Not sure about the fish you caught but here is a story about how quick the weather can change. I'm sure most everyone has there own story but here is mine.

My buddy rented a MWR boat from post so we could do some duck hunting (Texas). My two buddy's and myself headed out across about 3 miles of open deep water. It was glass on the way out. Not a single ounce of wind (bad duck hunting weather). We got all the way across the lake when all of the sudden the motor threw a rod. We all looked at each other and thought "O well. no big deal, we'll just call a friend." My buddy (not the one who rented the boat) guided duck hunters on the lake a bunch and said he'll just call one of his other guide friends. Well......... no one anwered. We decided to row to shore (not very far) and we'll setup and start hunting and when we get ahold of someone, they can come get us. Finally, after about 3 hours we got ahold of his buddy. Problem......his boat motor also just pooped out. He decided to pick up my other buddy's 12 foot jon boat (only boat available) and come get us. It was going to take about 2 hours before he would be to us. No problem right........WRONG. We had a 18 foot jon and he would be pulling us with the 12 footer. We all laughed but we knew it could be done so we went back to hunting. Just when he pulled up to get us the weather took a huge dive. It went from glass to 5 foot waves in seconds. This is when we looked at each other with that look " I'm not sure we are going to make it through this" but we tied the boats together and gave it a go. We left all the decoys behind and started out. I still had waders on and decided that a life jacket wasn't going to help so I decided not to put one on. Really dumb idea, don't ever do that!! After about 30 minutes we made it to the boat ramp. Mission complete, or so we thought. As we were putting the boats on the trailers, the boats took some huge waves over the back and both boats sank at the boat ramp. After another hour or so we finally got the boats on the trailers, but not before so more carnage. As we were loading the rental boat a wave picked it up and slammed it on the trailer guide on stuck it right through the bottom of the boat. When we returned the boat on the Monday, the MWR guys looked at us said " What in the heck happened to our boat?" I told him the story and we were free of all charges. Moral of the story, do what slow4g64 says; have a float plan, watch the weather, have all necessary safety equipment, and have a means to get ahold of help if needed.

Here are a few pics after the boats finally got loaded.

 

Slo4-

No motors needed on our upcoming smallie trip. And you're in the same flotilla as Pierman so he can keep an eye on you there too!

 

I was messin w/ pierman the whole night too.. He went in the back of his house to get ruthie and when they came out i started singing too him... "Don't you know that your my hero!" lol he was just like Shut-up and we all laughed

 

Trout, that looks like the ICW lol

 

Great job Tim on the pull. Conditions on the water can change with a blink of an eye... Glad you were able to float up to and hook on to the pier while waiting it out.

 

It was almost a complete circle, almost like a spade style... It had lips, and almost what looked like a face. Its dorsil fin had a long "thread" hanging off of it that was as long as its body. And it was white... never seen anything like it before caught it in my cast net at shell rock landing the other morning.

Sounds like you caught a "lookdown". Its a member of the jack family. lookdown fish with jpg picture and description

 

That was it TA.... it was a really bizarre fish

 

I have never caught one of those. Cool! Happy to hear that you survived your "series of mis fortunate events" both on your maiden voyage and on your previous tour of duty. With regards to the latter, thank you for all you have done.

 

your welcome... That reminds me.... this has never happened till the other day. I was at redbarn getting smokes and a soda and i seen a car pull up n a gentleman got out and you could just tell he was a marine. He took one look at me... walked over... stuck his hand out... and goes "Semper Fi Marine, Thank You" And then he left... I was amazed just never had anyone do that before.

 

Great report Slow. I think what sets you apart from a lot of new boaters is your after-the-fact assessment of how you can improve the next trip. A lot of people don't.

 

Putting in at the $3 dollar ramp saves a lot of time when storms brew in the afternoons....

Lessons well learned and sure you will be able to pass those lessons on to new boaters..

I was thinking more along the lines of a juvinile African Pompano. I have seen lots of these caught in cast
nets in our area.

 

It was def a lookdown, it didn't have the long anal fins like that fish. and it look like it ran into the bait bucket a few times.

 

Going to hopefully attempt Maiden Voyage Pt. 2 tonight... hopefully the weather stays nice, they are calling for storms... we will see.

 

1. ALWAYS CHECK THE WEATHER... STORMS COME OUT OF NO WHERE... my favorite quote i heard about NC is "if you don't like the weather wait 10 min"...
QUOTE]

Hey silly, i talked to you on the phone right before you launched and told you that it was getting bad in Richlands and that it was coming your way. Now im not gonna tell you that I told you so or anything, but next time listen lol. I am an avid person that enjoys weather and try to watch it alot when the storms are coming.

 

lol, richlands is far away from queens creek, and when i launched it was crystal clear

 

Glad you were ok andy... Good job on the rescue tim

 

Spangler ...I love to take lightning pics and an avid weather watcher, looks like we have something in common!!!

 

Please be careful out there slow, Thank God your ok and Tim rescued you!

 

THANKS!!!! Tim for rescueing Slow from his what could have been a disaster. Great Job!!!!!!!

 

*** The rain slowed and i went back to my boat.... the back end was 1/2 filled with water and the motor still would not crank... Thats when i heard an engine... so i pull myself to the end of the dock thinking it was my buddy nate.... Nope, it was none other than NCP and the "Queens Revenge"...

I had to circle back on this one. For some reason that scene reminds me of those night time shots in Apocalypse Now where marines are standing in water up to their necks under Vietnamese huts and they can hear the Viet Cong approaching them. Probably not many here remember that flick but those scenes were haunting.

 

I had to circle back on this one. For some reason that scene reminds me of those night time shots in Apocalypse Now where marines are standing in water up to their necks under Vietnamese huts and they can hear the Viet Cong approaching them. Probably not many here remember that flick but those scenes were haunting.

'I love the smell of Gulp juice in the morning...........'

 

that movie gave me nightmares... it was really bizzare though

 

Maiden voyage & alone are words that are best not put together for me

 

Slo - nice discussion of your trip and reminder that we all need to focus on safety equipment and the weather. It's safety safety safety First, Last and always. That's what brings us home after we catch the fish.

Peter.

 

you know NC has the "graveyard of the Atlantic" because storms blow up so fast here. If its within 50 miles of you it can be on top of you within an hour. Thats doesnt include the stuff that just "appears" from the water. Be careful.

 

slow, I told you that renaming a boat is bad luck. Just kidding buddy. Thanks for letting others know of your distress. That is a good safety reminder that we all need to think about.