royal0014
Master Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- May 6, 2010
- Messages
- 874
Yep, decided I was going night fishing on the river. Finally got the registration tag for my boat last Friday. And learned just what the heck kind of boat it is, since half the USCG tag is gone : 1965 Crosby. Lady at the Probate Off. tried to tell me that it was not the original motor on the boat, 'cause the Johhny is a '66.
Anywho, put the stickers on today, charged the batts, etc. Loaded up a couple of poles and extra flashlight, headed out at 8pm. Late start, but that was ok because the city ramp I decided to go to is well lit. Never put in there before. Had not been on the water in the dark in several years, and never this far up the lake.
Got to the ramp and it's deserted. Good! Take my time getting ready, check everything (what did I forget?), back down the ramp. No problem so far, wait a minute, why isn't the boat floating off the trailer??? Then it dawned on me what I forgot, the transom straps! Pull back up the ramp to get them off. Judging by the wet straps, I had about three inches before water would have been over the gunwhales. Big Duh.
Well, now that I have the SHT out of the way, Let's get down to business. Move boat to dock, park truck, and away I go.
Been having problems with the electric shift slipping out of gear. Today I put a toggle switch on to shift gears, in order to eliminate the original switch as the source of the problem. Didn't take long to figure out that it did not help. In fact, now I have an additional problem. Before, it only slipped out of gear, now it will on occasion not go into gear. Bump reverse and then to forward and it will catch. Aggravation!!
Oh, well, not going to let it stop me. Ease up the river at half-throttle, enjoying the cool breeze. Turn and go into Coley Creek. Gets shallow quick in here, so I stop the motor and drop out the trolling motor. Fish for a few minutes as I make my way up to the bridge. Realize pretty quick that I'm ill prepared for night fishing here. Just can't see what I'm doing, or where I'm throwing. Well, tonight is more about being on the water than harassing the wildlife!
Making my way to the bridge, I feel a little bump from the back of the boat, and decide to raise the main motor up. No T/T, must haul and grunt. Here I learn another lesson: when trolling, the boat reacts different with the main motor out of the water. Hmmm.
Get to the bridge, try to do a little crappie fishing. Get crossways of the bridge, bump a piling. Eh, let's head back. Troll back to deeper water, drop the main motor, and head back to the river.
Not another soul out here but me, water is glass. Even at half-throttle the boat is moving at a good clip. Go on past the ramp, under the railroad trestle. Go another mile or so just enjoying the breeze. Getting late, better head in. And I know the wife is sitting up waiting on me, worrying.
Get to the ramp, back the trailer in, load up and pull out. Then I notice the boat is not on the bunks correctly. Can't get it to slide over, only one way to fix it. Dunk it back in the water, push it off, and get it right. Next time I'll know to look before pulling out. 'Nother lesson learned.
Not a bad night. Didn't realize how much I missed the water at night. Call the wife, tell her I'm headed home, she can go to bed now.
Well, that's my bedtime story.
Now that you read it, are 'ya bored to tears?
Anywho, put the stickers on today, charged the batts, etc. Loaded up a couple of poles and extra flashlight, headed out at 8pm. Late start, but that was ok because the city ramp I decided to go to is well lit. Never put in there before. Had not been on the water in the dark in several years, and never this far up the lake.
Got to the ramp and it's deserted. Good! Take my time getting ready, check everything (what did I forget?), back down the ramp. No problem so far, wait a minute, why isn't the boat floating off the trailer??? Then it dawned on me what I forgot, the transom straps! Pull back up the ramp to get them off. Judging by the wet straps, I had about three inches before water would have been over the gunwhales. Big Duh.
Well, now that I have the SHT out of the way, Let's get down to business. Move boat to dock, park truck, and away I go.
Been having problems with the electric shift slipping out of gear. Today I put a toggle switch on to shift gears, in order to eliminate the original switch as the source of the problem. Didn't take long to figure out that it did not help. In fact, now I have an additional problem. Before, it only slipped out of gear, now it will on occasion not go into gear. Bump reverse and then to forward and it will catch. Aggravation!!
Oh, well, not going to let it stop me. Ease up the river at half-throttle, enjoying the cool breeze. Turn and go into Coley Creek. Gets shallow quick in here, so I stop the motor and drop out the trolling motor. Fish for a few minutes as I make my way up to the bridge. Realize pretty quick that I'm ill prepared for night fishing here. Just can't see what I'm doing, or where I'm throwing. Well, tonight is more about being on the water than harassing the wildlife!
Making my way to the bridge, I feel a little bump from the back of the boat, and decide to raise the main motor up. No T/T, must haul and grunt. Here I learn another lesson: when trolling, the boat reacts different with the main motor out of the water. Hmmm.
Get to the bridge, try to do a little crappie fishing. Get crossways of the bridge, bump a piling. Eh, let's head back. Troll back to deeper water, drop the main motor, and head back to the river.
Not another soul out here but me, water is glass. Even at half-throttle the boat is moving at a good clip. Go on past the ramp, under the railroad trestle. Go another mile or so just enjoying the breeze. Getting late, better head in. And I know the wife is sitting up waiting on me, worrying.
Get to the ramp, back the trailer in, load up and pull out. Then I notice the boat is not on the bunks correctly. Can't get it to slide over, only one way to fix it. Dunk it back in the water, push it off, and get it right. Next time I'll know to look before pulling out. 'Nother lesson learned.
Not a bad night. Didn't realize how much I missed the water at night. Call the wife, tell her I'm headed home, she can go to bed now.
Well, that's my bedtime story.
Now that you read it, are 'ya bored to tears?