Hi, aztecb,

I'm from Denison and went to college in Commerce.

I have a couple of suggestions other than a ladder. Please buy a top notch life preserver, and get a strobe light attached to it. Get a strobe that is water-activated. If you fall in, your life vest will keep you afloat, and your strobe will be set off automatically.

Also get a waterproof airhorn. AquaBlast makes one, and I'll guess there are others. Attach that to your life vest, too.

Getting in and out of a boat in the water is a tough haul no matter what your age, especially when no one's at the helm. With a good PFD, strobe, and airhorn, if you find yourself in the water you can signal for help and be seen more easily. A good life preserver with SOLAS reflectors and colors will keep you high and visible (relativelyl) during the day and night, and three blasts on the airhorn in series will tell people someone needs help.

I'm not suggesting giving up on a ladder, but be prepared with alternatives so you don't have to haul yourself out if you can get someone over to give you a hand.

Good luck with those bass, my friend. I used to fish for crappie in the pond on our farm and fry 'em up on the spot. Spoiled me for fish in a restaurant which were way older.