Dale Darling, former owner of the St. Vrain Angler fly shop, has a few pointers for keeping dry. First, no matter how good your wading boots feel, you want to walk next to rocks, not on top of them. You never want to find yourself in a situation where your legs are crossed, or you’ll lose your balance. Keep the toes of your boots pointed slightly upstream at all times to maintain balance. And when you’re crossing the river in swift current, pick a destination point at a 45-degree angle downstream from where you start, and cross on an angle. If there’s an obvious deep spot, avoid it by choosing a path of embarkation and debarkation from the river that starts at point A, upstream, and ends at point B, roughly 45 degrees downstream. As a rule, don’t step into unfamiliar waters where you cannot clearly see your boots. Wear polarized sunglasses to help you see the bottom. And always cross the river downstream. When you fight the current by pressing upstream, you will inevitably lose the battle.
—K.D.
When crossing swift currents, link arms with your colleagues for support and stability.
Move slowly downstream; Shuffle your feet so you don’t have any surprises.
If you had to cross here, would you cross above or below the riffles?