It Wasn’t Part Of Their Plan
During the time that the fishermen were attempting to secure the bear in a safe location, they were also making efforts to appease it. This was done for more than just the sake of making it simpler for them to haul it on board; it was also done to ensure that once it was safely on deck, it would not choose to rebel against them for any reason.
The goal of this action was to make sure that once it was safely on deck, it would not choose to rebel against them for any reason. It would be an understatement to say that being cooped up in a boat with a panicked bear while being surrounded by raging rapids and icy waters was not their idea of a good time. But that is exactly what happened to them.