Fishermen stranded on Simcoe

[jedimaster]

“We’re not idiots. We’re a little crazy, maybe, but not idiots,” he said. “We love the sport and we just want to fish.”

 

It’s not the first time Borrelli’s winter hobby has been on thin ice. The Orillia resident has taken an icy plunge twice before while trying to reel in the catch-of-the-day.

 

“This is my third time I’ve had to be rescued on the ice,” Borrelli said, rubbing his hands together for warmth as he watched an OPP helicopter bring his buddies off the ice at Line 4 in Oro-Medonte Township. “The first time, me and my ice hut broke through, then once my Ski-Doo went in the water, and now this.”

 

At some point you have to ask yourself is it me or bad luck? Clearly everyone and I mean everyone knew that area was not safe. Everyone on every site had been talking about how the BBP area and pretty much anything on the east side was sketchy. Heck I only went out once on simcoe this year and it took me all of 5 minutes to figure out the normal areas I go ice fishing were not safe.

 

There is allot of information out there on where the safe ice is and isn't. Yes everyone wants to fish and everyone wants to have fun, and noone wants anything bad to happen. Sometimes common sense should prevail.

 

This reminds me of a time about half a dozen years ago I was up on Opeongo. I was taking a group of newcomers to the sport up to the North arm for some lakers. When we were waiting for the water taxi there was a group of clearly inexperienced fishermen out in canoes. They couldn't paddle worth a crap, few if any of them had life jackets. The water was pretty rough that day. I called out to them to stay close to shore cause the water is rough. They heard me and kept going. We picked up a ride in the taxi and went on our way. A week later when we came down the guy told us about a group of canoers that went into the water right near the store and some of them drowned. I want to say something like within a few hundred feet of the docks.

I knew instantly who it was.

 

I have been on the other end of advice I did't want to listen to but I have long since my lesson to listen to what people have to say. Safety before pride people. With the boating season coming up this should serve as a lesson to everyone. When people say its not safe, or put your lifejacket on, or watchout the waves on Lake X are bad, find another thing to do or make adjustements. Be informed and be safe. Don't let foolish pride get in the way of good judgement. Thankfully noone was hurt. Who is to blame? Not mother nature, she has been doing this for eon's and will continue to do so long after we leave.

We are Fishermen. We are Outdoorsmen. Respect mother nature and she may just allow you to get home safe and sound.

[lookinforwalleye]

Borelli called wants to know if you want to go ice fishing?

 

Once or twice each and every year icefishermen leave me shaking my head once again they did not disappoint!

[Sinker]

I hope everyone who reads this understands that it was an offshore wind that caused the problem. NEVER venture out on ice that ends at open water, with an offshore wind....EVER. Any thickness of ice can crack and go adrift with the wind. I'm sure there were some guys out there who just didn't know better, or never even gave the wind direction a thought, but there were guys out there who were just taking a chance.

 

They are all VERY lucky to be alive. Don't mess with Mother nature. She has no mercy, and will kill you in a second. She's a force not to take chances with.

 

S.