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Undercut banks

David Schofield

David Schofield

Senior Member
Hi, this is my first thread so hello everyone, I’ve started barbel fishing again after many years of predator fishing and I’m enjoying it apart from one trip I had on the wharfe a couple of weeks ago, after catching a small barbel about 5lb I rested it until it was ready to be returned, when I let it go I turned to put the net down and the bank collapsed under me, I threw myself towards what was left of the bank behind me but in doing so hit my head on the bank busting my nose, I dropped straight into the water and finished up to my chest in water (6’2),I managed to get out after a struggle and watched my head torch still on floating down the river, I had to strip off and walk about half a mile back to the car in my boxers and my boots lol,the moral to this story is don’t fish rivers on your own after dark, I can laugh now but it could have been so different if I’d knocked myself out hitting the bank, STAY SAFE out there
 
Welcome to the forum, David. What a nasty experience you had there - and hope you're nose is on the mend! I'm yet to actually fall in, so far, but a couple of close calls.
The very best of luck for your next and future sessions.
 
Richard Parsons said:
Welcome to the forum, David. What a nasty experience you had there - and hope you're nose is on the mend! I'm yet to actually fall in, so far, but a couple of close calls.
The very best of luck for your next and future sessions.
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Cheers Richard, my luck changed last week when I broke my Pb with this lovely fish, bang on 14lb
 

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Grim mate and a lucky escape. Could of been worse in freezing water in the winter as well so does make you think. Luckily a lot of waters Iv been fishing have platforms but a few of them have seen better days and recon they could fall apart at any moment
 
Jon Young said:
Grim mate and a lucky escape. Could of been worse in freezing water in the winter as well so does make you think. Luckily a lot of waters Iv been fishing have platforms but a few of them have seen better days and recon they could fall apart at any moment
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Definitely lucky pal, I felt the wrath off the wife when I strolled in at midnight with blood all over my face lol,she thought I’d been fighting
 
Some won't be surprised that I went in the Dorset Stour at Longham one February about 25 years ago, was with a group of workmates from Plymouth and we had travelled up to fish a River.

I was bringing a nice Roach in and it was taken by a Pike (at about 10am) which I then played for about 5 minutes before it went under a tree on the near bank, I stepped to the edge to try and get a bit better purchase and the next thing I was up to my chest in the river, fortunately there was a tree quite close on the near bank and being a lot fitter then, I managed to pull myself out. I spent the rest of the day in my wetsuit jacket and trousers whilst my clothes dried out as the others didn't want to go all the way back to Plymouth just because I was wet (good job I wasn't the one driving though) and we didn't leave until about 5pm.

Very wary of river banks now, although it still doesn't stop me going in I'm afraid.
 
David,
Sorry to read of your mishap. River banks can often have hidden dangers. I invested I in a dog spike and rope after getting stuck down a steep bank after rain. It is the first thing I do when reaching the river now.
 
Never been in, yet ...but I do keep spare socks, underwear, trousers and top in the car.
 
Mike Thompson said:
David,
Sorry to read of your mishap. River banks can often have hidden dangers. I invested I in a dog spike and rope after getting stuck down a steep bank after rain. It is the first thing I do when reaching the river now.
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I invested in a extra strong dog-spike and rope (extra fat man size) carabineer is 4" in length.

Dog spike (2).jpg


It didn't help me when I was going down the slippery steps at Shrewsbury, one minute I was slowly walking down the steps and holding the rope and the next I was dangling horizontally just above the water (still holding the rope I might add) with my legs across a beam that was sticking out from the bank. So having a dog-spike won't stop you from falling, it can however help when and if you do.

If I had not held on to the rope from the dog spike when I fell, it is likely that I might have been more seriously injured as it kept my upper body from going in head first, it however, didn't help me to get out, from the position I was in I was only able to get out at the position I was in with the use of a ladder that was brought down for me, the only other way out of that one would have been to swim over to the beach opposite and a long wet walk around back to the B&B.

I do recommend though that everyone uses a dog spike on steep banks and make sure the rope is long enough to go all the way down to the river and have a bit extra as well. Safety first.
 
One of my golden rules is to never fish a swim at night if I haven't fished it during the day and properly got my bearings regarding the terrain, undercuts etc. I'm also a bit OCD about checking for eye-level hazards after once poking myself in the eye with a branch when night fishing in my younger days.

I think I'm going to invest in a proper life jacket this winter.
 
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