Dave, I usually think of you as The Trout Slayer. I think I’ll have to add “iphone killer”.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Love this thread! glad i am not alone…
here’s one: my rookie shrimping season when i was a younger man. 16 foot War Eagle/20hp Johnson. our first night shrimping excursion, with low tide being around 9:30 or so. my partner knocked off from work a little later than expected so i got all the equipment loaded up, checked trailer lights and tires, plug is in, bow/stern lights working, and Q-Beam functioning properly. grabbed a sandwich and sat on the porch waiting for him. he arrives around 6:15 and we headed out right away. about 2 miles down the road, at around 6:18, i see sparks flying over my motor in my rearview! freaking out i whip the trailer over and jump out running. the lid for my battery box had gotten left on the ground in the yard where i had tested the spotlight! the battery had tipped over on the floor and was arcing on the side of my old Jonson metal fuel tank. when i saw that i screamed like a 5 year old girl as i yanked the battery out away from the tank. fortunately i noticed the sparks and reacted quickly enough that the tank had only burn marks from the battery posts and had not penetrated holes into the gas tank.
emotionally shaken up, we hooked everything back up in place and used a life jacked to seperate the battery and fuel tank for the rest of the night. the next day after i ran the river burning all that fuel out, i went out and bought a generic plastic fuel tank to replace the old school metal one that was a little too conductive.
i now have the battery wired permanently with 12 V outlets run to the bow and one to the stern so the lid stays with the box and only gets slid over to allow for battery charging and there is no more need for spring battery clips for the spotlight.
Ryan~
I was trolling for Speckled Sea Trout, and as I went to put the last rod in the rod holder, the rod slipped out of my hand and went into the water. As I tried to reach for it, I was so focused on getting my hands on the rod, I went in the drink after it. I still didn’t get the rod, and the water was about 48 degrees at the moment. The ride home was cold too. But, I put on some dry clothes and went right back out and ended the day with a limit of trout. Now that I have a much nicer and stable boat, I serously doubt that will ever happen again, and I usually don’t make the same mistake twice very often.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
Mine is an oh ****…but I got lucky.
About 3 years ago id fished, and had a halfway decent day. It was fall. I got back to the ramp, put the boat on the trailer and proceeded to take the rods and garmin off the boat and into my truck. I retrieved my wallet and iPhone from a rear storage compartment and placed them, (in the resealable poly bag I put them in) on the rear deck of my boat. Even as I did it I thought thats stupid… you could easily start doing other things (trimming the motor up, putting the transom straps on etc) and forget all about them…which is exactly what I did.
My drive home is may be 20 minutes and this includes the road to my house, which is 7 miles long, narrow and with very few houses. I get 5 minutes from home and go to call my wife. No phone in the truck. Where was it last…oh ****…i realized everything. My boat is a flats boat so the deck is, well flat. At some point in the last 15 minutes the bag with my phone ($250) and wallet ($100+ credit cards) has slid off…somewhere. Its beginning to get dark and theres no place to turn a pickup and 20’ boat on this friggin stupid little road. Eventually I find a place and need to concentrate cos I’m panicking and could easily do something else stupid. My mind is going like crazy. It probably slid off pretty quick. May be even before I left the parking lot. But I was the last trailer so may be no one else found it. I hope. Anyway I know once it gets dark Im screwed. But I cannot drive fast cos I’ll never see the little plastic bag with my stuff in it.
Im just turning into the ramp parking area and i see it, i think, at the side of the road. Slam breaks on and retrieve it. Bag is split. Its obviously been run over. Phone case is cracked, but not the phone screen. Wow someone this stupid doesn’t really deserve this amount of luck.
I figured I must have an angel somewhere after all. And may be I should go to church a little more often…
Richard E.
Oh, wait… I remember one of those moments now.
I thought I had no need for a bilge pump with my sealed deck and scupper holes. Well a bad storm came up and blew leaves in the boat some how, clogged the scupper holes and rained like hell. Came home from work to find this.
1971 NEWPORT DAYSAILER 21’
1970 MAKO CC 22’
^^^How could you forget that!?^^^ Ouch, tough lesson. How’d you get her back up? I always wondered.
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90,
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
quote:It was actually simpler that I would have thought. I got a case of beer, and called my buddy. Before you know it I had 6 guys in that cold water helping me float it over to the ramp. there was a little air pocket that barley gave it some buoyancy. The motor dragged the bottom the whole way. luckily I was only 40 yards from a ramp. I cleaned out the motor and fired it up the next day. But it never ran right after that. I wasn't too upset about it. I got every dollar out of that boat after all the abuse I gave it over the years.
Originally posted by JLeephoto How'd you get her back up? I always wondered.
1971 NEWPORT DAYSAILER 21’
1970 MAKO CC 22’
Geez it’s hot! Too hot to fiberglass boats today. I’ve got to change my working hours to the night shift. 102 in the shade already. Stick a fork in me, I’m done.
I feel the need to conclude my story of Jeremy and Ricky at the boat ramp. We caught a lot of fish that day, over 100 reds and trout. They fell in love with it and I took them out often. About a year later Ricky was diagnosed with inoperable terminal cancer, at 31 years old, and he went downhill fast. Chose to die at home instead of a hospital. One morning his Mom called me at about 0600, told me Ricky had fallen out of bed and she couldn’t get him back in. I reckon not, he weighs 250 even decimated, her probably 100. And she had just lost her husband to cancer a few months before.
So I go to help, they live close. Between us we got him back in bed and settled. He was in a bad way, real bad, I didn’t think he’d make it another day. Pure yellow and could barely talk. But he held his hand up to me and I took it. Then he said, Mr Larry, it’s time for me to go now, but I want to thank you for all the times you took me fishing and everything you taught me, they were the best times of my life. And thank you for never getting mad when we let your boat go down the river…I told him boats don’t matter, only people matter. He said that’s why he was thanking me. I broke down in tears. He told me not to cry, he was at peace with God and the world. He died a couple hours later. I hope I can go out with that kind of dignity.
We never know how our simplest actions may effect or reflect on others. I’ll never forget Ricky. Still fish with Jeremy.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Friend is launching bass boat alone and backs the boat and trailer into the water, and un hooks the boat. He gets in the boat, cranks the motor but the trailer is not far enough in, and the motor won’t pull the boat off… He mistalkenly leaves it in reverse, goes back to the truck and backs it farther in the water. Of course the boat takes off and begins circling backwards. After a while it came near enough to the dock so he could jump in and get his boat back.
Same guy was backing boat into a parking space at a motel. The foot of the motor hit a window unit air conditioner and knocked it into the motel room.
He was a good guy who loved fishing but he was dangerous with a boat rig.
OM
Cracker Larry
That’s a Tuff story to read, but a great one. It just goes to show you that being nice to people and doing little things goes such a long way. At the end of the day or when you’re at the end of your line, all you have is your family, friends, and good memories. That’s motivation when you’re rushing through the daily routine and just take a second and help someone or simply say something nice.
1971 NEWPORT DAYSAILER 21’
1970 MAKO CC 22’
Dang Larry, its stories like yours that remind me of how good most of us have it and how fortunate we are. Thank you.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Just my most recent was coming off the lake trying to beat the downpour that was imminent at any second. Whipped the trailer down that ramp, ran and got the boat, ran it up the trailer…flawless, hooked that baby up, jumped off the boat, got in the truck and pulled it up to the tie-down area. As the rain began to drown me as I was tying the boat down heard a buzzing alarm sound and just couldn’t figure where that was coming from. Finally climbed back up in the boat only to realize the motor was still running and that was a over-heat alarm. How my impeller didn’t burn up is beyond me, but it still works. Love the four strokes, but sometimes they are a little too quiet!
Key West 196;150 Yammie
Life Is Good…Gotta Love It!!!
Things you don’t like to hear…
Capt, there sure is a lot of water in the cabin. Is that normal? [:0]
Sheared off transducer. Thank the lord for wood plugs and good pumps.
Capt, there sure is a lot of smoke in the cabin. Is that normal? [:0]
Engine room fire. Thank the Lord for automatic Halon systems.
Capt., there is a man convulsing on the floor, I think he’s having a heart attack [:0] Nope, heat stroke. Did CPR for 2 hours waiting on CG. Thank the Lord for first aid training. He made it.
Capt, there sure is a lot of water down here [:0] Geez, again. Plastic thru hull transducers are not a good idea.
Capt, I think my wife just broke her leg [:0]
I ain’t no doctor, but from the looks of that bone sticking out I’d say you’re right. Thank the Lord for a good first aid kit, and knowing where the pressure points are. Lot of blood!
Capt, we are hijacking this boat. You take us to these co-ordinates or we cut your throat [:0]
Thank the Lord for Smith and Wesson. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Delivered them to the CG wrapped in duct tape with only one small hole in one of them.
Capt,wake up! I think that ship is going to run over us [:0]
Sure enough! Cut the anchor line! We got to go now!
Capt, there sure is a lot of water down here, is that normal? [:0]
Yeah, seems to be lately. Time to switch transducers to bronze…
Capt, I just cut my ear off [:0]
That was ugly.
That’s all for now. Boats to build 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Capt. Larry I’d love to buy you a drink or 8 of your choice and pick your brain, there’s no telling what’ll come out. I foresee a book deal, movie rights…
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90,
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
I feel like the hijacking and ear story require full details. Just too good to leave everyone hanging haha
^^^^^^^^^agreed do tell Larry.
1971 NEWPORT DAYSAILER 21’
1970 MAKO CC 22’
Got a call one day from a shrimp trawler. Capt was saying the boy got wrapped up in the cable winch drum. They had got him unwrapped, but he said he didn’t think the boy was going to make it. I told him over the radio, on the way to them, how to treat for shock. When we got there the boy looked like he had a broken neck(massive swelling), cable burns and cuts from head to toe, and his ear was hanging off. It was only held by a little bit of the lobe. I took out some tape, put it back in place, stuck some tape over it, stood back, looked and thought “well it’s just a little crooked”, so I adjusted it a little and thought “perfect”! You’re right though, that is an ugly sight! I had called in a helo to come get him. He recovered fine. He even came by the station after he healed up a little and found out his jaw was shattered and not his neck, lucky! The ear looked good though. They had stitched it right back in place.
Key West 196;150 Yammie
Life Is Good…Gotta Love It!!!
quote:
that is an ugly sight! I had called in a helo to come get him. He recovered fine.
I sure do appreciate the USCG and the job they do, usually. They did sink me once but that’s another story. Shot me up once outside of Mariel, Cuba too, that’s another story. Any of you old shrimpers get involved with the Mariel boat lift? I made 16 good trips and a million dollars in 3 months. The 17th trip was awful. Should have quit at 16. Got greedy. Takes 8 drinks to tell that story and I ain’t no millionaire. How about fishing for square grouper in the early 70s?
Those stories need a campfire and a lot of drinks.
quote:
I feel like the hijacking and ear story require full details.
The hijacking story takes a few drinks too. We’ll leave that one alone right now. Cooling off with drink #1 now
The ear is worth talking about and it won’t violate any statue of limitations and such. Might save somebody from grief one day. I hated that, it was my fault. As captain I’m in charge of the well being of everyone on my boat and I take it serious.
We were slow trolling live blue runners for kings over a wreck, about 20 miles out of Savannah. Beautiful day, light breeze, fish biting good. What could go wrong? I was training a new mate, 16 year old kid. Good fisherman, hard worker, but hadn’t learned yet to pay attention or follow instructions. Right f@@@ing now.
I always rigged live trolling baits with about 20-30’ of drop back loop, with clothespin type clips both on the outriggers and flat lines. This gives the fish several seconds of slack after it makes the initial hit, time to eat it before the line comes tight. Very effective m
Larry Shusss! Ain’t everyone knows about them Square Grouper and them that do don’t tell of them! Cast a bad light on us old folk:wink: What happened in South Florida stays in South Florida! Sides, it wasn’t any good after you got it caught anyway.
Taste all moldy.
quote:
Larry Shusss! Ain't everyone knows about them Square Grouper and them that do don't tell of them! Cast a bad light on us old folk What happened in South Florida says in South Florida!
I figured there was more than one of me Had to pay the bills, Easy, and what happened in Staniel Cay when I was 17 years old, I ain’t talking about now.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose