Bob Lee Posted February 21, 2011 Posted February 21, 2011 I've not posted very much on these boards - but I read them almost every day and have learned so much from them. I feel like I know some of you - and feel you will get a laugh out of my misfortune today. I fish from a Sevylor FishMaster that I have lovingly named the Sink-O-Pottomus. I've never had any trouble with the boat - I love it to death. It has a wooden floor (carpeted, very swanky) and a tall bass seat in the front with the bench in the rear. The short boat combined with an extra-long trolling motor handle lets me control the boat by standing behind the front seat - and the seat gives me something to lean against when I stand to cast. I love the setup - but today was my first time fishing it alone. Usually I have a partner in the back - just in case. So I arrive at my favorite electrics-only lake today and the water level is the lowest I've ever seen it. The lake doesn't have a boat launch, so I haul my gear to the water's edge and get my boat setup in record time. Air temps in the 70's, water in the 50's, I'm thinking "Sure, it is shallow - but I'll just avoid the rocks and play it nice and slow." It is nice and calm and cloudy so I'm excited to pull out some nice early pre-spawn monsters out of this lake. Hey, low water levels just means the bass are all concentrated into a small area, right? Launch my boat without issue - though I did get eyed up by an angry looking duck - get out on the water to the sound of applause from the casting docks. I had an audience! So I take a bow and reach for my rod. As soon as I take the sleeve off my spinner-bait rod to start looking for the Bass the wind starts to blow. I put the rod down, and reach for the anchor to try and salvage the situation. It hits the water and the wind picks up. Inside ten minutes my 15lb mushroom anchor is bouncing along the bottom of the lake and I'm careening toward the far shore. I had the trolling motor (50lb thrust) going all out - and I was paddling with all I had in me - and still the wind is pushing me backward! This lake is (if memory serves) about 65 acres. And with the water levels this low it is down to about 40, I'd say. I've been fishing it for about 3 years now, and I've never seen a wave.. now they're crashing over the front of my boat! Soon enough I'm stuck on a little rock island in the center of the lake surrounded by water about 15 feet deep - with no control of the boat. The wind and waves are just slamming me against the rocks! Bear in mind, the water was calm as glass when I launched! My anchor rope snapped (new rope, too. Guess I went too small) and my trolling motor flat fell out of the boat. I don't know what happened - the mount and everything lifted off the Sevylor transom and dropped to the bottom. To make matters worse, there's a crew of folks at the far end of the lake shore fishing who've put down their poles to laugh and heckel at the poor guy marooned out on the little rock island. At a loss for anything constructive - and embarassed by the growing crowd of onlookers - I looped some good stout rope around the tow ring on the front of my Sevylor, and waded over to rescue my trolling motor - it was in about 2 feet of water against the rocks, so no real risk or I'd have just left the darn thing for the fish. Once I had it on the "deck" I took 'hold of the rope and manually dragged my poor boat out into deep water. By the grace of God I managed to get myself back in - dripping wet and beet red as the "locals" are letting me know how hilarious it all was from their shoreline perspective. By then the wind had died down enough for me to limp my soaking wet self back to the loading area, deflate her and drag it up to the car. As I was packing up, the park ranger shows up. Apparently, someone called and told him there was a young guy stranded on the rocks in the lake. We had a good laugh - and I helped some young kids on the shore catch a MONSTER bass - but in the end, I didn't even wet my line. I will say this though - the Sevylor proved itself today. The guys on the shore were telling me it was the boat's fault - but I couldn't have asked the boat to do any better, given the bad situation. Wind is a weakness with inflatables - and had I known it was going to be windy I'd have left it on the shore. But the boat got hammered against rocks and literally dragged over gravel and I don't see any sign that it suffered any ill effects. I was really worried about pulling myself into it - I weigh 270 and I just don't think that I could have pulled myself into a 10' Aluminum Jon without it flipping over. The Sink-O-Pottumus didn't even bat an eye at it all. There was a young middle-eastern man that I did not get to properly thank, too. While everyone else was heckling, he rolled up his pants and took off his shoes (he was in his sunday best - there on picknic with his whole family) and waded out knee deep in the water to offer encouragement. If it weren't for him and his wife offering to call the Ranger - and even offering to SWIM OUT AND HELP - I probably would have lost my cool. What a day, eh? Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted February 21, 2011 Global Moderator Posted February 21, 2011 That is a rough day. Seems like when one thing goes wrong everything goes wrong and it sounds like everything went wrong for you! Quote
Super User Grey Wolf Posted February 21, 2011 Super User Posted February 21, 2011 Thanks for sharing your day , you handled it better than I would have. Quote
Super User South FLA Posted February 21, 2011 Super User Posted February 21, 2011 I would have helped if I was there, but you bet yous "a_s" that I would have laughed the whole time! My favorite quote: "deflate her and drag it up to the car" I was ROFL when I read that, forgot that your boat was an inflatable, and as you stated an inflatable boat in the wind is basically a sail. Tight lines and glad you survived, I would have gotten hypothermia in water below 75! Quote
Super User senile1 Posted February 21, 2011 Super User Posted February 21, 2011 Wow, what a day. Glad you made it safely. Quote
Super User Raider Nation Fisher Posted February 22, 2011 Super User Posted February 22, 2011 ROFL this man done said I got eyed by an angry looking duck. Homie u handled that way better than I would have. I'm glad u made it out safely. I was kayaking on Lake Martin and a wakeboard boat sped past my bow about twelve feet from me. Swamped my yak and threw me out into the water. I know they saw me cause they were looking at me as they sped on. If my flare gun and other nonesuch hadn't floated off I woulda drilled em. treaded water for thirty minutes until someone finally helped me. Quote
CJ Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Man that was a tough day. Sounds funny but I got to say,"way to go!" You got that bad day out of the way for the year! Quote
Super User bassfisherjk Posted February 22, 2011 Super User Posted February 22, 2011 Wow!! Glad you made it back to shore. Quote
paul. Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 sorry for your misfortune. could have been a lot worse though. sounds like you came out ok considering what could have happened. glad you're alright. Quote
Bob Lee Posted February 24, 2011 Author Posted February 24, 2011 could have been a lot worse though. This has been at the forefront of my mind since I got both feet on terra firma. All the things that could have gone horribly, horribly wrong. I'm certainly grateful that the day was just "bad" and not "Disaster". Quote
Super User Sam Posted February 25, 2011 Super User Posted February 25, 2011 Good story with a moral: Check the weather before you go out, especially the wind. Quote
b.Lee Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 As unfortunate as it was, the bad situation turned into a good story which is always good in the end since you made it. Quote
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