This week I was guiding a local gentleman and his visiting son in law, on the White River at Rim Shoals. We had a pretty good morning and we stopped fishing, for lunch, at a picnic table, under a shade tree, at the Rim Shoals ramp. It was a surprisingly pleasant day, with unseasonably cool temperatures, partly cloudy skies and light winds. The water was a bit high at around 9,500 cubic feet per second (CFS) or the rough equivalent of three full generators with a promise of more to come soon.
As we walked to the shaded picnic tables, I noticed two kayaks, on the bank near the ramp. There were a couple of older guys (younger than me) were rigging there rods. They were wearing waders and I surmised that were preparing, to fish, from their kayaks. I discussed with my clients that it seemed to me like a lot of water, to fish from a kayak. When Lori and I fish, from a kayak, we don’t actually fish from the kayak itself but use the boat, to access wadable water. With this much generation there is no wadable water.
As we sat there eating lunch, I made a couple of observations, as they loaded the kayaks and launched them. First they had some cheapo personal flotation devices (PFDs), also called life jackets, which they did not put on but put in the back, of their kayaks. Second one of the anglers looked like he had never been in a kayak before.
I was concerned that anyone would get into a kayak, without a PFD. I read, in this publication, that there was a kayak related fatality last week, where the kayaker drowned. He was sitting, on his PFD and was not wearing it. I was also concerned that anyone would get, into a kayak, with this much flow without the most rudimentary instruction. My wife, Lori, and I have both taken canoe and kayak white water classes. That has not kept me from flipping my boat a couple of times in the past few years. I was wearing my PFD and got wet but was not injured. Lori has never flipped but always wears her PFD.
We finished our lunch and headed downstream, to fish. About a half mile from the ramp, I spotted an angler, in a kayak, trying to get control over an upside down kayak. Upstream, from him, I noticed an angler, on the bank. I pulled the boat along side of the angler wrestling with the two kayaks and asked, if I could help. He said that he was all right and asked that I pick up his buddy and link them up. I would have been impossible for him, to get the boats upstream, to his buddy in that current. The angler upstream would have to bushwhack through some heave brush in order to link up with his boat.
I carefully worked my way over to the stranded kayaker. As he got into my boat, he said “Hi I’m Gordon”. I looked up. I knew this guy. He is related to my Son in Law. I have guided him on several occasions. He had shaved his mustache and I did not recognize him at the access. We quickly caught up and I learned that he had lost a $700.00 Winston fly rod in his mishap. That is an expensive lesson. There were a few more items that escaped from the kayak, when it over turned. He had been lucky to make it to the bank and have his buddy secure his boat.
I linked him up with his buddy and told him to wear his PFD. We went back to fishing. After a while we saw them return to the water and began working their way downstream. They were wearing their PFDs.
Kayaks are a great way to enjoy our lakes and streams but can be dangerous. Take a while to learn how to safely handle them and always wear a PFD. I do!
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