Mistakes

[Squire]

I’ve got a new one now I’ll try not to make twice: Out at Entrance yesterday I fished one pass down the ditch with the wind and started a turn to head back against it. I watched the angle of the downrigger line on the non-kicker side and as we were diagonal to the wind the line appeared plenty deep enough to clear the motors when ‘pop’, the rod is off the clip. I look at the downrigger and the braid is cleanly cut off right near the water line by the bracket. At least the clip released the fishing line allowing me to retrieve the flasher and spoon although the new coated 15 lb cannon ball and about 120‘ of braid is now comfortably resting on the bottom.
I believe the downrigger line was cut by a sharp edge of the bracket/swim platform or more likely the trim tab. I switched to braid last year and never would have considered what happened as a risk with wire. I’ll likely stick with the braid for now but I’ve got one to add to the ‘cons’ column when comparing to wire. As a matter of fact that’s my third lost cannonball since switching to braid against zero prior and in each case the retreived end was cut cleaner than I can achieve with any sharp implement including scissor, knives, box cutters etc..

 

[Stizzla]

amateur hour on this thread. Hold my beer…

Where do I start? I’ve:

-lost a sloper driving on the highway (forever)
-done the plug thing twice
-done the strap left on the boat thing.
-done the drop the knife in the water thing.
-left a cannonball on the water while packing up my side and spooled my buddy’s downrigger.
-I’ve lost 3 cannonballs in 5 minutes (with only 2 downriggers) @Original can verify.
-had no drag set on my rod while driving to the launch and almost spooked myself.
- thrown a net in the water trying to solo net a fish
-while one handed tightening a reel in the rocket launcher I had a $1000+ rod and reel pop out and jump in the water (luckily it stayed on the clip) (same bud as the cannonball spooling)
-one pair of nice sunglasses fell in
-fallen into the water up to my waist while launching.
-had butt end of my boat float off the dock while parking truck at the launch
-2 bad finger cuts while filleting fish
-dropped 1/2 of fish in the water while filleting.
-almost died jumping waves at 5am in slop I had no business going out in. Boat was literally vertical and 50/50 it would land and fall backwards or forwards.
-lost my only shot at a tyee at the boat because the net was wrapped around the bow cleat.

Mic drop.

 

[Aquaholic]

The best part is I believe you.

 

[Stizzla]

That’s just what comes to mind while getting ready for work. There will likely be a part 2

 

[Eden Island]

amateur hour on this thread. Hold my beer…

Where do I start? I’ve:

-lost a sloper driving on the highway (forever)
-done the plug thing twice
-done the strap left on the boat thing.
-done the drop the knife in the water thing.
-left a cannonball on the water while packing up my side and spooled my buddy’s downrigger.
-I’ve lost 3 cannonballs in 5 minutes (with only 2 downriggers) @Original can verify.
-had no drag set on my rod while driving to the launch and almost spooked myself.
- thrown a net in the water trying to solo net a fish
-while one handed tightening a reel in the rocket launcher I had a $1000+ rod and reel pop out and jump in the water (luckily it stayed on the clip) (same bud as the cannonball spooling)
-one pair of nice sunglasses fell in
-fallen into the water up to my waist while launching.
-had butt end of my boat float off the dock while parking truck at the launch
-2 bad finger cuts while filleting fish
-dropped 1/2 of fish in the water while filleting.
-almost died jumping waves at 5am in slop I had no business going out in. Boat was literally vertical and 50/50 it would land and fall backwards or forwards.
-lost my only shot at a tyee at the boat because the net was wrapped around the bow cleat.

Mic drop.

You should take up golf

 

[Foxsea]

amateur hour on this thread. Hold my beer…

Where do I start? I’ve:

-lost a sloper driving on the highway (forever)
-done the plug thing twice
-done the strap left on the boat thing.
-done the drop the knife in the water thing.
-left a cannonball on the water while packing up my side and spooled my buddy’s downrigger.
-I’ve lost 3 cannonballs in 5 minutes (with only 2 downriggers) @Original can verify.
-had no drag set on my rod while driving to the launch and almost spooked myself.
- thrown a net in the water trying to solo net a fish
-while one handed tightening a reel in the rocket launcher I had a $1000+ rod and reel pop out and jump in the water (luckily it stayed on the clip) (same bud as the cannonball spooling)
-one pair of nice sunglasses fell in
-fallen into the water up to my waist while launching.
-had butt end of my boat float off the dock while parking truck at the launch
-2 bad finger cuts while filleting fish
-dropped 1/2 of fish in the water while filleting.
-almost died jumping waves at 5am in slop I had no business going out in. Boat was literally vertical and 50/50 it would land and fall backwards or forwards.
-lost my only shot at a tyee at the boat because the net was wrapped around the bow cleat.

Mic drop.

I'm laughing with you! We can relate. The list grows longer as we get older, too.

 

[scott craven]

-fallen into the water up to my waist while launching.

Done that one while loading the trailer in January.
My buddy had a good laugh !

 

[Aces]

amateur hour on this thread. Hold my beer…

Where do I start? I’ve:

-lost a sloper driving on the highway (forever)
-done the plug thing twice
-done the strap left on the boat thing.
-done the drop the knife in the water thing.
-left a cannonball on the water while packing up my side and spooled my buddy’s downrigger.
-I’ve lost 3 cannonballs in 5 minutes (with only 2 downriggers) @Original can verify.
-had no drag set on my rod while driving to the launch and almost spooked myself.
- thrown a net in the water trying to solo net a fish
-while one handed tightening a reel in the rocket launcher I had a $1000+ rod and reel pop out and jump in the water (luckily it stayed on the clip) (same bud as the cannonball spooling)
-one pair of nice sunglasses fell in
-fallen into the water up to my waist while launching.
-had butt end of my boat float off the dock while parking truck at the launch
-2 bad finger cuts while filleting fish
-dropped 1/2 of fish in the water while filleting.
-almost died jumping waves at 5am in slop I had no business going out in. Boat was literally vertical and 50/50 it would land and fall backwards or forwards.
-lost my only shot at a tyee at the boat because the net was wrapped around the bow cleat.

Mic drop.

Boom!

 

[the force]

Done that one while loading the trailer in January.
My buddy had a good laugh !

Lol, me yelling at my 4 year old to stay out of the water and stay dry while launching the boat (don’t want a cold kid to cut the trip short!)… Just stay there and watch me launch this boat solo… somehow I slip or trip and land flat on my back in a foot of water. Ha completely soaked. We still fished, he had a great time.

 

[Brett83]

I knocked a minimum 25 pound spring off the line by rushing the netting. Two nights ago. I would have been really irritated if I was the other guy. I though I heard him say scoop it. I believe he said don't scoop it yet. Normally I net everything. I've make countless mistakes, this one is just really fresh.

 

[Eden Island]

I knocked a minimum 25 pound spring off the line by rushing the netting. Two nights ago. I would have been really irritated if I was the other guy. I though I heard him say scoop it. I believe he said don't scoop it yet. Normally I net everything. I've make countless mistakes, this one is just really fresh.

Why is it that people are most anxious to net the biggest fish? Tail first, sideways...

 

[pescador]

Everyone knows about the rocks in the middle of Denham bay, towards the dent side? Particularly after one of those restored Bertram was peeled open and sank. Anyway, my first time running my boat in there early July, and it was a terrible day with winds, fog and tons of rain all in July. I had garbage old nav and sure the screen goes blank right after passing by Denham bay resort. Kept on heading along, drunken crew in tow...cut into the bay too early and crazily managed to throttle down, just in time to see the ******* rocks and bam...outdrive tapped it hard.

Fortunately, that dps and props were the only contact, if I'd been going shower it would have been hull too. Props were removed and shipped down to north Island props, back in 3 days and off we went. Had to fish with a guide in the meantime which was wise! Outdrive had a bit of a shudder and I ordered a new drive on my way back to Vancouver, hauled out and had it on in 4 hours. Expensive mistake but we could have ended up a lost worse off. Epic lesson learned.

Are those rocks not clearly marked on navionics?

 

[Eden Island]

Are those rocks not clearly marked on navionics?

This part: - "the screen goes blank right after passing by Denham bay resort."

 

[Brett83]

Why is it that people are most anxious to net the biggest fish? Tail first, sideways...

Normally I wait, I feel it was because he wasn't my normal partner. No fault of his, 100% my fault, I really wanted to get him that fish.

 

[islandboy]

On the subject of losing fish at the boat. I've been making it a habit lately

 

[seafarer]

He was living on the edge, quite literally! that was a close call!!

 

[Jackp]

Some 20 years ago went fishing for first time to Pitt Lake , didn’t know at the time it was tidal lake. I was wondering why other boaters were keeping to the right side. Well, I found out soon after. We were stranded in the middle of the lake in less than 12” of water , at least 100 yards from shore.

 

[Aquaholic]

Some 20 years ago went fishing for first time to Pitt Lake , didn’t know at the time it was tidal lake. I was wondering why other boaters were keeping to the right side. Well, I found out soon after. We were stranded in the middle of the lake in less than 12” of water , at least 100 yards from shore.

Were those pesky red and green markers in your way?

 

[Corey_lax]

Some 20 years ago went fishing for first time to Pitt Lake , didn’t know at the time it was tidal lake. I was wondering why other boaters were keeping to the right side. Well, I found out soon after. We were stranded in the middle of the lake in less than 12” of water , at least 100 yards from shore.

Were those pesky red and green markers in your way?

I've been in between the red and green markers up there and hit a sand bar before. It was the most gradual of stops. The motor kicked up a bit and shut off, and we floated back off the sand. It gave a nice cleaning/buffing of the hull and no damage to the outboard. It was a shallow spot on the chartplotter but was still in between the red and green markers. It could have been much worse.

A friends parents took their brand new boat up there for the first time out and knocked the leg off on the first day. Maybe a couple hours on the leg LOL

 

[Newf]

I thought I had previously done it all,,,launched with the straps on, with the plug left out, with the winch strap still hooked up but in freewheel, lost my share of lead ball, a couple of knives, broke off a couple of rods etc etc.. My list is long but today I added a new one.

Haven't been out for a few weeks so decided to go today, drop a couple of traps and troll around for a bit. Loaded up the boat this morning with my gear, hooked up to the truck, did some final checks on the trailer lights etc and off I go to meet my buddy at Pedder Bay. He's there waiting for me so a quick chat, unhook the straps and launch the boat. Awesome to be back on the water, beautiful morning and not a puff of wind as we head out the bay. My buddy always sets up the gear so that we are ready to drop the lines as soon as we are out at the mouth of the bay. Just as we are passing Pearson College I look back and my buddy is standing there with a bewildered look on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he says, "where are the downriggers, are we doing something different today?" FFS. One---- how did I forget to toss on my downriggers? Two---- how did the both of us launch the boat and get as far as Pearson College before realizing we had no downriggers?

I figure I have only one more screwup left to do,,,,, get all the way to Pedder Bay before realizing that I forgot my boat.

We did go back home to get the riggers,,,released one fish, lost one and kept 6 crab. So all was not lost,,,,,just an early morning start.

Some would say that they would be too ashamed to tell it, but if you can't laugh at yourself and provide a chuckle for others then why even bother to fish.