Kayak Fishing Safety on Comcast Outdoor GPS

If anyone is around on Friday at 6PM, I've been invited into the Comcast studio with Owin Hayes on Outdoor GPS to do the monthly Hobie Report. This month will have a special focus on kayak fishing safety. With the unfortunate passing of local kayak fisherman Richard Schlumpberger this week near the mouth of the Lewis river, Owin has agreed that kayak safety is a very important topic and gave me the green light to discuss during my segment on the show.

Below is the channel line up in OR/WA

Comcast Sportsnet Northwest
737 Portland/Salem/Eugene
617 Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia/Spokane
86 Medford/Ashland/Kfalls/Coos bay

-Michael

Good call on the topic.  This should be on every newbie's viewing list!

Good topic to tackle. Nice job, Michael.

Very Timely Michael.  Glad you're tackling this while people are paying attention!

-Mark-

I'm glad that you're doing this Michael.  I sometimes forget that we have kayak anglers out there that don't know about our site. Or worse yet, they do read our site and get inspired by reading about our adventures, but don't bother to read and participate in the safety discussions. 

I'm sometimes given credit for coming up with the anchor system that many of us use for salmon and sturgeon on the Willamette and Columbia.  I couldn't sleep the other night when I heard about the tragedy on the Columbia and found out that an anchor was involved.   It might be that he was using a simple anchor tied off to the side of his kayak and if he had a quick release style anchor like the ones we use he would have been alive today.  But.... what if he got the idea that he could anchor up on the Columbia from me but didn't follow through with finding out what he needed to do that safely?

Yep,thanks for covering this...I'm sure you will touch on anchoring ...very dangerous..even for powerboats in swift current. Even back in the powerboat days we knew the importance of that handy knife . Last week I anchored my outback in 30 ft of water on the outgoing(columbia by I205). Accidentally nudged my dropoff rope...oh,well,need the practice. Reel up,look around,can't find the buoy...it finally surfaced 5 min later...was a struggle to get attached again,let out more line....buoystill was getting dragged under. Made myself feel better by pulling on the dropoff rope...hardly any tension...think I'm gonna make that longer. Pulling up all that line wasn't easy...think I'll skip that heavy outgoing next time. My main worry was if I fell out, seperation would happen very quickly.

I've exchanged emails with Sheriff Mark S. Nelson of the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office and he confirmed what I suspected; Mr. Schlumpberger was entangled in his anchor rope.

".....he was fishing from his kayak in the Columbia River just downstream from the confluence of the Columbia and Lewis Rivers. His family was on shore.

At some point, and for an unknown reason, the kayak flipped and the victim went in the water but did not surface. The family immediately called 911 and emergency responders headed into the area. A side-scan sonar indicated a possible location and a Coast Guard helicopter flew over and was able to get a visual. Divers went in and located the victim’s body. His leg was entangled in the anchor line."

Michael, please make sure to stress the importance of line management and the necessity of carrying an accessible sharp knife on your PFD.

-Mark-

Promotion anchor quick releases are cheap insurance from getting pulled under while anchoring in heavy current.  I highly recommend them.

Promotion anchor quick releases are cheap insurance from getting pulled under while anchoring in heavy current.  I highly recommend them.

Hey Scott,  how do you use these?

-Mark-

First thing is to set up an anchor trolley on your yak. Here's a good video on that.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/mnZXP7vTGyM?autoplay=1

First thing is to set up an anchor trolley on your yak. Here's a good video on that.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/mnZXP7vTGyM?autoplay=1

Not sure how that would keep you from being pulled under if anchor line wrapped around your leg.

-Spot-

Next is to decide what kind of anchor set up you want. Open salt or lakes, here's a quick video on that.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/xjWFy8jf0mE?autoplay=1


The quick release is placed on the d ring on the anchor trolley, then the other end to your anchor set up. Mine has a pull cord to release but the one above has a dial to adjust tension. In theory if you come under strong tension it will brake free on its own. Those who use it, is it sensitive enough to paddle away from it?

OK, so I see where that would be usefull in breaking your kayak free from your anchor if the kayak was getting pulled under but I don't think it would have helped the gentleman who was dragged under when the anchor rope became directly attached to him.

I'm fighting a head cold so I might just be missing something obvious. 

-Spot-

OK, so I see where that would be usefull in breaking your kayak free from your anchor if the kayak was getting pulled under but I don't think it would have helped the gentleman who was dragged under when the anchor rope became directly attached to him.

I'm fighting a head cold so I might just be missing something obvious. 

-Spot-

Your right, if he was tangled because of poor line management, then went under vs yak in trouble and being tangled while trying to release it.  But I still think your chances of survival are greater without that yak pulling you down. Like the previous posts stated wear a PDF with a sharp knife on it which easily pulls out of a sheath. I carry my free diving knife.