Crushed by tree - Bad day - Fork

Fished clients from Louisiana Monday and Tuesday. Today they fished the same area on their own. The spot is shallow and the only way to get the big ones to bite there is to tie up, turn electronics off and just get quiet for 15 - 30 min. Then they will go back to feeding.
Monday we had a few nice ones, but nothing like yesterday. The heavy weights showed up and the slug fest began. Ended up with several big ones.
Needless to say. I get a text message from the wife with the following story.
We tied up in the area this morning to a tree too large to wrap your arms around and rather tall. The boat had bumped into it a few times as we were tied to it. While I had my back to it, the tree broke off at the water line and fell on top of me, pinning me from a standing position to a laying down prone at the deck. My husband was able to push the tree off of me after some time, only then could I regain my senses as it struck me in the head. She then went on to tell me of the rods broken and boat damage etc.
Moral of this story, don't tie up or bump trees at Lake Fork that you do not want falling on top of you!
By the way, this is not the first time I've had or seen this happen, just not quit so severe.
Good Luck fishing!

sounds like there's some new cover to fish...

glad everyone was ok, thats scary.

That's why I tie off to stuff below the gunwale if I got a choice. Glad all are OK.

OUCH !!! glad everyones OK!

at least it didn't pin her in the water.I'm glad she's ok .

Glad they are okay. That was a close call.

I had that happen several years ago...luckly most of it had already fallen...bumped into it and the top couple feet fell off breaking the windsheild on my boat...

I would have needed a change of underwear if that happened to me.

She's lucky it didnt knock her out and in the water! Im glad all is ok, could have been much worse!

Bad story, good ending

Hey Clint thanks for sharing. Glads she is going to be ok. And also thanks for the great tip about how to fish areas like that. I have never thought to turn off my electronics and have only noticed recently while fishing in clear water how jittery your trolling motor makes the fish. Great tips! Thanks

It can happen. Years ago I watched Dr. Bill Shelton (RIP) stitch himself up after a top broke off and hit him.

Glad everyone is ok.

By the way where were they fishing? Ha

I've bumped several trees on windy days and always wondered how many have broken off and fell on a boat. I know I'll be a little more aware of that now. Thanks for posting this Clint

Good to hear everyone came out a live... Those big trees can kill you.. I'm very conscious of where my boat is in relation to the way a tree is leaning, and I look at the water line to examine the amount of rot before I let the boat touch it..
It's best to just stay away form them Big suckers all together and just cast around them to be safe.. I'm surprised we don't hear more about this type of accident more often..

Fish -1 , fishermen- 0. Just glad she was not seriously injured.

To truly feel safe i will need the waypoint were that tree resides so feel free to pm me lance. Safety first!

Could have been real bad, i did that a few years ago on fork, was just going to push of a huge tree to keep the motor from hitting and snap, off at the water and i almost took a dunk

Tie up to smaller trees or notice which way they lean and tie to the other side if possible. I was on Limestone several years ago on a really windy day, it was scary watching the big trees break and fall.

Old dead trees are called dead men for a reason.

Glad she is o.k. I fished out of my Ranger since 1992, in all sorts of condition's some really bad and never fallin out ...Last year in Chaney Creek, I was letting a buddy run the front and I was fishing off the back, needless to say I pushed off of a tree and just kept going into the water, and it was friggin cold...The very next day, I slipped while trying to get unhung and kersplash...again..... I went in....Now they call me Bobber.....

Man... That could have been MUCH worse. Glad she is good.

Would you mind sending me a pm with the gps coordinates of this dangerous tree so I can be sure and avoid the area

If a tree falls in the water, and nobody is around to hear it...

Anyone who comes to Rayburn when it is really high in the spring, be careful too....... Tall dead pine trees will fall if you bump em too hard..... I had a 12" diameter probably 40ft tall go across my front deck years ago......

Yikes!

I would add.....DON'T LEAN on them either, I ruined a nice cell phone like this a few years ago and needless to say 50 deg. water is cold on an guy! I also found out it's harder than ever to get back in the boat.

Once bumped mine into a dead tree and knocked my buddy out and he jumped to the tree and thats when it broke off. Funny as he#$ watchin him cuss me from the water. Was only 3' deep.