The unfortunate reality is that our place of worship—these great outdoors—can be a dangerous place if we don’t take the appropriate precautions. Even for us peaceful anglers, danger can be looming around the corner, ready to strike like a hungry muskie.

Sound dramatic? Maybe a little. But you might be surprised by the statistics. According to the Canadian Red Cross, approximately 525 Canadians are killed in water-related accidents each year. And that isn’t even the most surprising statistic.

In a 2009 article published by the Globe and Mail, writer Andre Picard observed that “more fishers drown than swimmers. And more fishers die than power boaters, canoeists, scuba divers, sailors and kayakers combined.”