It’s a truth of human existence that when we put ourselves in harm’s way, bad things can happen.

We don’t always get dinged, however, so we tend to dismiss the potential for danger in a trade-off for the fun and adventure that can be the reward when we step out of our comfort zones. Danger? Fun? You make the call.

Consider fishing, for example.

We can get up tomorrow morning, make some coffee and settle in front of the television to watch great sport without even leaving our driveways. Or we can pour steaming coffee in our traveler mug, hitch up the boat and drive up to Lake Erie for some spectacular steelhead fishing.

The chances of getting hurt while watching anglers on TV are pretty slim, unless you are clumsy with the mug or trip on a table leg. Out on the lake or river, however, a list of dangers as long as a noodle rod awaits the angler who ventures from the safety of home.

“Danger” is a relative term, considering anglers around Northeast Ohio do not typically encounter extreme conditions. But dangers do lurk and can bite even the most prepared anglers. So we make our decision, knowing that accidents can happen when we least expect them.

I have had my fair share of mishaps out there. I share a few here as a reminder that we need to own a safety-first mindset on every fishing trip.

My years of fishing have delivered amazing experiences, fantastic memories and enough brushes with disaster to fill a book.

Twice, for example, I have tumbled overboard. Who leaves the house at 5 a.m. thinking, “Today would be a good day for a swim.”? Nobody, of course, but into the drink I slipped. Accidents do happen.

Nearly every angler I know has experienced the trauma of hooking a finger, leg or – double wince – face.

I have twice been the victim of a treble hook, one in my calf and the other between the knuckles of my right hand. Both penetrated past the barb and were snuggly stuck, leaving me wondering both times how a hooked fish could possibly escape a treble hook-up.

The hook accidents are vivid reminders that it’s a good idea to learn tried-and-true removal procedures because, well, accidents do happen.

Another close call was completely beyond my control. I was fishing with a friend known for aggressive hooksets. “There’s one,” he said as he crouched into a hook-set stance. He coiled up, jerked and launched his jig at more than 100 miles per hour – directly into my upper lip.

Fortunately, the hook found no flesh, but the speeding quarter-ounce of lead exploded a substantial hole in my lip. Blood streamed for several minutes, but I felt lucky that no teeth were broken.

A friend was not so lucky after he accidentally popped a snagged jig into his eye. He had been wading a stream and casting for bass when his jig became stuck in rocks. He was in the shade of a highway bridge, so he had removed his sunglasses momentarily. Had he been wearing his glasses, the lenses would have shielded his eyes. Instead, he lost sight in the injured eye.

It’s always a good idea to bring caution along with our fishing tackle. As we head down the homestretch of the 2025 fishing season, extra attention to safety is necessary as we deal with cold water and unpredictable weather.

Jack Wollitz writes this column weekly for readers of the Tribune Chronicle and Vindicator. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.