That's why I love my Triton - Built in ladder - should be required equipment

With my cold tolerance I'd probably be dead after 5 minutes of falling in right now.

Wearing a life vest at all times for the next few months.

If you have power poles on the boat, you can lower them about 1/2 way down and use them to assist as you step on the flat part of the lower unit. It really helps to get onto the back deck.

If the trolling motor is down, you could use it as a step in a serious situation.

I bet climbing around a 250 SHO would not be very easy. It's a really big motor with nothing to hold onto. I'm not sure how you would get your feet on the lower unit and hold on while trimming the motor up at the same time.

Fell in last winter by myself, full winter clothing and rain suit on , Nitro has ladder on the back. I forgot about that as I was trying to swim back to the boat. Got to the side and thought How am I gonna get in, then I remembered.

Stern ladder. Love my toon!

I was fishing pines a few years ago with my brother. We were down by the dam, dead calm morning. 27 that morning when we launched with 44 degree water temps. I had on a bunch of hunting clothes to stay warm and we were catching them really good.

I was on the front deck leaning against my butt seat when I hung a good fish. The net was on the deck behind me and I was leaning back, stretching to grab the net while holding the rod with the other hand. All of a sudden, the butt seat spun around as I was stretched back. I fell onto the deck on my left shoulder and my momentum just rolled me right into the water. I still had the rod in my hand when I came up, so I laid it on the front deck and made my way to the back of the boat while trying to catch my breath.

My brother was laughing so hard I thought he was going to bust a gut. I told him to drag my frozen butt onto the back deck and get into the water if he thought it was so funny.

So, I stood there with water running out of the 20 pounds of clothes I had on. I noticed the tip of my rod moving on the front deck so I walked
up and landed the crappie and told him I wasn't leaving with the fish biting so good.

I had some wool clothing on and actually warmed back up enough to fish for awhile since there was zero wind.

We had stopped at wal-mart in Atlanta that morning and they had a waterproof Remington hunter's orange jacket on clearance. So, I bought it and was wearing it when I went in. After I got back on the deck, I told him those bastages lied. This coat is not waterproof.

I tell this story as a reminder that things can and do happen quickly out on the lake. Don't think you can't take a dip when you are least expecting it to happen.

Sink to the bottom and walk back to the bank...

Something I always do when fishing in the cold water. I do NOT tie my boots. In the event you fall in, the ability to shed the heavy boots can help.

I still remember that day!

This topic makes "practice" a good idea.

Once it's warm out again, prepare yourself to "get wet," and have a day of "getting in and out of your boat" from the water.

Buddies do it, and videotape. I'd bet it would be a fun and funny afternoon watching each other learn how to get back in your boat should you ever fall in.

Addendum: Decide ahead of time what fishing gear you will jump in to retrieve, and what you can let float to the bottom.

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There are a lot of guys who say they can get back into their boat but have NEVER had to do it with full winter gear on and a water temp that will make you a wuss very quickly.

I would just stay on top of the water and walk back and not get wet.

Went in the water in the middle of the summer. It is not that easy to get back in the boat for an old fat man. I was not alone and it took the both of us to get me back in the boat... That Ultrex has a cord on it keep it around your neck if you are alone, in the wind sometimes the boat will drift faster than you can swim. At least you can bring the boat back to you. Some kind of extra clothes in the boat is a must.
Wear that life jacket, have a plan and be safe in this cold water.

I would try to make it to the back and use the motor to help me back in. If I couldn't make it back to the boat or to land I now have a plb I can activate. I will also wear a life jacket when I'm alone in cold water.

You can by rope boarding ladders for $ 30 to $ 40, keep it tied to 1 of your cleats and rolled up against gunwall so you can reach it from the water
makes it a lot easier for us Big Boys to get back on deck