Falling in

[Blunderer]

Time for a lighthearted thread.
I reckon that every single angler out there has fallen in the water several times. Can anyone put their hand on their heart and say they haven't?

I've done it loads. The most embarrassing was about 6 years ago on a local day ticket water. I was fishing on a platform with my brolly up behind me in the rain. The bailiff came for my money. I got up and tried to step around my brolly which took up all of the width of the platform. I misjudged it and fell straight off the platform into 4 foot of water, right in front of him. He didn't even laugh and didn't even take my money because I told him I was going straight home.

 

[sash]

I had an unfortunate incident a few years ago when fishing a steep sided drain. Having left the bulk of my tackle at the top of the bank I needed to get something from it. On the way back to the rods I slipped and in trying to keep my balance sort of ran down the bank into 5ft of water!

It did cause great amusement to my mate and the other 2 anglers present to see someone not falling, but runnung, into the water.

 

[John McLaren]

My worst experience of falling in was in the late 70's when Llyn Brenig on the Denbigh Moors opened for trout fishing and on my first trip, in an effort to avoid the shoulder to shoulder crowds that had gathered at the more accessible spots, I and my companion, another John, made our way around the end of the lake. This area is cut through by scores of feeder streams, most only rivulets but some fairly substantial, and requiring a good length of stride to cross. I am a mere 5ft 7ins, John is 6ft 2ins and I followed him like the servant followed Good King Wenceslas, placing my feet in the path he trod. Well, very nearly, for at one especially wide stream I placed my foot on the edge where John?s foot had been a second earlier only to find that the bank dematerialised beneath my step, I fell lengthways and all but submerged in the icy water. It was late May but it was actually snowing at the time! Fortunately I had a towel and spare clothing so I retraced my steps and was able to dry off and change ? no mean feat in an Austin Mini

 

[Paul Christie 3]

In my teens I remember falling asleep whilst night fishing, with a couple of mates. At the time - pre-comfy carp chairs, I was sat on a deck chair under my brolly. I woke after a couple of hours and decided to re-cast, hoping my little kip had gone un-noticed.

As I stood up and waded out I collapsed into a foot of water with a dead-leg. The funniest thing was, I could get up and just withered around in agony for a couple of minutes to whilst everyone else p*ssed themselves.

 

[Paul Christie 3]

Couldn't get up - I should say!!!

 

[Coops]

As a kid I remember trying to get down a slippery, high river bank to the waters edge. The bank was sort of curved like a ski jump ramp, and when I slipped I accelerated down the slope and flew into river arse first several feet from the bank. I can still see my brother pissing himself laughing now.

 

[Ergo]

Whilst having a wander around one of our local lakes and muttering rather loudly about, 'these effin anglers leaving discarded line all over the place'. One of my mates called me to see 'all of this bleedin line over here'. As I turned around, my right leg got tangled in line, while my left leg shot off the bank.

I ended up doing a rather ungraceful splits, one leg on the bank the other in the water. My undercarriage banging on a small tree stump. I went home, the Mrs just laughed and made me strip off in the hall.

It also happened that my late father in law fell in on one occasion in the river cuckmere. As it was winter time he was well wrapped up in his big old coat boots etc. He could just keep his head above the water and was yelling for me to pull him out. With all of this gear on he was water logged and too heavy.

I finally managed it but he wasn't impressed with me. I had to shove him under and as he bounced back up, I grabbed the back of his coat and got him halfway onto the bank. He was kicking around like mad. I grabbed his belt and pulled him right out, crushing his nuts by giving him a super wedgie in the process. As he didn't want to get his new car wet, he wanted me to take him home in my estate car. I told him he would have to sit on an old ground sheet in the boot part if I did.
I put the heating on full for the poor old so and so.

On the way back I was stopped by the police who asked me why I had a person in the boot. They made me sit him on the back seat. As I went to the rear with the copper, I opened the boot door, the heating had warmed him up enough so that he really stank. Mr Plod almost turned green and wished me luck. My mother in law wasn't overly impressed, mainly because I was laughing so much.

 

[Blunderer]

Ergo - cracking story - loved the wedgie bit!!!!!

There is NOTHING in the world funnier than seeing a mate suffer a "mischief", particularly one involving water and mud.
These type of threads are always littered with comments like "I still laugh now" or "never laughed as much". Always makes me smile how evil we all are when it comes to friends, especially when they cannot see the funny side...!

 

[Graham Whatmore]

John Jones and I were fishing up at Atcham below Shrewsbury one day and the peg I was in was about 15ft below bank level. Around lunchtime we decided to leave the gear (you could in them days)and go for a little drinkypoo in the local pub. When we eventually came out it had started raining but off we trudged back to the pegs wet inside and out if you know what I mean.

I arrived at the top of the bank above my peg, put one foot down and promptly did a Franz Klammer straight down the bank into the water below. It must have been a sight to behold and what was even more amazing was I managed to miss all my gear on the way through. A very 'sobering' experience.

 

[Baz]

Laughing at you're mates downfall hits the button with me every time.
We were walking down the side of a lake, side stepping the mud puddles. The mate was loaded down with gear and in front of me, so I had a grand stand view of what happened.
He missed his footing and went arse over tit in the mud.
The funniest thing was the look on his face, as he was lay on his back, with the strap of his tackle box tight around his neck. His expresion seemed to say, please help me.
No chance, I was wetting my self laughing.

 

[John Jones]

Graham Whatmore and I were fishing the Shannon at Portumna. I was standing in 2ft of water.

When I tried to retrieve my bulging keepnet, my feet slipped from under me and I went into the river on my back.

While trying to regain my feet I slipped again and did an encore, this time on my belly.

Graham and our wives thought it hilarious and as I floundered around stood at the top of the bank in absolute bits.

I drank so much river water the Shannon fell 6 inches!

 

[Laurie Harper]

I was fishing the Loddon in Twyford the winter before last. The bailiff, who is a nice bloke, stopped for a chat. He remarked on the fact that I was using cane rods (just restored by me) and centre-pins and said kind things about the condition of them. Trying to appear noncahlant and modest, I thanked him, got up turned round to cast (trying to look casual) and took a step back onto, er nothing. I'd been so busy concentrating on looking the part, I'd forgotten I was stood right at the wtaer's edge. I fell into about four feet of water. God bless the bailiff. He almost kept a straight face while he pulled me out.

 

[daniel pearce]

My most unfortunate event was when my father came fishing with 2 or 3 years ago we were just pavking away when he went to clean the bait box he leant over and placed the bait box in the water the bank was on a 45 degree angle he leant down and splat 4 feet of water i can just see the look on the other anglers faces there were all pissing themselves but thats fishing

 

[Baz]

I just did a daft trick. I didn't fall in anywhere, but I was clearing the back of my van out.
I was kneeling inside, and when I came to get out, the towball on the back got caught up the bottom of my pants leg. when I tried to move I went down on the floor and couldn't get up because one leg was caught around the towball. An old biddie walking by said are you okay love? And I still couldn't get up, it was really embarassing, the interfearing old bitch, why doesn't she mind her own business?

 

[Fred Bonney]

My worst/funniest experience was a trip arranged out of Chatham, with a catamaran owning mate of mine and 2 mates to sail the Thames estuary and fish a bit.
To get to his boat we had to do shifts in a two man tender,being a big fella and a non swimmer, I didn't like the idea of getting into this tiny boat, so i waited 'til last with the beer and bait.
So there I am on the jetty, I put my first foot in and the boat starts to move away ,so,I,in a panic, push myself back to the safety of land,as a result the tender starts to sink,with my mate still sitting there,oars akimbo,slowly going down, shivering with newspaper wrapped lug worms drifting round him along with our beer.
To this day it still brings a smile to my face and the thought of him doing a Benny Hill salute as he slowly sinks.
I got on board eventually and we didn't catch much,but the photographs of the sinking came out well!
I've got a mate,Adrian,he's 6 foot 4 and weighs 24 stone,he learning to fish(4years so far!!)he's fallen in twice,whilst I've been showing him the ropes,god knows how he does it,once on the Severalls,he was walking behind me next thing he's straight in,cold in November.About a month ago I joined him in Norfolk,on the river,"I just stepped forward".
Good job I didn't have too pull him out.

 

[Fred Bonney]

I suppose I should add,that despite many near misses on the ski runs of some rivers,I've only fallen in once,touch wood.
I was fish spotting up what I later learned was a Crack Willow and ,well it cracked,I dropped straight down,up to my waste and that was a cold November day.
I don't climb trees anymore!!!

 

[Ergo]

Fred for your own sake and the sake of others, learn to swim.

 

[Fred Bonney]

Eric,I know,everybody gets on at me about it,their right of course,one day I'll summon up the courage to do it.
The thing is, I'd love to be able to swim,it's when my feet come off the bottom that the panic sets in.

 

[Baz]

Fred,
get down to youre local baths. You will be surprised at how many adults go on a improvers course. I went on one myself some years ago, its all about confidence building in the water and co-ordination. You will not be on you're own. Give them a ring.

 

[jason fisher]

my best falling in incident happened on the sheffield canal in the late 80's, a lovely hot summers day, i was fishing behind a bush concealed from the world when things went slightly pear shaped and i found my self chest deep in water.

not having seen anyone all morning i decided to strip off hang my clothes on the bush and dry off in the sun. so there i am stood wringing the water out of my underpants completely starkers, when 2 women appeared out of the narrow boat on the far side grinning at me. i gave them a little wave and started to get dressed again.