And you thought you had a bad trip

cassidyta · 03-10-09, 06:02 PM

This is a fishing report from sdfish.com about a colorado river club tourney. I would have posted the link, but you have to join to read fish reports. This guy had everything go wrong. At least now he can chuckle at it.

Hard to admit, but it was me who had the hard trip. Left after work Monday night before tournament and had a great drive out there. Launched the boat at about 230 in morning,and parked the RV in the dry camp area. Decided to hit the docks and nailed a good one ( 4? ) on the first cast. I figured God was with me on this one.
Tuesday was spent settling in for the week, fishing with the family, and figuring out a plan for the club tournament.I had the Bass pretty dialed in on the lagoon on Tuesday.3 weeks prior, I came up with a small outboard to throw on my boat to get me by. My big old Crysler wasnt up to the task. Anyways,I spun the prop on the first pull and saw the dreaded oil slick leaking out the lower unit. Oh well. I hadnt given the guy the money for it yet anyway. I shook it off, figuring to find most of my fish in the lagoon on the troll anyways.I just wish I would have forseen the signs of bad things to come.
Wednsday I threw in my 5 bucks for the weekly fishing derby held by the resort staff.I ended up in second place, but my spirits were soaring as I had located two big females in the lagoon nobody else had located.I had a few new tricks up my sleave I got from Basshound and refined them slightly to give the fish a differnt look.
Thursday was spent getting tackle ready and letting my fish relax.I also located a spot away from the lagoon I could reach with the trolling motor. My wife and kid went with me to check it out about mid-day.We caught 4 keepers in 15 minutes.It was a samll area, so I decided to leave it as my ace in the hole until Friday tournament...
Friday finally rolls around. I felt ready for this one...I started out fishing the lagoon, pitching the banks. I fished slowly, hitting walls and docks.I had 3 good keepers early( 730 or so ), and decide it was time to hit my " ace". I landed my 4th keeper fairly quick and was really feeling good.Right after that, I hooked a really good one and lost it under a dock. Damn... Time to get back to work. About 15 minutes later, I cast between 2 docks against a wall and BAM. This time the big one headed for the center of the cove and I knew I had her. She went 22 plus inches and was a east 5.FAT fish loaded..
My first near disaster was trying to make it back up river on the trolling motor. On Thursday I did it in 8 minutes with the family. Today, the current and headwind was kicking my ***.I managed to claw my way back in the lagoon by grabbing the cliff and pulling in about a half an hour.
I switched out batteries and was back in the lagoon safely. In the afternoon, I culled twice throwing the worm and was ready for weigh-in. Remember, im on a trolling motor only, so my plan was to head to the launch ramp, walk to my camp site and grab my big cooler with wheels, and make to the 10 minute walk over to Martinez, the site of our weigh-in. While I was filling the cooler with water, my big fish decides to get antsy. She bounced open the lid to my well, hit the deck, and went right back in the lake. I couldnt believe it.At the weigh in my 4 fish left went 7-1. I was bummed as hell.... but it didnt end there. After I got back to Fishers I decided to troll back to where my fellow club members were charging there Batteries. As I was approaching the dock( 15 feet or so ), I pulled up my Min-Kotta only to have the entire top end snap off. Ive have never even seen that happen before> One of the guys suggested we go down river, light it on fire and watch it blow up. I should have gone with that idea. To get back to the launch ramp I had to lay face down on the deck and steer the min-kotta by hand underwater.I pulled it out on the trailer and said to hell with it...not intending to even fish day two.
I ended up back-seating on the second day, not getting a chance to work my day 1 pattern alot. But thats life from the back of the boat. I ended day 2 with 2 keepers to weigh 10-2 for the tournament. I was sick. I really had a chance to finish well and my equipmemt let me down.
I pulled out Sunday morning, and stopped for 1.99 gas on the way out.I noticed that one of my trailer tires was low and that the stem was busted. No big deal. I located a Jack, threw on my spare, and headed west on the 8 for home. About a half mile from Dogwood road in El Centro, my spare comes right off the rim.There is a big ditch on the right with no shoulder to pull off on and very soft dirt. I had to get off the freeway for safety. By the time I reached Dogwood, my rim was all the way down to the nub and the metal was fused around my lugs, making a tire change impossoble. I can also see that my bearings were gone as well. To hell with it,I stripped it, took out all my stuff and left it where it was, with a big sign on it stating " free".
Sounds crazy, but the boat itself was worthless.I spent the previous year building it up myself.Mostly alot of work more than money.To get it off the road and to have it all fixed would probally cost me more than it was worth, and by that time I had comepletly had it..
I decided to take the year off from club fishing, save up a year, and by a good solid rig. NO more trolling motor gig.No more doing it that way again, NO more Back-seating..
I figure the river will wait for me next year. Congrats to SF for the win, and thanks to Tima and Brian for keeping my inspired.A major thanks to Tim.Good luck this season.A shout out to Erin for the good words and to Keith for the backseat.To the rest of the Hookers I wish you all the best, for you guys are the best fisherman and best friends any guy coluld ask for...See ya next year.

carolina-rig-01 · 03-10-09, 06:11 PM

yeah that sounds like a rough time alright.

Foyt20 · 03-10-09, 08:17 PM

A bad day fishing beats a good day at work?

Does this still count? My vote is for yes.

bamabassman · 03-10-09, 10:01 PM

sorry pal. better luck next time?

cassidyta · 03-10-09, 10:18 PM

It wasn't me for once Bama. Just a report i read on another site.

bamabassman · 03-10-09, 10:44 PM

ohhhhh. ok. sorry i am kinda sick today. not able to pay very good attention. think i may be getting the crud.

aikenyounggun · 03-11-09, 02:21 PM

dude it sucks he stopped fishin for a year too..... im a backseater and i dont too shabby

03-10-09, 06:02 PM	#1
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	And you thought you had a bad trip This is a fishing report from sdfish.com about a colorado river club tourney. I would have posted the link, but you have to join to read fish reports. This guy had everything go wrong. At least now he can chuckle at it. Hard to admit, but it was me who had the hard trip. Left after work Monday night before tournament and had a great drive out there. Launched the boat at about 230 in morning,and parked the RV in the dry camp area. Decided to hit the docks and nailed a good one ( 4? ) on the first cast. I figured God was with me on this one. Tuesday was spent settling in for the week, fishing with the family, and figuring out a plan for the club tournament.I had the Bass pretty dialed in on the lagoon on Tuesday.3 weeks prior, I came up with a small outboard to throw on my boat to get me by. My big old Crysler wasnt up to the task. Anyways,I spun the prop on the first pull and saw the dreaded oil slick leaking out the lower unit. Oh well. I hadnt given the guy the money for it yet anyway. I shook it off, figuring to find most of my fish in the lagoon on the troll anyways.I just wish I would have forseen the signs of bad things to come. Wednsday I threw in my 5 bucks for the weekly fishing derby held by the resort staff.I ended up in second place, but my spirits were soaring as I had located two big females in the lagoon nobody else had located.I had a few new tricks up my sleave I got from Basshound and refined them slightly to give the fish a differnt look. Thursday was spent getting tackle ready and letting my fish relax.I also located a spot away from the lagoon I could reach with the trolling motor. My wife and kid went with me to check it out about mid-day.We caught 4 keepers in 15 minutes.It was a samll area, so I decided to leave it as my ace in the hole until Friday tournament... Friday finally rolls around. I felt ready for this one...I started out fishing the lagoon, pitching the banks. I fished slowly, hitting walls and docks.I had 3 good keepers early( 730 or so ), and decide it was time to hit my " ace". I landed my 4th keeper fairly quick and was really feeling good.Right after that, I hooked a really good one and lost it under a dock. Damn... Time to get back to work. About 15 minutes later, I cast between 2 docks against a wall and BAM. This time the big one headed for the center of the cove and I knew I had her. She went 22 plus inches and was a east 5.FAT fish loaded.. My first near disaster was trying to make it back up river on the trolling motor. On Thursday I did it in 8 minutes with the family. Today, the current and headwind was kicking my ***.I managed to claw my way back in the lagoon by grabbing the cliff and pulling in about a half an hour. I switched out batteries and was back in the lagoon safely. In the afternoon, I culled twice throwing the worm and was ready for weigh-in. Remember, im on a trolling motor only, so my plan was to head to the launch ramp, walk to my camp site and grab my big cooler with wheels, and make to the 10 minute walk over to Martinez, the site of our weigh-in. While I was filling the cooler with water, my big fish decides to get antsy. She bounced open the lid to my well, hit the deck, and went right back in the lake. I couldnt believe it.At the weigh in my 4 fish left went 7-1. I was bummed as hell.... but it didnt end there. After I got back to Fishers I decided to troll back to where my fellow club members were charging there Batteries. As I was approaching the dock( 15 feet or so ), I pulled up my Min-Kotta only to have the entire top end snap off. Ive have never even seen that happen before> One of the guys suggested we go down river, light it on fire and watch it blow up. I should have gone with that idea. To get back to the launch ramp I had to lay face down on the deck and steer the min-kotta by hand underwater.I pulled it out on the trailer and said to hell with it...not intending to even fish day two. I ended up back-seating on the second day, not getting a chance to work my day 1 pattern alot. But thats life from the back of the boat. I ended day 2 with 2 keepers to weigh 10-2 for the tournament. I was sick. I really had a chance to finish well and my equipmemt let me down. I pulled out Sunday morning, and stopped for 1.99 gas on the way out.I noticed that one of my trailer tires was low and that the stem was busted. No big deal. I located a Jack, threw on my spare, and headed west on the 8 for home. About a half mile from Dogwood road in El Centro, my spare comes right off the rim.There is a big ditch on the right with no shoulder to pull off on and very soft dirt. I had to get off the freeway for safety. By the time I reached Dogwood, my rim was all the way down to the nub and the metal was fused around my lugs, making a tire change impossoble. I can also see that my bearings were gone as well. To hell with it,I stripped it, took out all my stuff and left it where it was, with a big sign on it stating " free". Sounds crazy, but the boat itself was worthless.I spent the previous year building it up myself.Mostly alot of work more than money.To get it off the road and to have it all fixed would probally cost me more than it was worth, and by that time I had comepletly had it.. I decided to take the year off from club fishing, save up a year, and by a good solid rig. NO more trolling motor gig.No more doing it that way again, NO more Back-seating.. I figure the river will wait for me next year. Congrats to SF for the win, and thanks to Tima and Brian for keeping my inspired.A major thanks to Tim.Good luck this season.A shout out to Erin for the good words and to Keith for the backseat.To the rest of the Hookers I wish you all the best, for you guys are the best fisherman and best friends any guy coluld ask for...See ya next year. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

03-10-09, 06:11 PM	#2
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	yeah that sounds like a rough time alright. __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

03-10-09, 10:01 PM	#4
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	sorry pal. better luck next time? __________________ so many lures, so little time.

03-10-09, 10:18 PM	#5
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	It wasn't me for once Bama. Just a report i read on another site. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

03-10-09, 10:44 PM	#6
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	ohhhhh. ok. sorry i am kinda sick today. not able to pay very good attention. think i may be getting the crud. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

03-10-09, 08:17 PM	#3
Foyt20 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: R-Ville, Central NJ Posts: 265	A bad day fishing beats a good day at work? Does this still count? My vote is for yes.

03-11-09, 02:21 PM	#7
aikenyounggun BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: aiken, SC Posts: 2,051	dude it sucks he stopped fishin for a year too..... im a backseater and i dont too shabby __________________ <>< Rather be Fishing ><>

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