Bass Angler Grateful to Be Alive: Sapulpa Fisherman Says He Owes His Life to Boat Partner and Total Stranger.
By Sam Powell, Tulsa World, Okla.
Apr. 2–A bass fisherman from Sapulpa says he owes his life to both his boat partner and also a total stranger who came to his aid.
Larry Morgan was fishing in an Old Timers Bass Club event 10 days ago on Lake Hudson with his partner, Ken Wheeler of Broken Arrow. In a phone interview, he explained how he got in some very unexpected trouble.
“It was a cold, miserable morning, and there was actually some ice on the boat,” he recalled. “But we were catching some fish, and about 9 a.m. I hooked a bass, and while attempting to land it at the stern, slipped and fell out of the boat.
“The air temperature then was 34, the surface water temp 52, and I was wearing heavy insulated coveralls. But thankfully, I still had my life jacket on, and that too saved my life.”
He had a difficult time getting back in the boat, even with his partner’s aid. And by the time they got back to the starting point at the Lions Club ramp in Salina, he was in early stages of hypothermia.
The 35-year-old said he was almost incoherent by then, but also knew he was in real trouble. It was going to be about a 30-minute trip to the nearest emergency room.
“About that time, a guy drove up, and came to my rescue. He insisted that we go with him, and helped me into his truck, and drove me to his nearby home in Salina,” Morgan said.
There, Gary Starkey put Morgan into his hot tub, where the angler recovered, slowly, for three hours. During that time, Starkey also fed him hot soup, and dried out his clothes.
“I tried to pay him, to give him something to show my appreciation,” Morgan recalled, “but all he would say is, ‘just pass it on.’
“This incident also shows, I believe, how important it is to keep a life jacket on at this time of year, even when you are not running the big motor. The water is still so cold now, if you happen to fall in, you are in a lot of trouble.”
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Sam Powell 581-8357 sam.powell@tulsaworld.com
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