Editor’s Notes
With Summer becoming official June 2, water sports
along the Gulf Coast will be in full swing now with all of the
congestion at the ramps, rivers and bays that goes with it.
Having that perfect place that avoids at least most of the
crowds and still offers a fighting chance at a limit or two, is
one of the all-time sought after goals of many a fisherman. It
just comes natural for some living near a popular bay system
and having the ability to fish during the weekend and
avoiding the weekends. It’s always quite amazing to me to
see a place like Port O’Connor, TX, so crazy on a summer
weekend, and so quiet in comparison in the middle of the
week. Fish are less “jittery” as well with many less props and
paddles over their heads.
Avoiding the crowds on weekends is still possible, if
that’s a goal, by finding new approaches to favorite fishing
grounds or finding entirely new areas to fish that have less
pressure at the ramps, reefs, and shorelines. Many prime
locations can be found by exploring roads that lead to the bay
- where it’s possible to launch at least a kayak without a
ramp; locating isolated ramp on maps; or by scanning
shorelines on Google Earth for that interesting looking place
that will deserve a visit. Reefs and other bottom features
sometimes are also visible, as well, depending upon water
clarity when the satellite flew over and took the pics.
Congested waters are also inherently more dangerous and
from the recently released 2013 Recreational Boating
Statistics, the top two causes of accidents are (1) Operator
Inattention - 567, and (2) Improper Lookout – 396. Operator
Inexperience and Excessive Speed are three and four. On a
percentage basis, however, the most fatalities were related to
accidents involving (6) Alcohol Use. ‘Only’ 236 accidents
with “Alcohol Use” were indicated as the causal factor, but
they resulted in 75 fatalities. The number 1 and 2 factors,
totaling 963, resulted in 76 deaths. The 10th item on the list of
contributing factors is Weather – causing 40 deaths in 181
accidents.
According to the compiled statistics, open motorboats
and kayaks/canoes are the two craft with the highest number
of fatalities by drowning. Makes sense because that’s the
largest number of craft on the water. Total drownings in 2013
were 398, with close to 80% of victims not wearing a life
jacket. Having been in two accidents on the water over 40
years (Reason 1 & 2...), I can only say they happen very fast,
and if you have any time at all to react, you won’t have time
to put on a PFD before you’re in the water. With today’s
lightweight and water activated vests, there is no excuse for
not always having one on, at least while running.
So, take care on the water this quarter, watch out for
yourself, and most of all, watch out for “the other guy”. GCF
See page 26 for advance planning
beyond this issue!
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JULY • AUGUST • SEPTEMBER
2014
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