ALL PLEASE READ: SAFETY

[josh.schreiber]

PLEASE take notice:
I dont know if anyone heard on the news, but Tuesday afternoon search and rescue workers dragged up the body of a fisherman in Indian Creek, right off the TN river, in triana, AL.
What happened: My buddy put in @ around 4 oclock Tuesday afternoon, and started fishing soft plastics and small crankbaits @ the mouth of the creek. We were in my friends kayaks, so we were really taking our time.
When we pulled into the marina we had noticed a lone truck on one of the boat ramps. It was right on the ramp, but the trailer was almost completely sideways. We thought this was strange, but really didn't think anything of it.
We had fished for only a few minutes when we saw a boat that matched the trailer a couple hundred yards into the creek. Since one often sees someone fishing anchored or pulled up to the bank for whatever reason, we just slowy fished our way towards the boat. Getting closer we could hear music. When we were right up on the boat, we noticed w/ raised eyebrow that the boat (a NEW bass tracker) was not anchored. Also, the motor was down, the trolling motor was up, the keys were in, and all the gear (rods, etc.) were tied down. We really didnt like the looks of this so we paddled back to the ramp. The keys were in the ignition of the truck and noone was around. Determining this required prefessional opinion, we called 911 and a sheriff arrived around 6 (not quite the response time you expect).
Anyway, as you could put together, the lone fisherman pulled in for the day, tied his boat up (almost), went to get the truck , and started to back the truck down. I guess he saw his new boat drifting away, gunned it down the ramp (thus the jacked trailer), and ran to grab his boat. No one knows the details, but he wound up in the water and just did not make it.
I have never been so involved in such a tragedy before. This man had just retired (he was 46). His boat --bought brand new--was 6 weeks old. He was married and had three children.
Guys and gals, this man fished nearly everyday. He put in @ the same ramp most of the time. He was a lifelong fisherman. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
This tragedy really woke me up. I am only 20 years old. I consider myself able and strong. >A SURVIVOR.
This has really shown me that this can happen to anyone.
For your sake, for your wife and kids> please wear a life jacket, or at least have one readily available. The victim was not wearing one, and there was not one in the boat. Just slow down, think about what you are doing, and move carefully.
Again, I am young. I am a physically fit Marine w/ a "Q" combat swim-qualification. (The highest attainable.) Despite this I am NOT immune to something like this.
Heavy clothes and cold water are treacherous.
Please take heed. This tragedy was one that could have been easily avoidable.
**IF anyone wants to copy this, feel free to do so. Just tell friends/associates/family to wear a life jacket, and be careful.
Thank you for your time.
-Josh Schreiber

 

[Bprice]

Josh, I heard about that gentlemen... its sad. 

 

[TR20bh]

Josh,

emoWelcome & thanks for the sober reminder.

 

[Fishin Fool]

That is a terrible thing. Thanks for the info

 

[fisherpal2k]

Josh, thank you for posting this. Yes it is easy to get into trouble very quickly in and on the water.  Sorry to hear about this but glad you took the time to at least stop and check the situation out. Lots of folks would have just paddled on by.

 

[fairweatherfisherman]

Thanks for the post. Getting into or falling into that cold water, can really be a bad deal.

Years ago while fishing from the bank, my strong young teenage son waded in just a few feet to try to retreive a favorite lure. Even not fully emerged, the effects of the cold water on him were nearly immediate. I helped him out of the water and never forgot just how quickly it affected him.

 

[Gator]

Welcome to the forum. What a terrible situation.

 

[Gator]

Here's the article from Huntsville Ala newspaper. Very Sad.

Ex-city worker drowns trying to get boat out of river
Thursday, February 14, 2008Times Staff [email protected]
Body is found near a ramp in Triana Tuesday

By NIKI DOYLE

A retired Huntsville city employee drowned in Triana late Tuesday while apparently trying to get his boat out of the Tennessee River, marine police said.

The body of 49-year-old Gregory McKinley of Harvest was found near the boat ramp at the end of Record Street in Triana shortly before 11 p.m.

Huntsville city spokeswoman Denise Taylor said McKinley had worked for 25 years as an equipment operator in the Public Works Department. He retired in March 2007.

A passer-by called police after noticing an empty boat drifting down the Tennessee River near Talucah Landing, said Marine Police Capt. John Clifton.

McKinley's truck was found, keys still in the ignition, at the end of the boat ramp.

Clifton said McKinley's brother called at about 2 p.m. to warn him of bad weather. That's the last contact the family had with McKinley, Clifton said.

The Huntsville-Madison County Rescue Squad sent out two boats and six to eight volunteers to search the water near the boat, said rescue squad spokeswoman Brenda Uhls.

Efforts were later directed toward the ramp at the end of Record Street in Triana, where McKinley's truck had been found. His body was found close to the ramp, Clifton said.

"There were no witnesses to this but, from past experience and from looking at the vehicle, it appears that he had been backing down the ramp to get his boat," Clifton said. "From that point on, we don't know whether he fell off the dock or slipped off the ramp or tried to swim and retrieve the boat."

The search lasted less than five hours.

McKinley's boat was recovered about 300 yards from the ramp. Rescue workers believe the boat might have begun to drift away while he was backing up the trailer, prompting him to jump out of the truck and try to catch the boat, Clifton said.

Uhls said slightly warmer temperatures and decent conditions Tuesday night allowed rescue workers to find McKinley fairly quickly. Some searches can take days.

"The sooner we can recover a body, the sooner the family can deal with what they need to deal with," she said. "Not knowing is so very stressful."

 

[josh.schreiber]

Thanks for posting this!
Most of the details are way off, but the moral is the same.
Take care and tight lines

 

[brushhog]

GOD BLESS his family and freinds!

 

[DCDD4]

Thanks Josh for the eye opener sometimes we forget the simple stuff.

 

[Luketrician]

Very sad. Thanks for sharing with us. Prayers go out to his loved ones.

 

[yellburt]

i lost an uncle in 71 below nick.cold weather an heavy clothes.he was a great swimmer,30yrds more an he would have made it to the bank.i think about him often,i keep dry clothes in my car,just in case .saying i fall in an get wet ,if i can make it back to the car.when it gets really COLD, i try not to go far from the car.be safe guys .

 

[polo-dog]

Very sad, thanks for sharing the info with us. Thanks for caring enough to call the police too. If you hadn't it might have been the next day before things were looked into.