Fly Fisher Dies in Clark River

[Fish Bones]

Canadian fly-fisherman apparently drowned
CLARK FORK -- A Canadian fly-fisherman died in the Clark Fork River Friday morning after his float tube overturned west of Cabinet Gorge, Bonner County Sheriff's officials say.The man was identified as Edward Stover, a 35-year-old from the province of Alberta. Stover apparently drowned and an autopsy is pending, Undersheriff Charlie Dennis said on Friday afternoon.

The incident happened at about 11 a.m. east of Clark Fork.Stover was pulled from the river at about 11:14 a.m. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated immediately and he was taken to Bonner General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, sheriff's officials say.

Dennis said Stover was fishing from a u-shaped float tube, commonly known as U-tubes or U-boats. Stover, who was safety belted into the float tube, tipped over and was unable to right himself.What caused Stover to tip over is still being investigated, Dennis said. Stover was not fishing by himself.

"Someone else in the party said they heard a splash and he was turned over upside down," said Dennis.Dennis said Stover had family on shore and there might have been another angler in the water when the tube capsized."I think the majority of them were on shore, but possibly there was one more in the water, but whether he was in the water when the guy turned over, we're not sure," he said.'

POST YOUR OPINION

Angler dies in Clark Fork River
[FONT=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-2]Posted: Sunday, Jul 08, 2007 - 11:46:14 am PDT[/SIZE][/FONT]
By KEITH KINNAIRD
News editor
Bonner County Daily Bee
Bonner County Daily Bee - Your source for Sandpoint Idaho news and information
P.O. Box 159 / Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 / 208-263-9534

 

[Frank Whiton]

It is a shame than this fellow lost his life.

I have never heard of anyone being belted into a float tube. I suspect that the belted in part resulted in his drowning. Since it is a U-tube he could have learned over too far forward and flip over that way. Being belted in prevented he from fleeing the tube once it was inverted. A terrible thing.

 

[Fishplease]

At least he died doing what he loved. I'd rather die fishing that sitting in some retirement home waiting for it.

 

[Fly2Fish]

Frank, I agree. I suppose there might be some reason why someone might want to tether himself to his float (loss of float? need to keep floatation nearby?), but to belt himself in - that's hard to understand. Sounds like, as you surmised, that having been belted in, when the tube overturned, he couldn't right the tube nor release himself to get to air.

Relating to the thread discussion on PFDs, not sure they would have helped him either. I wouldn't think the buoyancy of a PFD would be enough to offset the float tube's greater buoyancy.

Really a sad story . . .:icon_cry:

 

[GeorgeMcFly]

wow what a freak accident. but In my opinion I say god has your name in a book and when its your time he checks you off the list. but Hey Fly fishing would be a good way to go but too bad he was strapped in tho? that had to be the cause of him drowning for sure. I would rather flip out of the float and not be belted in and lose the float. its wierd there was even a clip belt in there. maybe a tether that goes to a d-ring or something instead would be better idea just to keep u attached to the float but not keep u submerged if it flipped! i say lawsuit! :banned:

 

[JoJer]

I have a friend who has a summer place on a big lake here in Idaho. He owns and fishes from several sit-on type float tubes. They're like a lawn chair with an inflatable semi circular pontoon. They're nice: you sit up high, you're mostly up out of the water, you don't have to worry so much about keeping the back cast angled up. All of my previous tubing was in sit-in type tubes. I'd had a couple of round tubes, and recently moved up to a U tube.
My friend was convinced that sit-in tubes were dangerous and that we couldn't possibly let kids use them because they'd surely have the same type of accident mentioned here. I couldn't convince him that, if this was a common problem, not only would we have heard about it, but the product would have been sued off the market.
The first half hour or so using his sit-on tube was very unnearving for me. I was accutely aware that there was nothing but gravity holding me and my craft together. How easy would it be to lean out of this thing and lose it to a gust of wind? I can see how someone might be tempted to fasten themselves to the tube.

P.S. My buddy thinks canoes are death traps.

 

[jcw355]

Sad, I carry a knife that is easily accessed when I fish.

 

[JoJer]

+1 jcw-a sharp folder I can open with one hand attached with a quick release to the drawstring of my waders.

 

[btlguide]

I definitely wouldnt be belting myself into any kind of raft, life jacket is all you need in sketchy water. Ive seen guys be in the water for a few minutes in waders and life jacket and never had any problems with them filling up.

 

[Ard]

Unfortunate.

Ard

 

[Pocono]

It is a shame than this fellow lost his life.

I have never heard of anyone being belted into a float tube. I suspect that the belted in part resulted in his drowning. Since it is a U-tube he could have learned over too far forward and flip over that way. Being belted in prevented he from fleeing the tube once it was inverted. A terrible thing.

Agree with Frank.

Someone told me a long time ago that there used to be a military test for aspiring pilots that involved being turned upside down in the water (simulating a water ditch). My understanding is that a lot of them had trouble with that test. The panic of being in the water and being upside down caused them to miss the key factor; un-belting themselves to escape.

I would never belt myself into any water craft and I've been spending time on the water for well over 50 years.

Pocono

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

This is very unfortunate, I cant see the logic in teathering one's self to somthing that might over turn or sink

over here they have been looking at making life jackets (pfd's) a legal requirement.

Chris

 

[Jimmie]

That is sad.
Understandable in that I bet it happens (flips) in a hurry. Even though there are a gazillion guys that float without incident this incident woke me to having the most stable tube I can get for cheap insurance. That plus maybe wearing the PFD that I always have, and never wear.
*Chris; we have a law that says that you must be in possession of a PFD in a boat. You don't have to be wearing it. I don't know if that applies to float tubes or not.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Jimmie,

Here in Florida if you use an inflatable PFD you must have it on to qualify as a PFD in your boat. You must have a life preserver for every sole on board.

Frank

 

[Davo]

Hi Jimmie,

Here in Florida if you use an inflatable PFD you must have it on to qualify as a PFD in your boat. You must have a life preserver for every sole on board.

Frank

We have the same requirement here in Wyoming too. You are not required to wear them but there must be one for each occupant in the boat.

 

[mikel]

The way your stripping apron attaches across your lap in a tube, as in my fish cat 4, can "belt" you in the boat. We keep hearing of guys in such boats who lean forward netting fish, grabbing for their tippet or flies and tipping over to the front.

I now wear a manual inflate pfd and I do NOT lock in the stripping apron in front of me. One would have to stay very calm under water to undo 2 connections, one of which is velcro, but is buried behind your right hip next to your seat.

...and I cannot imagine a float tube in moving water. I've seen it, but no thanks...

-Mike

 

[bm3moose]

I've worn and been responsible for all the life saving equipment at my USCG unit. We use an inflatable system that is manually deployable rather than automatic. We also used a harness and tether system with a quick release for our machine gunners on our boats and in case of an overturn you had to be able to escape the tether. Manually inflating a pfd isn't a hard task in calm conditions but add in factors including improper wear or failed inflation and it becomes a whole new ball game. We've lost guys because of failed inflation so I would suggest becoming very familiar. Personally if I'm in the water in a vessel I'm jacketed up no matter what. All it takes is a split second and you are in the water.

 

[dian11]

+1 Well done
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