Death by Fly Fishing (almost) #1

[TerrellBFly]

Seems like us fishermen are either the luckiest SOB's ever or this stuff must happen all the time!

My close encounter doesn't involve an animal. But still could have been very deadly to say the least, and made me take into account things I never really considered to be dangerous

I was fishing above south of route 5 (upstream) between the tubes and route 5 on Elk Creek in Erie. Was a mild fall day, and I was the only one on this section of creek (this was years ago). While walking a strong wind gust came up from out of nowhere, it was actually quite calm that day and sunny until this point. A 60 foot oak tree fell into the creek not even 10 feet from where I was standing in the creek. Now, it was dead and wasn't full of branches, but the sound, the water splashing, and the subsequent "holy S#)$t" that followed was enough to make me realize that all this time I have spent in the woods worried about widow-makers I never considered not being safe in the creek from falling trees. I counted my blessings and kept fishing, but I will never forget the sound and the impact that thing made. I still think about it whenever there is a strong breeze - still very real for me.

Another time I almost had a heart attack when I was walking a creek and one side was posted property and they had two HUGE Dobermans that absolutely lost their crap and charged me. Thankfully they stopped in the creek and did not cross, but I had to take a seat after that one. Dogs generally don't bother me, but this situation got the best of me.

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

I once possibly saved a fly fisherman who might have had a "Near death" story of his own to tell...... in around 1998 on the Main Stem of the Delaware River I ran into a man in some serious trouble. Apparently he was determined to get to the opposite side of the river at the top of a heavy deep run a couple miles downriver of the Lordville Area. This is BIG water.
I was rowing a client down the river and could see a figure standing where nobody should have been standing! ......absolutely dead center mid river!
I thought...wow look at this guy go..... but as I got closer to him I could tell he was an older gentleman , wasn't moving, and I could see the look on his face.
He was locked up and the current just beating on him waist deep.
I called out "Do you need help!?" and he just nodded, I could see he was tired and I think he was afraid to even speak.
I jumped to the front of the boat and put the client on the oars led him a bit and jumped out. I didn't know how I could get him in the boat without taking him out so I launched.
I'm a pretty big tall guy and could wade like a water buffalo at the time and even I wouldn't have been where this guy was!
I plowed above him and took the force of the current and let him use me like an eddy , he hung on and I all but carried him back to shore keeping him directly downstream of me the whole time. I had to physically turn him around to face the shore he started from. I can remember the sort of weightless pull of him as the current was actually lifting him off his feet.
I have a feeling that guy is probably fishing the big river somewhere above all of us right now, but I think about him from time to time and wonder if I bought him a few more years on the water. I was the only boat on that stretch as far back as I could see and he was alone. I never even got his name.

I bet there was a time when he could do it though.....

 

[JMP]

My wife and I were visiting my daughter and her husband in Kokhanok, Alaska in August several years ago where they are school teachers. We rode the 4-wheelers to the Gibraltar River to fly fish for salmon. Not long after entering the knee deep River, a large grizzly bear came through the brush and entered about 50 feet directly across from me. My son in law stated not to worry. The bear will not cross because of the three dogs on the shore behind us. He was carrying a 44 magnum as well. The bear captured several salmon and wondered back into brush. A few minutes later, a massive grizzly bear enter at the same spot. I slowly backed out of the river and stated that was too close for me. It would take no time for a bear to cross the knee deep water.
When we were returning to the village, we watched two large grizzlies fighting along the shore. I saw a total of five grizzly bears during our visit.

 

[KELORGO]

True story...

One spring many, many moons ago, I went fishing with a buddy at French Creek in Chester County. As usual, we split up with plans to hook up at the end of the day.

Hours later I saw a guy 100 yards or so downstream from me get chased by a Canada goose which I assume was guarding a nest. The guy was running full tilt across the creek with the goose about a foot behind him, flapping its wings and making all sorts of racket.

After a few yards the fisherman fell flat on his face in the water which I found pretty hilarious since I don't take any $#!+ from geese; never have, never will.

Anxious to tell my friend the story at the end of the day, I walked back a little early to the car and there was my buddy standing there soaking wet with a broken rod in his hand...

Does this count? 🙂

I never had an episode like your buddy, but I’ve had lots of times where I was concentrating on fishing and quietly wading up a creek when all of a sudden I’ve had a goose hiss right behind me. Those suckers like to build their nests right at creekside and usually about head level to me!

I’ve also jumped quite a few nice bucks that way 👍.

 

[Bamboozle]

I never had an episode like your buddy, but I’ve had lots of times where I was concentrating on fishing and quietly wading up a creek when all of a sudden I’ve had a goose hiss right behind me. Those suckers like to build their nests right at creekside and usually about head level to me...

Speaking of geese and death (almost)...

Many, many, many moons ago when all of the streams in my neck of the woods were blown out from constant rain, myself and couple of buddies headed down to Southcentral to fish the Letort. After fishing, we camped somewhat nearby at a lean-to on the Appalachian Trail to try and stay warm & dry overnight because the rain continued most of the day.

The following morning one of my friends came back to camp with some goose eggs he gathered from flooded nests along the creek. I guess the incubation timing was good because we cracked some open in a frying pan, nothing looked amiss so we had them for breakfast. 🍳

I doubt I would do that today and on a really bad day I MAY have got some food-borne illness and died, but I didn't so I guess this is as good as it gets for my "Death by Fly Fishing (almost)" story. 😉

 

[DomR]

I never had an episode like your buddy, but I’ve had lots of times where I was concentrating on fishing and quietly wading up a creek when all of a sudden I’ve had a goose hiss right behind me. Those suckers like to build their nests right at creekside and usually about head level to me!

I’ve also jumped quite a few nice bucks that way 👍.

They are fond of island points and nesting spots will be used year after year. Sucks when there's a good run that passes right by the nest, you know the fish are there feeding but that the fookers are also there waiting to hiss and dive bomb ya.

I've fended off more than one with my trusted Folstaff, its not just for wading safety!!!

 

[KELORGO]

I was fishing Grand Lake Stream up in Maine for landlocks a few years ago and was mid-stream just below the Dam Pool, so I knew I was away from any trees or overhead hazards. As I back casted, I felt my rod hit something really solid. I looked up and saw that I had hit a huge blue heron that was flying upstream. I guess I hit him just far enough below my rod tip that it didn't break. He just kept on flying over the dam and never looked back, but I know he felt it. He probably muttered "damn people from away" or "stupid flat lander" under his breath ☺️

 

[Bamboozle]

I don't live too far from Quakertown where there is a massive Great Blue heron rookery at the Quakertown Swamp. For that reason herons are plentiful at most streams in the area.

With that in mind, I was wading in the middle of a local LV stream once and a Great Blue heron was flying downstream about shoulder high right at me. I figured I was going to get clobbered and hunched down but it pulled up at the last minute and went over my head, so close I could feel the air from it's wings.

Scared the crap out of me...

 

[casey36]

Anyone else ever have a bear encounter on the water? That scared the **** out of me. Wont be going back there without proper bear defense.

Not a bear but an elk. Got ran out of a hole on Medix Run by an irate bull elk. He charged into the water hard enough to push a bow wake! I got out as fast as I could and that seemed to calm him. He drank for a bit and just turned and walked off. Damnest thing I've ever seen!

Anyone else ever have a bear encounter on the water? That scared the **** out of me. Wont be going back there without proper bear defense.