First tournament disaster...

[Brew City Bass]

Well, I had did my first tournament yesterday, and it was a crap show. 

My co-angler and I were prefishing a few hours before the tournament and he looks over and says "Jason, we need to go NOW" I look down, water... Water everywhere.. I FORGOT THE PLUG! We're about 300-400 yards from the nearest dock or boat launch. Quick thinking I grabbed the plug I had in the parts container and I jumped off the transom and stuck it in and started the bilge pump.. Wow, I almost sunk my new to me boat... How stupid can I be!....

BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE!

Now it's 6pm and the tourney started... I bolt to my spot and start trolling and some asshat in a jon boat pulls 10 yards away from me and starts casting right next to my boat.. I give the hand gesture to say he's #1 and I bail... I shoot all the way down to the lower lake and I put the trolling motor down.. No power... Try to turn on the sonar... Nothing.. Only thing working is my radio and the main motor.. Now there is 2 hours left in the tourney and I came to the realization that we're out of this one... 

 

Trying to salvage the day, I position the boat up-wind and just aimlessly drift while casting. Hooked up on a few fish, none were keepers.. 

 

On my way back to the launch I get pulled over by DNR, no big deal, I am all legal. He checks our empty live well, life jackets, the usual stuff. Then he ask's if I have the title for the boat. I told him I just bought the boat and haven't gotten the new title back.. He held me out on the water for 30 minutes while lecturing me on not having the title with me. I DIDN'T GET THE NEW ONE IN THE MAIL YET! I swear, the DNR will hassle the good guys while the bad guys walk away scott-free.

[Catt]

Welcome to tournament fishing

[riverbasser]

tough day man, I don't understand why they would require a title to be on boat that is a strange law. in Alabama boats don't even have titles

[SDoolittle]

On Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 4:31 PM, Catt said:

Welcome to tournament fishing

Exactly! 

[Sam]

Jason, everyone forgets the plug sooner or later. From pros to rookies you will forget the plug.

And as said by Catt and S. Doolittle above, welcome to tournament fishing!!!!!!

[N Florida Mike]

I fished a tournament on a lake I knew very well . I always caught a lot there And had a couple good patterns worked out.So on tournament day I'm super excited.No mechanical problems but that day the fish were not biting as good as usual.I missed every fish all day and had a hawg break me off under a dock.But I didn't quit and caught one(barely) keeper fish 5 minutes before the deadline at the boatramp.So at least I placed and got points toward angler of the year.So hang in there.

[Jaderose]

On 5/19/2016 at 4:31 PM, Catt said:

Welcome to tournament fishing

And welcome to the reason I have no interest in tournament fishing.  I fish to get away from pressure....not create more.

[RichF]

Just wait until you land a 6 pounder during a tournament though....You'll quickly forget about this bad day.  No better feeling!

[crypt]

oh that's a normal day in the life of tournament fishing.trust me, it will get better. and welcome to the best years of your life…..

[CDMeyer]

Best advice, you have to stay positive and never count yourself out in a tournament.  From the minute you said you knew you were out of it with two hours left my guess is you were just going through the motions.  You have to stay positiveness and keep focusing on the moment. 

[flyfisher]

Is there some specific reason you should have the title?  I have never heard of anyone carrying a title around with them on any type of vehicle.

[Ratherbfishing]

I assume you didn't have the registration sticker and numbers for the boat yet?  That's the only reason I can imagine he would want to see the title.  Without any proof of registration, the title would be about the only proof of ownership.

WHY did you leave the spot if you were there first?  I wouldn't go fist to cuffs or get into a yelling match with the other boater but I wouldn't leave either.  If you weren't there first, first come, first serve.  Tournament or otherwise.

EVERY boat needs a proper baptism by leaving the drain plug out.  Your boat has now been properly "sanctified."  

I'm curious.  Did TM battery(ies) go poo poo on you?  Or is it time for a new charger?  Fuse? etc.?

[scaleface]

Have you taken off yet with your trolling motor still down ? Thats always a funny one to see .

[Catt]

On 5/24/2016 at 9:20 AM, N Florida Mike said:

I fished a tournament on a lake I knew very well . I always caught a lot there And had a couple good patterns worked out.So on tournament day I'm super excited.No mechanical problems but that day the fish were not biting as good as usual.I missed every fish all day and had a hawg break me off under a dock.But I didn't quit and caught one(barely) keeper fish 5 minutes before the deadline at the boatramp.So at least I placed and got points toward angler of the year.So hang in there.

@Brew City Bass

This will be your next tournament disaster!

As soon as you entry fee hits the table all your honey holes will dry up!

[Brew City Bass]

5 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Brew City Bass

This will be your next tournament disaster!

As soon as you entry fee hits the table all your honey holes will dry up!

I am on a weekly Wednesday tournament now, and it's happened already.. I felt so horrible losing a 19" at the boat. I can't imagine how the pros feel.

[S. Sass]

Sorry to hear of your not such a great start. But hey the positive it has to get better. I'm not sure I would have left my first spot so quick either. if they wanted to physically interfere with my fishing OK we have a problem. Someone being close hasn't really bothered me. I'm concentrating on my game at hand and that is to catch fish to win a tournament. I just wouldn't do that to someone as I see it as rude.   

Well being fairly new to boat ownership myself my 4th time on the water I met the game warden. Did all the usual checks my numbers are very clear on my boat and new stickers were applied etc. He did the usual flotation check and he asked for the owner (three of us on the boat) I said me and he asked for the "title". I assumed he meant the card that I was given when I transferred the title of the boat it says, Certificate Of Number For A Vessel ?  He took it and handed it back and we were on our way. I did not find this unusual as when I bought the boat and paid for the title transfer the lady instructed me to exactly what it says on the Owner Instructions on the back of the "title".  I haven't got my actual titles back yet for the motor, boat, or the trailer. 

Is this Certificate Of Number For A Vessel a Texas thing? Here is a pic of the back of it. 

[Covurt]

INstall an automatic bilge switch/pump as soon as the boat enters the water it will start pumping out water and  you will know you forgot the plug before you leave the trailer. Ask me how I know....

[jtharris3]

Man, Murphy showed up big time on that day. Hang in there, you'll have much better days.

[Skeeter Dan]

Boats in Tn. have no titles. Only registration and numbers. The last stupid thing I did was forgetting to undo my transom tie downs.  I've  owned  a boat since the 70's.