fishing alone

[solopaddler]

I've done a bunch of extended solo canoe trips, longest one was almost 4 months. On that trip I went 7 weeks without seeing another human being.

 

So yeah, depending on my mood I love to fish alone.

[bigugli]

Somedays you just need that quiet of being by yourself to collect your thoughts and consider the important things in your life.

[mikeh]

When I fish alone I will not take the pfd off . Going fishing solo tomorrow on Georgian Bay and will probably wear a floater suit and will not lean over too far to land and release that big musky.

[Dabluz]

I go out fishing alone most of the time. However, my hired body guards are not far from me in another boat and my private helicopter is within a few minutes just in case.

[Rich]

I don't often fish alone in the boat because well, it pretty much takes two to launch mine. I also get bored fishing alone. I'm good for a couple hours then usually go in.

 

As for safety, never worried much. I keep a cell phone in a Ziploc bag to prevent it from getting waterlogged and not working, and if the water's looking treacherous I'll gladly put on the PFD.

[Fisherman]

Something a lot may not be aware of, all the extra clothes you wear along with boots, etc, act like an anchor once they get wet and trying to swim or get back to the surface is almost impossible. I fell into about 4' of water once with fleece pants boots and a heavy sweater, it was a real effort just to get up on shore. Wear the damm PFD.

[JerseyDog]

There are a lot more dangerous things than fishing alone. Just driving the 401 you are risking your life every time you are out!!!!!!

 

While I agree that the 401 can be a pretty hairy run, especially through TO, fishing is a dangerous sport in terms of drowning with 39% of people who drowned in Canada between 1991-2000 being engaged in fishing and another 6% in hunting make 45% of drowning victims some kind of sportsman (total 606 people). And while the study does not break out for solo trips, I can only imagine that substantially increases the risk.

 

That being said, I fish alone probably 85% of the time. What a great way to get away from it all.

[tinbanger]

Thanks for the replies and some great ( luckily!) stories.

 

Follow some basic safe boating practices , be prepared and where a pfd and there will be lots of great stories to come.

 

TB

[holdfast]

My Worries are rogue bears, humans, and my vehical getting stuck. Finally got CAA, Cell Phone with a charger, tool Kit, Flare gun, First Aid Kit, Life Jacket is on in a canoe, and a couple of shots of Southern Comfort only once Im ashore to put me to sleep. And I take my chances carefully most times.

[limeyangler]

I'm not retired or anything, but i just fish so often a lot of my buddies cant keep up....lol...so i also fish alone a lot too. I dont think you can have enough safety gear...as anyone who has seen my recent posts would have to see where i'm coming from. I am definitely going to get one of those GPS spo signal things, not only for my own safety...but my wife's piece of mind, cell phone a no go up here...can hardly get signals even in town!!!! Lots of folks thought i was weird last winter here....i was wearing my boat pFD jacket under my winter jacket when icefishing.....made me feel safer...specially around first ice, even when the ice was 4 feet thick by February i always carried my ice spikes. Happy hunting/fishing...keep safe all.

[mistyriver1]

Great thread.

 

I'm fortunate that I have two fishing partners under the same roof so I usually have someone with me. However, when we go for our family fishing vacations, I usually like to go out in the early morning myself for a couple of hours. I just make sure all of my items are accessable, (ie cell phone, two way radio, etc..) and have my net, pliers, bolt cutters within a quick grab. When I am alone, I always wear my PFD. It just gives me a sense of extra comfort. I also tell my wife when to expect me in.

[daking_eh2007]

Make sure that "Kill Switch" is attached to you all the time, I know it is very inconvenient but is can be the difference berween life and death!

[misfish]

Make sure that "Kill Switch" is attached to you all the time, I know it is very inconvenient but is can be the difference berween life and death!

 

Great advice.

Back when I had my mishap, I did not have that feature,but the tiller throttle would cut down to nil.

When I had the bass boat, I always made sure it was attached to my PFD and HOOKED UP TO THE KILL SWITCH. Big dif between 23 mph and 58 MPH ,when you go FLYING out of a boat.

 

Thanks again for a great thread.

[Carp]

The majority of my fishing is done alone as well, wear your PFD if there aren't that many folks on the water and especially when the water temps drop below 60*F!!!

 

 

60 F ???

That's bathwater for us canucks Glen.

Might be a tad chilly for a guy who goes shirtless most of the year though.