Apr 24, 2015 - Death, taxes and spring storms….each very much a certain thing. (Our caps are tipped to Daniel Defoe, the 17th century English author.)

 

Spring is a turbulent season, indeed, and for those longing to get back out on the water, spring storms don't have to be a hindrance.

 

BassResource.com has this guide to fishing in stormy weather. It can be done; just do it carefully.

 

A few common-sense tips from author David Hart:

 

•Tell someone where you plan to fish - and stick with that plan.

 

• Carry a cell phone in a watertight box or bag.

 

• Carry a weather radio - and use it.

 

• Never fish alone during severe conditions such as heavy winds or during periods of cold water.

 

• Wear your life vest at all times while fishing alone, running the boat or fishing in cold water.

 

• Install a ladder to the back of your boat. A soaked pair of coveralls and several layers of clothes can add 20 or 30 pounds to your body.

 

•Trust your intuition. If you have an uneasy feeling about the weather, you're right.

 

• Don't push it. Storms move fast and can cut you off from a path back to safety.

 

Here's a sample of hart's piece at BassResource.com:

"Every year recreational fishermen die because they fail to follow a few basic rules of  boating safety. According to statistics compiled by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat  Commission, 12 of 18 drowning victims died as a result of hypothermia in 1997, and the  vast majority of all drowning victims throughout the United States weren't wearing a life  preserver."

 

Statistically speaking, bass fishing is an innocuous sport. A little tendonitis of the elbow, hook in the hand or maybe an acute case of sunburn is about all anglers face. Fishermen are at far more risk driving to and from the boat ramp than they are while on the water.

 

Read the full post here, and remember, be careful out there.