Bassblaster
Active Member
So what is the best fish you've ever caught? Fresh or saltwater, anywhere in the world. Post pics if you've got em.
Best Fish Ever
- Thread starter Bassblaster
- Start date
Alright boys 100 views and no bites, Ill start this off and hopefully you all will post some pics. Between work and study no fishy times for me and i am itching to see some beauties. Here is a Thompson river beauty caught just before dusk. Hopefully things change and that river opens again one day.http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd490/slaydown/?action=view¤t=fishtown.jpg
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Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Well sorry, BB
I wish I took a picture of you first ocean caught Chinook today as for many it would be a dream....LOL.. Yes we had to release them.. Next time the fish will be dinner.
I wish I took a picture of you first ocean caught Chinook today as for many it would be a dream....LOL.. Yes we had to release them.. Next time the fish will be dinner.
Best fish ever???
September 11th 2009......
Took some clients out dino fishing......they were die hard fly tossers and came from Alberta to try this type of fishing out.... after bugging them for close to a year they made it out.....
Fisrt fish was 4 1/2'.... they were tickled pink.... pics all around!
Second fish came in close enought to 6'.......they became nervous.....!!
Next fish was 8'2"....they each played it for 10 minutes the handed off to me.... fish of a lifetime for them.... nope, they didn't want to take it to shore for pictures!!
Next fish was a fish of a lifetime for me..... my "guests" were huddled at the front of the boat..... fought it for 2 days (or so it felt, actual time was roughly 90 minutes)...10'2" at the side of the boat!!!
Caught 5 more after this in the same spot all close or over 6'
Found out long after the fact that these gents were afraid of the size of these beasts....so all I have is a pic in my office of a large head. In all honesty, with the way this went down, it probably will be the most memorable (and biggest) fish for quite awhile! Went out the next day with my son and he broke his 8' barrier!!!!
September 11th 2009......
Took some clients out dino fishing......they were die hard fly tossers and came from Alberta to try this type of fishing out.... after bugging them for close to a year they made it out.....
Fisrt fish was 4 1/2'.... they were tickled pink.... pics all around!
Second fish came in close enought to 6'.......they became nervous.....!!
Next fish was 8'2"....they each played it for 10 minutes the handed off to me.... fish of a lifetime for them.... nope, they didn't want to take it to shore for pictures!!
Next fish was a fish of a lifetime for me..... my "guests" were huddled at the front of the boat..... fought it for 2 days (or so it felt, actual time was roughly 90 minutes)...10'2" at the side of the boat!!!
Caught 5 more after this in the same spot all close or over 6'
Found out long after the fact that these gents were afraid of the size of these beasts....so all I have is a pic in my office of a large head. In all honesty, with the way this went down, it probably will be the most memorable (and biggest) fish for quite awhile! Went out the next day with my son and he broke his 8' barrier!!!!
Bassblaster
Active Member
Thanks for the support of the topic Slaydown. I've been trying to post a couple pictures myself only to find that my scanner is buggered and I have somehow managed to misplace my memory stick with almost 1000 pics on it. Have to find that one. Way too important to lose. I think that one of the reasons that people aren't adding to the post is the fear of it becoming a competition. "My fish was bigger than your fish". For anyone with that concern, you'll notice that the post was Best Fish Ever, Not Biggest fish ever.
My best fish was the Northern Pike I wrote about in another topic post. 48 + inches. No photos.
Next best was a 38 1/2 pound Lake Trout from Flathead Lake in Montana that I tagged when my son and I took a trip together. I have pictures and will post it as soon as I get my sh#t together.
In the mean time, come on everyone, this is a post designed to get through the winter blahs, and to get the excitement going for next season.
My best fish was the Northern Pike I wrote about in another topic post. 48 + inches. No photos.
Next best was a 38 1/2 pound Lake Trout from Flathead Lake in Montana that I tagged when my son and I took a trip together. I have pictures and will post it as soon as I get my sh#t together.
In the mean time, come on everyone, this is a post designed to get through the winter blahs, and to get the excitement going for next season.
Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
Not that I really give a ratz a##, but everytime someone posts a pic of a big fish, immediately he gets razzed-- BUTTTTTT if you guys promise to be nice I might find a couple of dead fish pics!!! ;-)
Come on Serngetti--- get your pics in ....
Come on Serngetti--- get your pics in ....
E
excalibur
Guest
3 of us were in a 22 ft. open Panga tuna fishing off the East Cape out of Cabo san Lucas. We were doing quite well and had landed a couple of +30 lb. tuna when my pal Howie got the big hit. Now, Howie's a big guy and a good fisherman and he settled in for the big fight as we stayed out of the way. He pumped and pulled and lost line and pumped and pulled and lost line until he was exhausted. Sweating profusely he kindly requested that one of us take over reeling in this (obviously) very large fish. Both of us gently and kindly refused the offer and we may have mentioned his lack of abilities and physical strength. The fight continued for at least another 20 minutes when finally the swivel on the line came into view. Our Mexican guide jumped up from the helm seat and grabbed the gaff. With one foot on the outboard and the other in the splash tray he grabbed the swivel with one hand and swung down hard with the gaff with the other. I cannot speak or understand Spanish but i'm pretty sure he was saying something like: "oh my goodness, this is a fairly large fish" only there was more words involved. Our guide leaned back and with a mighty heave threw the entire mess onto the floor in the back of the Panga. What Howie had caught was the front half of a +50 lb. tuna and hanging off the back of it was a 5-6 ft. Mako Shark. The shark was somewhat annoyed about the whole thing so while we retreated to the bow our Mexican guide dispatched it.
We took a vote and on our return to land we gave the Mako to our guide and kept the tuna in order to feed the starving masses back at the condo complex we were staying in. What we discovered later was the fact that the Mako was the prize catch of the day and was immediately taken downtown to be sold to a high end restaurant. Back poolside with drinks in hand we were advised that anyone with any brains at all would have kept the shark and shared it with the great unwashed Canadian contingent. Unfortunately the photos of this adventure are on the wall at my friend Howie's house back in Regina, Sask.
We took a vote and on our return to land we gave the Mako to our guide and kept the tuna in order to feed the starving masses back at the condo complex we were staying in. What we discovered later was the fact that the Mako was the prize catch of the day and was immediately taken downtown to be sold to a high end restaurant. Back poolside with drinks in hand we were advised that anyone with any brains at all would have kept the shark and shared it with the great unwashed Canadian contingent. Unfortunately the photos of this adventure are on the wall at my friend Howie's house back in Regina, Sask.
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
64lbs Chinook guided to June 27th, 2010, Hardy record. 2 days later broke personal record for guided halibut. Good few days for me 
]
]
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
Bassblaster
Active Member
NICE!!! Now that's more like it!
Hey FA123, re my first Chinook, I can still say I have 12 inches! LOL
Hey FA123, re my first Chinook, I can still say I have 12 inches! LOL
Most fun fish landed was a 60# tarpon. Lost one about a 100# according to the guide. They fly out of the water so you get to see them. I have caught 50# salmon and 45# Yellowfin Tuna and nothing equaled the tarpon for shear fun! They do not fight as long as a tuna, but the fight is intense. Lots of smoking drag runs and leaps out of the water. Costa Rica off Tortuguero. As to cost, was not that bad. We were in CR for a month and we feel that was a week to long. And the fishing guide was $400+tip for 2 fisherman in a 18' boat panga type boat. Picture is somewhere, will have to look through the files.
Bassblaster
Active Member
Karma-Kazi
Active Member
Wow nice fish BB Those are some beauties. Those lakes are so calm. Must be nice to catch fish in a T-**** and shorts! Good to see other species once in a while!
As for me, My best fish ever has to be a halibut that I caught one evening solo fishing for ling. I was using a Huge 9" spoon covered in smelly jelly. In 350+ ft of water. Took me over an hour to get her to within 7-8 ft of the surface. I put the rod in the rod holder to asses the situation I had a halibut the size of a 4x8 sheet of plywood on the end of my line and Im only 150 pounds soaking wet and alone. Finally I realised I must let her go as nobody on the radio was picking up my calls for help. I slowly pulled her the last 7-8 ft to the surface and before I knew it I had a spreaderbar and weight and spoon with a straightened hook flying back at me.
I was relieved I dident have to try and un hook her. I was very happy to see her swim back to the bottom where she deserves to be.
-Steve
As for me, My best fish ever has to be a halibut that I caught one evening solo fishing for ling. I was using a Huge 9" spoon covered in smelly jelly. In 350+ ft of water. Took me over an hour to get her to within 7-8 ft of the surface. I put the rod in the rod holder to asses the situation I had a halibut the size of a 4x8 sheet of plywood on the end of my line and Im only 150 pounds soaking wet and alone. Finally I realised I must let her go as nobody on the radio was picking up my calls for help. I slowly pulled her the last 7-8 ft to the surface and before I knew it I had a spreaderbar and weight and spoon with a straightened hook flying back at me.
I was relieved I dident have to try and un hook her. I was very happy to see her swim back to the bottom where she deserves to be.
-Steve
Bassblaster
Active Member
Nice Steve,
All of those Lakers were released as well along with a dozen others just a bit smaller. The two days we were out on the water were both like glass. It was a great trip for sure.
All of those Lakers were released as well along with a dozen others just a bit smaller. The two days we were out on the water were both like glass. It was a great trip for sure.
Little Hawk
Active Member
Great thread!
Summer of 79' (probably Aug.), Cowans Pt. off the south-east tip of Bowen Island (Howe Sound). It's a typical Saturday morning, busy, 50 boats or more; you could walk across them in places. Best fishing Buddy (Kirk) and I are out at first light in my old 18' Fiberform (Sound Pounder); she's kind of a beater, an open runabout with a Merc sterndrive, and worse - she was avocado green! But I loved her and she caught fish.
Slack tide when we started so we were drift-mooching with live herring for the first hour or so. I had 15/lb & 8/lb test leader line in my box; I felt particularly 'sporty' that morning, so I tied up a coupla' hooks with the 8/lb. Nothing was happening. In fact it was eerie how quiet it was for the first coupla' hours - nobody was getting anything, not one reel singing or one net reached for. As the tide picked up I suggested we move in closer to the point and drop anchor so I snugged the 'Pounder' right up against the rocks and hooked the pick at 160/ft. Felt good so I dropped my fresh herring right to the bottom then reeled it up a few feet and put the rod in the holder; buddy Kirk stayed shallow for Coho. I poured a coffee and sat down and immediately noticed my rod tip twitching a bit - 'rockfish', I thought. so I watched for a couple more seconds till my rod tip suddenly arched violently down into the water. Grabbing the rod it was all I could do but hold-on while this monster peeled close to 200 yds off my smoking reel. Then, as fast as he ran out, he suddenly turned and ran right back at us; my slack line wafted in the morning breeze as I reeled like a madman trying to catch up with him, which I finally did as he surfaced - broke the water easy like an Orca coming up for a breath - about 25/yds off starboard. It was then that we got a good look at him and my knees felt suddenly 'mushy'. The pink-stripe on his side was an easy 3/ft.
The fish then sounded and headed for our anchor-line. I started freakin' at my poor buddy Kirk, "Toss the anchor-line! Quick-put a float on and toss it!" Kirk tries to settle me down with calm words, "Don't worry, it's okay. Just pay attention to the fish..." Which I did, as I jumped up on the bow then watched helplessly as he swam around our anchor line 3 or 4 times to break me off.
After I finished crying we both dropped our lines to the bottom and waited out the next few minutes as a steady parade of boats trolled close past us asking, "...hey buddy, what are you using?... how deep? ...how big was that fish? etc." I began to feel like something of a King. Here we were, my buddy and I out here in my dumpy old Fiberform amongst a flotilla of impressive fishing machines, and they are all asking us what to do? We were the only boat to get a bite so far.
Not 10 minutes after I lost the big-one, the real show started.
Buddy Kirk says: "Hey Ter, look at your line." I look to see my line slowly moving through the water off the stern, rather across current. I then notice Kirk's line is also moving in a similar direction as mine. ****! I thought, we're both on the same fish. Battle-Stations! We both jump-to, take up the slack then watch incredulous as our lines come together off the stern - then part, going different directions. DOUBLE-HEADER!
The fish I had on came up from 150/ft and launched himself like a sea-launched ICBM with a couple of summersaults thrown in for good effect as he cleared the water by an easy 6/ft, landing like an Orca with a big - smack! Kirk's fish ran off the bow so he jumped up there to do battle.
For the next 15 minutes or so, time seemed to stand still as Kirk and I put on a 'clinic' on salmon fishing for all those fancy expensive boats around us who by then, had all stopped fishing and just watched in disbelief as these two young-bucks on the sh!tty old Avocado boat danced and screamed at each other while swapping positions on the boat as their two fishes jumped about and tore line off the reels.
The days fishing ended with me losing my fish. Rookie mistake. Kirk was on the bow dealing with his while I had mine - played out, so I thought - holding beside the boat about 6ft below the surface (it was then that I estimated him to be in the 25/lb class). Realizing that I would have to net him myself, I seized the moment while he was resting to reach across the boat to get the net. Just as I was off balance grabbing the net I suddenly felt my rod yank violently and faster than you can say 'Bye-bye', my fish was gone, breaking me off on the prop.
We did boat Kirk's fish (a beauty 20/lb'er) a few minutes later.
Never caught a fish that day but those were the two best I ever had (emphasis on the had) and for a short while there, my buddy Kirk and I and my crappy old boat - were Kings!
Summer of 79' (probably Aug.), Cowans Pt. off the south-east tip of Bowen Island (Howe Sound). It's a typical Saturday morning, busy, 50 boats or more; you could walk across them in places. Best fishing Buddy (Kirk) and I are out at first light in my old 18' Fiberform (Sound Pounder); she's kind of a beater, an open runabout with a Merc sterndrive, and worse - she was avocado green! But I loved her and she caught fish.
Slack tide when we started so we were drift-mooching with live herring for the first hour or so. I had 15/lb & 8/lb test leader line in my box; I felt particularly 'sporty' that morning, so I tied up a coupla' hooks with the 8/lb. Nothing was happening. In fact it was eerie how quiet it was for the first coupla' hours - nobody was getting anything, not one reel singing or one net reached for. As the tide picked up I suggested we move in closer to the point and drop anchor so I snugged the 'Pounder' right up against the rocks and hooked the pick at 160/ft. Felt good so I dropped my fresh herring right to the bottom then reeled it up a few feet and put the rod in the holder; buddy Kirk stayed shallow for Coho. I poured a coffee and sat down and immediately noticed my rod tip twitching a bit - 'rockfish', I thought. so I watched for a couple more seconds till my rod tip suddenly arched violently down into the water. Grabbing the rod it was all I could do but hold-on while this monster peeled close to 200 yds off my smoking reel. Then, as fast as he ran out, he suddenly turned and ran right back at us; my slack line wafted in the morning breeze as I reeled like a madman trying to catch up with him, which I finally did as he surfaced - broke the water easy like an Orca coming up for a breath - about 25/yds off starboard. It was then that we got a good look at him and my knees felt suddenly 'mushy'. The pink-stripe on his side was an easy 3/ft.
The fish then sounded and headed for our anchor-line. I started freakin' at my poor buddy Kirk, "Toss the anchor-line! Quick-put a float on and toss it!" Kirk tries to settle me down with calm words, "Don't worry, it's okay. Just pay attention to the fish..." Which I did, as I jumped up on the bow then watched helplessly as he swam around our anchor line 3 or 4 times to break me off.
After I finished crying we both dropped our lines to the bottom and waited out the next few minutes as a steady parade of boats trolled close past us asking, "...hey buddy, what are you using?... how deep? ...how big was that fish? etc." I began to feel like something of a King. Here we were, my buddy and I out here in my dumpy old Fiberform amongst a flotilla of impressive fishing machines, and they are all asking us what to do? We were the only boat to get a bite so far.
Not 10 minutes after I lost the big-one, the real show started.
Buddy Kirk says: "Hey Ter, look at your line." I look to see my line slowly moving through the water off the stern, rather across current. I then notice Kirk's line is also moving in a similar direction as mine. ****! I thought, we're both on the same fish. Battle-Stations! We both jump-to, take up the slack then watch incredulous as our lines come together off the stern - then part, going different directions. DOUBLE-HEADER!
The fish I had on came up from 150/ft and launched himself like a sea-launched ICBM with a couple of summersaults thrown in for good effect as he cleared the water by an easy 6/ft, landing like an Orca with a big - smack! Kirk's fish ran off the bow so he jumped up there to do battle.
For the next 15 minutes or so, time seemed to stand still as Kirk and I put on a 'clinic' on salmon fishing for all those fancy expensive boats around us who by then, had all stopped fishing and just watched in disbelief as these two young-bucks on the sh!tty old Avocado boat danced and screamed at each other while swapping positions on the boat as their two fishes jumped about and tore line off the reels.
The days fishing ended with me losing my fish. Rookie mistake. Kirk was on the bow dealing with his while I had mine - played out, so I thought - holding beside the boat about 6ft below the surface (it was then that I estimated him to be in the 25/lb class). Realizing that I would have to net him myself, I seized the moment while he was resting to reach across the boat to get the net. Just as I was off balance grabbing the net I suddenly felt my rod yank violently and faster than you can say 'Bye-bye', my fish was gone, breaking me off on the prop.
We did boat Kirk's fish (a beauty 20/lb'er) a few minutes later.
Never caught a fish that day but those were the two best I ever had (emphasis on the had) and for a short while there, my buddy Kirk and I and my crappy old boat - were Kings!
Steelhead S2
Active Member
I love that story Little Hawk. I've been turning this thread over for a while, and you have helped me identify my "best fish". It happened on an August evening in 1992. At that time my grandparents had a home in Pender Harbour, with a beautiful boat moored out front. That morning we made the long run out to Sangster -in those days my favourite saying was "we've never been skunked at Sangster". It was my grandparents, my mum, baby brother and me; a good crew.
It must have been a weekend, because the grounds were busy, with boats anchored up mooching everywhere.
Beautiful weather, but the hours passed without a sniff. The grounds were quiet all over. Maybe the odd coho here and there throughout the day --I can't say for sure-- but it was exceptionally quiet.
By that time (10 yrs old) I was already a serious fisherman. I had my own gear, and I'd figured out that the stern line produced the most fish. So I claimed the stern as my own. Normally I fished the bottom, reasoning that everything lives down there, lings, rockfish, and salmon. But today I had a feeling, and set my line at 12 pulls; 22'.
By dinner time, my grandpa was getting tired of playing crib, and starting to fret about the long run home... with an empty boat. But I insisted we stay out a little longer, and of course I got my way. We sat down to eat (it was a fairly big boat), me sitting on the inside facing aft, and I saw my rod twitch. "FISH! FISH! FISH!!!" Grandpa cleared out fast and I was on deck instantly. Nothing but a puff of smoke left at the galley table.
My line was slack when I got to it and I knew exactly what that meant: BIG SPRING. I started picking up line as fast as I could, and when I caught up the fish took off, reel screaming, just under the surface.
There was a huge boat directly off our stern, drifting. My grandpa started hollering at them to BACK OFF! FISH ON! The captain stuck his head out, gave a friendly wave, fired up, put it in forward and motored right over my line. But the fish was still there.
I fought it for a time, gaining line, losing line, back and forth. My grandpa stayed close by, silently keeping an eye on everything, my mum shuffled around anxiously with the net, my brother slept, and my grandma hid in the head, unable to handle the stress. From time to time she shouted her encouraging refrain: “Have you lost it yet?”
I can’t say how long this went on. But next thing I new, it went burning off to starboard. It ran and ran and ran, right towards a boat at anchor, its occupants in the cabin out of sight. We all saw it coming and we were powerless to stop it: the fight came to an abrupt stop, and all I felt was tension when I reeled back. I was fast to their anchor line, and the fish was gone. “Is it gone yet?” from my helpful granny.
The crew on that other boat had been watching, and realized what had gone wrong. The captain went forward and began pulling up rope, cut my line, and then got excited. The fish was still there, hooked, and tangled in a knot, struggling against his rope. He called for the net and scooped the massive fish into his boat. Everyone was excited now. He hollered “WE HAVE YOUR FISH! THIS IS YOUR FISH!” We pulled up and motored over.
There was a tense moment when we came parallel, still a few feet out. He launched the fish, and we all froze as it crossed the distance between the two boats. It came down with a mighty crash on the stern deck. My brother, now awake, burst into tears. My grandma emerged from the head. My mum got the scale. She weighed twice, and shrieked “Twenty-five pounds! Oh my God! It’s twenty-five pounds!” And a cheer came up from every boat in sight.
I consider this to be my miracle fish. Possibly the biggest we ever got on that boat. A day saver, and confirmation that we never get skunked at Sangster.
It must have been a weekend, because the grounds were busy, with boats anchored up mooching everywhere.
Beautiful weather, but the hours passed without a sniff. The grounds were quiet all over. Maybe the odd coho here and there throughout the day --I can't say for sure-- but it was exceptionally quiet.
By that time (10 yrs old) I was already a serious fisherman. I had my own gear, and I'd figured out that the stern line produced the most fish. So I claimed the stern as my own. Normally I fished the bottom, reasoning that everything lives down there, lings, rockfish, and salmon. But today I had a feeling, and set my line at 12 pulls; 22'.
By dinner time, my grandpa was getting tired of playing crib, and starting to fret about the long run home... with an empty boat. But I insisted we stay out a little longer, and of course I got my way. We sat down to eat (it was a fairly big boat), me sitting on the inside facing aft, and I saw my rod twitch. "FISH! FISH! FISH!!!" Grandpa cleared out fast and I was on deck instantly. Nothing but a puff of smoke left at the galley table.
My line was slack when I got to it and I knew exactly what that meant: BIG SPRING. I started picking up line as fast as I could, and when I caught up the fish took off, reel screaming, just under the surface.
There was a huge boat directly off our stern, drifting. My grandpa started hollering at them to BACK OFF! FISH ON! The captain stuck his head out, gave a friendly wave, fired up, put it in forward and motored right over my line. But the fish was still there.
I fought it for a time, gaining line, losing line, back and forth. My grandpa stayed close by, silently keeping an eye on everything, my mum shuffled around anxiously with the net, my brother slept, and my grandma hid in the head, unable to handle the stress. From time to time she shouted her encouraging refrain: “Have you lost it yet?”
I can’t say how long this went on. But next thing I new, it went burning off to starboard. It ran and ran and ran, right towards a boat at anchor, its occupants in the cabin out of sight. We all saw it coming and we were powerless to stop it: the fight came to an abrupt stop, and all I felt was tension when I reeled back. I was fast to their anchor line, and the fish was gone. “Is it gone yet?” from my helpful granny.
The crew on that other boat had been watching, and realized what had gone wrong. The captain went forward and began pulling up rope, cut my line, and then got excited. The fish was still there, hooked, and tangled in a knot, struggling against his rope. He called for the net and scooped the massive fish into his boat. Everyone was excited now. He hollered “WE HAVE YOUR FISH! THIS IS YOUR FISH!” We pulled up and motored over.
There was a tense moment when we came parallel, still a few feet out. He launched the fish, and we all froze as it crossed the distance between the two boats. It came down with a mighty crash on the stern deck. My brother, now awake, burst into tears. My grandma emerged from the head. My mum got the scale. She weighed twice, and shrieked “Twenty-five pounds! Oh my God! It’s twenty-five pounds!” And a cheer came up from every boat in sight.
I consider this to be my miracle fish. Possibly the biggest we ever got on that boat. A day saver, and confirmation that we never get skunked at Sangster.
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Bassblaster
Active Member
Great Stories of fishing adventure on the high seas guys!!! This is a great reminder of why we all participate in this sport. Let's keep it going!
Little Hawk
Active Member
Awesome story Steelhead! Nearly brought a tear to my eye...
I fished Sangster once back in the late seventies in the same boat as in my story above. We launched at Cates Park (Burrard Inlet) then motored all the way to Pender Harbour to spend 3 to 4 days with my buddy who was working as a marine mechanic in Garden Bay at the time. On the way there, somewhere out around Mary Island, my steering cable seized solid and we (two buddies, myself & 20 cases of beer) found ourselves bobbing about adrift in a 3-ft chop in the late afternoon. Not to be undone I came up with a plan: I disconnected the steering at the transom then tied on two 10ft or so lengths of rope to either end of the outboard knuckles on the rams of my old Merc sterndrive, then fed the rope out left & right through the heavy chromed 'eye' rings on the transom then up and into the boat. On the end of each rope - which I cut to terminate somewhere in front of the doghouse - I tied on a short hunk of driftwood as a handle then, taking up the slack with one stick/rope in each hand while standing in front of the engine facing forward, I pulled on one rope while easing slack on the other. It seemed to work so I gave the order to 'fire-up' and make way dead-slow. The short version is, it worked and since we couldn't find the parts to fix it we were undaunted (ahhhh - to be young again!) and spent the next 4 days fishing, cruising (40mph) and yes WATERSKIING with a guy standing in the back steering my boat with ropes! As well, on the return trip to Vancouver I tied on on new-ropes and then did the entire journey back to Cates Park in one shot.
I digress off topic, forgive me.
I fished Sangster once back in the late seventies in the same boat as in my story above. We launched at Cates Park (Burrard Inlet) then motored all the way to Pender Harbour to spend 3 to 4 days with my buddy who was working as a marine mechanic in Garden Bay at the time. On the way there, somewhere out around Mary Island, my steering cable seized solid and we (two buddies, myself & 20 cases of beer) found ourselves bobbing about adrift in a 3-ft chop in the late afternoon. Not to be undone I came up with a plan: I disconnected the steering at the transom then tied on two 10ft or so lengths of rope to either end of the outboard knuckles on the rams of my old Merc sterndrive, then fed the rope out left & right through the heavy chromed 'eye' rings on the transom then up and into the boat. On the end of each rope - which I cut to terminate somewhere in front of the doghouse - I tied on a short hunk of driftwood as a handle then, taking up the slack with one stick/rope in each hand while standing in front of the engine facing forward, I pulled on one rope while easing slack on the other. It seemed to work so I gave the order to 'fire-up' and make way dead-slow. The short version is, it worked and since we couldn't find the parts to fix it we were undaunted (ahhhh - to be young again!) and spent the next 4 days fishing, cruising (40mph) and yes WATERSKIING with a guy standing in the back steering my boat with ropes! As well, on the return trip to Vancouver I tied on on new-ropes and then did the entire journey back to Cates Park in one shot.
I digress off topic, forgive me.
Steelhead S2
Active Member
Best boating story ever, LH!
