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lost on mosquito

15K views 77 replies 44 participants last post by  Pooch 
#1 ·
I'm not making this up. three guys got lost on the north end of mosquito last night.
They tied up 3 county sherifs and one dnr agent. They used flashing lights and sirens
to guide them to the east shore. This lasted until midnight and I'm sure the people on 46 that had to get up for work loved it. I have fished mosquito for over 50 years and never got lost. I will admit that I have got lost after work and it took some time for me to find my way home.
 
#35 ·
I was on the French River years ago with two other boats, everyone "knew" the river. Fog like I've never seen, found a buoy that my partner thought had drifted because it wasn't supposed to be there. 20 minutes later, by luck we found the other two boats, all decided to head back to the dock. I fired up the GPS, it said west, one guy pointed east, one guy pointed north the last pointed south. We followed the GPS, found the dock. Next year, everyone had a GPS!
 
#37 · (Edited)
Easy! You move around in the daylight(walk maybe half a mile or from the lot!), tracks all over the place, going in every direction. You're inside your shanty, it gets "pitch" dark. Starts to snow, everyone else near you left before dark! You're disoriented from being inside watching your flasher for hours. You look all around, can't see more than 20 yds. You think "better start in some direction"! If you pick the wrong direction, Easy to get lost! Wishing you'd have brought your portable gps, at least a compass! You are essentially Lost! Then lights on a car in the distant parking lot! Bee-line for that while you can see the lights!! It can happen!
 
#40 ·
fished into dark on north end last night. It was sideways snowing a poor visibility. As I packed up a guy came dragging his gear from the causeway. I thought we were the farthest from the lot and no one was fishing behind us? Asked him how he was and he told me he did ok and things were great up till he went the wrong direction to get back to his truck!??! Here this guy walked almost to the causeway before he could see cars driving across and he realized he went the wrong way. Also talked to a father near the lot on his way out into the white darkness to find his son. Here his son walked back to his truck for something and when he returned his shanty and gear had been stolen! Somebody took this guys stuff and he was out there looking for it and his dad was coming to help. Someone probably drug it right past him on there way in. Vis was almost zero. What the hell is wrong with people? Keep a heads up for the skeeter ice pirates.
 
#46 ·
One place I have gotten lost is Grand River Wildlife Area. A lot of that place is flat as a table top, just like the surface of a frozen lake. My buddy got lost there too!
 
#47 ·
Some people are just directionally challenged, I hunt the spoil banks down on Ohio power and I always make sure I have a decent charge ony phone walking out to the truck after dark, on more than one occasion I have had to pull my maps up on my phone and keep tabs on my movement on my map to stay headed in the right direction even when my mental state wanted to believe I was heading in the wrong direction.
 
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#50 · (Edited by Moderator)
Let me say this, I was thoroughly trained in the military on conventional, and many unconventional methods of finding ones way and determining direction, however while trekking the woods of Oregon and Southern Washington, although never losing my way, I can see how someone could very easily do so in that part of the country. I am convinced that there are some forests there that no man has ever stepped foot into. Thick, dark,damp, down right spooky, (remember Sasquatch is always watching you there). Nothing like stopping to take a breather and hearing an elk bugle, or a limb snap. what was that????
 
#54 · (Edited)
Always carry a back up compass when in unfamiliar areas when it's overcast or poor visibility.
Even one of the small compasses that clip onto a zipper pull can be a help to get back in a general direction. It's easy to get turned around in unfamiliar surroundings. This also applies to hunting or hiking wooded areas and large timber and is especially the case in the dark with poor visibility on a open lake. Weather and visibility conditions can rapidly change on large lakes especially with a chance for heavy fog or winter white outs. Nothing to joke about.
 
#56 ·
Many (MANY) moons ago - was working in Canada and on my day off I ventured to "MY" secret secluded lake (about 4 miles off the river - 2 of them over land) - and dammit if an hour into my seclusion I hear a "HELP"... I paddled over (had canoe chained to tree I brought in before) - and there on shore is Mr. Yuppie (it was the 80's) with his fishing vest with the tags still on the armpit... He had wandered since dawn (if was 3pm). He had an stellar compass in his little man purse thing (expensive fly fishing satchel). I asked and he said although he clearly knew which way North was - but he had no idea where anything else was. Said he followed a creek in and somehow got turned around. I asked what camp he was from and WOW - he had wandered almost 8 mile. He was an impatient type - a man of immediate action - who seemed put off while I took the time to chain up my canoe and pack up my stuff. I walked him out - and then took him by boat to his camp - spent my entire "day off" afternoon on rescuing him - only good of the story - he was a great tipper.

Having a basic overview of your surroundings is MORE important than the compass... Even today my wife will pick on me for studying a map... I've been the brunt of the joke before too...

Shortly after acquiring the end-all freedom pass (drivers license), a buddy and me struck off on a springtime adventure with boat in tow to Dale Hollow - 4 nights on shore, and three in the river - true freedom!!! We spent the first two nights at the top of the lake (KY) and the last two near the Dam. Pitch a tent on shore and fish to our hearts content - simply awesome when you are 16. However - being Dale Hollow in March - they get the occasional foggy evening. Our last evening on the water - fishing the dam (night with lights on the water) for walleye and trout - it rolled in and enforce - so thick - couldn't see front of boat. I knew the place like the back of my hand back then... We ended up half sleeping/half fishing some 30 yards from the tent on shore after searching for about two hours (tent was 3/4 mile from the dam) - so moral of the story - close only counts in hand grenades and nukes - but real men just sleep in the boat mere feet from the comfort of their tents and fish all night. About 930am the sun burnt off the fog enough I could see the rock formation 15 feed from the boat - and started laughing hysterically - as I knew even before the fog burnt off - when I went on shore to pee - there was a real chance I went on our belongings...

I bought a diver strobe (scuba) - and will never camp without one again.

I've previously posted of my night trolling adventure in the Lake Erie soup - fishing was GREAT - but finding (actually figuring out is a better word) yourself inside of 50ft of a 1000ft cargo vessel underway in channel - NOT GREAT... Compass, GPS, Loran, Map - NONE made a difference - and our most important senses - sight and hearing - were both tricked by the soupy fog. Lessen learned (AGAIN)

Do I find it a bit overboard with all the 'authority" help - YEP - but I assure you - the lost ones didn't... I certainly hope they learn a lesson (much as we all have in the past). Being that close to civilization does invite some sarcasm though... Glad all are safe.
 
#58 ·
the night in question was clear no fog no snow and you would have no trouble seeing traffic on the causway.
I'm not making this up. three guys got lost on the north end of mosquito last night.
They tied up 3 county sherifs and one dnr agent. They used flashing lights and sirens
to guide them to the east shore. This lasted until midnight and I'm sure the people on 46 that had to get up for work loved it. I have fished mosquito for over 50 years and never got lost. I will admit that I have got lost after work and it took some time for me to find my way home.
Years ago, actually close to 45 or so, I went to Leeseville to do some bass fishing. The fog was very thick, even driving to the lake was a hassle. Just before sunrise, the visibility was at best 20 ft. I launched the boat at Clows which is on the lower end of the horseshoe shaped lake. I thought to myself, I'll just idle over to a small bay across from the launch. Maybe 300 yards, piece of cake. Well fellas, after running for about 90 minutes I finally realized that I was freekin lost! I thought to myself, no problem, I'll just turn off the motor and start fishing. With the motor off every sound can be heard. What? I can hear water running. No way I could be where I know of a spring that enters the lake! That is about 3 miles up the lake, around passed the dam, and around the horseshoe! Guess where I was after the fog lifted?

One more... Took my wife crappie fishing at Atwood not long after my Leeseville experience. Another thick fog like before. Launched at the West Marina. Wife says, Bob, how can you see where you're going? Trying to be all macho I told her, don't worry I know this lake. My goal was to fish on the right side of that bay not far from the marina. Did the same thing! As the fog started to lift, I saw some boat docks that I had not seen before! Just where in the hell was I? Very disorientated for sure! I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Wife never knew just how lost I was! That Christmas I put a compass on my wish list. Had that thing about 30 years till the liquid some how evaporated.

C.C.
 
#60 ·
I don't think we should be making fun of these people. We know nothing of their situation. It's dark, you're in the middle of a lake. Maybe they never fished there before. It is easy to get lost in these conditions. Thankful they made it home to their families. had they stepped on a soft spot and fallen through would you still be making fun? Have some compassion people they could have froze to death.
My friend, "I" was not makng fun of anyone! You need to read ALL the posts before "quoting"! I had an earlier post that said " it can happen" and how it's possible! If you had read all of them, you'd see that your quoted post of mine had a quote on it as well where someone implied/said "planning" could prevnt someone from getting lost. I was bring "sarcastic" trying to say you would't plan to get lost on Mosquito i.e. taking a gps, two compasses, a guide, signal flares, a Rescue dog-etc, etc! Now there are 25 posts that did poke fun at these unfortunate people! YOU SHOULD HAVE READ THE ENTIRE THREAD and "Quote" one of them!
 
#61 ·
Well no one got hurt...other than some pride I'm sure.
And the upside is that everyone reading this may not of considered this happening to them and make sure they have the equipment like a GPS and or a compass. And obviously know where they are, where there going and how to use them to get back.
I know I've had my necessary doses of humilation and life experiences that constantly remind me that Mother Nature is in charge and the imortance of being prepared.
They are probably young and bullet proof. But they learned a VERY valuable lesson and those that need it, this is a good reminder.
 
#63 ·
Many (MANY) moons ago - was working in Canada and on my day off I ventured to "MY" secret secluded lake (about 4 miles off the river - 2 of them over land) - and dammit if an hour into my seclusion I hear a "HELP"... I paddled over (had canoe chained to tree I brought in before) - and there on shore is Mr. Yuppie (it was the 80's) with his fishing vest with the tags still on the armpit... He had wandered since dawn (if was 3pm). He had an stellar compass in his little man purse thing (expensive fly fishing satchel). I asked and he said although he clearly knew which way North was - but he had no idea where anything else was. Said he followed a creek in and somehow got turned around. I asked what camp he was from and WOW - he had wandered almost 8 mile. He was an impatient type - a man of immediate action - who seemed put off while I took the time to chain up my canoe and pack up my stuff. I walked him out - and then took him by boat to his camp - spent my entire "day off" afternoon on rescuing him - only good of the story - he was a great tipper.
love Dale hollow, been there on houseboat a couple times
Having a basic overview of your surroundings is MORE important than the compass... Even today my wife will pick on me for studying a map... I've been the brunt of the joke before too...

Shortly after acquiring the end-all freedom pass (drivers license), a buddy and me struck off on a springtime adventure with boat in tow to Dale Hollow - 4 nights on shore, and three in the river - true freedom!!! We spent the first two nights at the top of the lake (KY) and the last two near the Dam. Pitch a tent on shore and fish to our hearts content - simply awesome when you are 16. However - being Dale Hollow in March - they get the occasional foggy evening. Our last evening on the water - fishing the dam (night with lights on the water) for walleye and trout - it rolled in and enforce - so thick - couldn't see front of boat. I knew the place like the back of my hand back then... We ended up half sleeping/half fishing some 30 yards from the tent on shore after searching for about two hours (tent was 3/4 mile from the dam) - so moral of the story - close only counts in hand grenades and nukes - but real men just sleep in the boat mere feet from the comfort of their tents and fish all night. About 930am the sun burnt off the fog enough I could see the rock formation 15 feed from the boat - and started laughing hysterically - as I knew even before the fog burnt off - when I went on shore to pee - there was a real chance I went on our belongings...

I bought a diver strobe (scuba) - and will never camp without one again.

I've previously posted of my night trolling adventure in the Lake Erie soup - fishing was GREAT - but finding (actually figuring out is a better word) yourself inside of 50ft of a 1000ft cargo vessel underway in channel - NOT GREAT... Compass, GPS, Loran, Map - NONE made a difference - and our most important senses - sight and hearing - were both tricked by the soupy fog. Lessen learned (AGAIN)

Do I find it a bit overboard with all the 'authority" help - YEP - but I assure you - the lost ones didn't... I certainly hope they learn a lesson (much as we all have in the past). Being that close to civilization does invite some sarcasm though... Glad all are safe.
 
#64 ·
Easy! You move around in the daylight(walk maybe half a mile or from the lot!), tracks all over the place, going in every direction. You're inside your shanty, it gets "pitch" dark. Starts to snow, everyone else near you left before dark! You're disoriented from being inside watching your flasher for hours. You look all around, can't see more than 20 yds. You think "better start in some direction"! If you pick the wrong direction, Easy to get lost! Wishing you'd have brought your portable gps, at least a compass! You are essentially Lost! Then lights on a car in the distant parking lot! Bee-line for that while you can see the lights!! It can happen!
Ok, but as you suggest, being prepared is what its all about...flash lights, gps...phone, ect. and Know the area your fishing!. Be safe out there guys.
 
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