I Hate First Launch of the Season

[JeffsLowe]

I pretty much keep my boat in the garage all winter, so first launch of the season is always an adventure. Even though I have been doing this all my life, it seems the older I get, the more likely I am to do something stupid. One March day a couple of years ago I was backing down Fate Sanders ramp for first launch, touched the brakes, and watched my boat disappearing in the rear view mirror as it slid out into the lake. Nothing else to do but strip and swim for it. Then I got to it, I realized that the sides are too high to climb in. Oh yeah - go up the swim platform. Once I got up there, realized my keys are in my pants pocket back on the bank. Oh yeah - use the electric. And of course, my wife was there laughing, and couldn't wait to rat me out to my daughter and all my fishin buddies, just to add to the humiliation.

So, yesterday, based on the reports I saw here, I decided to bump my planned Rock Island walleye trip and instead put in JPP for crappie. (of course, saving over an hours drive one way entered into it too). Had a new fishin buddy along, so wanted to impress him with all my outdoors skills. Backed the trailer in, went to drive off, only it wouldn't go. He backed in further, wouldn't budge. I revved the crap out of the motor, wouldn't budge. I climbed out on the trailer and pushed on the bow, wouldn't budge.
What the heck? Oh yeah - THE STRAPS… Hey, no problem, I'll just lean over the stern and- GOOD GREIF - the boat is floating the trailer and straps are under pressure from the weight! Gotta be careful not to get my hand caught in the strap cause the trailer is gonna sink like rock and take me with it… What was that? Oh Crap - my cellphone just fell in the drink…

And of course, when my buddy called my wife to let her know why she couldn't call me, the first thing she does is call my daughter and my fishin buddies…..

fishin report - slow- lots of dinks, But it was an adventure…

btw - if you see this rig on Priest this season come over and say hi.

[XxthejuicexX]

Man, those are always fun ways to start a trip. A few years ago fishing Dale Hollow in February I forgot to unhook the front strap so I climbed out onto the tongue of the trailer bent down to unhook it and my pistol falls out of my pocket and into the lake, Keltec PF9. Fished it out, dried it off and left with a wet foot from water getting into my boots from bending over to far. You catch dink walleye ?

[Dakota]

funny story and nice boat.

[FloatNFish]

I know those days all too well...nothing left to do but laugh at yourself and go fishing!

Good looking boat! I bought an older Lowe Deep-V last year and love it. Hope to see you out there.

[TNtroller]

At least you didn't forget the drain plug AND the transom straps.

And I thought loosing my minnow bucket (brand spanking new) today was a bummer.

[XxthejuicexX]

Originally Posted by TNtroller

At least you didn't forget the drain plug AND the transom straps.

And I thought loosing my minnow bucket (brand spanking new) today was a bummer.

Ha, forgot the plug once. Ran about 2 miles, stopped fished then took off again... Boat felt bogged down and would not get going. Opened the battery compartment lid, full of water. Hammered the throttle and after she got on plane the water was sucked out. pulled it on the trailer put the plug in and went fishing. Don't you just love little oops moments like that.

[TNBronzeback]

Knock on wood ive not forgot the drain plug yet. I check for that at various times before leaving the house and the boat hitting the water! lol...i have however neglected to unstrap the boat, charge the batteries, grab my tackle bag.
My best fishing "oops" to date:
drive 2 hours around lake st. Claire to the canadian side for ice fishing, walk 4 miles in 1.5 ft of snow to an ice jam. Sit on my bucket, pull my jigging rapalas out of my pocket that were in the small little clear tackle boxes, open it up, pull 1 out, close the lid....i have my rapala in my right hand and grabbing line with my left, my coat cuff knocks my box of rapalas straight down the hole, in an attempt to grab it, i lunge my right hand into the hole to grab it, letting go of the one in my hand....yup....ALL my baits right to the bottom in 17 ft of water! all that driving, all that walking and never got to fish and lost about $40 in jigging rapalas!
Not a good walk back!

[TNtroller]

Lets see, I've forgotten the drain plug once, but was able to get it in pretty quickly, but did have to use the "run down the lake" trick as I had already parked the truck/trailer up top of a long ramp, forgot the bow safety tow chain, dropped/lost a few rods overboard, forgot the main safety tow chains once (towed the boat about 100 miles 1 way) and stopped once to check everything and coffee, and never saw it until I was launching the boat. If you haven't done it, you will sooner or later.

[MNfisher]

Originally Posted by TNBronzeback

Knock on wood ive not forgot the drain plug yet. I check for that at various times before leaving the house and the boat hitting the water! lol...i have however neglected to unstrap the boat, charge the batteries, grab my tackle bag.

My best fishing "oops" to date:

drive 2 hours around lake st. Claire to the canadian side for ice fishing, walk 4 miles in 1.5 ft of snow to an ice jam. Sit on my bucket, pull my jigging rapalas out of my pocket that were in the small little clear tackle boxes, open it up, pull 1 out, close the lid....i have my rapala in my right hand and grabbing line with my left, my coat cuff knocks my box of rapalas straight down the hole, in an attempt to grab it, i lunge my right hand into the hole to grab it, letting go of the one in my hand....yup....ALL my baits right to the bottom in 17 ft of water! all that driving, all that walking and never got to fish and lost about $40 in jigging rapalas!

Not a good walk back!

Haha! This is my favorite oops! Sorry it happened to you, but hilarious!


Mike

[wormdunker]

One beautiful Spring day a few years ago, I worked extra hard so as to be able to get through with work early , and I managed to do that, so I hauled butt home, hooked the boat up and hit I-24 headed to upper end of Priest. Got launched pretty quick, feeling like I had accomplished my mission, then realized I didn't have a single fishing rod,; left 'em in the garage. Only thing I could think to do was pull the boat up on the bank, and head to Wally world in Smyrna to buy a couple of cheap ready-rigged rods. Didn't catch a dang thing that evening. Oh well, it was a pretty sunset as I remember!

[TNBronzeback]

Originally Posted by wormdunker

One beautiful Spring day a few years ago, I worked extra hard so as to be able to get through with work early , and I managed to do that, so I hauled butt home, hooked the boat up and hit I-24 headed to upper end of Priest. Got launched pretty quick, feeling like I had accomplished my mission, then realized I didn't have a single fishing rod,; left 'em in the garage. Only thing I could think to do was pull the boat up on the bank, and head to Wally world in Smyrna to buy a couple of cheap ready-rigged rods. Didn't catch a dang thing that evening. Oh well, it was a pretty sunset as I remember!

Lol.....man thats rough! its funny all the stories fisherman could tell about all thier different whoopsies! lol...

[jprism]

I don't feel so bad now for forgetting to put drain plug in...thankful I have 2 bilge pumps

[brax0789]

Great story Jeff! I've had to make the swim several times. Forgotten the plug once. Had my trailer pop off the ball going down the highway once (thank God for safety chains!) I have a routine and sometimes when I take a guest they get offended when I follow behind them to check things out. I just tell them if I don't do things the same way EVERY time, the next time I will forget something.

[RUGER]

Last year I went to the local TWRA lake and my wife went with me.
She has been with me three times I think, this was her third trip.
We fished for a while and the wind was TERRIBLE so we decided to leave.

There was an old guy fishing off the bank real close to the dock and I eased up to tie it off to go get the truck but didn't think and docked on the downwind side of the dock.

Back of the boat swerved around and got all up in his way.
Let the trolling motor down and it wedged in some rocks.
I fought it while the boat was steadily screwing his lines ALL up.

I kept apologizing, jerking, stomping and cussing under my breath.
Finally got the motor free, and slammed it down, cutting my power cord in half.

FINALLY got the boat on the trailer and was about to pull out and apologized to him again and he just laughed and said, "Son I have owned a boat for over 60 years and you gotta take days like today to enjoy the good ones."

[TNBronzeback]

Originally Posted by RUGER

Last year I went to the local TWRA lake and my wife went with me.
She has been with me three times I think, this was her third trip.
We fished for a while and the wind was TERRIBLE so we decided to leave.

There was an old guy fishing off the bank real close to the dock and I eased up to tie it off to go get the truck but didn't think and docked on the downwind side of the dock.

Back of the boat swerved around and got all up in his way.
Let the trolling motor down and it wedged in some rocks.
I fought it while the boat was steadily screwing his lines ALL up.

I kept apologizing, jerking, stomping and cussing under my breath.
Finally got the motor free, and slammed it down, cutting my power cord in half.

FINALLY got the boat on the trailer and was about to pull out and apologized to him again and he just laughed and said, "Son I have owned a boat for over 60 years and you gotta take days like today to enjoy the good ones."

Did that this winter at flippers, docked on the wrong side for wind, rope slipped the titanic sized cleats on the dock and swung the back end into the rocks, took some cussing and shifting to get the lower unit free as well! lol....ya just look over your shoulder and hope nobody is looking, pointing and laughing! lol