The temps had shot up into the high 60s and we were itching to get out on the water... so we loaded the kayaks and headed to the lake. (Remember, we hadn't been on the water for several months, and we just wanted to get out and throw some lines. We didn't expect to catch anything, but the break would be glorious.As we rigged the kayaks, I dropped a very nice brand new baitcaster in the rodholder behind my seat, and laid a spinning rod in the well in front of me. I left the fly rods at home. The water temps were way too cold for any topwater action so I didn't bother. In the off side rod holder I placed another nice spinning rod, and attached a leash, I doubted I could see any action with the light spinning rod, but better to have it... blah blah blah.
Behind the seat in the tank well, a few selected boxes of tackle, and a small snack cooler. I was ready and rarin to go.We launched and started working the shore lines, and I was soon into the rhythm of the cast and retrieve, and the day was beautiful. I had on a pair of sweat pants and a short sleeved sweat shirt with my life jacket over top. I was wearing my wading booties, rather than the heavier fly fishing boots with the cleats, since we were paddling and didn't expect to get out and wade. That water was cold. Miss T and I both had radios clipped to our PFDs and as was our practice, we began to separate as we fished. I was working along the shoreline and working the small coves, Miss Tina working the shore in detail, and I worked ahead hitting my known hot spots hoping for a strike. I moved a bit faster, opening the distance between us to give us both some room.
I glanced around at the clear blue sky, the windless day and marveled at how beautiful it was in the middle of March, when just the week before the ground was covered in snow.
I thought I saw a swirl under an overhanging bush, a favorite spot for big lunker bass to lay up, I had caught a number of big 'uns there. I reached back with the rod to side cast so I could skip the lure under the bush... 
... He Was Mine.A hard flick of the wrist.... needed some power for the skip and...
The lure hooked the brand new rod in the holder behind my seat,
and into the water it went.... I saw $200 plus sinking and without thinking...
Leaned over to make a grab and my fingers touched it....
Several things happened at once.... in a split second.
- I knew I just missed so I leaned just a bit farther.
- It suddenly hit me that I had leaned JUST a bit too FAR...
- It dawned on me that it was MARCH and that water was just weeks from it's thaw.
- It hit me that the kayak had started to roll.
- I realized that because I wanted to skip the lure I needed more control ... so ....
I had put my paddle in the paddle dock on the side of the kayak.
(A paddle across your lap is standard... you can grab it in a flash and use a brace with the blade to save yourself if you start to roll.)
The rod I was holding... was great for catching bass... not much help in that fraction of a second when I realized that I
was
going
to
get ....
WET...
The kayak rolled slowly over toward the rod I had dropped.
I figured since I was going to get wet anyway...
I reached hard and deep and grabbed that $200 combo.
Score...
That smile lasted about another 1/4 second.
I went in... and all the air left my body and the shock of the cold hit me. Every joint in my body locked. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't move. The cold was a physical presence. It was an electric shock. (Taser anyone?) But, I had a rod in each hand, and because no physical movement was possible, I didn't drop them.
My vest brought me to the surface, but I still couldn't catch a breath. I "REALLY" wanted to. "Really, really," as Shrek would say.Miss Tina was on her way to help, but seemed to be having trouble paddling toward me. Really, really. It was because she had seen the slow motion roll and my fall into the water. SHE... WAS... Laughing her butt off.
Seriously... she couldn't seem to get a rhythm and paddle... she was choking. I couldn't breath and she was ..... laughing.She finally got control ... and paddled over about the time I started to breath. I handed her the rods and ... she was still grinning like Donkey.
(For some reason, in 40 degree water, I didn't find the situation funny.)
I performed a self rescue, where you pull yourself out of the water and into your kayak. We always practiced this regularly and I usually performed it easily. Usually I'm not doing a Popsicle impression.
I promptly fell out the other side and BACK into the water. 
This set Tina off again and she was laughing so hard, SHE nearly fell out of HER kayak. Luckily, she didn't drop my dang rods in the water. Since I was already wet AND cold, the reentry wasn't a shock, and I was able to continue breathing, my vest popped me back to the surface, and I climbed back onto my sit on top kayak.
I retrieved my paddle and looked around... I had gear floating around me. In the kayaking world, this is called a "Yard Sale." (There it is.... you were wondering about the title now, weren't you?) A yard sale usually occurs when you roll your kayak, dump it going thru the rapids, or just plain screw up and fall out. Sometimes folks will even YELL "Yard Sale" to attract the other kayakers to help collect the floating gear. Luckily, most everything that wouldn't float, was leashed. After scooping up the floating gear we paddled to the beach and I opened the hatch and pulled out my DIP bag, and the first thing on the top were TWO big thick towels. The park was deserted, so I was able to wrap in the first towel and strip off the wet gear and dry off, then swap for the second thick towel, and change. The bag contained thick sweats, thick socks, a stocking cap and a pullover hoodie.
Miss T said, "Well, guess that's the end of the fishing."
"Ah, NO.... I'm warm now and don't intend to roll again."
My mistake, other than rolling, was dressing for the air temp and not the water temps.
I should have had on waders and a dry top.
I should have leashed the rod in the rear and then I wouldn't have tried to grab it,
and I should have remembered that the kayak follows your head.
KEEP the head centered and your kayak won't roll.
I have paddled that lake when the ice has just thawed, but I was DRESSED for it.
- Bear Creek Winter Paddle.jpg (294.15 KiB) Viewed 5148 times
The things I did right?
I had a pfd and I was wearing it. Our rule is pfd, parking lot to parking lot. If you see a pic of us fishing and you don't see the pfd, we probably have the auto inflate waist pfd on, or the flat one under our shirts. I know for certain that without that pfd I would have been in real trouble. The shock of hitting the water not only took away my breath but locked my joints for several seconds. The pfd not only popped me to the surface but put my head in the right position so when I DID start breathing, I could.
I had a partner... never fish extreme weather without one. You shouldn't fish alone, but many do, but you shouldn't fish extreme weather without help available.
I had trained to reenter my kayak. Many have no idea how to self rescue. If you get a new kayak, learn how to reenter the dang thing. Once you have that down pat, try it with the gear mounts, seat, and the equipment you normally fish with in place. Do it with your pfd on. A buddy discovered during our self rescue drills that he would have to remove his pfd to enter his kayak... he could NOT get back in with his on...just couldn't do it.
I had a dry bag and radio if I had needed it. I was prepared for the emergency. Without the dry bag, it would have been a long cold paddle back to the ramp, and I might have been in serious trouble. It was a short paddle to the beach, and if the beach hadn't been close, there were/are several shore landings all around the lake.
Take a realistic approach... we were just minutes from home and Tina was just around the corner. I joke, but if I had been in trouble, I think she might have stopped laughing long enough to help. (Probably.)
I haven't made that mistake again.
