Safety First On The James River

Catfishing for the Blues on the James River in Virginia.

Safety First -- Winter Months Catfishing from a boat --

An Average of less than 10 minutes to get out of the Water If you fall in....

Catfishing is year round enjoyment but prime time are the winter months, especially from the end of November through February. Catfish are in thier winter pattern and many times found stacked in deep holes. During this time of the year hypothermia is a concern and should be given much thought for fisherman's safety.

Thought I would mention this...we had a guy from this area that was fishing the James a couple of years ago. He was using a gill net and just had it laying on the deck of the boat as he let it out. His feet got tangled up in it and pulled him off the boat. He could not get his feet loose in the water and if his fishing buddy wasn't with him that day he would have drowned. This was in the winter and they were close to the truck to change clothes.

With that in mind I would think using some type of a container to let the net out....would be a wise and safe thing to do...instead of having it loose.

Another report a couple of years ago , a catfisherman got tangled in his anchor rope during the winter months as he was throwing out the anchor, got him off balance, and in the water he went. He was able to get back in the boat quick. Luckily he didn't have his cell phone on him but in the boat and was near the ramp. He lived in the area and his wife met him at the ramp with dry clothes. . 

Two more incidents this summer where experienced fisherman fell out the boat leaning over to far trying to land a fish in the net. One of these guys had been fishing for over 20 years and never fell out of the boat and was a good swimmer. He was able to get back in the boat in a couple minutes. However on the other overboard fisherman that was just below Jordan Point, rescue had to be called. The current swept him away and it was several hours before getting back to the boat...good thing it was summer time.

With that said,  things can happen, Safety First....

The weather can be frigid with the air and water temperature dropping and always the wind chill factor to consider. Wind may be another factor as far as staying dry, depending on the type of boat and water. On the James with areas of big water at Hopewell and downriver it's very important to know what the wind is doing. Some boats have more spray than others and you don't want to be wet.

Although there are heavy insulated coveralls and coats on the market most recommend to dress in layers. The basic thermal undergarments are a good start, as they will also wick moisture from the skin. Polypropylene is the thickest thermal material available. Staying dry is top priority in cold weather, pure cotton will retain moisture. Several poly blend sweat shirts and jeans for the next layers and top it off with a layer of water resistant clothing such as Gore-tech. On those extremely cold and windy days I will also use a PVC rain coat before putting on the top layer....this always keeps my chest and shoulders warm in extreme conditions.

As far as head gear, a large percentage of body heat is lost through your head and a ball cap is not enough in winter months. A silk balaclava is what I use. It's thin so I can have layers on my head also. The second layer I use a wool beanie and sometimes wear a cap over both. If it's extremely cold or traveling the river in the boat I will protect my lungs by pulling the balaclava up over my mouth. Often mittens are recommended as they offer more warmth than gloves because your fingers can touch each other and give off more heat. Always keep spare gloves on board. It's easy to get the gloves wet before thinking.

When choosing a boot it needs to be waterproof and insulated and one that has good traction, don't want to slip and fall out the boat. Another thing to look for is thick-soled boots to help keep your feet warm. Pick a size that will allow for thick socks. Keep your feet warm and dry, feet are the first to loose feeling in the cold. Your survival may depend on a PFD in cold water, weather it be the vest or inflating type, if falling out of the boat. Try to find somewhere on the boat to carry a spare set of clothes and shoes.  

Avoid Hypothermia....Click here for info...

What happens when you fall into cold water??..... Click here to read about it?

Click here for a little quiz to see how well you can do on questions about Accidents & Emergencies

On the James River keep a lookout for ships and barges when operating in the main channels. Of Course these channels are marked by the red and green buoys. Even as large as these vessels are they can be incredible quiet and sneak up on you.

Always keep in mind the barge and ship traffic and highly recommend anchoring on the edge of the main channel and it still can be close on some of the cut-thru areas especially Presque when a large barge or container ship comes through.

If you have a VHF radio, listen to channel 13 (bridge-to-bridge safety) or 16 (calling and distress). Often ships and barges will announce when they approach a channel bend, bridge or other busy area to check for other shipping traffic.

Don’t wait until they seem close to get out of their way. Their speed is deceiving because of their size. Once a ship or barge is close, they can’t get out of your way,

Avoid stopping or anchoring in a marked channel used by ships and barges. If you choose to do so, be prepared to move quickly with little notice. Give these vessels the respect they deserve and keep out of their way!

Two things I've learned about the river:

1) If they're calling for 15 mph winds, there will be plenty of gusts of 20 mph.

2) Open straights and big water on the river is the worst.... the area from Hopewell to Flowerdew (big water)......and up river of the Prequille cut to the Deep Bottom cut through....and up river side of the Deep Bottom cut through to the 295 bridge...

Usually the Deep Bottom cut through is okay in wind. Following that, I'd be up river somewhere if I were you in a 16' boat in 15mph winds.....another usually "protected" spot is the Barge Pit entrance.

Reports how bad the river can get and quick

Everything started off nice, bait was tough, but we managed. I decided to make a run down river to Flower Dew, BIG MISTAKE. The ride past Jordan point was choppy, but OK, once we got to the power lines, it turned ugly quick. By the time the stupid captain of the ship (me) finally decided it was too rough and turn around, we were faced with 40+ MPH winds and 3-4 foot seas. During an attempt to turn the boat up river, we caught a wave quartering on with the bow down in between swells. The first wave went over the top of the consoles and covered us all in water. Due to bad timing on my part, the second wave that was close behind hit us dead on, bow down, and submerged the first 7-8 feet of my 24 foot SeaArk. I watched as an 18 inch high wall of water rushed between the consoles and the nose of the boat disappeared. FULL THROTTLE!! Thankfully the water rushed back, the bow came up before the next wave, and we stayed afloat. The bilge pump ran non-stop for the next 45 minutes as we picked our way back up river. END RESULT: NO fish, wet passengers, and a renewed respect for the power of water

Gentlemen let me tell you something .. if the wind is EVER forecast to be anywhere close to 20mph DO NOT go out on that river .. I almost didn't make it back today

My buddy and I were in a creek all morning and the wind was calm in there .. by the time we made it back out to the main river the waves were 5 feet high or more .. we immediately put our life vests on and started working our way back .. not good when it took us a full half hour to get to the creek at wide open throttle

It took 15 minutes of riding the waves, getting soaked and swamped to get into Tar Bay .. Tar Bay I think saved our lives today .. 2 foot breakers are much better than ones that are breaking over the bow every hit. We stopped at Jordan point and I got a guy hanging out there to take me to my truck at Hopewell .. never ever again will I go out when its windy like that.