In this video we watch as Robert Field heads out off the coast of Galveston, Texas to target some big sharks. The title of this video says it all, “Offshore Trip Gone Wrong.” Field says right off the bat that he is basically doing everything kayak angler’s shouldn’t be doing.
Field breaks this episode down into six golden rules. He admits that he broke a number of different rules on this trip but he also learned a lot of lessons that will help prepare him better in the future.
1. Never go out alone
He takes his kayak through some rough surf to fish about 600 yards from shore, alone. While many people like to fish alone, you would usually want to make sure that you are fishing closer to shore and in safer conditions.
2. If conditions are bad, stay home
He admits at the end of the video that he should have never been out in these rough conditions even if he was with a group of people.
3. Never lose your focus
Field says it best, “The ocean is a powerful, unpredictable force” and as we see in this video, while he is looking for his lost anchor, he gets knocked out of his kayak.
4. Practice deep-water reentry
Luckily, even in these rough conditions, he was able to get himself back into his boat. As he mentions, you don’t want to have to figure it out in a life-threatening situation. This is why it is always recommended to practice flipping your kayak.
5. Always wear your PFD
PFD technology and design has come so far now that there are specific designs for anglers. These are not only comfortable but they are also handy for storing all of your gear. There is no excuse not to be wearing one.
6. Always carry a VHF radio
It is always a good idea to maintain contact with the coast guard. In this event, he had someone call the coast guard and before long he had a helicopter flying over his head.
Turns out he didn’t need any help and he could have let them know before they made it out to him. On the other hand, if he wasn’t able to get back into his boat when he flipped because of injury or the aggressive waves, he could have called to get help for himself.
Curious why the leader was cut instead of removing the hook? I realize a steel hook will degrade over time due to the salt water, however the portion that remains in the flesh will probably remain and possibly cause long term problems for the fish. Good video addressing the various safety lessons, thanks for being open and honest.