Am I the only one??????!!!!!!!

[Captian Krup]

Well I'll start by saying a bad day of fishing beats a good day at work anytime. Fished the Detroit River this past weekend with no luck. On top of that broke a rod..tolling motor problems and trailer light problems. Please tell me I'm not the only one this s@@t happens to.(Not that I wish it for anybody). What can you do. Yep I will fix the stuff and get back out there and enjoy the outdoors. Does this happen to others? What's your story? Good luck to all!!!!!!

[Dave in Mpls]

Have you ever heard the expression "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all!"? Some days are just like that! I think my favorite is "A boat is just a big hole in the water that you throw money into".

I'd prefer not to talk about problems I have experienced....just makes me upset :)

Regards

[SUPERTROLLER]

We fished there this past Sat. too. Fishing was lousy, company was great. We had plenty of company didn't we?!? Looked like every registered boat in Mi. was there. LOL. We put one 4 lb.er in the boat and released a 24 inch muskie. Talked to many many others that hadn't caught a thing so we didn't feel too bad. My partner was there on Tues. and Wed. earlier in the week and they caught 39 walleye for 6 guys. Not great but not terrible either, just was alot better before the water became cloudy on the weekend. We didn't break anything but that's just fine with me. Better luck on your future trips. It's a long summer ahead, enjoy them all!

[EricCO]

BOAT - Bust out another thousand.

[cisco]

OK, I'll tell you -- You are not the only one.

[exnj]

Looks like you're fishin' for a similar yarn... I'll bite.
1993, bought a 1 year old pontoon boat with what the dealer said was a 1976 Johnson 25 HP motor. Borrowed a friend's pickup to drag it 2 hours to Bull Shoals. 300 yards from the ramp the engine caught fire. Shut the motor off, put out fire, cursed quite a bit. My other friends kid pulled me to the nearest cove with his waverunner. I said don't forget to pick me up at the end of the day. Returned 2 hours to Springfield,MO to get a new motor and have them put on a trolling motor. Title for old motor arrived in the meanwhile, it was a 1969 Johnson, figures. After 2 weeks of waiting, borrowed pickup, back to lake, motor got us 3-4 miles down the lake to (finally) a fishing hole. Trolling around (mind you, this is only day 2 on the boat,ever) when the prop fell off. Clear prop,clear water, gone. Went to start the main motor to get replacement prop at marina, wouldn't start. Had to pull start it. Went about 500 yards and the steering bolts fell off and couldn't steer. Had to put gloves on and stand behind holding the motor (can do this with a pontoon) and steer us back the 3-4 miles to the marina where the guy said the motor didn't start because they hooked up the stereo thru the motor's power and a fuse blew. Got everything fixed, sold boat when next baby arrived to get new van and have never owned a boat since. Hope this makes you feel better. I always laugh back now and never look to buy again. Belly boat only!

Lou

[JasonMN]

Take a look at this thread from last month...that should make you feel much better.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/cgi-bin/dcf/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=7209&forum=generaldiscussion&archive=yes

[12# HUNTER]

Forgot to put the plug in(ha ha), knocked off a big fish, my spinning reel seized, yeah I had a bad day too! At least I didnt have to cut the lawn.

[GORD]

My buddy did me a favour and changed the oil in my bottom end. He forgot to put the oil back in......"POOF"!!! Some days you eat the bear. Some days the bear eats you.

[Tom (Mich)]

Don't feel so bad - I'm three fish for five trips to the river this season. Always seems that fishing is hot right before I can get out - here comes the weekend or a planned day off, and inevitably here comes the east blow, cold weather and rain. Hopefully I'm banking my "luck" for the MWT this weekend....

[Heye5]

Hey exnj: Your post makes us all feel lucky! Sounds like your circus outgrew the tent! Be careful in that bellyboat though. A couple years ago we pulled a wayward angler in after he got out a little too far(the wind caught him). He had lost a costly rod that had been loaned to him by his friend's dad and then lost a fin. The sound pssssstttt might really liven up your trip!!


Heye5

[SetTheHook]

Shoot, just a trolling motor and trailer light problem? I pretty much count on one of those problems every other time out. Throw in a main motor problem one out of every five times out. Some sort of tow vehicle problem about one out of every six. Add in exceptionally talented fishing partners with a tendency to drop phones in the water/break rods/cast plugs onto bridges that seem to hang too low. A trouble-free trip is a reason to celebrate in my boat. Since that never happens, I celebrate the troubled trips as well.

[tmoe]

Nope, you're not the only one:

Last March or April my boat caught on fire in Lake Superior...water temp 46 degrees. I got scared. Very scared.

Bought a new trolling motor previous year and mount broke 1st time used. Lost the motor in Lake Superior. The company did replace it at no cost to me.

I've broken motor mounts, seen trucks lose brakes and disappear off ramp, have had two trailers come off the hitch on very bumpy streets and be held by the chains, and have seen some injuries on the water. Sadly, have been around for a couple of drownings, as well. I, too, have also seen the husband/ wife ordeal.

A friend of mine had a pick-up camper on his pick-up and picked up his son. They hadn't seen each other for awhile and got visiting on the trip out to the lake. When they got to the ramp they discovered the boat was gone. It came off on the highway somewhere. They did find it in one piece and were able to get it out of the trees and hook it back up. No damage. (Hi, Wally!)

I saw a guy rip about 50 % of his transom loose (only fastened on at the top 6-8" on each side) when he hit a submerged rock with his new 25 hp at wide open throttle. His wife got the blame for not knowing the river they were on for the first time. Actually, this was the maiden voyage of that boat. About three years later I heard he circled the boat landing a couple of times and waved everybody away before running the boat right up the concrete.

A guy decided several years ago to run the boat a bit. He was about 75 yards upstream from 150 yards of dam and spillway, at night, in high water! Yes, he went through the dam... and made it!! Check out the dam at Black River Falls, WI when several gates are open in the spring.

Lastly, I saw a guy with one of those sparkly painted boats unhook the winch belt before he got to the water and dumped his boat and 150 about halfway down the ramp on the concrete. That wasn't as bad as seeing him crank it back onto the trailer and refuse help from everyone that came to assist him. I think the boat needed a chiropractor after that. (Bad back.)

I could go on. But, it's somebody else's turn....

Regards,
tm

[tmoe]

Oh yeah, I forgot: My father used to tell me that "the best two days of a boat owners life were the days he bought the boat and the day he sold the boat."

[vetspet(ind)]

well, last wk i decided to try some panfishing by myself...took an xtra day of vacation to make it a two day trip...went to a new lake near fort wayne...went by myself as i had to prepare for a bible study at my home the second nite...first thing that went wrong was i planned to leave tuesday nite..drive two hrs and sleep in my truck camper..fish wed am and pm and then thurs am and back home for the bible study thurs pm....hooked up trailer tues and the lights did not work!....changed the plug and everything except the turn signals worked!..called brother in law who knows everything and he gave me a few tips...did not work...so i scrapped the idea of leaving at nite...slept at home...left at 5am wed morning...got to lake by seven and the wind was blowing like 40mph..really....lake was shut down with the weather front...that was ok as i wanted to do some studying anyhow...so i fished and studied all day wed...met a farmer who recommended i go to another lake he saw the amish fishing and said thats a good sign...thurs i went to that lake...way out 20 miles from anyone....once i got there i decided to just record how i found it and some other day fish it as the wind was really high still...thought it was safe to drive on the nearby grass... did not put my truck in four wheel drive and got stuck up to my axle...by the time i realized what was happening and put it in four wheel drive it was over...i checked my cell phone and the antenae had fallen out!!!!..so i searched a swamp and waded out and collected a bunch of logs and began jacking up the frame as i could not get under the axles....worked two to three hours and finallly some guy pulls up and asked if he could help..had a four wheel truck...but said he would not go off pavement...i luckily had a chain and strap and it just made it to the road...felt like i was going to puke all the way home as i had worked so hard for several hours wading in the swamp and jacking up the truck and laying in the mud....got home and the main guys at the bible study had to postpone the study which was fine with me since i was so tired...i glued that antenae in so it wont fall out...that was the first time it fell out and i was unaware of it....i'm now ready to go back and tackle that lake...steve

[Gunga Din]

On a brighter note...

I've been sick all winter and spring, though it's finally figured out and I'm back at it again now--though much skinnier. So I haven't fished since last fall. The weather here in Utah has been nice, so I took the boat out today for the first time all spring. I got my trailer lights working right for the first time, hooked up the boat to my new (to me) truck for the first time, and drove to the lake.

Truck pulled great, both motors fired right up and I had a great 10-minute ride across the glass lake. I just got back and I'm still smiling!

[EyeBoy]

Isn't love grand.:*
ON-PLANE!!!TOM

[Don]

Gunga Din,

sounds like you had a great day! Getting out fishing after that kind of a layoff must be sweet, and I hope you have those kind of days from now on. Get a good laugh with those of us who have goofy stuff happening and good fishing.

Don

[Fish Info AL]

NO your not. Bought a super clean Wellcraft 1976, 230 Sportman,last year, walk around, with a little over 200 hours on the hour meter..200 HP Mercury Black Max outboard. Before I took the boat out the first time, bought a brank new 2000 Evinrude 9.9 4 stroke with electric start. Saved my butt 3 times. Went back to original owner of the boat after fixing all minor problems, found out it only had about 50 hours of actual running time. The hour meter ran anytime the boat was running, 9.9 was running or electronics was on. He sold the boat because it wouldn't get out its own way and would not come up on plane. After much aganizing, talking to everyone I know, called Wellcraft in Florida. I want to thank Wellcraft and the rep I spoke with. He took the serial number of the boat, pulled the original invoice and told me what my problem was. I had already suppected the 14 pitch prop needed changed to 19, a big cavitation plate that was needed, added to put and keep on plane. Next piece of advice from Wellcraft was to place the motor's cavitation plate, 1 inch above the bottom of the transom. This required lowering the motor 3 inches. Took care of the problem. This problem had been with the boat since it was new. Wellcraft said the motor was installed by the dealer. Wellcraft said dealer was no longer in business. No Wonder. This boat had been stored inside all its life. The problems were always found 5-10 miles from where I put in. Throttle cable to motor broke where I have to believe the dealer rolled excess cable up as tight as he could before it went through the transom. Mercury motor would not start or would not throttle up in level trim position. Back home, started right up. Ford fishing tournament following weekend going out of Huron, Ohio, same problem. Dead in the water. I want to thank Tom Craft,of Huron, who was fishing with me for the following bit of wisdom. Lift the motor up above level trim, so it is still in water and start. Tom said he didn't know why, but the same thing had happened to him. It worked. Reason, level trim on start up flooded the carbs out. I carry a portable battery pack. The 9.9 in addition to being battery start, can be pull started. The message here. Be Preparded for anything on any Lake, especially Lake Erie. Lake Erie is a shallow lake that can turn waves up in a moments notice. Watch the weather.
I took out a prop on the big motor in the spring of last year on a submerged log. Back in on the 9.9. Yes I did have a spare prop. It was 3 footers and I didn't feel like changing it under these conditions. People that own and operate boats have to have a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics, electrical, weather, navigation, etc. and they are still vulnerable to unforseen problems. If you own a boat, you have to be like a Boy Scout. Be Preparded. This is the first outboard I have ever owned. After the initial learning experience of an outboard, I will not go back to an inboard. My preference. Good fishing, if the wind ever lets down. SEE you at Huron for pier fishing. Should be starting about now.