A little elaboration: We were camped on a nice little island in British Columbia. There were porpoises and whales cruising the channel in front of our camp, as well as salmon jumping frequently. The sun was out, and most of the group were being slugs on the beach. Being genetically disposed to fish, I couldn't stand the group inactivety and set out on a solo fishing junket. I was trolling my newly discovered super salmon lure. After about a mile of trolling, I noticed some large scale water disturbance behind the kayak. Then a massive strike occurred. Whatever it was started stripping line from the reel, and towing the boat farther from camp at a rapid rate of speed. Then it dove straight down about 60 feet and almost capsized me. Then the line went slack, and I retrieved the precious lure. I never saw what it was, only the boiling mass of water behind the boat. I have no doubt that using a hand line (instead of rod and Penn reel) would have resulted in a spill, and I could have been swept out to sea. So the moral of the tale seems to be: don't fish alone, use a good rod and reel with plenty of line and a good drag (Penn reels are designed for salt water fishing), and pay attention at all times. I use an 8.5 foot steelhead rod made of graphite because the rod absorbs most of the shock that occurs during a strike. I would not recommend a hand line, and would never put fish on a stringer, not after what happened to Bruce R. in high school in Florida. Brad C. ********************************************************************** Bradford R. Crain E-mail: brad_at_mth.pdx.edu Dept. of Mathematics Phone: (503) 725-3127 Portland State Univ. FAX: (503) 725-3661 P.O. Box 751 Portland, Or. 97207 ********************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
A propos of that, there was a fatality on the Susquehanna River a few weeks ago. Two fishermen were in what was described as a large cockpit Keowee type of craft. They were fishing below the Conowingo Dam and had attached their anchor to the center of the cockpit for convenience. This is a power generating dam and it began dumping a great surge of water which caught the Kayak. It was immediately pushed down in the water and flipped. One fisherman made it to shore; the other drowned. Neither was wearing a pfd. I wonder if this boat might have stayed upright if the anchor line was attached to either end. At the very least perhaps the paddlers would have been able to use braces to hold it upright. JP -----Original Message----- From: BRADFORD R. CRAIN <brad_at_mth.pdx.edu> I have no doubt that using a hand line (instead of rod and >Penn reel) would have resulted in a spill, and I could have been >swept out to sea. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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