Confessions Of An Idiot

[Salmon Stryker]

I fished the Siletz yesterday from Twin Bridges to Old Mill Park with my dad and father-in-law. We had a pretty good time despite the torrential down pour. I was rowing and my dad and dad-in-law were side drifting. We hooked and released two fish and things were going pretty well. Then I decided to cast as we hit some slower water and planned to boon doggle through it. There was a nice slot behind a boulder that I wantet to hit with a long cast but as I cast the 71/2 spinning outfit the soaking wet foam grip slipped right out my hands and hit the water to far away to retrieve. A mitchell 300 sinks a rod pretty fast! [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] A little while later my father-in-laws lens fell out of his glasses and into the water and before that we lost a nice bright 10# (est) broodstock fish after a lenghty fight as he dove under the boat and cut the leader on the side. There you have it my most recent confession.

Anybody else have any knucklehead stories to make me feel better?

[Tanner]

Nope. :grin:

But you did have a good time right? Nothing idiotic about that. :smile:

[Mojo]

I could tell you a few, but there would be a lynching next time TEAM MOOSE DROOL gets together. Just realize we all screw up sometimes, and some days all you can do is make a mess. Look at the bright side, no one went swimming, you didn't wreck the boat, and you caught a few fish.

[Abalone]

You are just using that as an Excuse to buy a new Reel and pole.

You really are a smart guy and your wife will never know the difference. If you play it right she might even feel sorry for you. I 've used that trick.

It's a good one.

[Salmon Stryker]

I've already thought of that Abalone. Last night I told my wife,

"It really sucks honey, but I guess I'm going to have to spend a little money to replace my dads rod."

"How much?" she asks

"I don't know, it wasn't a cheap rod" I replied which may have been a little white lie and I know your not supposed to lie to your wife but it's not like I'm having an affair or anything :grin:
I'm gonna give TH a call now :grin:

[RichH]

I've thrown my custom made Loomis rod out of the boat......twice! [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

First time was keeper sturgeon fishing the big C in 30 feet of water, felt a bite and let her fly. I was lucky enough to snag the line with my friends rod and got it back.

Second time was on the Kilchis just around the corner from Jennies, hooked a steelhead on a plug an went to hand it back to someone else and dropped it in the creek. Managed to run the plugs back into the line and got it back again.

So Scott, does that help?

[Siwash]

My buddy and I went for a swim on (in?) the very same Siletz on Sunday. We were trying to wade across a pretty swift tailout up in the gorge; I made it OK, he followed behind and started to bob/slip away. I was close enough to try and grab him, only to get yanked down myself. Doh! No major hazards (boulder gardens, logjams, etc)--just a lively bit of bodysurfing down to the next eddy below. Damage report, besides a couple dings to the shins and knees: One rod & reel, a box of spinners, a hat, and a pair of prescription glasses lost in the drink; and a camera and a walkie-talkie rendered inoperable (seems those electronic goodies don't like being dunked any more than we do). Coulda been a lot worse, though...

[Sublime]

Time to snorkel this summer down the siletz! :grin:

[Pete]

In the category of "Bonehead Boatramp Follies" I nominate ME, for a little excitement last week. One of the bolts holding a bunk down on my trailer broke and I've been lazy about fixing it. With the weight of the boat on it, there's no problem, but loading required the bunk to behave. Last week it didn't and after I pulled my boat out I saw that the bunk was balanced, teetering on the top of a post and ready to slide off leaving a hole in the bottom of my boat. So I slowly backed the boat back into the water to fix the bunk and then reload it. With the boat off the trailer and my rig up the ramp I had one of those "AH HA" moments ... I'd already pulled the plug!!!!! So, needless to say, I had a little one-man-three-stooges act going on for a couple minutes to fix the bunk and get the boat back on the trailer and out of the water. Only got about 6 inches deep inside the boat and no permanent harm done, except to my pride.

[pijondon]

I have had many of those days. I am sure that just about every fisherman has retied his gear and tossed it over the side and then realized he forgot the last knot! Take a deep breath and start over. I also carry a little box of extra rod tips for those occasions I accidently customize the length of my rods. And an extra reel is also in order for those backlashes that go beyond hope. And extra clothing for those unexpected swim calls.

[crabbait]

Had a buddy do that last year with a nice Kwikfish. He sardine wrapped it, then threw it over the side to see if it needed to be tuned. Should have snapped it back onto the line first....

[ReelBeauty]

My dad had a good buck nut moment this year. He was fishing by himself and a half-hour into his trip he laid into a fish and busted his rod. He lost the fish and was so flustered that he went home. About a week later when he was looking for his tackle box he realized he had left it down by the river. Oh well, stuff happens. Someone had a good find. We all have our moments.

[ 02-17-2004, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: ReelBeauty ]

[h20dog]

I have a handful of Mitchell 300 bodies and parts.
You might be able to make one good replacement reel. They are your's if it will help. :grin:

[Billy Tillamook]

In my early 20's ( around 1985) I had a pretty good relationship with Pete Peterson owner of the Guide Shop on the Wilson... a friend and I borrowed a 10' v-bottom row boat that we were going to " drift" the Trask in. As we pulled up to the guide shop with this row boat in the bed of my pick-up, Pete let me know in his "pull no punches" way that we were making a mistake to try this stunt. Bless his heart, he told me to take his drift boat which was already hooked up to his truck and fish with the rods that were already rigged & ready to go in the boat. These were custom made Loomis rods that he was making at the shop at the time $200-$300+ each at the time. He didn't ask & I never told him that the closest thing to an oar I had ever touched was a canoe paddle. Long story short... we launch the boat and "the Expert" here decides to row...went through a little chute then sideways into a tree that was in the river. I almost swamped the boat,lost 2 of my buddies lamiglass's over the side and of course Pete's brand new Loomis's got tangled in the branches and snapped all three rods tips off about 4" from the top. After almost pooping my pants, :blush: We now had no rods to fish with and we floated down to the 101 take out and watched many chromies taken in front of us the whole way. I tried to work out a payment program with Pete but he wouldn't accept any money. I did end up buying a drift boat from him and a few of his rods over the next few years, but I doubt if he ever recouped any profit. Have lost touch with Pete and his wife Marilyn over the years but hope that all is well for them... they are good people. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[fishingfirst]

My buddy and I took the canoe out for a drift on the river one day. About 20 minutes into the drift, we came to a pretty good rapid, so we threw the rods in the boat and grabbed the paddles. My rod was hanging out the back a little and my spinner snagged a tree on the way through the rapid! [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] Out it went and right to the bottom, the water was too fast and too deep to even have a prayer of recovering the rod! The rest of the five hour boat ride was spent with me rowing and watching my buddy catch fish! He did offer to let me reel in a small one. :grin:

Now I ALWAYS take an extra rod.

Scott

[blacktail519]

HEE HEE, Ya know, i have thrown a couple rods in the water myself... Dont feel to bad. :shocked:

[SalmonJeff]

I need to laugh right now and this was great(sorry)

well I ahev one.

As some of you know I just got a sweet pontoon boat and on my first trip on the necanicum I was lazy and didn't judge the current well and ended up snaged in that tree right below the spruce tree put in I could not free the boat for my life it was horrible . well my wife see's the opurtunity and takes allot of pics and in the end I got out and only lost 1/2 a rod and a plug and jig and float. I also later discovered I bent the handle of my spinning reel on some rocks! so it happens to everyone all you can do is laugh

[Fishin Magician]

Crayfin and I managed to launch my DB @ cedar creek on the Trask a month ago without either of us in it........DOH. We got it back @ Lorens drift with the assistance of Dave Johnson ( Thanks Again) What a day......... [img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

John

[BUGLEMAN]

About 10 years ago my brother and I took my first drift in my then new to me drift boat. We go tired of reeling the plugs up at each tail out and decided to try backing the plug down through a riffle. Just as we entered the pool I notice the rod I had borrowed had begun to bend backwards. There was so much pressure on the rod that my brother couldn't get it out of the rod holder. With the rod doing a complete 'U' around his head it was a precarious position to be in so I told him to hit the free spool in an attempt to save his head and the rod. Well needless to say the reel was a cutter. As it turns out the rod was one of those old yellow eagle claws with the metal reel seat and it was bent at about 35 degrees from straight :grin: . Oh well we did hooh a steelhead and landed a nice jack and learned alot. It was a fun trip.

[Silver Hilton]

Don't put your slick little Nokia cell phone in your shirt pocket. Or, if you do, don't lean over the side of the boat to rinse off plugs at the end of the day. Or, if you do, don't sit and watch, stupidly, as the phone flips out of the shirt pocket, into the river, and lingers for a scant moment, haunting you there, just out of reach, before it sinks out of sight.

[Salmonator]

Ok, so I guess I'm the ONLY one who has put their trailer on TOP of their drift boat on a steep ramp? [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

[Mark Mc]

Stryker, I was about 17 and had been a charterboat deckhand for 4 years or so. We were striped bass fishing in SF Bay with live bait. There was one customer who just couldn't get bit, in part because he couldn't cast. So I gave him the old "here, let a professional make a cast for you." Well my hands were pretty slimy from dealing with live anchovies. I took his rod, flipped it in free spool, and gave it a mighty heave. The rod slipped through my hands and twisted like a boomerang, flying through the air for all to see. I gave the guy an outfit worth 3 times the one I "lost". So at least you threw your OWN rod over!!

[SPAZZ]

[Mark Vickers]

Mark Mc,

Dang you, that was a beautiful visual. I can't stop laughing.

[Abalone]

Originally posted by Sublime:
Time to snorkel this summer down the siletz! :grin:

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I casted my Lamiglass rod with a 5000c into the river right above Barton. A couple days later I toolk my SCUBA gear down there and retrieved it. Next trip I got hung up on a snag and when I pulled the rod It exploded. Laying in the river will ruin a graphite rod. At least I got the reel and I still use it.

[Salmon Stryker]

Feeling better now thanks.

[James in Idaho]

Gee, I'm feeling a whole lot better about tossing Tilla's wifes rod and reel overboard, twice. Got it back both times, I must have been living right that day.

Then there was the time that my ex-wife and I decided to go whitewater canoeing on the Chama in Northern NM. Did pretty good 'till we got to the "box" above El Vado. Why yes, you can wrap an Old Town around a rock. Of course, she gets dumped into the rapids and gets a 200 yard swim (and she ain't a good swimmer at all) and me, the ex competitive swimmer, take about 2 strokes and is on shore. But I got to swim out to the boat a couple of time to rig slings on it, and we used come-alongs and a couple of boom vangs off Dad's sailboat. Used a high lift jace as the heavy muscle (not a fun thing to carry down a canyon), and we got the boat off the rock the next day. Worse part was some dirt bag stole our paddles and life jackets that we had stashed when we frist climbed out. My ex still refers to dinner that night at the KFC in Espanola as the best meal she ever had! Oh yeah, we went and took whitewater lessons AFTER that!

[fishinpoor]

years ago a buddy and i took his DAD'S db down to the wilson,it was jan.1st,so we were looking for new years steel,we got to the guide shop and the wind was howling,we discussed not even launching,but no way were we going to drive that far and not fish,so off we go,we rounded the corner below the shop and decided to pull over on the gravel bar and get out and bank it,the wind was blowing the boat all over,so we drug the boat onto the gravel bar and i headed down river and he headed up,we heard this god-awful sound and looked up it was the boat being blown into the river,we both took off after it,too late there it was in the river headed towards tillamook,we tried snagging it with our line's,that wasn't happening,it would drift all the way to the tailout then the wind would blow it back up river,of course no one else was floating that day because of the wind,so we watched it drift down at each lull in the wind only to get gusted back upriver,this went on for over an hour,finally some one as foolish as us decided to launch,we they rounded the corner they just floated by our boat,here we are standing on the bank and this guys says "hey do you want me to grab your boat" duh [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] he grabbed our boat and we managed to drag/row it back to the launch :blush: all we could talk about on the trip home was what if the wind hadn't kept the boat from heading down river,his dad would have killed us,we still bring that one up once in a while,we didn't tell his dad for several years and now we all laugh about it :grin:

[Abalone]

Broken Rod.

At the end of Steve Kolers first Marriage he came home one night from fishing and all the furniture
and everthing else in the apartment was gone except his Fishing Poles and Guns. But one of his farvorite Poles was stepped on a broke in two.

Steve says, I don't mind her leaving with everything in the house but why did she have to break my favorite Rod ?


The B-t--

[dampainter]

Idiot? no....just human.

[Bounty Hunter]

I have several as well. I won't relay the details but I will pass on the lessons I learned (as well as the relative values of those lessons)

1) Always check the knot on your anchor rope at the start of a new season. (value of this tidbit = $15 mushroom anchor)

2) No matter how excited you are to start fishing,always take the shiney plastic wrapper off the new rod handle before you start. This especially holds true when you are boondoggin with eggs and your hands are still slimey from the last rebait. (value of this revelation = $30 rod/$30 reel)

3) When running up to the Buoy 10 deadline on a hard incoming tide for another pass, make sure that your diver and fish-flash are INSIDE the boat and don't get caught in the wake of your boat. They WILL pull things out of your boat especially the rod they are attached to. (Value of this "You've got to be kidding me!" = $80 Berkley Rod, $45 abu garcia reel, $10 fish-flash, $5 diver)

[Luckybill]

Ok, Sunday headed out to willow bar to catch the last hours of the day plunking. First time using Maries Scent, landed one smolt!! Well time to go, reeling up and just as my arm starts to tire, I let the rod dip - thought i hung up on bottom, Soooooo I reel down and give her a lift, well that 10oz pyramid weight CLOCKED me right in eyebrow!! :shocked: Must have been at the waters edge!! :blush: I am bleeding like a stuck pig and thought I put my eye out.. Managed to leave a perfect peace symbol in eyebrow five stiches under the skin and some glue and I'm ready to go again! Confessions of an Idiot!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[ 02-18-2004, 03:59 PM: Message edited by: Luckybill ]

[KOKANEE KILLER]

Salmon Stryker I also fished the Siletz that day and the same drift. After bailing the boat for about the fourth time I finally put a fish in the boat so I didn't care to much about being wet and cold. Later I was reeling in and I thought I had hooked my buddys line when I looked up he was already in. He grabbed the line and un-hooked me he said the line was heavey when he pulled it in it was a nice rod with a Mitchell 300 reel on it the bait was eggs and still looked pretty fresh. I'm guessing this is your rod and reel. I'm new to this site so let me know and we can arrange for you to get your rod back. I'm just glad to know somebody beside myself knows what kind of reel to use. My buddy sent me your article so I would have never known if it wasn't for him.

[MightyBeav]

"I don't know, it wasn't a cheap rod" I replied which may have been a little white lie and I know your not supposed to lie to your wife but it's not like I'm having an affair or anything

hehe, at least not with a human

[OK Deal Let\'s Fish]

"The worst day fishing is still better than the best day at work."

[boater]

[ 02-22-2004, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: boater ]

[Green Willie]

O', never mind.

JN

[C-lice]

About 10 years ago I managed one of the most spectacular "one legger" falls you could ever hope to see.

While fighting a little steelhead, I walked a little too far out onto a cutbank. The bank caved under my right foot, so into the river I went up to my crotch. My left foot somehow stayed on the bank--I know, because I was looking at it at about eye level right next to my head. I eventually scrambled, flopped, and swore my way back up to the bank where my left foot was patiently waiting. I actually landed the fish, then surveyed the damage.

My jeans had sustained a major "blowout" in the crotch. This blowout stopped momentarily at the zipper in the front and then shot right, splitting my pants all the way to the outer seam level with the bottom of my right front pocket. The other end of the blowout split the seam in the opposite direction (from the crotch up the back) and hung a left just under my left back pocket and also traveled all the way to the outer seam.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) there was nobody to share this experience with. I was so wet and so flustered that I hiked out and only fished one more hole on the way home.

[drillman]

well if any of you find a tiger stick and a big red penn reel be low thw railroad bridge at st johns let me know lost it on the 3rd cast sat morn buddy got to fish the rest of the day. even let me reel in the sympathy fish. sorry paul will buy you the replacement rod ect on saturday after pay day [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] 2/28/04 [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

[Riverkeeper]

Holy cow this thread is KILLING me!

A couple of Januarys ago, a good friend of mine bought himself a brand new canoe. It was a really nice Mad River with stained ash gunwales and wicker seats, cost him about $1500. To christen it, we took it out to the Sandy one morning. When we arrived at Dabney, the river was raging and brown. I knew that the water in that stretch wasn't too difficult, so with me in the bow, my friend astern, and my girlfriend in the middle, off we went. All went smoothly until the last leg. We pulled off on the beach below Jack's and pulled the canoe out of the water, then walked down about 200 feet to scout the rapid under the bridge. We picked a route that we felt confident about, and as we walked back up the beach, an errant gust of wind picked up the canoe (which was at least 3 feet from the water's edge) and gently launched it into the eddy as we all let out a gasp. I was wearing hip boots and ran in to the water, only to miss the canoe and fill my waders up with water. The canoe headed downstream and navigated the rapids beatifully as we ran desperately down the road watching. Eventually it hung up in an eddy near shore and after a headlong dive through some blackberries i got hold of it.

The best part was when my friend looked at me with a grave look on his face, and said "I would've had to tell everyone it was stolen."

It was not one of our finer moments, but it was very funny shortly afterwards.

[Salmon Stryker]

Kokanee Killer,

That is so cool! I sent you an e-mail. Thanks to you and your friend.

To the rest of you,

These stories are pretty good I had forgotten about this thread and haven't checked it for days. Quite a suprise to see how long it's grown and to see that someone may have found my rod.

[hawgcatcher]

Beautiful morning, Deschutes full of Summer Runs, A perfect day for a man and his dog. Drove to the river and fished for awhile, no fish but a fantastic day to be out. Wait! Something is going to happen.

My Chinese Pug loved the outdoors and he was searching every scent in the area. Oops, even something that slithers across the trail. Come back dog, before you get bit.

He is back and wonders down to the water's edge and out onto a chunk of wood. NO! The wood tilts and he goes into the swift river and goes bobbing downstream.

Here is a little short nosed pug, headed downstream and I can only see him on the surface part of the time. I ran down the trail after him and then over the bank to grab him. Wrong move.

I wake up some time later with a wet pug licking my face and shaking water on me. I have one heck of a headache. I remember heading up the bank to the truck and heading home. I do not remember the drive home.

I got home told the wife I didn't feel good and went to bed. I got up twelve hours later. Still had the headache. I went out to get my rods and reels out to put them away. They weren't there.
Somewhere on that misadventure, I had left an old Mitchel 308, a special built rod and lots of tackle in a bag. Someone had scored big on this trip.

Went to Doctor and found out I had a concussion and some bruises but I would live. I was so distraught that my wife said, "Honey, lets stop at GI Joes and get you some new tackle." After picking myself up from the ground from her statement, I hugged her and we went shopping. I got some great equipment.

By the way, never again has she made that statement willingly. I love her after 43 years of putting up with me.

[mtpar]

Chalk that one up to experience and laugh it off

Im sure everyone has had or seen things happen like this except me?

mtpar

[Salmon Stalker]

After waiting for 2 1/2 yrs to get a new motor in the boat on the first trip out I thought I would get set up before leaving the dock. That included putting the downrigger on the bracket off the side of the boat. My mount does not pivot. As I was leaving the marina I forgot it was hanging off of the side. I snapped it in half when it hit the pay house of the fuel dock. The plastic cover over the electric motor broke off and hit my 18 mos old son in the head on his first trip out. It was quite a scene. Baby crying. Momma screamin. Daddy cussing....

We welded it back together, but now I wait to mount the downrigger until we are out of the marina....

[ 02-24-2004, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: Salmon Stalker ]