Your Moron Moments

[Darth-Baiter]

My mom tried to kill her sons.  I think was 18. Puts my brother at 15.  Mom bought us an old ass boat. It was a fiberglass boat with that wand on the left you pull/push to steer. It had a 70hp motor.   I towed it two hours to elephant butte lake in a 1971 bronco.  Launched it off a beach. As it’s entering the water i hear a man ask, “you have the drain plug in?”  

“What drain plug?”

 

he tells me to pull it back out and we let it drain and he finds the plug rummaging around and stuffs it in.  
 

I swear.  That man and his co angler stayed within eye shot of us all day.  Angels!  
 

we skunked but learned a lot that day.  We learned a lot about boats with that thing. Such fun!   
 

mom was insane. 

[TnRiver46]

53 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

My mom tried to kill her sons.  I think was 18. Puts my brother at 15.  Mom bought us an old ass boat. It was a fiberglass boat with that wand on the left you pull/push to steer. It had a 70hp motor.   I towed it two hours to elephant butte lake in a 1971 bronco.  Launched it off a beach. As it’s entering the water i hear a man ask, “you have the drain plug in?”  

“What drain plug?”

 

he tells me to pull it back out and we let it drain and he finds the plug rummaging around and stuffs it in.  
 

I swear.  That man and his co angler stayed within eye shot of us all day.  Angels!  
 

we skunked but learned a lot that day.  We learned a lot about boats with that thing. Such fun!   
 

mom was insane. 

Haha! I think your mom was pretty kind and her sons should have put the plug in the boat. 

[Dogface]

On 2/27/2022 at 11:24 PM, TroxBox said:

My BIGGEST EVER moron moment...

 

All I can say is WOW!

 

I had some bad days but none ever came close to yours. I'm glad everything worked out in the end. 

[Chris Catignani]

On 2/21/2022 at 6:35 PM, geo g said:

I real stupid move for me was, while on vacation I took the kill switch out and hid it in the house.  If someone broke in the garage they couldn’t start the motor.  Upon returning, I planned a trip to Okeechobee with a friend.  A 1.5 hour trip one way.  Got there the motor would not start, NO Kill Switch.  One p***ed off fisherman.  real dumb!

I did the same thing once...kill switch was on the life jacket I didnt bring. I ended up making one out of a plastic coke cap.

[avid]

I stuck a panther Martin square in my check just last year so I guess it happens to us all one time or another 

[thediscochef]

I've crammed an unimaginable amount of odious "grab your ears and pull real hard" moments into just the year I've been at this for realsies.

 

I broke rods, I broke lines on fish, I unsuccessfully juggled fish at landing enough that I might as well show up in a clown costume.

 

But I think my crowning achievement in cranial absentia is probably the daiwa fuego 2500D-XH spool that is currently wedged in the rock pile at Ray Roberts Isle du Bois, in about 10 feet of water. I was trying to use it for some dough and corn to catch carps or cats. I had it in a rodholder with the drag set super super loose so it wouldn't run off with the rod should a fish grab the bait. I went to re-cast, and wouldn't you know it, my drag was so loose that the spool went flying into the water. I tried pulling all the line off till I could get leverage on the spool, but my knot around the spool didn't hold. I've been trying to get replacement parts for weeks but to no avail. If anyone has a spare they'd sell I'd take it lol

edit: as dumb as it was, i at least managed to avoid leaving any line in the water on the spool...I unspooled that whole thing by hand.

 

 

[schplurg]

5 hours ago, Ovid said:

I stuck a panther Martin square in my check just last year so I guess it happens to us all one time or another 

 

If you're gonna get a treble in the face then you might as well go out to the clubs and show it off! "Cool piercing, man!" Start a new trend.

 

I will get mine one day. My 150 mph (known here as mach 80) jerkbait missed me and a buddy a few days ago. Didn't think it would fly all the way back to us from that distance. There is no dodging that. I got it on video and it is fast.

[Skunkmaster-k]

6 hours ago, Ovid said:

I stuck a panther Martin square in my check just last year so I guess it happens to us all one time or another 

How did that happen? 

[thediscochef]

On 2/27/2022 at 10:24 PM, TroxBox said:

It's pretty neat because it actually has an outline of Medina Lake on it, the lake where it happened.

 

 

 

OH
Oh man that was almost really bad
What's medina like? we used to go there a lot when I was a kid but my memories of it are basically nil
I know the water fluctuates a lot

[Kirtley Howe]

On 2/27/2022 at 9:48 AM, Bankbeater said:

I had to think long and hard about this one.

Some years back after my shoulder surgery I couldn't wait to get out on the water.  I made a list and went over it several times before my first trip.  I finally got out on the water and realized that I had brought all of my fishing equipment, but didn't have anything to eat or drink.

After fishing for most of the day I was hungry and thirsty.  On the way home I stopped at the concession stand a few miles from the boat ramp, and bought a drink and one of those sandwiches out of a vending machine.  About 10 miles from home I had to pull over and got sick as a dog.  I'm not sure if it was from not eating all day, or eating that vending machine sandwich.

Yeah.....similar story for me.  My buddy and I left out at 2am to drive to a lake we had been wanting to try, It was about a 4 1/2 hour drive. Since we left so early, we thought we would just grab a quick breakfast near where we planned to launch. Only problem was there was no place to eat anywhere near there. Only thing we could find was a gas station that had some "breakfast burritos" for sale. Ok, that would do. We each grabbed a couple and of we went. Got to the launch, got the boat loaded and launched no problem. Ran around for a while and found a likely looking spot to fish. By now, we were both starving....so we gobbled down the burritos. No luck at that spot, so we ran about another half hour to a new spot. Got set up, made a couple of casts, and all of a sudden my buddy was projectile vomiting over the side of the boat. Not good! Then it hit me...unfortunately for me, it hit at the other end. So picture this...one guy puking his guts out over the side, and the other guy desperately trying to get out of his pants before he s@@@ them solid full. I did manage to get them off, and hopped over the side of the boat into the water.  Great....except the water temperature was about 45F. When the "festivities" finally stopped, and I managed to drag my frozen butt back into the boat and get my pants back on, I looked at my buddy. He was absolutely green. It was a long trip back to the launch, with a couple more instances of disrobing and hopping overboard, then trying to get back into the boat and getting dressed again.....Got back to the launch, got the boat loaded, and had a horrible drive home. We both swore we would never, ever, eat gas station food again.  The only saving grace was that we seemed to be the only two people in that area of the lake, so at least I didn't get arrested for indecent exposure. I did end up with a really bad cold, and felt like crap for most of a week. My buddy made out better. He said that after he evacuated his tummy completely (several times), and finally managed to keep water down, he felt a lot better. 

[fin]

19 hours ago, schplurg said:

If you're gonna get a treble in the face then you might as well go out to the clubs and show it off! "Cool piercing, man!" Start a new trend.

 

You just gave me an idea on how to use those old Rooster Tails - Rooster Tail Earrings!

[avid]

20 hours ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

How did that happen? 

I felt a hit and set the hook 

flew back at me so fast I forgot to duck ?

[schplurg]

I dunno if it's a true moron moment, but yesterday I was at a local pond casting small jerk baits.

 

I did a hard cast and 3/4 of the way through it my foot slipped on the slightly muddy slope and I lost my balance. I didn't fall. The bait shot high straight up into the air, I had no idea exactly where.

 

When I regained my balance I heard my bait land in the tule about 10 feet in front of me. I looked down and I had a backlash. Of course.

 

So I started pulling line out of the reel. Quite a bit came out when suddenly I was holding the end of the line in my hand, yet there was still plenty of line on the spool.

 

The end was curly a little so seemed like a knot was there. But I'm sure I didn't tie one, or use backing line. I've only spooled this reel once so far.

 

Whatever! Got the lure out of the tule. I have it all on video but I caught no fish so it goes on the cutting room floor. Or maybe a blooper archive. Ya there we go, gotta save it!

[thediscochef]

I got a good one this morning!
I was speeding across my local reservior dam this morning, as one does, and I got a ticket from a state trooper. Didn't catch anything either. Just a waste of a day. I should have stayed home, now I have to keep my diatribes on the moral and philosophical pitfalls of speeding fines to myself. At least I'm going back to Lake Whitney on Wednesday.

Oh also I coughed too hard while I had bronchitis and now I have back pain and peripheral nerve symptoms. Time for a doctor's appointment

[RDB]

1 hour ago, thediscochef said:

I got a good one this morning!
I was speeding across my local reservior dam this morning, as one does, and I got a ticket from a state trooper. Didn't catch anything either. Just a waste of a day.

No need to rush…shad spawn is probably another couple of weeks away ?.

[Zcoker]

This may not be a moron moment, more a live and learn moment. I was deep in the everglades late one night about 50 miles out on a levee unloading my kayak and taking my stuff out of my truck. I was on the passenger side unloading stuff, got what I wanted and then shut the door. When went around the other side of the truck to retrieve other items, all my doors were suddenly locked! How the heck that happened, I have no idea but I was very ticked off because my keys and phone were inside. It's a new truck and has never "locked itself".  Anyhow, I had no choice but to find a giant rock. I must've hit that friggin window 10 times has hard as I could before it finally gave in. What I found out later on: never break the driver's window on the newer vehicles because it's usually laminated glass and cost a small fortune to replace! 

[Sam]

Got a spinnerbait hook in my finger while trying to add a trailer hook and had to hve it surgurly removed by two doctors at local Doc in a Box.  The first doctor had never seen anything likle it.

 

Got a crankbait hook in hand and after fishing for the day went home and asked wife to help me get it out.  She took me to our primary physician who, once again, surgurly removed it.

 

Now, about that plug........

[Jaderose]

On 2/28/2022 at 10:08 AM, FishTank said:

At the same time he is reaching for the keys, his shorts fall down to his ankles. Gathering himself,  he falls overboard.  When he crawls up on to the bank out of the water, his shorts are gone.

Ok,,,now THIS is funny

[Alex from GA]

Went to the ramp, 2 miles, one morning pulled around to launch the boat, looked back and there was no boat.  The sheriff was @ the ramp and just looked @ me.  Went home and hooked the boat up got back to the ramp and the sheriff was still there and smiled.

[RyAxion]

Forgot my camera when I caught an estimated 5-pound smallie on a Pop-R back in September 2013! ?‍♂️

[Maggiesmaster]

On 2/20/2022 at 9:01 PM, jbsoonerfan said:

My story does not involve hooks, but it is a moron moment for sure. I went out one day and launched the boat and had my life jacket on as usual and hooked up to the kill switch. Ran to my first spot and took my life jacket off. Fished for a little bit and went to move and my motor wouldn't start. Sounded like it was trying to crank, but nothing. Tried and tried till I was afraid my battery was about dead. Called a buddy to meet me at the ramp when he got off work. There was NO ONE on the lake so I trolled back to the ramp, about an hour and a half. I pulled the cowling and was messing with the fuel filter, carb , etc. My buddy showed up and we could not figure out what was going on. Finally, I thought that maybe when I took my life jacket off I flipped the kill switch. Sure enough, that was it. Flipped it and she fired right up. I missed out on 4 hours of fishing because I was a dummy.

This is no ‘moron moment’.  Everyone I know has done this in their fishing career—including me!

[Yuddzy]

Lots of good ones here. I've had several, but I think my absolute moronic peak was when I was 17. I was fishing at 5am off the shore at a small, local lake using a new rod/reel that my dad had bought. I hooked up a Northern pretty good, and didn't have any of those fancy jaw spreaders with. I spent 4-5 minutes trying to unhook two barbed trebles from a fish that absolutely refuses to unstiffen it's jaw. I eventually gave up and figured it would have a better chance shaking that lure out on it's own in the water. Cut the line quickly, pick this very disgruntled Snot Rocket of a fish back up, step toward the shore and give him a gentle underhand pitch back into the water. You can imagine the look on my face when the rod went with it. I think I stood there for about a minute with a thousand yard stare before I realized I had to wade into the water and find it. I eventually recovered the rod and called it quits for about a week after that. 

 

If you catch a pike with a hot-pink jerkbait in it's mouth, there's probably a story behind it. That's all I'm saying, fellas. Also make sure you cut line completely. ?

[geo g]

I have buried trebles in me more times then I can count.  The ones in the hand have been easy to get out except the one with a big mud fish still attached.  Just push all the way through and cut the barb.   

The ones in the belly were doctor assisted.  Big deep crank baits that got stuck in vegetation and used brute force to get it out.  The problem was twice they shot back at me, like a cannon shot, and lodged in my belly.  Once was dumb, twice was real dumb.  Same doctor both times.  I tried the string thing but that was an ultimate failure.  Nothing like going to the ER with a big  Bill Dance deep diver hanging from just above your testicles!!!!!!  Lots of laughs by some sick people waiting!

[GTN-NY]

Oh man I’ve got a good one for you that just happened today. 
Finally a beautiful day, temps in the low 80s with a light wind. Perfect day to get the kayak out for the 1st time this year to make sure everything is ready for the first tournament next Sat. 
Trailered the kayak down to the local lake to launch out of the outlet. This is where they have the flood gates and they are open so there some current. The outlet has a dock at the bottom of a 10’ hill that I usually tie up to while I rig everything up but a mom and her kids are there fishing. I didn’t want to get in their way so I left the kayak up top while I rigged up. Made the last trip back to the car for the trolling motor and on the way back I see a nice looking kayak floating down the outlet. It took me a few seconds before I realized that no one was in it and it was my kayak. Some how it launched itself. It must have been the last thing I put in it that was just enough weight to let it slide down after I walked away. 
I ran up to the waters edge and started taking shoes,socks, hat and everything out from my pockets. I started wading in until it was mid chest then started swimming. I suck at swimming! I finally got to it to drag it back. Of course there was lots of people around fishing, walking and watching. I remember yelling that someone better be videotaping and better send it to me. Someone yelled you’re going on Tik Tok. They left before I could ask them to send it to me. 
That water was cold. 53° and man did it hurt. 
After getting it back I finished rigging and went out fishing. On the way out of the outlet quite a few people were laughing and asking how the water was. 
oh and no fish

[fin]

17 hours ago, GTN-NY said:

It must have been the last thing I put in it that was just enough weight to let it slide down after I walked away. 

That part is hilarious - imagining you walking away while the kayak is sliding downhill in the background. The rest of the story sounds too much like how a lot of people drown. I'm glad you made it, and hope you find the video!