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 I'm happily fishing........

When..........

All of a sudden I can hear heavy breathing coming from somewhere close to me....I'm looking all around but can't 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.....I'm now calling out to him to swim over to me...but
his face told me that I've 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 He's now in
the eddie where I was fishing ....again I'm screaming at him to swim toward me but He's now right below me down a steap bank and I'm reaching
and twice his head went under and I'm 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 He's a "Biggun" and
I could not lever him up the bank......He's not helping which tells me there is a reason He's in the river that doesn't bode well......I'm now panicking
and start to scream for all I'm 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 I'm asking his name and trying to keep him calm......bloody hard when your pooing yourself that He's 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 I've helped save a life.....with help ....and well you can guess the area I'm 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 I'm 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 I've been in Dorset a year this week and this is my latest
river best Chub ....hopefully theres bigger to come..!!!!!!

"What a day "

Gazza

What a guy

Well done Gazza!!!

Sterling effort mate,your doggedness saved him no doubt at all , thank goodness for the outcome, it wouldn't have been as happy if you'd not been on hand

And then a PB as well, I can only say I hope you bought a lottery ticket on the way home .................

Great report mate, a bit out of the ordinary

WELL DONE

That will always be the best catch you will ever make a life saver top man .

a fantastic post brilliant pics bud and your just reward a pb chub

Wow that report takes some beating Gazza
Well done mate on helping the guy out,obviously got major problems if he wasn't helping himself get out.Shame.
Hope you took the oictures afer he was out mate
Oh yeh..well done on the pb as well

Agree with all the above comments Gazza ,true hero

Not a lot I can add mate. Well done, you did a great thing I'm sure the bloke would thank you, if he sees you and a PB aswell what a day

So was that 2 PB's then ??( you did say he was a big un..!!) fantastic effort mate. Nice feeling that you've saved a life. And what a clonker of a fish..!!! Some day out that.,!!! Feel proud.


Sharpey

Bloody hell mate,well done you. Kept your wits about you and did the ultimate, he was one very lucky fella. A belting Chub ,very well deserved.

Wow mate agree with everything that's been said , so easy to freeze up in a situation like that but you acted and through your doggedness saved a life that's a day you should be very proud of

Great work gaz ,even better without endangering yourself Pb chub was payback time.top man