What is your emergency plan if you capsize?

Over the weekend Jons3825 and I rescued a kayaker that had capsized, his yak had suctioned upside down to the water so he couldn't flip it... not sure that he could have climbed back in it if able to flip it over anyway. The guy was a mile or so from shore, water temp was mid 70's but air temp was about 41 degrees. He had on a lifejacket, but with all the cold weather gear he was wearing the life jacket was not really working very well. Having been in the water with a 100 MPh suit and all the under clothing I was wearing I can vouch that its like having an extra 200 lbs of weight strapped to you when trying to get out of the water. Fortunately we were fairly close by and able to come to his rescue, dude was struggling big time, no doubt in my mind if we were not there he doesn't make it to shore. My question for you fine folks that kayak fish, especially in the winter, what is your plan should you find yourself in a similar situation? Warm weather and water I could totally understand this not being an issue, but when layered clothing and hypothermia get thrown into the mix that's a totally different ball game. Do you stay near shore? Stay close to the launch? Fish in pairs? This fella got the bejesus scared out of him, was putting his kayak up for sale as soon as he got home.

1) wear your gear & appropriate gear
2) watch the weather (wind/water temp) and plan appropriately with your gear - always assume you'll be hampered by something and at 50% capacity if you fall in the water.
3) Plan ahead - what this planning entails depends on the above

so for cold weather -
1) when and where possible try to go with a partner (cannot emphasize this enough... and STAY in reasonable distance of them!) That said... a bad partner who doesn't prepare is worse than no partner.
2) really really watch the weather - especially the wind here in texas
3) on freshwater - I personally stay within a few hundred yards of shore - basically - i have to be able to swim it while all decked out in my cold weather gear + possibly towing a kayak in about 5-7m to get to shore/onto land. my waders + clothing + life jacket = i float like a boat and swim like a floating log at about 25% of my "summer" speed - that said - surprisingly the gear keeps you warmer than expected even in the cold water since i prevents the water from circulating around most of your body.
4) test out your gear/options (righting kayak and what have you) in a pool! (helps if you have a heated hot-tub for warming back up after the testing.

Saltwater is a bit similar - but with more variables due to tide, waves, shoreline differences.

The above does limit some of the areas that i can fish in the middle of winter - and some of the distance things get mitigated by going with larger groups or with a boat mixed in. I've seen way to many accidents happen - mother nature will get you, you will turtle, and you will make mistakes - it is all about managing the risks you do take so you can have fun & survive even in the bad situations.

For me personally the fishing limitations these safety considerations place on me actually make me a better fisher - i have to think more about where/what/how I'm fishing. Be more targeted in my gear and bait selections. In all honesty a few hundred feet/yards from shore gets you a LOT of fishing structure/depth on most lakes.

I agree with above.

Stay close enough to shore to swim, go with a buddy for sure! We also carry water proof VHF radios, that float and have a long length of hi-vis pool noodle they are tied to. These of course can reach your partner AND have access to the emergency channels. Cell phone is in a dry bag and can be accessed as well.

All that said; dont capsize in the first place! Know the weather, know your yak, know your level of experience and ability, plan ahead. If I dont feel comfortable going out, I dont go. Even with all that, it could still happen, but my main plan is stay out of the water #1 ha ha.

Glad the guy was ok and that you and Jon got there to help him out. The fact that this made him want to go right home and sell his yak tells me he aint cut out for the yak life.

Make good decisions. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The body of water you are fishing should correlate with the kayak you are fishing from (don’t go on Texoma or to the gulf with a $200 Walmart kayak). You and your equipment should not exceed 2/3 of the max kayak capacity on big water. Go with a buddy.


1. Always wear a pfd and have additional floatation (I have 24 large pool noodles stuffed inside the hull of my kayak)
2. When water temps get in the 50s and below, strongly consider a power plant lake
3. Go on calm days, bank fish when it’s windy
4. Make friends with people that own boats
5. Minimize anchoring
6. I always have a fully charged cell phone and a hand held vhf radio
7. Paddle leash to kayak
8. Avoid stump fields
9. Minimize gear (# of rods, # of bait boxes, etc)

In the above situation, climbing on top of the flipped kayak and paddling to shore
Drying off/removing clothes and run car with heater full blast if possible

also ... w/ all of the above.. my favorite memory from kayak fishing hands down is from a winter trip 3 years ago. Water was mid 40's and air was ~26'ish... no wind on a river.... was so cold that water was freezing on the line as you reeled in.. No cloud blue sky. I was prepared... toasty warm but not to warm.. (though my fingertips did feel the cold a bit occasionally). I was with 2 other guys and none of us felt like talking all to much... we all caught fish (sand bass, bass, crappie, catfish, even a small gar) but it was relaxed action and it was just burned into my memory.

Winter kayak fishing... well done is hands down one of my favorite things to do.

I know collincountytx and most others know this, but not everyone has thought it through, that when you add something like pool noodles or Styrofoam to the inside of a vessel, it does nothing to make a kayak float better while it is in its proper floating orientation. What it does do, and I think not a bad idea to follow a good tip here, is add buoyancy if you invert (flip) the vessel and it takes on water. Pool noodles weigh very little and they'd sure help keep you afloat if the bilge area starts filling up with water,that or you need to grab something you can pull out for some support while making your way to shore if you can't get out of the water. I sort of like the idea of stuffing some of these inside.

My Sportspal S-15 canoe comes completely lined with ethafoam, that and it has two ethafoam sponsons (boat collars) on each side that ride about 3" above the water line under normal loading. The ethafoam lining makes the aluminum much quieter to stand and move around on and the sponsons would help with secondary stability and flotation if one ever weighted the canoe down enough for it to come in contact with the water. I can't say I ever have, even with another big friend fishing with me.

One warm summer day, I need to invert the canoe and see if it could sink with all of the dense foam. Not sure but I sort of doubt it.

My plan this winter will be to employ most all of the ideas listed above.

Keep and eye out for fellow kayakers, boaters too, who might be in trouble. It happens!

Brad

Is the kayak suctioning to the water when upside down a normal thing? We flipped it beside the boat, it was tough for me to get the nose of the yak to pull up off the water due to the suction, I had to really put some effort into it... don't see how a person could do that while floating in the water.

The suction thing is not something I have experienced (on a kayak)

Was it a sit on top kayak?

I have experienced the suction effect with canoes—with the large symmetrical opening on a canoe, there can be some water tension pressure when turning it right way up from upside down

Most sit on top kayaks are not symmetrical and the deck space is often the only space below the gunwales

Seems like a sit on top wouldn't suction to the water because of the scupper holes...

I don't know enough about yaks to know what style... looked like his seat was down in the bottom not attached via the top "rail" if that's what a sit on top is.

Sit in. Aka sink in.

90% of kayakers who fish seriously have a sit on top (SOT) style.

You would not get any suction like that.

The first rule is to dress to swim.
In cold weather, wear a PFD.
I carry a whistle and spare truck key in the PFD pocket.

1. If my kayak flips, then I need to flip it back over. I have done it before and can do it again.
2. If I can't get the kayak flipped back over for some reason, then I will try to swim with it to shore.
3. If I can't move the kayak, then I will abandon it and swim toward shore. The decision is to swim to where my truck is parked vs. swimming with the wind vs. swimming to the closest shore.

It's not much of a plan but I have white water kayaking experience and am not concerned about kayaking on a lake.

Talked to Jon. The yak was a Ride 115. So a SOT.

He said the guy got it high ended on a stump in the middle of Welsh. From a distance he watch the guy kind of rocking the kayak and trying to get it off.

Then flip. He was in the drink! yak turtled. Jon said the guys life jacket was either in very bad shape or he was not trusting it because he was panicking as if he was about to drown.

They got him on the boat and were able to tow the yak back to shore.

It was the guy's second time ever in a kayak and the first time on that one. He had borrowed it from a friend.

So this kind of jives with some of the guys were saying about experience. And knowing what your limitations are I would not be out in the middle of a stumpfield lake by myself on my second trip ever and the first trip and a particular yak. Live and learn.

I'm glad that Jon and Buda were there to help the guy out... sounded like he was getting some trouble real quick

I'm more concerned about getting scuppered on a stump than capsizing, I can see bad things happening
while trying to get off a stump.

I carry a dry bag with full set of warm clothing, extra set of rainproof top and bottoms, underwear, thermals, socks, toboggan, fire starting material, lighter, and a 40 gallon heavy duty trash bag. I keep it packed with the same stuff all year round. Have used it twice, once for someone else that dumped in very cold water during the winter and once for myself during summer when I didn't put on rain jacket and just kept fishing. Rains kept coming then winds got up, I got soaked and though it felt good for a while, it only takes a few minutes to get to shivering. Went to shore, sat down and put my legs inside trash bag as I changed out of wet clothes, dried off with towel then got under trash bag when changing out upper body clothing. In the rain that day, without the trash bag, my towel and dry clothes would have been soaked again before I could have gotten them on. I try to always be prepared to spend the night as there are lots of places that I fish that would be tough to hike out of at night. Knowing that I'm going to have dry warm clothes in an emergency takes a lot of fear out of dumping my kayak.

Swim

Speaking of swimming, learn to use a paddle to swim.

A mile from shore wearing cold weather gear in sub 70 degree water? Probably not going to end well.

I wear a high-quality life jacket 100% of the time. When it's cold and windy, I don't get more than one to two hundred yards away from the shore. If the wind is blowing more than about fifteen miles per hour, I avoid lakes and fish from the bank or go to a pond. High winds make fishing difficult and they increase the risks of an incident.

I think the biggest thing we all need to have is a "healthy fear" of what we are doing. You have to know the risks and mitagate them as much as possible. Life jackets, whistles, VHF radios, extra clothes, etc....are all things that go into that. Know the hazards of the confitions you fish in and make good decisions.

If u can't flip ur yak back over then get back in by urself, ya got no business lake or ocean yak fishing. Get ya a boat or stay in protected waters. Always wear your lifevest regardless. At least that way u got a chance.

Don't die

I did a lot of kayak fishing in the ocean before moving to the Austin area. When you are going out a mile or more, it is a good idea to practice getting back in before putting yourself at risk. An easy way to right your kayak and get back in is to take a piece of PVC pipe and put a loop of rope through it. Connect it to one of the side handles, and it can be pulled over the top of the kayak to right it, then can be used a step to get back in. Stay safe out there.

Dave

YUP, happened to me the first time I went out in Winter on Lake Fork. Had a thick branch come right in to my scupper. I struggled for about 30 minutes. Just when I was about to jump out a boat came by and I was able to flag him down.

I had my PFD on, but I was alone. Because of this, I refused to fish in the open. I stuck to the shoreline.

I completely agree with fish zombie here. Reentry should be the first thing you learn. If you cant or dont want to, dont kayak fish. I have been caught in storms, wind, waves and horrible current countless times, had to help in a rescue twice, once was a motor boat. Its common sense. It seems kayak fishing has turned into a bunch of internet famous kayak rookies who have never been truley tested in any aspect of the sport giving instructions to those who know less. Its a real scary thing imo. It pays to know, it pays to test yourself and your kayak. Just my thoughts.

I hate stickups through the scupper and paddling in circles. Got stuck late one evening on Palestine during the winter a few years ago. Didn't want to go in the water as it was cold but I did have on chest waders but didn't want to inflate my pfd. Considered all my options, slip off kayak without dumping my stuff and lift off stickup (gonna get wet), call family and let them know I was going to fish all night and not to worry ( while waiting for a boater to help me the next morning), or giving it one more try with everything I had while leaning it over as far as I dared, risking all my gear and having to inflate my pfd. Went with the last option and made it off.

I am of the belief that every stump and stickup has a billion lures, trot lines and hooks attached just below the surface. Saw several of the east Texas lakes in the drought year and was shocked by the number of unmarked and abandoned trot lines that criss cross my favorite fishing spots.

I'm with u icon. U never can b sure what's below. It's a risk we both knowingly and un knowingly take. Spend enough time on the water and something going to go south in a hurry.

My plan is to get out of the water asap. A knife is always on me. If I slip off that knife is sliding off with me too. Best to go with experienced yak aglers. There is safety in #s

look up SOT KAYAK SELF RESCUE LADDER I got one and practiced and it works great . I practiced near shore and within site of friends till I knew I could do it.

i try to tie my gear off
floats on rods
i am in a Sit In (not sink)

i would head towards shore

the only time i thought i was going to swamp
was when they had a Thursday night tourney @ Lake Arlington
couldn't figure out why there were 40 boaats just sitting at the ramp
until the horn blew

A 10 foot sit inside among 40 boats at take off would scare an Olypic paddler.

i was trolling by the dam
there was no way to face the wakes
they came from every direction
i put my PFD on & waited to turtle
it was warm weather, so i wasn't too worried
i got lucky & made it to shore

I use relatively cheap gear and stay within a quick swim from the bank at least when we drop below the "100 rule" (water temp + air temp < 100). I wear clothing free of cotton or polly-fill and that is generous with Gore-tex, Thinsulate, Neoprene etc. On bigger water I team up with someone on a motorized boat that can tow me in if needed. These precautions have helped me the 2 times I've gotten wet in cold water (less that .1% of the times I've gone out kayaking in cold water). Those times I got wet were due to 1) bronchitis and associated dizziness 2) being towed by a trolling motor from another boat. I am not sure if SOT is such a huge benefit over SIK kayaks for what it's worth. For the times others have gotten wet in cold water anchor line was a huge factor.

That being said, gotta take a few risks in life. I think people have a bias to be concerned about being hurt by things that could have harmed us 100 or 1000 years ago because it comes naturally. So fear of drowning, attacked by wild animals, violent attack, etc, will stay readily on people's minds (or at on least mine). But lets face it, the food we eat, car wrecks, lack of exercise, or similar modern maladies are bigger risks. Then there is old age.

I've flipped before in the Yegua Creek in Feb. Always wear a PFD since I'm usually out alone. I don't wear chest waders, hip waders are much easier to let drop into the water when they fill. I can tell you, the weight of the water filling the hip waders made it difficult to move my legs up. Fortunately, I did use the kayak to keep a float with the PFD, flipped the yak, and was able to pull myself back into the yak and paddle my way out. I did lose some gear, but all that can be replaced. If you can go with a friend, I would highly recommend.

This time of year with cold water and cold air, you really need to be dressed to go swimming. With a dry top, chest waders and layering underneath, I might get a little water inside inside after a while but I won't experience the gasping for air that folks not wearing something of this type would experience. You really can't appreciate how much these help with keeping you warm as very little air escapes. With a few chemical hand warmers in the feet and knee area I was sweating today and the temps never got above freezing.

Got my Kokatak (XXL) in the mail today. Did a quick test on fitting. It's perfect, plenty of room to layer up on really cold days. Very easy to get on and off. Excited to break it in.

Nothing like dressing to swim and knowing everything will be ok.

Good video to let folks know what to expect.

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=DtgYP3Xrhdo[/video]

Good on you for helping this guy out.
First thing is to get the correct PFD. I'm 6'3" and 250. A regular PFD just isn't going to cut it if I'm wearing snivel gear and have my basic yak tools on me. Like you said, when you're adding extra weight it will keep a PFD from keeping you up.
You should not fish alone if you are farther from the bank than you can swim, period. Also, you should have some sort of float plan and others should know what that plan is and when to expect to hear from you.
Also a good idea to pack a duffle bag with dry clothes and leave them in your truck or even in a dry bag in the yak. At least a blanket.

Phil

I carry a dry bag with a change of clothes all year round. Even a welcoming rain in the hot summer months that you intentionally allow to cool you off can turn into a nightmare if winds get up and you are soaked. Spent an hour on bank years ago when the weather got too nasty (lightening, rain, and wind) to make it safely back through stump field. A 25 mph wind with pouring rain and temp drop into 70's will cool you down past the comfort zone quick.

PS
Highly recommend carrying a 45 gallon heavy duty trash can liner at all times. Cheap, strong, and will keep the rain and wind off of you while you wait out the weather. Lots of uses for it and easy to pack.