A peaceful night of walleye fishing took a bizarre and terrifying turn on Fish Lake near Fredenberg Township, Minnesota, when an arrow rained down from the darkness and pinned an angler to his kayak hull.
Cory Hendrickson was kayak fishing on the lake when he noticed a group launching fireworks from the shoreline. Moments later, he heard something whistling through the air above him. Hendrickson looked up with his headlamp just in time to see an arrow strike, piercing his foot and driving straight through the bottom of his kayak.
After he let out a scream, the individuals on the shoreline got into a vehicle and sped away.
Hendrickson immediately called 911. Because the arrow had literally pinned his foot to the floor of the kayak, and first responders instructed him to remain on the water until rescue crews arrived. Emergency personnel had to cut the arrow shaft above and below his foot to free him.
Warning: Graphic image below
Hendrickson was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and released the following morning on crutches.
While freak accidents like this are exceedingly rare, the incident serves as a stark reminder of why launching projectiles near open water is extremely dangerous.
Anyone with information regarding the incident on Fish Lake is asked to contact the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
