Missing Fishermen Port Burwell

A very tough time for a lot of people. So sad!
In the 90’s I fished for kings in the Port Elgin to Lions Head area. We had a trailer at a local camping facility. About ten of us fished regularly and enjoyed the comraderie. One rule we followed was to never be the last guy off the water. So the last two guys came in together.
 
@Nammer.C If ever Leary about a solo mission you can always post an open seat on this site. There shouldn't be an issue finding someone willing to share the cost of launch and gas . Better safe than sorry and you get a day of fishing in . Really hate to see these things happen to ppl . Hearts go out to family and friends .
 
I just saw a post on Facebook with a picture of the missing fisherman. He is Jack Glaves formerly of Delhi. I ve known Jack a long time. I tried to post the picture here but not that savvy. I'm hoping for a miracle at this point.
 
I hope he at least had a life jacket on when he ended up in the water. Survival time without it even in 70-80 F water is only between 2-12 hours due to exhaustion or unconsciousness. After all this time there's rarely a good ending so at this point we need a miracle or Erie has claimed another solo fisherman. SAD. :cry:
 
BayRunner16 said:
@Wildfire , being that you mentioned that... a Huron Sailor once shared with us - that in rough waters it's better to take a leak in a in pail and dump it then try to balance for the duration. He said it's a life saving tip! Happens to sailors more often than we know apparently because they enjoy the windy waters. I imagine a wet deck and top heavy individual would not take much to flip overboard. At this point in time - they will most likely find him washed a shore. Unfortunately :-{

Beachcomers be aware.
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A milk jug for the bagged milk is good to pee in because it has a handle and you can hold it in rough water
 
Wildfire said:
Could be the biggest boat with the flattest water. Doesn't matter if you slip while taking a leak and watch your boat troll away.
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This is true. Many people found by the coast guard have their zipper down because they are trying manouever over the gunnels to urinate. If you do not have a head on your boat I always keep a bailing can in one of the unused livewell's so you do not have to balance and can pee into the can. Trying to get it over the gunnel is dangerous in rough water.
 
If the boat is trolling it's dangerous even if the lake is totally flat @ob1goby. You go in you're in deep du du unless you're Michael Phelps in his heyday you won't catch up to a boat moving along at 2.8 mph.
 
ob1goby said:
I have been thinking about it all day trying to run different scenarios about how it could of happened and what went wrong. My thoughts and prayers go out the family and I hope their loved one will be found safely.

I usually do not sit down and construct a post but what has occurred makes you reevaluate the safe boating practices on your boat to minimize the risks. Its unfortunate that an incident like this makes me hypersensitive to boating safety but overtime complacency sets in and I end up going back to status quo until you read about the next unfortunate boater. I need to remind myself to think beyond the excitement of landing the big one or filling your ticket and stay on track with the other parts of the equation weather, time, people on board etc. We all share the same passion and each have our own way of doing things on the boat. I always have an open ear because everyone has ideas and methods that can be integrated into your own routines. The key is to be consistent and on guard.

1. I always let someone know what Port I will fish out of departure time and return time. Once I am off the water my wife gets a call.
2. I make everyone wear life jackets on the boat. If you think you are Michael Phelps guess again. Panic, waves, current and mouth full of water will cause problems.
3. At least one person on my boat needs to know how to operate it and understand what to do when there is a person overboard.
4. Flares and safety gear. Crew needs to know where you store these items. I shot an expired flare off once and it did not work.
5. Going out on a rough day with an offshore wind is foolish and I have done this before and not very smart. If I ran into problems with the boat I would have been f'd. Younger days and the quest for the fish. There was no one else out which brings me to my next point.
6. Ensure you have vhf contact with the Port you go out of. It is very reassuring when fishing the Great Lakes to see other boats fishing around you because help is a call on 68. Seeing a parking lot full of cars and boat trailers is not a bad thing.
7. Fortunately I have a kicker. There have been many times at the launch with people trying to start their engine with the Cowling off. If you are having any mechanical electrical troubles please address them before going out 8 miles.
8. First Time Boaters. Please learn how to use your boat, electronics and safety gear. I was Perch fishing out of Bruce way back and I had to rescue a distressed boater who had three generations of family on the boat. Overcrowded, unprepared and the clincher was he purchased the boat on Kijiji that day.
9. Gambling on the weather. Seeing a front coming in and trying to convince yourself it will pass. I have had electrical sparks coming off the tips of my downrigger rods and in other incidents water spouts a couple miles away. Again you think to yourself when am I going to get out next and challenge the inevitable. Get off the water and don't be like me.
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What a great post..thanks for taking the time to pen it.

Like almost every summer, tragedies like this one forces us to look at where and why we are out on the lake. Last summer it was two newly retired guys in our trailer park that lost their lives fishing on Erie.
The fishing gets hot, we're all biting at the bullet to get our rigs out on the lake and cash in on the short window of opportunity to fill our coolers. We've spent outlandish $$$ on new lures and electronics and rods and boat stuff...gotta use it. Sometimes we start to take some chances with wind and weather, maybe stretching out skills a bit beyond our limits.
I fish a lot by myself. I love the lake and the solitude. I have most all of the boating courses, a fully rigged 21' boat with all the safety gear and electronics . I wear an inflatable PFD all the time, a kill switch cord, and if rough have a sailing tether line to hook to...but I know this means little 8 or 10 miles out on the lake if things go south. Maybe we forget sometimes about how far out we really are...and what that f##king lake can do.
I was reminded the other day out just how easy an accident can happen. I was going to the back of the boat to check a rod when the boat rocked a bit and I almost tripped on a cooler. I guess thats how you go over the side..and then you're in the lake with the boat in gear. I had my vest on, but not the tether strap..it wasnt all that rough.
Making me really reconsider solo trips...
 
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