Funniest things you have seen on the water

[spooksandflukes]

Once we were fishing this little lake and there was maybe 6 or 8 other people fishing nearby. Everyone was mostly targeting catfish. There was this one guy maybe 100 yds from us fishing off this long point and suddenly he jumps up and runs down the bank and grabs his rod and proceeds to give it the ultimate hookset. Well, he hooks up and we're all watching to see what it looks like. Meanwhile he's still fighting this fish like a madman. It made me tired just watching. He was really into it, I guess. A few mins later I see this huge tail break the surface. Its a channel cat maybe 20-25lb range and he is giving it heck trying to get it on the bank. Then I see him reach and grab his line and start pulling and I'm thinking to myself this is going to end badly. Then the line snaps and the guy throws his rod down and start screaming. Now It has happened to everybody at one time or another, but this guy runs down about waist deep in the water, catches and starts pulling in his line and walking out deeper in the water till he's almost chest deep. We are all rolling laughing at this sight then he dunks his head underwater and is wrestling around with this fish. I'm thinking that I would have just let it go and walk away with my dignity. When he comes back up he staggers toward the shoreline and just when I think he is about to fall down at the waters edge he heaves this big old fish up to the bank. Everyone fishing the area just breaks out yelling and clapping. Never seen anything like that, heck I never heard of anything like that.

[hookingem]

Once we were fishing this little lake and there was maybe 6 or 8 other people fishing nearby. Everyone was mostly targeting catfish. There was this one guy maybe 100 yds from us fishing off this long point and suddenly he jumps up and runs down the bank and grabs his rod and proceeds to give it the ultimate hookset. Well, he hooks up and we're all watching to see what it looks like. Meanwhile he's still fighting this fish like a madman. It made me tired just watching. He was really into it, I guess. A few mins later I see this huge tail break the surface. Its a channel cat maybe 20-25lb range and he is giving it heck trying to get it on the bank. Then I see him reach and grab his line and start pulling and I'm thinking to myself this is going to end badly. Then the line snaps and the guy throws his rod down and start screaming. Now It has happened to everybody at one time or another, but this guy runs down about waist deep in the water, catches and starts pulling in his line and walking out deeper in the water till he's almost chest deep. We are all rolling laughing at this sight then he dunks his head underwater and is wrestling around with this fish. I'm thinking that I would have just let it go and walk away with my dignity. When he comes back up he staggers toward the shoreline and just when I think he is about to fall down at the waters edge he heaves this big old fish up to the bank. Everyone fishing the area just breaks out yelling and clapping. Never seen anything like that, heck I never heard of anything like that.

Sounds like a fish story to me  : hahhaha

[ripinthem]

Me and a collegue was fishing, with my son in between us, and we heard this loud spin-out on the lake levee. We all looked back, which wasn't that far away, at the loud screeching of tires. Big cloud of smoke was noted, and I dismissed it as kids doing doughnuts on the fresh gravel on that site(they were prepping it to pour a new boat ramp). Then, through the smoke, comes a truck speeding out of control, and literally Dukes-of-hazzard-it out into the lake, off the levee. We cranked up and got to him as he was swimming with one arm, and calling 911 with his other. Another Fisherman beat us there, and threw him a Lifevest. Found out he was arguing with his GF on his cell, and wasn't paying attention. When he hit the gravel, he lost all control, and over-corrected. That truck floated for about 5 seconds and then was sucked to the bottom in an impressive fassion. I marked it on my GPS, but they pulled it out the next day(20ft of water).  >

[slonezp]

I was fishing with my son who was maybe 10 at the time. We were at my "secret" spot on the chicago river at about 6am. There was a guy who I'm guessing was homeless, possibly an ex con who showed up at my spot. He was covered in prison tats. He began reinacting a police shootout. It seemed very realistic, almost like it really happened to him. Well I started getting a little nervous, but was extremely relieved when he ran out of imaginary bullets and then ran away from the imaginary cops.

[BassThumb]

As a kid, I was on a pontoon crappie fishing when one of my uncles snagged by Grandpa's Greg Norman straw hat off his head while casting and threw it into the cattails.

[wisconsin heat]

i see people fishing with spinning rods upside down quite often, good for a chuckle or two. but i usually set them straight....usually... depends how funny they look 

[Hooligan]

Ever seen the high maintenance girlfriend fishing commercial where the guy jumps out the boat?  One similar to that.  Guy and his significant other are arguing, have been about 40 minutes.  We can hear them yelling at one another from 1/4 mile away.  All the sudden we hear "sploosh" and,  "Good luck getting your boat home, I'm taking the truck."  Lady swims the 1/4 mile or more back to the dock, walks to the truck, drops the trailer where it sits, takes the truck.  It was pretty comical.

[Huntnfish]

Once we were fishing this little lake and there was maybe 6 or 8 other people fishing nearby. Everyone was mostly targeting catfish. There was this one guy maybe 100 yds from us fishing off this long point and suddenly he jumps up and runs down the bank and grabs his rod and proceeds to give it the ultimate hookset. Well, he hooks up and we're all watching to see what it looks like. Meanwhile he's still fighting this fish like a madman. It made me tired just watching. He was really into it, I guess. A few mins later I see this huge tail break the surface. Its a channel cat maybe 20-25lb range and he is giving it heck trying to get it on the bank. Then I see him reach and grab his line and start pulling and I'm thinking to myself this is going to end badly. Then the line snaps and the guy throws his rod down and start screaming. Now It has happened to everybody at one time or another, but this guy runs down about waist deep in the water, catches and starts pulling in his line and walking out deeper in the water till he's almost chest deep. We are all rolling laughing at this sight then he dunks his head underwater and is wrestling around with this fish. I'm thinking that I would have just let it go and walk away with my dignity. When he comes back up he staggers toward the shoreline and just when I think he is about to fall down at the waters edge he heaves this big old fish up to the bank. Everyone fishing the area just breaks out yelling and clapping. Never seen anything like that, heck I never heard of anything like that.

Sounds like Iaconelli out there

[Lund Explorer]

Quite a few years ago, my long time buddy Mike and I were fishing in a tournament.  After hitting a few of our favorite spots with so-so luck, we decided that we needed to start fishing docks if we were going to weigh in a limit that day.  A half hour later found us moving down a row of docks with an assortment of jet-skis, runabouts, and pontoons tied to them.  Mike who was in the front of the boat was fishing a T-Rig worm with a small pegged slip sinker while I was in the back tossing whatever I could when the opportunity presented itself.  Skipping a worm up under a pontoon boat requires fairly good eye-hand coordination to skip the worm on both a flat trajectory, and through a very narrow gap between one of the pontoon logs and the motor.  Mike was pretty darn good at it, but even he would miss once in awhile.  And on this day, one of those misses led to this story.

So anyhow, we pull up close to this pontoon boat and Mike fires off a cast aimed to get under the boat.  Unfortunately, he misses by a good 6".  The sinker in the lead slams into the back of the aluminum log with the sound close to a rifle shot.  This was immediately followed by a woman's scream as she jumps straight up off of the pontoon's rear bench seat.  She had been sunbathing there were we couldn't see her, in what could best be described here as "less than scantily clad"!

Less than a minute later, she sits back upright with a few more clothes on, and Mike apologizes profusely for scaring her.  The lady accepted this and then hurried her way down the dock to shore and into the cottage.  My buddy hits the trolling motor into high gear as he headed for the next dock.  As we were pulling up to it, he let off the trolling motor, turned around to look at me, and stated with a grin that he thought we should concentrate on pontoons the rest of the day!   ;D

Though we never saw her again, every return trip we made to that lake, Mike always had to swing back by there.  My buddy passed away a few years ago, and I have never been back to that lake.  But if I ever get the chance, I'm sure this memory will have me fishing that dock again.

[clayton86]

About 10 years back we were kids fishing at the local river. My best friend Clay caught a dink bullhead and threw it at one of our buddys CJ hitting him in the face and the bullhead stuck its fin right threw CJs cheek and started flappin hanging there. It was hilarious we still joke about when we see CJ hes the bouncer at the local bar now.

[ryalred]

I took my wife salmon fishing one time in the Pacific Northwest to one of my favorite runs and there were quite a few people there, but they were all men. I showed my wife everything to do and she caught a salmon in short order. One older man, who had been there since sun-up (it was about 1:00 p.m. when she caught the fish), stopped fishing and gathered everything up and left. As he was going up the hill from the river I overheard him say "blankedy, blank Women!"

[Sam]

Prefishing the Historic James River three years ago with a guy in my bass club when the guy, we'll call him Charlie, got his favorite crankbait (Taco Salad) snagged on the bottom.

He pulled and huffed and yelled but to no avail. It would not budge.

So Charlie took out his hook retriever and ran it down the line and started to pull and shake the cord.

But the cord snapped and all Charlie had was the cord in his hand and a snagged crankbait.

He got really upset and grabbed the rod and started to yank and pull as hard as he could when the snag came loose and he reeled it to the surface.

It was a boot.

An old army boot.

I just about fell out of the boat laughing.

I then asked Charlie if his hook retriever was in the boot so he took a look and then looked back at me and said "no."

I asked him if he wanted to try to find its mate, which he did not find humourous.

Charlie got his Taco Salad crankbait back and we continued to prefish down the river.

So when you see cartoons with guys catching boots, just remember me and Charlie on the James River. 

[Shad_Master]

There have been so many - here are a couple:

1) Was fishing a tournament on a point near the ramp when a car pulling a boat pulled up and about 6 teenage guys got out.  They proceeded to try to back the boat down the ramp without any success - each guy gave it a try and each one jack knifed it either right or left - they huddled up and talked it over and decided to unhook the boat from the trailer hitch and walk it down - the boat started rolling and did a turn before they could get it stopped - it took all 6 of them to drag it back up, put it on the hitch and drive away.

2) Had been fishing with a guide on Table Rock when my son was about 8 years old - we were drop shotting in about 70 feet of water and the fish were suspended at 30 feet - we caught a good limit a piece.  Next week my son and I went to the local lake and decided to try DSing - I rigged one up for him and told him to let out line 'til he felt it hit bottom and then turn the crank.  I proceeded to rig one up for me and when I turned around he was still letting line out - I said, I told you to turn the crank when it hit bottom - he said I never felt it hit bottom - I said turn the crank and when he did his line went taught and a fish jumped about 50 yards on the other side of the boat - we did manage to get that one in but it wasn't easy.

[Hooligan]

Quite a few years ago......dock again.

That brings to mind the time we were LOZ.  We'd fished a couple spots around Fish Hatchery Cove, and had nothing but little spots.  Decided to run a ways up to Pogue.  We get up there only to find a gigantic party at one of the places on Indian Point.  There were a few...uh...indecently exposed young ladies around that party, as well as some other shenanigans going on.

We motored out of there pretty quick, it wasn't going to be long at all and there was going to be enforcement around.

[grimlin]

I watch carp fishermen forget to lock their rod and a carp taking off with it. They literally strip to their underwear and go in after it.

Quite entertaining.

[200racing]

our church youth minister is a big boy. one day while he was fishing with us he got hung. i laid off the front of our tall bow CC wellcraft.i was strugling and said i cant reach it. he grabbed my belt (i was in jrhigh)picked me up then lower me beside the boat i got his lure he picked me back up in the boat. we all laughed till our sides hurt.

went fishing with my granddad one day. noticed the boat filling with water shortly. after launch retrailered the boat he had put the plug in the hole for the bilge pump

my cuz got hung went to ****** it loose. the line broke his rod gave him a nice red mark right between the eyes.

same cuz late at night we're running down th ICW in bon secure AL using a spot light to see the way. noticed finger mullet jumping near shore but we were done for the night and didnt get off plane. next thing my cousin yells and there is a huge racket in the boat.spotlight my cousin hes hunched over holding his shoulder and there is a 2.5lb mullet flopping in the bottom of the boat.....guess it wasnt just finger mullet juming

[IndianaBassin]

I was fishing across a small lake from a couple of guys who were duck hunting from a boat.  They had called a few in and I quit fishing to see how good of a shot these guys were.  The ducks were flying directly at the boat when the guys cut loose and began shooting.  They hit one of the ducks and it continued its original path straight at the guys boat.  Turns out it was heading straight at the guy who was at the front of the boat. 

At this point the guy had two choices:  get drilled by a dead duck traveling at a high rate of speed, or jump into 45 degree water.  He chose the latter just in time.  The guy looked like he would have been running on water as fast as he got out of that boat.  The duck ended up hitting the floor of the boat right where the guy was standing. 

I went over to see if the guy needed any help.  There was a dent in his aluminum boat where the duck hit.  Fortunately the guy was in pretty good spirits about the deal, and was laughing about it when he was trying to get back into his boat.  I'll never forget that guy scrambling around trying to decide what to do. 

[clayton86]

I was fishing across a small lake from a couple of guys who were duck hunting from a boat. They had called a few in and I quit fishing to see how good of a shot these guys were. The ducks were flying directly at the boat when the guys cut loose and began shooting. They hit one of the ducks and it continued its original path straight at the guys boat. Turns out it was heading straight at the guy who was at the front of the boat.

At this point the guy had two choices: get drilled by a dead duck traveling at a high rate of speed, or jump into 45 degree water. He chose the latter just in time. The guy looked like he would have been running on water as fast as he got out of that boat. The duck ended up hitting the floor of the boat right where the guy was standing.

I went over to see if the guy needed any help. There was a dent in his aluminum boat where the duck hit. Fortunately the guy was in pretty good spirits about the deal, and was laughing about it when he was trying to get back into his boat. I'll never forget that guy scrambling around trying to decide what to do.

That reminds me of a show I watched with Tom Knapp he was in mexico on a dove hunt and they had people retrieving the doves. It showed a flock I guess it would be of doves coming in and he said he was gonna hit so and so with the lead bird. he shoots this dove it starts falling and he shoots it again to recorrect its flight and pegs the guy it was awsome. Not fishing related but kinda like that story 

[Fishing Cowgirl]

We were fishing a couples tournament on Lake Conway and we in the same area as some guides using shiners for their clients. There were seagulls around going after baitfish popping up. The bass were hitting on them, so it was working out well for us too.

This lady was doing pretty good catching some bass on the shiners, until we heard her saying "Noooooooooo!! This isn't what I had in mind".. A seagull had snatched up her bait as it hit the water and was trying to fly off with it, and she's trying to reel it back in, and the shiner is flapping, dangling about 2 foot below the bird. She did get her bait back, however it was an amusing break inthe fishing action.

[BlackBass19]

We were fishing a couples tournament on Lake Conway and we in the same area as some guides using shiners for their clients. There were seagulls around going after baitfish popping up. The bass were hitting on them, so it was working out well for us too.

This lady was doing pretty good catching some bass on the shiners, until we heard her saying "Noooooooooo!! This isn't what I had in mind".. A seagull had snatched up her bait as it hit the water and was trying to fly off with it, and she's trying to reel it back in, and the shiner is flapping, dangling about 2 foot below the bird. She did get her bait back, however it was an amusing break inthe fishing action.

A few years back me, my uncle and my two cousins were fishing the back bays around Ocean City, NJ. The fishing was bad so we decided to head in. On the way back we saw a hoard of diving seagulls over the dunes so we followed.

We found these two guys chucking spoons into a pile of drifting dead minnows and diving gulls. It only took a minute or so before one of them hooked a really nice seagull. It took him awhile to get the seagull back to the boat. When he did his buddy grabbed the bird and pinned to the deck. They spent five minutes digging the treble hook out of its beak, what a mess...But at least I forgot about getting skunked.

[WdyCrankbait]

Great stories!  Awesome stuff!

[bigbill]

My older brother took me fishing for the first time when i was 6yo, he was my mentor, my fishing and hunting partner for all of my life till he passed away.  He could press 175lb barbell set with one arm.

Here's my story we were fishing the housatonic river and i was down stream just at the edge of a backwash. The backwash was 40' long and 6' wide to shore. There was a gravel rock shallows in the backwash off the rapid rivers flow. All of a sudden a larger trout jumped out of the water infront of me.  I screamed did you see that?  He said its on my line.  Now my brother fights the fish up to his feet and ready to pick it up and his line breaks.  Now here's my older brother, my mentor on his hands and knees trying to grab the fish on the slippery gravel.  He got it and it was a 21" rainbow and i forget the lbs.  My sides hurt from laughing all the way home that day.

[Bluebasser86]

About 10 years back we were kids fishing at the local river. My best friend Clay caught a dink bullhead and threw it at one of our buddys CJ hitting him in the face and the bullhead stuck its fin right threw CJs cheek and started flappin hanging there. It was hilarious we still joke about when we see CJ hes the bouncer at the local bar now.

Man I've been stuck by catfish fins and if one of my friends did that to me he better be able to outrun me.  >

[tipptruck1]

A few years back my and a buddy are burning the bank along some docks. I am not really paying attention to what hes doing. Next thing I know hes freaking out like a little girl. Then I feel the front of the boat make a very fast right turn.

I turn around to see him still freaking out like a little girl. I am like what the blank dude. He starts pointing at the dock. I am thinking there is some sort of mammal wanting a free ride. I am like what. Hes like look at that spider. Mind you me with my 20/20 vision didn't see a thing.

So he turned the boat a little closer for me. To me it looked like a wolf spider. But it was like 4-6x4. Hes still up front freaking out like a little girl asking me if it was real. I am like from what I can tell it was real. He just looks at me and hes like were out of here.

I still do not let that one go. Man I wish I had that on video.

[TheLastRodBender]

None of mine can stand up to these but it's worth a shot.

My buddy and i are fishing a while back. Hitting a bunch of trees along a shoreline. All of a sudden we hear a "SMACK" on the water. We look around and see nothing and dismiss it thinking it was a carp.

About 10 seconds later i look behind the boat and see a little head moving through the water, followed by a squarrel climbing out of the water and onto shore. Then shaking the water off and looking disoriented.

I dont know what was so funny about it but my buddy and i were in TEARS laughing about a squarrel falling out of a tree. The drop was probably a good 25 - 30 feet and the little bugger ran off afterwards.

Another one -

My buddy and i were out fishing a couple weeks ago... he hooked into a fish and was bringin it in.  I then asked him if he needed a net... as i do that i catch a glimps of her.  She's a 4.5 lb HAWG and i scramble.  I reach down to grab her (disregarded the net at this point) and cant lip her.  I try to grab her with my hands, just as she flops and goes AIRBORN.... so i reach for her again... AIRBORN and she slides straight up in the air through my arms.... looked like something out of a cartoon.  I ended up landing her and as soon as she was int he boat my buddy and i shared TEARS laughing...