I read an article in today’s Globe & Mail on drowning in Canada that really made me think. It said that fishermen are more likely to drown than swimmers, sailors, kayakers and other water enthusiasts. It also remarked on the low PFD-wear rate in the fishing community. While I don’t doubt the stats, I’d like to believe the aversion to PFDs is changing. I admit that I used to be one of the weak-swimming, non-PFD wearing fishermen referenced in the article, but I – and many around me – have changed. In the last few years I have seen a dramatic increase in PFD wear within the fishing community. Many are moving to inflatable PFDs which allow them to maintain mobility and comfort in warmer weather, and many are wearing flotation suits as protection from the elements in open boats. While we still have a long way to go, I believe fishermen are realizing how easy it is to become a statistic and how equally easy it is to put on a PFD and stay out of the stats altogether.

The full Globe & Mail article can be found online..

A massive rescue took place on Lake Erie over the weekend when more than 130 ice fishermen found themselves trapped on an ice floe that had broke away from the shore. Wearing Ice Commanders and MSD900 Breathable Immersion Work Suits, rescuers spent four hours getting people back to shore.

Great reach is shown here by Steve Chambers, one of our Security & Rescue Business Development Representatives, as he nets a nice salmon last week. Decked out in Ice Rider waist pants (MP4235) and Integrity Flotation Bomber Jacket (MJ6224), Steve enjoyed a great day of fishing with his brother and nephews. Have a boating picture or story of your own you’d like to share? Send it to media@mustangsurvival.com with the subject “OutThere” and we’ll get it up here on the web. In the meantime, have fun and stay safe OutThere!

Night fishing is an exciting way to experience the water in a different way. Our friend Dave Mercer dedicated a show to this great way to hone your fishing skills and catch lots of fish. Dave also shares some tips for some extra safety precautions to take when you’re out alone at night.

We just got these pictures in from the Valley Fish & Game Club, located in Lake Cowichan, BC, Canada. For each of the past five years the Club has led a chinook net pen project to help improve the survival rate of tens of thousands of chinook salmon fry. It was a tough spring for the salmon fry with below normal temperatures in the rivers causing reduced appetites and in turn reduced sizes. The net pen project took in 19,000 of these salmon from the local hatchery, each with an average weight of 6 grams, and located them in a protected environment in San Juan Bay. Fed twice a day for 20 days, they more than doubled in size before being released. It is volunteers like these from the Valley Fish & Game Club that help ensure our fish stocks will last for years to come. Congratulations to all of the volunteers and supporters on another successful net pen project. The pictures of the netpen launch and release can be accessed from this link: http://www.valleyfishandgame.com/netpen_2008.htm.

There have been some great industry trade shows and events this summer and while they’ve definitely eaten into my fishing time, they’ve got me all excited about some of the really neat products on the market. From polarized sunglasses that stayed firmly in place despite my best attempts to shake them off (perfect for paddling and fishing) to self-casting rods and electric reels (essential aids for fishermen with arthritis or Parkinson’s), I had more fun viewing and testing all of the products at the shows than I probably should have given I was there with specific business objectives in mind! I even sampled some of Camelbak’s new hydrating Elixir that promises not to turn your CamelBak reservoir into a science experiment and tried some tasty Clif Shot Bloks that I definitely need to scout out at a store near me before my next athletic endeavor. So go visit your local outdoor retailer when you have some time and check out the neat stuff they’ve got in stock – it could make your next trip OutThere! that much more enjoyable.

I escaped for my second fishing trip of the year this past weekend and again got a first-time salmon fisherman out on the water with me. He didn’t do so well the first day, struck by sea sickness, but days 2 and 3 showed improvement and though the fishing was slow, there was no shortage of excitement on the water! We saw numerous bears scooping up mussles on the shoreline, including a sow with two of the smallest cubs I’ve ever seen. There were more bald eagles than I’ve ever seen there before and I am continually amazed by their size and keen eyesight. The orcas (killer whales) also put on a show for us on Sunday as they seemed to dance all over the water and somehow miraculously not touch a single fishing line. I don’t know how they do it, but somehow in all my years of fishing I have never seen a pod of whales disrupt any fishing gear. I’m sure anglers in Alaska feel differently though with recent reports of whales there that have taken to stealing salmon right off anglers’ lines! So best be on the watch if you are in that area or your salmon may end up like the one in this video.

I see all of this wildlife fairly regularly and continue to be awed, inspired and rejuvenated by it. So if you’re thinking of getting out fishing this summer, stop thinking about it and just do it! You’ll rarely regret getting OutThere! and enjoying all that nature has to offer. Don’t forget to take a friend to help grow the sport, and to check out the RBFF’s Take Me Fishing page.

This past weekend marked the 16th annual Painter’s Lodge Women’s Salmon Fishing Derby. Hosted by the great folks at Oak Bay Marine Group, my fishing buddy and I took to the water with almost 100 other women in search of the derby winner. We were skunked on Friday and had a bit of a wild ride back to the dock as we took “Greenies” (waves) over the front and side of the boat…but it was more fun than any roller coaster we’d ever been on! Our guide got a good chuckle out of it as we shrieked and laughed with every wave. Thankfully we were bundled up in our flotation suits that kept us warm and dry throughout the day and protected us from the gallons of water pouring into the boat!

Saturday and Sunday were absolutely gorgeous with calm water, a light wind and beautiful blue skies. Jill caught her first-ever salmon on Sunday and was pretty ecstatic about it as you can see in the photo! We caught another one just a few moments later and then spent the rest of the day taking in the scenery as our fishing weekend came to a close. Chalking up my first weekend of fishing this season as a successful one with nice fish and LOTS of fun, I can’t wait for my next fishing trip in a couple week’s time. Until next time, stay safe on the water and have fun OutThere!

Click here to see more photos from our trip.