Dorset Stour"Help save a life" then catch a NEW PB Chub

[gazza1960]

It was tatters this morning with a sharp frost so decided that the only fish worth chasing was the Chub.

I like this swim as its got a tree to cast your feeder under,so loaded with
bread crumb and a large lump of Flake im happily fishing........

When..........

All of a sudden I can hear heavy breathing coming from somewhere close to me....im looking all around but cant see anybody.....its now echoing
along the river bank ...and still I look.....then.......



50 yds upstream I can see arms flailing around....so that's where the noise is coming from......I reeled my rod in and legged it over to where a large man was struggling in the swollen river,he was clinging onto the sunken wood raft in the river.....im now calling out to him to swim over to me...but
his face told me that ive got a job on here..........

I reach my aluminium bankstick out toward him but its 10 feet short
and to be honest the thought of getting in the freezing water didn't appeal
as the bank was so steep I couldn't have got him out anyway.

the force of he water rolls him around the wood debris and hes now in
the eddie where I was fishing ....again im screaming at him to swim toward me but hes  now right below me down a steap bank and im reaching
and twice his head went under and im fearing the worst.



fortunately he pops back up and the force of the current now washes him
down amoungst these tree roots.....I take a chance and layed down then grabbed his T shirt on his shoulder.....now I can see hes a "Biggun" and
I could not lever him up the bank......hes not helping which tells me there is a reason hes in the river that doesn't bode well......im now panicking
and start to scream for all im worth to some blokes smoking
outside a hotel on the opposite bank....HELP  !!!!!!!

while thy were running over the bridge and along my bank to me im asking his name and trying to keep him calm......bloody hard when your pooing yourself that hes gonna slip away again.

Thankfully 3 guys appear and all grab him and eventually we dragged him out and put him in the recovery position,I used what spare clothing I had
and we all rubbed his back and arms trying to warm him up but it was like rubbing a block of ice as hed by now been in the river for 15 mins at least.

A young girl appeared and phoned for assistance........

Meantime we are talking to him and he replies with his Christian name so at least we could talk to him to help him through this ordeal.



10 to 15 minutes drag by but we soon see an ambulance arriving by Longham Bridge and the crew are soon administering aid.......
the fellers on the right are the guys who helped me get him get him out of the water........."Thank Gord"  !!!!!!!



Meantime Dorset Fire and Rescue team have arrived with a carry Gurney
and after a while they were happy for him to be moved.



chaos was happening at Longham bridge as all the emergency services had gridlocked the narrow bridge.



So between the Police,Fireman,Dorset Fire and Rescue and the Paramedics.....
They have now got the guy wrapped up warm and reasonably calm and
stable and after loading him up carry him away to the waiting ambulance.



After statements are taken the team all disappear ...this is the head of
the Dorset fire and Rescue shouting out "Thank you,well done"

So from a serene cold morning on the river bank alone ...a drama unfolds
and ive helped save a life.....with help ....and well you can guess the area im fishing has been swam in by the guy and a fire and rescue fella also in there looking for any personal effects.

and so to the fishing...........................



I walked to the end of the FREE stretch 1/4 mile away for a bit of sanity.



Big lumps of Bread Flake soon had my 1st fish of the day @ 3lb 6oz



another fish graces the net @ 4lb 4oz



Things went quiet for a while but late afternoon I had a thumping bite on Bread again and after a strong fight im scooping up my NEW PB CHUB
@ 6lb 14oz......well chuffed after the day id had I was pleased to have had
3 Chub with a stonker to finish with.



The Biggun lays in the net  !!!!!!!!



so ive been in Dorset a year this week and this is my latest
river best Chub ....hopefully theres bigger to come..!!!!!!

"What a day "

Gazza

[gazza1960]

[gertie50]

HERO! 

[Borlotti]

Well done you, think you deseve a medal but your reward was fish. What an amazing story and pictures.

[TEL]

well done

[bluecar]

WOW.

Good job you were there. Well done

[Jayb]

What a day, well done that man!
Hope the rescued man will be ok too.

[Digeroo]

Wow!! What a day!!  Well done.  Never know what you are going to catch.  I caught one this big takes on a new meaning.

A news scope for A4A.

Nice recipe!!

[Mikeakabigman]

Well done Gazza !!

[BarriedaleNick]

Top man...

[galina]

What an amazing day.  Hope the guy will be ok and you will find out how he is.  Hero!  Yep!      

PS  ........... and the fish looks good too 

[small]

Well done Gazza and be sure to look after yourself, you could have some delayed reaction after something like that, though just to carry on fishing  took some equanimity! Hope the chap is OK, and that you enjoy your supper!

[Digeroo]

Any news of the guy you rescued?

[gazza1960]

I have not read anything about the incident in our local paper,and to be honest I want to leave it there as although I would indeed like to know that the guy is well in hospital after the experience
When the policeman questioned me he did say that the person was known to them,but I didn't ask why and he obviously wouldn't have told me,I do know he jumped from the bridge after an altercation ,so I'm guessing his reasoning wasn't as it should have Been.

If the police ever contacted me and said he was fine I'd be well chuffed that my one and only
Life saving experience(no more please) wasn't in vain

Oh and the fish I caught were not edible just for sport and returned to their watery home.

That said back in the 1700,s Chub were consumed by the poor British folk but we're said to taste like
Cotton wool .......so Gazza will never find out for himself.

[Paulines7]

I have just seen this thread so apologies for being late with my post! 

Well done Gazza for saving the man's life.  You did the right thing for had you gone into the river to help him, you could have been swept away in the strong current and two lives could have been lost.  It doesn't bear thinking about. 

I am pleased the rest of the day was good as far as the fishing was concerned for I expect you were very shook up by the earlier incident and catching those huge fish must have taken your mind off it.

I hope the man recovered and doesn't do it again. 

Glad you are okay Gazza, you are a true hero.