whats your most embarrising fishing story?

[Tfisher]

im just wondering what your most embarrising fishing story is? best fishes

Tfisher

[BD]

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. You go first! ;)

[Bob Jensen]

OK, here goes. This was when I was still fishing tournaments, so it was at least ten years ago. We were backing the boat into the water, and there was a pretty long line-up of other boats waiting to get in, as well as quite a few people watching everyone launch their boats. I was in the boat, someone else, can't remember who, was driving the truck, backing me into the water.

We unhooked the boat from the trailer at the bow-eye, disconnected the chain, then continued to back in. Boat wouldn't come off, backed in farther, boat still wouldn't come off. Put the motor in reverse and gave the throttle a pretty good shot. Lots of noise, but the boat still wouldn't slide off. By now we had backed the truck quite a ways into the water. A crowd had gathered to see what was going on, and some of the anglers in line waiting to get their boat in were getting impatient.

By now, my partner in the truck and I decided something was not right. We pulled the truck and boat out of the water to see what was wrong. Transom tie-downs were still attached. Boats don't come off trailers very well with transom tie-downs in place. Guess that's why we use them.

I can still remember seeing Gary Roach shaking his head and giggling. This was when Gary, Randy Amenrud, and I were partners in Fishing Pro-Mo's. Although I had slowed the launching process down quite a bit, everyone was a pretty good sport about the whole fiasco.

And I've only forgotten to disconnect the transom tie-downs a few times since then.

[bernie]

I was meeting some clients on the ramp. I unhooked the boat,backed down let the boat float off the trailer and watched it keep goin. (forgot to grab my tie rope) The lake was real foggy it was memorial day weekend, my clients were a mom and 2 children (8-10yrs old).I had no choice i stripped to my underwear and swam after the boat,hopped in the boat and the battery was dead. I replaced the battery took them fishin. bernie

[steve fellegy]

gosh, i have many of moments i had a red face from. but one is unique, i think. while in a wavewacker tourney, i caught a nice "slot" and surely was going to weigh it in. it had the hook deep and not wanting to hurt it, i decided to bite the line. not wanting to shorten the leader anymore than needed, i bit as close to the hook as possible. my nose was, evidently, in the fishes mouth...and the fish bit down. thank got i didn't jerk out when i felt the teeth. with other boats closely watching, scott, my partner, opened the fishes mouth and i was free. guess i gotta nose for walleyes ....

[Sandman]

During a trip to Little Bay de Noc, late afternoon we decided if we were going to fish at night, we should establish some ICONS to mark sandbars. I thought I knew the Bay pretty well but was mistaken. We got lodged on a sandbar in the north end but with a little maneuvering were able to get off. The three of us commented how it could have been much worse. As we were running along at about 40mph one of the group yelled STOP!!! Too late. We were really stuck this time and nothing was going to get us off short of getting in the water. In November, the water temperature isn't conducive to swimming. So here I am in my underpants,in one ft. the water, at the back of the boat, trying to lift and push us off the sandbar. Seemed like no matter which way I pushed we were still stuck. Felt like my guts were about to explode so I asked one of the other two to strip down and join me. They both looked like they were in shock up to this point. Just as he got down to his underw I got us loose. I think my legs and feet stayed red for several days. Of course one of the first things I did when this happened was look around to see if anybody observed this stupid act. The embarrassment factor you know. When we were having dinner I called my wife and told her what had happened and her firsr comment was: did they get any pictures? Thank goodness they were too stunned when it happened to think about using the camera. The only good thing that came out of it was a handle I was searching for(Sandman).

[steve fellegy]

as i said earlier, my face has been red many times on the water. as a guide, i have left the bait on shore a few times and wasted precious client time. once, i let a 30 pound muskie a client had caught, swim out of the net while i was unhooking it. it was his first muskie ever and never even got a picture! of course i had to run out of gas on a guiding trip too. how 'bout the time i walked right off the end of the dock at a boat ramp on oahe in front of a whole line-up of fellow
tournament guys. when i came back up my shoes were floating one way and my hat the other. but i still had the rope to the boat in hand!
35 years...

[DeeZee]

This one happened to me about 3 years ago.
I was down at Red Wing in about mid-January and
I got to the landing nice and early. It was to be a very nice day for Jan, so I thought I would beat the rush at the landing. Anyway, it was about 10 degrees that morning and I backed the boat down into the water and put the truck in park and clipped my rope on the boat and took off the winch strap and chain and the boat began to roll off the trailer. As the boat was strolling off the trailer, I had to skillfully dangle the rope around the winch so it would not hang up, in doing so, I saw the clip on my rope come right off the eye on the boat. The clip had frozen open. So, now the rope is in the water about 3 feet in front of me and the boat is proceeding to float out into the river and the current is now taking the boat down the river. I began to follow the boat down the shoreline trying to think of a creative way to get to it. Meanwhile my truck is still running in the landing. About 10 minutes later I heard someone pull up to the landing. At this time I had stripped some of my heavy clothes off thinking that a quick swim in January would not be that bad. (even though I would last about 30 seconds in the water) I came running back to my truck after I heard the people pull up to the landing.
The funniest thing was the look on their faces when I came running up to them panting away with half my clothes over my arm and the truck in the landing running and no one to be seen.

Yes, very embarrassing........

[Texeye]

It always seems like I can't get to the lake fast enough ...work too late etc.One evening I roar to the lake about a mile from the house and start backing in the water when everyone on the dock starts yelling something at me and pointing to my boat.I couldn't understand so I stopped just short of the water and bailed out to see what everyone was yelling about.In my hurry to leave the house I had forgotten to unhook my battery charger and had yanked it off the wall..there it was,clamps firmly hung on the battery and the charger hanging behind my boat about an inch off the ground and cord dragging along behind.(Now when I forget my cord just unplugs from my onboard charger;)

[Fred S]

I'm a rookie and the same situation happened to me this summer Bob, and I also went through the whole gamut. Backed the trailer in some more until it was nearly completely submerged trying to float the boat off,and almost got a hernia trying to push the thing off the trailer. Pretty emabrrassing that I wasn't smart enough to figure out the transom straps were still connected. A helpful guy on the ramp waiting for me to launch pointed it out.

[Wawajake]

a few years back my family rented a cottage where the boat launch consisted of chainlink fence ontop of the shoreline clay and held down in the lake with heavy rocks.
I backed up to the boatlaunch with the Jeep full of luggage, coolers etc because tailgate won't open till boat trailer is off.
Unfortunately lake had gone down one foot since last time we had rented cottage. I let all four wheels leave the chainlink traction . In 2feet of water. Yes start spinning on clay , figure no problem back up another foot put in four wheel drive to take a run , no go !!
By now jeep is sinking in clay 12 inches , water is in Jeep up to gas pedal, and wifes luggage is floating in back. She runs for landlord to pull me out with winch on his Dodge Ram after manual labour and opening closing door only makes worse.(I can't fit out window) But not before water is up to shifter knob.
Fortunatley my duffel bag was on top of the pile , but my wife spent the next day washing clothes , what a laugh when finally opening tailgate on dry land and seeing minnows run out with water.
(spent that week with all the carpets ripped out to dry)My wife no longer looks at boat launches the same.
yes jeep is still running 6 years later (but smells in hot sun)
wawajake

[Pitts]

Hey one of them just happened on Thanksgiving Day I was at the Inlaws on Miltona and it was nice so I decided to fish off of the old neighbors dock which had not been pulled because of the nice weather and a remodel project he is in the middle of.
Anyway we started fishing at 3 pm and the small and mid sized perch were hungry for the fatheads and shiners we had to offer on a bobber so we continued to about 1/2 hour before sunset when I got a bite that was very solid and was pulling drag out on the small reel I was using. I thought it might have been the 25lb + musky that had followed the spinning minnow and bobber of my sons back to the dock earlier but I soon started to gain line on the reel and I could see the bobber getting closer. When It was close enough I saw it was a piggy probably as good if not my best to date I mean a hog and me without a net.
I proceeded to think with a clouded mind and gave the lightweight rod with the 2 year old line that was half gone to my son and told him to let it wallow there as I was going to gill it off the dock.
The hook came out just as I was going to gill it and it sat there for a second so I grabbed it's tail and pulled towards me to get a good grip on it and when I lunged to get the good grip SPLASH I did the once over land on back in 40F water next to the dock.
Needless to say the boys were in tears laughing and I had missed what was probably the biggest eye I had ever had on to my knowledge.
I will remember that turkey day for a long time.

Pitts

[Brian_MN]

My brother and I were out at Green Lake by Spicer MN for a small local tourney. We'd left in a hurry that morning to make the 2 hour drive from the cities. At the ramp, there were a fair number of folks idling around the docks, unloading, and boat check was going on about 20 yards away by the beach. I hopped in the boat and my brother started backing us in. As the boat rolled off the trailer all of a sudden the trailer tongue leaps off my hitch, pops up about a foot, and gets stopped from going any further by the safety chains. As the weight of the boat comes off the rear rollers the trailer then slams down onto the concrete. While I'm busy doing my best to act like this sort of thing happens all the time, my brother is still trying to figure out what had happened. In our hurry to get going, we had forgotten to close and lock the coupler and had driven 120 miles that way! Thank God I had enough tongue weight to hold everything together until we were safely at the ramp.

[Hawgeye]

Since I am a glutton for punishment, I decided to share my two stories. Both were with my 7 year old son and I don't think he will forget either.

My first was at a landing on the Missouri River. The access was very steep and yes, extremely busy! My boy, as always, got in the boat as I backed it down the ramp. All of the sudden about half way down, the bow on the boat flies up high in the air and then disappears as it drops below view. "DRY DOCKED". All I could think about was my son and if he was OK. As I run back, I notice him picking himself up off the floor of the boat, shaken but OK. I couldn't say the same for my Pro-V. The transom was crinkled in the back. Needless to say, after getting it back on the trailer and in the water, NO LEAKS! That is one good thing about aluminum boats! Apparently I when I disconnected the rope, the safety chain became disconnected.

My second story was 2 years later. I was fishing a lake in SD right after ice out. Wind was up to 40MPH gusts. Was out in my new boat that is now a console (first console for me). I was trolling with my electric and determined that I am slipping close to the rocky shore so I better fire up the big motor and drive back up wind. Crank, crank, crank. Nothing. Now I am 5' from banging my new boat up in the rocks! All I could think of was to jump in the lake and save the boat! BRRRRRRRR! Water temps were about 40 degrees. I walked the boat around a point to a shallow bay, pulled it up on the sand and began to look over what was wrong. The shift lever was in gear! Red-faced, freezing and very mad, I started the motor right up, went to the landing, loaded up and went home. My son just watched all of this in bewilderment. He still will fish with me everytime I ask him so if not for the fishing, he probably thinks he will get a good show if the fish arent biting! ;)

[Fshngyd]

In a similar situation, I purchased a new 20'Starcraft last Spring, so because of the person that I am, I was a little paranoid of a new boat, because it is not tried and true yet like the one I tradedin prior to getting the new one. Anyway, I have 3 of my best clients that I am guiding, and we are setting at the boat dock, boat still on the trailer, and getting ready to drop her in, we were loading essentials and I was bragging about how great the boat was, of course, so I go and hit the key and nothing!! panicked and embarrassed i start going thru everything, batteries, connections, darn near tear the dash out to see of the wires got disconnected, so panick and embarrasment now turns to anger, so I call the dealer and start letting them have it, the first 2 minutes on the phone were spent by me screaming obsenities at the service man, then I calmed down and we started troubleshooting, after 10 minutes or so, he said he just did not know why this boat would not start and recommended I bring it in (100 mile drive), I said that is not a option as I had customers waiting to go fishing, so he was going to prepare himself to drive down to the lake and fix it onsight, as we were going over directions and such I remembered seeing one of their kids playing around in the driver seat after we parked, so I went back and sure enough the throttle was pushed forward, what a relief that was, probelm solved, so I apoligized to the technician, and tried to then explain to my clients why we had been delayed for 30 minutes because of the ambitious child that could not keep his hands of the equipment. We all got a laugh and went out fishing, but that is a lesson I will not soon forget!!!

Kerry Keane
NPAA #217

[T-Mac]

Being an old fart I have many.
Once when I was running a Launch a client dropped his hat over the side, before we even left the dock. Being young, in shape and in a hurry to get going I half climbed over the side to grab it off the water for him...it was a long reach...my grip slipped...I fell in. Now, my customers were really impressed, for sure. One guy says "Gawd..we ain't even left the dock and our captain fell over the side...ALREADY".

Another time, (still a guide) I had a hot bite the day before,...and I was in a real hurry to get my clients out to "the spot" this morning, too. I was antsy and hurrying people along to try and get out there, before other charters got there. The wind was about 30mph and we took off..and splashed the 6 miles upwind..to "the spot" and got lined up on the drop-off to work it, when we dicovered I'd brought no bait. Naturally...I had to pound back to the resort ...get bait..and pound back down there again. With my launch and a top speed of about 15mph..a lot of wasted time..and everyone soaking wet...you can imagine how popular I was that day.

Another trip: (PRE-GPS era..of course) It was really foggy...like soup! But, being young and invincible, I decided to take off with the Launchload of clients. Heck..I told them... I know this lake so well (Winnibigoshish..Minnesota)..I'll just watch the compass, and my watch , and the depth finder and we will run out to Long Bar (about 25 minutes away).. and we took off. After about 18 minutes, the fish locator quit working, and the compass was telling me lies (HA!)...we hit the wake of another boat. I relaxed some...and explained to the clients, we must be close now, as we had just run over the wake of another Launch...doing the same thing as me...probably a Launch from Bena at the south end. I slowed... and with no depth finder, I was screwed.. really couldn't tell anything except that it was still foggy. About that time another boat wake rolled by ...it was dead calm except for the wake. So, I thought, I'd just sit still, shut her off and listen for the humm of the other engines on the other launches.. and head toward them. I sat there....listened...heard nothing...and came to the realization that the compass was not lieing, and the wakes I had hit were my own and we were going in circles. Luckily...they were all steady, repeat customers... who gave me an unmerciless ribbing...for YEARS and years! But didn't get mad , at least!

Last summer: I am now a boat dealer, and supposedly an expert in loading and unloading boats. I show people how to properly load and unload boats all the time. Ha! I make fun of people who don't load correctly... I am "SUPER BOAT LOADER!"...So, I go out on a busy Sunday on our local lake and my wife and I go fish. When we get back to the ramp..wifey holds the boat at a dock while I run up and get the pickup to back the trailer down the ramp. Well.... I am 3rd in line... The first guy, backs the trailer in way too far and has to have about six family members hold the boat in the exact correct location while he drives up to where the boat settles in place...I'm sure you have all seen that scenario before. As usual, it takes 3 tries..but they finally get it loaded and up the steep, long ramp, as I am sitting there gloating about how those fools don't have my superior boat loading skills and knowledge. Ha!..the poor amateurs... rank beginners, I think to myself.
Then the next guy ahead of me is ready...He is in the boat...his wife in the Suburban... She backs down the ramp, like it must have really sharp curves on it or something....over-correct....overcorrect...and so on. The husband is in the boat shouting instructions to the delight of several dozen onlookers (this is at a marina...a busy one!) I am , naturally, enjoying this show, myself.... viewing this display of amateurism in boat loading with some disdain. Finally, the trailer is about right and the husband drives the boat onto the trailer. His wife hooks the winch strap and chain and starts up tthe ramp. problem is, the husband does not have the lower unit raised, and the usual damage occurs, accompanied by the usual swearing and accusations. (I can tell, they have been married a LONG time.)
Anyway...after some struggling and a bit more damge to their skeg, it is my turn.
By now there are many, many on-lookers, most of whom I have sold boats to.
I skillfully back down the ramp like a professional truck driver , to the exact correct submersion point. I set the emergency brake...jump out of the truck..sprint over to my boat..drive it up to the bow stop, perfectly centered, of course.(I am SUPER BOAT LOADER!!) One of my admirers asks me a question, and I strike conversation with him as I sit in the boat like the consumate ramp man that I am. My wife walks around from the front of the truck and asks if I want to get my butt into the truck and drive up . I am chatting...and casually ask.."Is the boat hooked?" She says "Yeah". I say "Drive it up, then".
She says.."Well, boat loader man...you always drive it up." I say.. "Well if you got it hooked...push the 4WD button on the dash and drive on up..there are folks waiting to use the ramp."
She drives forward as I sit in the boat like King Tutt..and I hear this strange noise...and the truck seems to be getting farther from the boat......then I see the winch handle spinning and recognize the noise! It is the winch unwinding...the truck and trailer are going up the hill...the boat and I are NOT!
So...as the wife gently and slowly drives the trailer out from under the boat......as the boat and I gently settle down onto the launch ramp in front of a crowd that now appears to be several hundred!
OUCH!

This is the worst of all time..embarrassment!

[steve fellegy]

seems there are many red faces at the ramp. to say the least, i was embarassed while in line at a ramp, with about fifty pwt guys behind me, when i got out of my truck and accidently hit the power locks. i was parked sideways at the top of the ramp when this happened. engine running. so with fifty guys offering 'how to advice', i finally got the doors opened with a coat hanger we had to find from a camper nearby. the 'boys' weren't to happy with me that day. but then they never were happy with me...

[T-Mac]

Yes, but you were getting "professional advice", Steve......LOL.
:-)

Terry

[slick2526]

This years minnesota walleye opener. Im located around the Detroit Lakes area. We started at 12:01 am and fished till about 3am, then we anchored and slept in the boat. Ill tell yah one thing. That was COlllld. Any whooo, We where trolling in this one spot where there was about 30 boats going around the next day because the fish where stacked up there for some reason. I decide to switch over to my UL rod and reel and put a shriner on a little jig and troll this way while fishing. I got snaged on something and snaped my line, We where fish out of a 1860tf Nitro bass boat. I reached out over the side to try to grab my bobber and reached out a little to far past my waist. I got my hand on the bobber. Then I realized I was going for a swim. Tried to grab back for the boat and SPLASH. Man that was a little cold. I beleive the water was around 39 degrees that day. Out of all thoose people I couldnt believe that not one of them where laughing. I know I would of been if it wasnt me.

[s.f.]

i watched old bob probst, while in a pwt tournament, reach over to grab a big walleye that was tangled in some weeds. with bobs big belly
making him just a bit top heavy, he fell face first into the drink. but he knew if he 'left the boat' he would be disqualified. so with one hand around the walleye's head, he held onto the gunwail with the other. he wasn't about to let go of that fish! he'd pull his head up out of the water to take a breath, then collapse back down. his 120lb. amateur partner pulled on bob's belt with all his might as a few guys split a gut laughing. finally, after the camera boat arrived, bob wiggled, snorted, and lurched his way back into the boat, five pounder still in hand. bob's pants were down around his knees by the time the little guy got the upper half of bob back into the boat and balanced again. one for the bloopers show for sure!

#49

[Texeye]

T-Mac when I finished reading your story I was rolling!!I can tell that you not only have a lot of stories, you know how to tell them!!!Thanks for the laugh!

[T-Mac]

Glad I made ya chuckle!

[sny6]

The second time i went out in my brand new Crestliner, I went to a small lake in South Dakota. The wind came up and we had to get off the water. There is only one boat launch on this little lake and the wind was blowing sideways on the dock. I let my buddy off to get the trailer and backed out while I waited for him. There was probably about 4 foot waves going sideways to where I had to get on the trailer.When I attempted to get on the trailer I didn't trim my motor and was so worried about hitting the trailer right, I forgot about it.Any way, i went over the trailer and slammed right into the dock sideways. There were two other guys there trying to help hod the boat while the waves were crashing into me. The prop was slamming into the ramp and when I trimmed it up the waves started going over the transom. I was about fit the be tied at this time because I had about a foot of water in the whole boat. After finally getting it hooked up, all I had was a 2 wheel drive and with all the water and weight in the boat, I couldn't pull it out. My buddy ran over and got a 4 wheel drive and we had to pull my truck and boat out of the water. I felt like crawling under a rock somewhere and die. The most horrible day I ever spent on the water. When I got back and was tarping the boat I slammed my head into the bottom of the skag and cut it wide open. After that I just went to bed. How's that for a bad day?

[Schmitty]

When I was a Kid 7 or 8 years old.
Me and the buddy snuck down to the river to do a little fishin.
My Mother did not like us to be down there alone but we figured she would never find out (YA Right)
After about a 1/2 hour of casting dardevils the buddy winds up for a big cast. Wish I would have known maybe I could have ducked.
Sure enough he catches me right in the ear.
Well to make a long story short Mom takes me to the hospital the doc walks in an say's Kid you dont look good in earings so why don't we get that thing out of your head.
I still have that Dardevil and have never used one since.
Oh ya it took a little while to sit down after the old man came home to. I think he was more ticked off that I took his pole then then I was by the river. :)
Schmitty