I've had people trie to teach me how to swim since I was 3, life guards both make and female, my mom, my grandparents, and even at a boy scout camp, nothing has worked

I understand even a person capable of swimming can drown if they hit their head or succumb to the elements.....but if I did not know how to swim, I would be nervous.

So far, I have never fallen out of a boat into the water but it is bound to happen at some point!

I never would have guessed that there were so many fishermen that could not swim, I guess it just never crossed my mind. Swimming was just somthing that came very natural to me as a kid. Please, please, please if you are unable (for whatever reason) to swim wear you PFD at all times while on the water.

It will, I promise bro. I've been knocked overboard by partners hitting the TM on high going the opposite direction of my center of balance. Once in 52 degree water in February on Fork (ALWAYS keep a towel and a warm change of clothes in the boat during cold months). I've done the 'Ol Bill Dance grab hold of a stump with the wind blowing the opposite direction. Thrown overboard both working and fishing offshore in rough seas, you name it, I've done it. He77, I've even fallen out of the boat in the parking lot, once.

Fortunately, I'm a good swimmer (except on asphalt). I don't think I could fish as much as I do were I not. I'd be scared to death. Cold water is a killer. Being unconscious in any water temp is too. Wear your life jackets, please! And if you cannot swim and have tried to learn, wear that flotation ALL THE TIME!

Well for most times if you have your wits about you getting knocked out of the boat is not a big deal. You usually are grabbing for the boat before you ever go in.

I remember on Palestine in February in single digits going over on a calm day. We were trolling in what I thought was open water when we hit something and in I went. I always carry something else to wear but on this day I just kept fishing.

By weigh in time the only tell tale sign that I had taken a dip was the squishing of my shoes.

Allison, you must be a Seal. Or SeAL.

What bass club are you trying to join

Hopefully the hole jumpers can swim! They could get hit in the head with a big football jig and drown easily

I can swim and still wear a life Jacket a lot of the time. Getting thrown out of a boat is unlikely but trolling through a stump field and hitting one and falling in is very possible. That is a situation where I will wear a life Jacket. Never know when you will fall out and hit your head on a stump..

Your odds of drowning if you are wearing a lifejacket are almost zero. I guess if you became unconscious your face might go under, but how else is it gonna happen?

Every year someone falls out of my boat at least once. Most often its me or my son. I can't count the number of times it has happened. Not even something I worry about unless its really cold. You fall out don't lose the rod and I will get you back in.

I am very comfortable in the water and never would panic even if I was two miles from shore. Two a days competitively swimming for 10 years will help the cause. Wear a life jacket is all I can say like all these other guys.. Plus I know a lot of guys that "claim" they can swim but they wouldn't make it 5 minutes treading water.

Me either and I am the most non-athletic person in North America.

I've swam in every ocean on the globe except the Arctic Ocean.

Sink or swim

Well that's great to know, I mean you've never met me, know nothing about me, but you automatically know I'm as wrong as I can be and I can actually swim and just didn't know it?

At one point in my life, I could cover 10 miles in sand wearing boots and cammies at a pace that would make most people have a heart attack but I guess since I could do it, everyone should be able to right?

Lol, outstanding.