Lessons learned

I learned several lessons today. Here we go:

1. Every boat has a hole in it, its called the top. Be warned, water will enter the top of your boat, even if you think it won't.
2. Fish HARD everytime out. Even if you think the fish willnot bite. (we caught A BUNCH of fish today).
3. NEVER, and I repeat NEVER leave your Cooler (livewell) in the truck because you think the fish aren't going to bite.
4. Fish shrink once in the boat (no more elaboration needed)
5. If your boat has been running fine all day, and while moving to another spot, it won't go on plane, check the anchor (no more elaboration needed)

I learned these lessons from a friend today. Unfortunately he was in the front of my boat.

Good day :cheers2

And Alway's and I do mean Alway's check to make sure you put your boat plug in. If there is any doubt at all chack it again.

Make absolutely sure your launch rope is tied off properly and in good shape also before you launch your boat into the Abyess.

I have done both these amazeing feats in my life time chances are you will to... LOL

Show your 10 year old son how to work the trolling motor BEFORE you back in and go park the truck. Dont try to explain it once he is out of reach. It doesnt work!!


C.J.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LMBarnett

I learned several lessons today. Here we go:

1. Every boat has a hole in it, its called the top. Be warned, water will enter the top of your boat, even if you think it won't.
2. Fish HARD everytime out. Even if you think the fish willnot bite. (we caught A BUNCH of fish today).
3. NEVER, and I repeat NEVER leave your Cooler (livewell) in the truck because you think the fish aren't going to bite.
4. Fish shrink once in the boat (no more elaboration needed)
5. If your boat has been running fine all day, and while moving to another spot, it won't go on plane, check the anchor (no more elaboration needed)

I learned these lessons from a friend today. Unfortunately he was in the front of my boat.

Good day :cheers2

---

Have done #5 myself. Funny stuff now.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

Russ i hear you, seen a older man at hi way landing set his boat a sail and his rope brake about 40 foot out there in the water. It a good thing the wind and chuck was nice to let him use a boat to retrieve his boat. I did forget to place mine plug in about 4/5 mo age. it didn't take long get it out of boat in the river running up and down it.:biggrin

boat plug is a must!jan of 2012 forgot the plug in my new lowes got all way up to pool on gold creek and was fishing before water cover the floor of mynew boat the plug on lowe boats go in from the outside of boat

Yep I've forgotten the plug thank god for bilge pumps!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by liver slinger

boat plug is a must!jan of 2012 forgot the plug in my new lowes got all way up to pool on gold creek and was fishing before water cover the floor of mynew boat the plug on lowe boats go in from the outside of boat

---

LOL Floyd Welcome to the site.

Lol done most of those things. If you been fishing long sooner or later they will happen to ya.

Got to mention always pull your trolling motor up before cranking your big motor. Did this a while back for some dumb reason, lets just say when you hit a stump with that much force the out come is not good.

I have did them all twice!

If you have an overflow in your livewell that let's water out put a plug in it when running the big motor. Although you have never had water run back up the overflow from outside the boat it will in certain situations. Then your boat will flood...... Experience is the best teacher, lol!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Once again don't forget boat plug. I don't have a bilge pump in my boat. To solve problem start motor and get at least some speed going which creates a suction, pulling water from the boat. Sounds crazy, but it works.

Mrs DP and I were exploring islands on Ouachita. After a long leisurly lunch, She asked in an unpleasant tone "Why is my purse in water"? Me being the male of the species asked "Why in the !@#$ do you have a purse out in the lake?"
Then the image of a boat plug went running through my pea brain. Thank God for bilge pumps.
DP

I got too used to fishing with a partner and went by myself one day. When by myself i loosen the rope on the front to allow the boat to float up and then climb out on the trailer and jump in. I would have swore he was in the boat when i unhooked it and launched the boat that day but that 30 yard swim in 50 degree water proved otherwise! last time for that to happen! luckily I was on the bayou and not a big lake and i was the only one fishing. I'd hate for a bunch of folks have to watch me strip down to my boxers and then fight to climb over the side of a 1542 :banghead

Fishing out of a buddies boat a couple weeks ago, he was backing it in and I grabbed the rope that was on the bow, when he backed in the rope uncoiled and dropped right into the water. Turns out it wasn't tied to the boat. Fortunately some duck hunters were coming in right then and helped get the boat.

As Conwayslabber said, plugs are really important. His trick works, but only in a small boat. You get a big 19' like mine, and that don't work! And the dang idjits put the plugs on the OUTSIDE of big boat!

Other very common activities are (some of you probably saw this one last year at an unnamed launch ramp, by me) to back the boat into the water and leave ONLY the back straps on. The ones that go from the handles on the transom down to the trailer. With the front undone, in a wind, the boat TRIES to leave you! But it can't. And you can NOT undo those while lying on your belly in back of boat, too much tension. You have to cut them. (I have one extra out of a set of two for sale cheap).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buckrub

As Conwayslabber said, plugs are really important. His trick works, but only in a small boat. You get a big 19' like mine, and that don't work! And the dang idjits put the plugs on the OUTSIDE of big boat!

Other very common activities are (some of you probably saw this one last year at an unnamed launch ramp, by me) to back the boat into the water and leave ONLY the back straps on. The ones that go from the handles on the transom down to the trailer. With the front undone, in a wind, the boat TRIES to leave you! But it can't. And you can NOT undo those while lying on your belly in back of boat, too much tension. You have to cut them. (I have one extra out of a set of two for sale cheap).

---

did that last year, but an easier fix is to pull the boat out of the water, and then remove the straps.

Well, one might thank so, LM. One really might.

But when the boat is sideways on the trailer due to wind, and the front is back in the water pretty deep, and the boat is a 19' big ole boat, you can't muscle the front end back to the proper location on the trailer so you can tie it down and do that. Yeah, you'd THINK that would be possible wouldn't you?

Oh, and there were 3 people sitting in their trucks steaming waiting on some old goat to get his idiot self out of the way, too.............

Made a few of these oops mistakes and have invented a few more. Perhaps I will stay dry this year.

Slackline

I am running to Walmart today to grab another anchor. Sunday when I had all my other issues already stated in the Up the creek without a paddle thread. I finially got my boat going I took off and my anchor that was disconnected sitting on the back deck tumbled into vian prairie...so long old friend thanks for holding me over brush piles for the last year!

I just thought of another one.....
I was putting in at Sugar Loaf. I always run my rope through a cleat on deck then run the other end (with the hook) through my trailer. This time for what ever the reason was, I hooked it to the bow. Both ends of the rope were attached firmly to the boat. I dumped my boat like I always do and watched it float on out towards the middle of the bay. Had to pay a kid $5 to swim out and grab the rope and bring it to me.
DP

Wow

DrP, here is a tip. A tip given by a man that learns lessons very slowly, if ever. But occasionally he does learn one.

I took a rope and on one end I simply looped it back to itself and secured a big old large loop with electric tape. On the other end, I put a snap swivel, a large one. I coil this rope up and leave it in the front deck of the boat. When I ready to launch, the last thing I do is unhook the front boat eye from the trailer. At that time, I uncoil said rope, snap the swivel end onto the boat bow eye, and either A) hand the loop end to my fishing buddy, or if alone, I then B) hook the big loop over my winch stand. Then I back out till boat is free, then ease forward till trailer is clear of water and boat eases back onto the ramp (you have to measure the rope to get just right amount). Then I go down and unhook the loop, tie it to a rock or stick or ramp stanchion, and go park the truck.

Then I proceed to go not catch fish.

well here is a list of things I for sure remember that I have done over the years.
Left plug out of boat
Left straps on back of boat ,,it will float your trailor and thats bad if there is CURRENT
forgot to unhook front of boat from the trailor
pulled boat up to far on steep bank of river came back and transom of boat submerged
Had rope that was attached to trailor break while launching boat
I can think of about 100 more stupid things i have done to really mess my day up fishing but those are what come to my mind involving launching my boat. If you fish long enough you will do all those stupids things.

Last week, I was halfway to the lake when I heard my chain dragging. I realized that I hadn't hooked it up, so I quickly pulled over. When I got back there, my heart sank, It wasn't even latched!. I was in such a hurry to go fishing, all I did was dropped the trailer on the ball, kicked the jack back and jumped in the truck. Not one of my brighter moments.....


C.J.

yep done that toooooo.

My father in law and I were trapping on the upper White river up around Calico Rock in January one winter he backed me in and boat was frozen to the trailer bunks trailer floated with boat, we wait 3or 4 minutes trailer falls free. We head up the river to check sets but the boat seemed slow got to first set jumped out got the coon and seen why boat was slow one tralier bunk was still frozen to the bottom.

I have a bow mounted trolling motor on my flatbottom. First time out with it last week and I pulled it up before it stopped spinning. It was an old, brittle prop...waiting for the replacement prop from Young Mfg. to come in the mail!

Ive made alot of these same mistakes.

Another lesson I learned one time is that no matter how matter wide your boat is, even if its a party barge, eventually the edge of it stops and its only a short distance to the water. :yikes

I've done em all as well, but the best I've done was when I was a young whippersnapper and had a stump jumper that I hauled around in the back of my truck. Went fishing and when I got back to ramp I didn't know where my truck was. Reason I didn't know was b/c I had never parked it. I had left it on the ramp and still running according to the nice gentleman that parked it for me !!!

Now thats funny right there!


C.J.

Can I like all these posts:Rofl I can relate to some and hopefully avoid all the others I can't relate to.

that is wanting to get on the water fast .... Never left my truck on the ramp . That is funny!

Headed off for horseshoe lake one morning, bout hour and half away, get half way there and a guy driving down the highway is honkin at me. He is pointing and I have no clue what the heck is wrong. Pull in at a store, boat keys were cruising right along right nicely there on the bumper where I laid them, since I have the hitch key on there to.

When you use a fish basket and hang over the side of the boat during a fishing stop, remember to bring it aboard before dropping the hammer on the 150HP. The basket is no longer with us, nor are the fish.

About 15 years ago me and a buddy borrowed my dads fisher marine...had a 20 HP. he dropped me in the water and by the time he parked the truck I was halfway across the lake with a boat half full of water jumping around trying to figure out what to do. thank god the plug was at least in the boat, and thankfully I had been with my dad when that happened before and knew to run it wide open and let the water run out.

Me and a friend took our daughters to glenn springs lake about 3 years ago and wanted to rent a pontoon. It was to early in the year and they werent renting them yet. Kids were having a fit so we rented a jon boat. We ended up having 3 girls (8, 8 and 7) and us 2 in the rental boat. Not good even on a calm day. Wind was gusting some 40+ that day and we had a heck of a time. Decided to cross the lake to get out of the wind and we were going with the direction of the wind and about 50' from a tall dead tree the engine decided it had enough. I just screamed hang on, we nailed the tree, all 3 girls landed in the floor, and about a 15' piece of the top of that dead tree slapped the water. Everyone within a 100 yards was looking. Very lucky it didnt come at us. After all the action we realize we are stuck. Wind blew us on a log. We shift, rock, cuss, push, you name it, for 15 minutes and could not get off this thing. Kids a crying scared, the wind is now spinning our boat like a pinwheel. Luckily someone came over and helped us out. Trip over. The kids still talk about that day, I try not to :) Been fishing all my life but I sure felt like I had no clue that day