I've been reading about the man that drowned at Lake Worth. That is a terrible tragedy that will haunt his family for years to come. I know people in Searcy, AR, and probably know someone that knows him, which brings it even closer to home.

There has been discussion of whether he may have been caught on a trot line and pulled under, and we may never know. The subject of having a good knife handy came up, and how important it is. Manufacturers of quality knives have been producing good pocket knives with pocket clips for well over 20 years. Spyderco pioneered the concept, and today any company that sells knives offers models with pocket clips. I carry a Cold Steel XL Voyager folding knife everywhere. I never put pants on without putting my knife in my pocket. I've had the Voyager for over 19 years, and it is still in very good condition. Any time a knife is needed, it is in my hand automatically. Because it rests vertically in my pocket, it virtually disappears until it is needed. But when it is needed, my hand instinctively reaches for it, and opening it is a natural motion for me.

If you are a kayaker, I would strongly suggest that buy a quality pocket knife with a clip, and carry it ALL THE TIME. Try out a few different brands, and note the differences in where the clip is in relation to the blade pivot. Choose one that feels natural, and is easy to open with one hand. Learn to remove it and open it with one hand, and use it any time you need to cut something. Learn to sharpen it, and keep it sharp. When you find yourself in an emergency, you may not have time to stop and think about where you keep your knife. But if you always have it on you, in the same place, and you use it regularly, then your hand will find it automatically and it might save your life.

Same here. People that know me know that I always have a knife on me. I have a bunch of folding knives but I decided to go with a fixed blade knife for my yakking. I was concerned that if I turtled and found myself tangled in a line that I wouldn't have enough time to find and then open a folding knife possibly with only one hand. I mounted a S&W fixed blade neck knife on my NRS Chinook PFD. It comes with a friction lock sheath and I was afraid that it might fall out so I used the velcro strap on the left side and ran it through the handle. Now it is securely held but I can pull it free with a solid downward tug. As a bonus the sheath has a built in whistle so it serves as a back up to my primary whistle. I can even reach the whistle by just bending my neck which allows for hands free usage.

i just wear a mora knife in a sheath around my neck, razor sharp traditional swedish knifes been made for over a century. simple cheap strong. for 14 bucks ive had mine for years, its rated one of the best bushcraft knifes ever, comes razor sharp i mean you can shave with it no joke. its scandy grind too simple to sharpen unlike most knifes with the beveled edge, scandy grind all the way.

A knife is a necessary tool when in a yak or wade fishing. I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten tangled in mono or hooked on my own trot-line. I carry a Leatherman folding clip knife.

Like this. It has the spring clip on the back and the carabiner clip on the end so I can clip it to my fly fishing vest.

I really want a blunt tipped knife but have not sprung for one yet.

I've got a Kershaw folder that I can flick open with one hand, but I'm thinking of getting a fixed blade that will stay attached to my PFD.
It's a natural motion to open my knife one handed, but under distress and in the water, that may be a different story.

Divers reportedly had a somewhat difficult time recovering the body, as they were became entangled in fishing lines in low visibility water.
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/05/17/body-recovered-after-reported-capsizing-on-lake-worth/

Mora knifes are great. I also where one around my neck kayaking.

I carry two... One NRS fixed blade attached to my pfd and a fold out buck in my pocket as a back up

I would add a side cutter to everyone's "must carry" list.

Thought more of a knife as convenience than a safety tool until I caught my foot hung up on some old line while dragging my yak up some rapids. Now I carry 2. One on my vest & 1 on the yak center console.

Side cutters strong enough to cut a hook are as critical for a number of reasons. #1 for yourself & #2 for the fish. Best way to release a gut-hooked fish is to cut the hook as close as you can to it's stomach. I've done this for years & witnessed fish in a livewell alive & doing great afterwards - surprisingly they are able to spit out the other 1/2 of the hook. Prefer not to tear or kill gut-hooked fish, but cut the hook in 1/2 & release the fish.

If you aren't accustomed to carrying a knife and engaging it with one hand without having to think much about it, it doesn't matter how many or what kind you have when you are 8' down in cold water.

CC, I left cut hooks in bass for years because that is what the experts said to do. But TPWD research has shown a high mortality rate for bass with hook material left in their mouth/throat/gullet. The following video shows how to remove a hook from a deep hooked bass without injuring it. I've done it for years, and it is very easy and effective. And most of my hooks are kinda pricey, so getting to keep them is a bonus. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RGTL9RBG2s

Absolutely always carry a readily accessible knife which you are comfortable with. It's a great tool. Especially when fishing. There's always something to cut. Bait. Line. The guy fishing too close to you.

I cut mono line from around my ankle the first time I was out in my kayak. Line loss happens, but I do try to collect as much as I can.

I like multitools and carry a Leatherman Wave. The straight and serrated blades are one hand operation. I carry it in it's belt pouch, thumb hole down, so it's an easy and fluid motion to draw and open it. The new stretch side pouch isn't as nice as the original brown leather though. I zip tied the sides more closed to better secure the tool.

Hey, Jerry Hamon, is that a C33T or other with the screwdrivers? How's it doing for you?

Kershaw is very nice. My wife has a purple Ken Onion Leek. Amazon had them half price in December.

How about a knife that floats?

I carry a fully automatic spring loaded knife. One push of a botton and it opens. I carry it on and off the water.

I carry one of these on my PDF

http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=product.detail&productid=3563

This is what I do as well, it's easier for me if I leave about 10" of line on the hook. This allows me to grab the line with my hemostst and pull it thru the gills turning the hook, then while holding slight down pressure on the line I grab the hook at the bend with my long nose pliers and pull it straight out, works great.

Always have my everyday pocket knife with me when I'm on the water.