Missing Duck Hunters Found Dead

I heard that on news last night. So sad for families.
We didn’t have wind here, maybe they did there, or simply a mistake
I wasn't about to speculate.

As you no doubt know, Sprague is a big lake....with a perfect orientation to the prevailing SW winds and a long reach to build big waves and swells....like so many EWA scabland lakes. One of my former coworkers and his two children nearly drowned during a fishing trip there...when the wind blew up and huge waves capsized their small boat. No PFDs and they only survived by clinging to the overturned hull until another boater rescued them.

A couple of teenage duck hunting brothers in California drowned last month when one set out to retrieve a duck and his kayak overturned...and the other when he went out to save him. Neither had PFDs.

I just post these sad reminders to help keep people aware and hopefully preparing for 'what if' scenarios.
 
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Both members of Spokane Fly Fishers per the club message to members today. I didn't know them, but I understand both were thorough sportsmen and gentlemen. Certainly a tragedy. My condolences to their families.

I've fished Sprague a bit this year. I have no idea if these folks were boating, but as a word of reminder: hazards abound on scabland lakes. In additon to wind, many have a quite complicated bottom topography. Like many others (Rock in particular) unsuspected shallows are often unrevealed by water surface expression. And many have steep cliffs for banks, leaving no close shoreline for escape, especially this time of year.

Please keep safety uppermost in your mind when waterborne in this region.

Bless them.
 
Both members of Spokane Fly Fishers per the club message to members today. I didn't know them, but I understand both were thorough sportsmen and gentlemen. Certainly a tragedy. My condolences to their families.

I've fished Sprague a bit this year. I have no idea if these folks were boating, but as a word of reminder: hazards abound on scabland lakes. In additon to wind, many have a quite complicated bottom topography. Like many others (Rock in particular) unsuspected shallows are often unrevealed by water surface expression. And many have steep cliffs for banks, leaving no close shoreline for escape, especially this time of year.

Please keep safety uppermost in your mind when waterborne in this region.

Bless them.
I was amazed how there was zero hazard buoys even out from the campgrounds. Just nasty rock piles 50-100 yards from shore.

Cold water and boating is a scary thing.
 
...the wind blew up and huge waves capsized their small boat. No PFDs and they only survived by clinging to the overturned hull...
A couple of teenage duck hunting brothers in California drowned last month ... Neither had PFDs.
How many TV & YTuber fishing hosts do you see not wearing PFDs while standing up in their small one-man boats while fishing lakes, or floating rivers, probably because it doesn't work with their camera chest harness? Maybe a PFD is draped over or stuffed under a seat. Sad because while they can teach - demonstrate some good techniques they are also showing viewers...
"I don't need to wear a PFD to do this."
Does anyone leave comments?
 
I was amazed how there was zero hazard buoys even out from the campgrounds. Just nasty rock piles 50-100 yards from shore.

Cold water and boating is a scary thing.
There may be some thought that having hazard buoys near the launch area implies that subsurface hazards will be marked throughout the lake. Sorta like Washingtonians being surprised that twisty mountain roads in Montana seldom mark curves with 'suggested' cautionary speeds....you're on your own.

As you no doubt know, the channeled scabland lakes very often contain such surprises...especially dangerous for powerboats, but they're basically a necessity to cover a big lake like Sprague.
 
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Ugh...will pray for those families.
I used to duck hunt and always preferred lugging decoys from land for this very reason.

Being on a lake in the winter with dogs, decoys, guns and your buddy onboard there's just a lot more that can go wrong than you think.
If one guy goes in, then the dog (or dogs) is gonna go in and then it's panic & chaos. And that's even with PFDs!
Especially if it's in the darkness of pre or post shooting hours. I don't miss that part one bit.

Be careful out there!
 
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With my palate and the taste of duck being light years apart I never had to worry too much about the dangers of duck hunting.:ROFLMAO:
Very tragic and sad for the families. I never heard the full story but it's probably hard to know what happened with no survivors.
 
How many TV & YTuber fishing hosts do you see not wearing PFDs
And virtually every single Bassmaster/MLF TV pro doesn't have one on when fishing. Maybe you see them put it on when moving from spot to spot. But that's rare.

(shoutout to pro Bryan New who seems to wear his 100% of the time)
 
While I shot and ate plenty of ducks in my youth, I really lost interest in the damn things after I learned (and observed) that they visit every possible sewage lagoon and treatment plant on their migrations...growing fat eating corn and other items humans crap out and flush.

Real 'circle of life' stuff.
 
Ugh...will pray for those families.
I used to duck hunt and always preferred lugging decoys from land for this very reason.

Being on a lake in the winter with dogs, decoys, guns and your buddy onboard there's just a lot more that can go wrong than you think.
If one guy goes in, then the dog (or dogs) is gonna go in and then it's panic & chaos. And that's even with PFDs!
Especially if it's in the darkness of pre or post shooting hours. I don't miss that part one bit.

Be careful out there!
In my duck hunting days it was common to see small boats with about three inches of freeboard because of such overloading. I'm certain it still occurs with great regularity.
 
And virtually every single Bassmaster/MLF TV pro doesn't have one on when fishing. Maybe you see them put it on when moving from spot to spot. But that's rare.

(shoutout to pro Bryan New who seems to wear his 100% of the time)
The rule in tournament fishing is that your PFD must be worn if the big motor is running. The driver also has to have his kill switch attached. There is nor requirement to wear a PFD while fishing. I did it for 10 years and never wore a PFD while fishing and never saw another competitor wearing one either. The thought never even crossed my mind.
 
The rule in tournament fishing is that your PFD must be worn if the big motor is running. The driver also has to have his kill switch attached. There is nor requirement to wear a PFD while fishing. I did it for 10 years and never wore a PFD while fishing and never saw another competitor wearing one either. The thought never even crossed my mind.
Oh, I know those are the rules. And I have no issue with that. I'm just talking about setting an example. PDFs are uncool. Perhaps if they were seen differently, we'd have fewer events like the one that prompted this thread.

Or maybe stupid folks gonna always be stupid. Nobody thinks drunk driving is cool and many people die from it every year.
 
Oh, I know those are the rules. And I have no issue with that. I'm just talking about setting an example. PDFs are uncool. Perhaps if they were seen differently, we'd have fewer events like the one that prompted this thread.

Or maybe stupid folks gonna always be stupid. Nobody thinks drunk driving is cool and many people die from it every year.
Yup...humans are great herd animals.
 
Oh, I know those are the rules. And I have no issue with that. I'm just talking about setting an example. PDFs are uncool. Perhaps if they were seen differently, we'd have fewer events like the one that prompted this thread.

Or maybe stupid folks gonna always be stupid. Nobody thinks drunk driving is cool and many people die from it every year.
I never thought of it as cool or uncool…they just weren’t practical to fish in and catching fish is pretty much all you’re thinking about. When I fist started tournament fishing the only option was a vest style. There was no way in hell anyone would spend a 12 hour day fishing in one of those.

When the inflatables came out, more guys would leave those on but I never bought one. I did a lot of things in those boats that many would deem dangerous. I’m not saying I was right but the mindset of most tournament anglers is such that lifejackets are the last thing on their minds. In 10 years of tournament fishing I never saw a guy fall off a boat while fishing😂. I did see a guy get ejected at 65 miles/hour. He was wearing a life jacket and was fine but it was scary to watch.

In a duck boat with all that clothing on…I would wear one.
 
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