# Stupidest thing you ever did on the water???



## nathanielrthomas (May 19, 2011)

So last week I was tying on a jig and I pulled out my leatherman to cut the tail off the knot. I clipped it, and instead of tossing the jig off the edge of my boat, i tossed my leatherman, in 20' of water. FAIL


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## etindoll (May 19, 2011)

A few years back my son and I were out fishing and I didn't realize he had layed his rod and reel down behind me in the boat so wouldn't you know next cast I slung his rod and reel out of the boat never to be seen again. He still prods me about that and he was around seven then he is twelve now.


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## Jim (May 19, 2011)

Went fishing by myslef after partying the night before. I was so excited to get out on the water that I backed the truck up to the ramp jumped out to unhook the boat and almost got clotheslined by the door of the truck...........I forgot to put it in park. :shock:


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## SkagBass (May 19, 2011)

Where to start? The list gets longer with each trips passing. When netting a fish for my wife, i reached in and pulled the fish out to give to her and tossed the net aside (into the lake). I have fallen off the bow of a buddies bass boat in 60' of water. But the one that gets me the most is dropping the boat into the lake and forgetting to put the plug in. It only happened once, nearly sunk the boat.


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## BOB350RX (May 19, 2011)

ONE TRIP I REMEMBER A FRIEND OF MINE WAS HOME ON LEAVE SO I TOOK HIM FISHING HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH HIS FISHING POLE SO I TOOK IT TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM I MADE 1 CAST WITH IT ADJUSTED THE END OF THE ROD (WAS A 2 PC) SO THE GUIDES WHERE ALLIGNED PROPERLY MADE ANOTHER CAST WITH IT AND THE END OF THE ROD AND A 9 DOLLAR LURE WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR, BOTH NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN, HE BOUGHT THAT ROD THE NIGHT BEFORE. AND I DESTROYED IT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES,


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## KMixson (May 19, 2011)

I launched the boat, traveled to my spot to start fishing, dropped the anchor and realized I had left all of my rods in the back of my pick-up at the landing. I had to travel back to the landing to retrieve them. Felt like a fool.


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## fender66 (May 19, 2011)

Got home from work....quickly changed clothes and hitched up the boat. On my drive to the lake, I kept hearing something making a weird "chunking" noise behind the truck. Finally pulled over in a gas station to see what the problem was and discovered that my trailer was sitting on TOP of the ball and not locked down on it. I had already drove about 3 or 4 miles like that. #-o I'll NEVER make that mistake again.


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## gillhunter (May 19, 2011)

This may not be the stupidest thing, but it is something I'll never be able to forget. When I was 8 years old my Grandparents, who were farmers, took me fishing. It was my first time using a closed faced rod and reel rather than a cane pole. My grandfather, who was sitting behind me, had warned me twice that I just about taken his hat off on while casting. I remember after few casts later I announced to my Grandmother, who was sitting in front of me, that I had cast out so I couldn't see where it had landed. I then heard my grandfather mumble that he knew where it had landed. I turned around and he was sitting there with my hook in his upper lip. He told me that it would have to be cut out. I asked my grandmother if she was going to do it. She said she couldn't. I asked my grandfather if we were going to have to go the the doctor to have it cut out. My grandfather's reply was if he went to the doctor he would hear about it the rest of his life. But if I cut it out I would get to hear about it the rest of my life. 

That man sat there, never made a sound and had an 8 year old cut a #6 panfish hook out of his upper lip with a pocket knife. 

That event happened 50 years ago this summer. Why do I still remember it so vividly? Because my grandfather was right. Not a family gathering has gone by that I haven't been reminded of the time I "caught" Grandpa. 

He did take me fishing after that, and I never hooked him, or anyone else for that matter again.


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## one100grand (May 19, 2011)

I can't even begin to determine which is the dumbest thing I've ever done, but I have a laundry list of stupid things. 

I bought a brand new aerated bucket (the blue one w/the aerator inside) and promptly dipped it into the water while on in order to fill it...immediately ruining the electronics.

Sadly I've lost grip on more than one rod while casting and lost them.

I've tossed lures into the water while they weren't tied on to the line.

I've launched the boat with no plug in it (it fills with water very quickly btw)

I've been in a canoe when high centered on a sandbar, someone (not me thankfully) leaned the canoe into the water trying to wiggle the canoe loose (this also fills the boat with water quickly)

I've lost more than a couple of minnow buckets by simply dropping them into 20'+ of water

Shut the door on a brand new pole whilst in the parking lot of the store where it was purchased.

I know there are several other stupid things, but they don't come to mind just yet...I'm sure I'll have others to update in this thread


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## sbm2240 (May 19, 2011)

I got one to add, well multiple, but this was one of the worst. 

I had just purchased an 18ft 1980 glastron boat (my first boat) and towed it up to Maine for vacation with my wife and kids. This was also my first time taking the boat out since the test run when purchased. The loading dock is about 1/4 mile from my family's place, and after a 3 hour ride with two kids, I couldn't wait to get the boat on the water. So rather than going to our place first to unload everything, I pulled directly into the boat ramp and got the boat in the water. I had my wife and kids stand a few feet in the water to hold the boat as I drove the truck to our place so I could walk back and drive the boat around the lake to dock it.

Well, as I'm walking back to the boat ramp I hear my wife yelling in panic to me. I start running towards the boat ramp (side note here... I realized at that moment how out of shape I was and literally ran for only a few feet) only to find my wife up to her waist in water, my kids crying... guess what i forgot... THE PLUG! The boat had slowly sank to the sandy bottom (luckily the ramp is at the shallow part of the lake at just about 2-4ft. I felt like an a$$ and my kids got to see it first hand!

I couldn't budge the boat, as it had about 2ft of water in it. I had to call my uncle and cousin to come help pump out the water (yes, no bilge pump was in the boat either) and drag it back onto the trailer almost 5 hrs later. 

Dont you just love family vacations!


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## G3_Guy (May 19, 2011)

A school buddy of mine and I were fishing a tournament on Douglas one evening back in the late 90's. The fish had been biting the crankbait pretty good so we were both standing in the front of the boat casting. He was throwing his usual Bandit 300 and I was throwing my #9 Risto Rap on a spinning rod. As we were cruising up the bank I laid the hammer down and gave one of those superman casts we all like to do from time to time (dont lie, you know you've done it  ). About that time I felt a thud and watched my hat and my crankbait go flying off into the lake in front of me. Dazed, I put my hand on my head and brought it back down only to notice I had blood all over it. At this point we're both a little scared, I ask my buddy to take a look and see what happened. He responds with an "oh my lord, you've got a hole in your head" (keep you comments to yourself). Being the genius I am (insert sarcasm here), I reach down and get one of my hand towels, dip it in the lake water and then proceed to place it on my head to stop the bleeding. Don't ask because I really don't know what I was thinking at this point... We took couple of minutes to gather ourselves and once we were a little more settled, I wound my lure and my hat back into the boat. One of the treble hooks had went through my hat and hanging from the hook was piece of my scalp about the size of a dime. I cut the hat and then the flesh from the hook, put the hat on over the towel and continued fishing through the night. Yet another memory I'll never forget... My buddy and I still talk and laugh about it to this day.


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## freetofish (May 19, 2011)

Well this is kinda like "can you top this". Sounds like I am not the only one to forget to put the plug in the boat. Not the only one to throw a net overboard or step on a just bought rod. I would guess the dumbest thing that has happened to me was not of my doing other than I should have knowen better.....While fishing at night and trolling along with the small gas motor with me standing in the front of the small jon boat I anounced to the now X friend that I need to ah. go to the bathroom. He said just lean over to one side and we'll keep trolling so as to not loose our depth.... I no sooner than had started to ah, go to the bathroom, when he shut off the motor... I am here to tell you that no matter how much you flail your arms in windmill fashion you cannot get back to an upright position... I threw the rod and reel into the boat and In I went... water very cold.. Me very mad even though we laughed about it many times over the years I will still not go fishing with him ever again.
I now carry a P can in every boat I fish from...


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## dj722000 (May 19, 2011)

Yeah, try and wrestle a trolling motor that someone forgot to tighten down. #-o Do you know how powerful those little things are when youre not expecting it. :shock: Looked like a dang idiot out there trying to land a whale.


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## T-MAN (May 19, 2011)

Backed the boat in the water walked to the back and forgot to put the plug in so i pulled the boat out and let water drain, meanwhile i went and sat down in the car after all the water had drained i backed right back down the ramp to figure out that i had forgoten to put the plug in again. :LOL2:


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## basstender10.6 (May 19, 2011)

One time i was drinking a glass of water while hitching the trailer up to the truck. I placed the glass of water (it was 1/2 full) on the bumper of the car for a minute. Well, i forgot it and made a 10 mile trip to the lake. When i backed the truck down the ramp and went to launch the boat, I found a glass of water on the bumper. I once also did this with a pair of sunglasses. I guess I am a good driver


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## J.P. (May 19, 2011)

while fishing for macks off a philippine outrigger boat called bangka, a friend of mine hooked a 5 foot black tip shark. it was his first shark so instead of cutting the line to release. he insisted that we land it, take photos and release afterwards. we did not have a noose, so he gaffed it in the mouth. my friend gaffs the shark, hauls it on the deck, the shark immediatly flops around, my friend looses control, shark drops on the tiny cockpit and twists and turns around flailing his head with gaping jaws, making us scatter like flies. now these local boats are narrow, we were fishing off a bigger than normal bangka, but even then the open cockpit was only about 4x4 feet, rest of the boat was engine bay and storage space. i was trapped and had nowhere to go but over the side. isn't it ironic? jumping to the water to save myself from a shark attack...... i totally blame myslef for trusting a new guy with such a dangerous animal.


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## BOB350RX (May 20, 2011)

THIS IS A GREAT TOPIC.... KUDDOS I HAVE BEEN LAUGHING ALL MORNING :LOL2: :LOL2:


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## linehand (May 20, 2011)

Last night unloading my boat as usual. Went to get out to detach the rope from my truck and realized I wasn't in park. I was in reverse. I was able to stop it just as the exhaust was submerged. Fortunately there were three teenaged witnesses there to watch. Just seconds from a YouTube boat ramp idiot video. Guess I shouldn't have had that tall boy on the ride to go fishing.


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## BOB350RX (May 20, 2011)

me and a buddy went fishing at this private lake elec motor only lake, anyhow i launched the boat my friend had the lead in his hand, the line went tight and snap!!! my boat was floating steadily away from the dock both of us standing there kinda shocked, so my buddy strips down jumps in and swins about 300 feet to the boat, so i threw his clothes in the back of the truck and went to park it!!! and took my time carrying his clothes back.... he never went fishing with me again :LOL2: dont know why!!!!


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## FishingBuds (May 20, 2011)

At one of my spots, Has a hornet nest in tree, Dummy me got hung up in said tree, after shaking a few time to get loose, hornets got mad, I was lucky

Won't do it again, lesson learned [-X


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## bcbouy (May 20, 2011)

i forgot to change hitch balls one day.the boat came through the back window of the minivan.had the 1 7/8 instead of the 2"


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## SVOMike86 (May 20, 2011)

A year or 2 ago, my buddy and I were gonna put his 12ft V in to do some saltwater inlet fishing. It was the first time we had launched a boat out there so we were pretty excited. We put all our gear in the boat, launched it, as soon as it was in the water I turned around to park the truck. 5 seconds later I heard him start freakin out, so I turned around. Of course, we forgot to put the plug in. The BAD part was, the night before, I had just bought my first "nice" rod, a St. Croix. It being the only 1 pc rod in the boat, kinda hung out the side a little. He, freaking out, frantically pulled the boat back in (which was only in about a foot of water, wouldn't have killed anything to get a couple of life jackets wet). The tip of my rod hit one of the pilings on the dock and, without bending at all, snapped the last 3ft off the tip. Needless to say, since it was such a new badass rod, it was the only one I brought on the trip, so, I had to fish for redfish with a 4ft long rod the rest of the day. 
To top off the day, we were fishing right next to the Marine Science Museum, which has humongous observation windows that look out onto the inlet. I had to pee pretty badly, but it was really choppy, so I did my best and covered up with a jacket and went into the minnow bucket. Well, apparently one of the patrons of our fine Science Museum saw this and decided to call the cops. The next morning, the boys in blue CAME TO MY HOUSE at 6:30am and ARRESTED me. I was court ordered to go to therapy for it. Fun stuff.


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## BaitCaster (May 20, 2011)

Stupidest thing I ever did was on my way to the water. I was trailering the boat a short distance from our campsite in Bon Echo Provincial Park to the boat launch on emorning at about 5:00 am. I had forgotten to attach the winch and, while driving up a hill my boat rolled off the trailer and crashed on to the road. A number of dazed and tired campers poked their heads out of tents and trailers to see what the big noice was as I gingerly horsed the boat back on to the trailer. It was extremely embarrassing! Fortunately no damage was done.


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## gouran01 (May 20, 2011)

tried to knee steer the tiller handle so that I could light my smoke, handle got away, I got wet.


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## fender66 (May 20, 2011)

gouran01 said:


> tried to knee steer the tiller handle so that I could light my smoke, handle got away, I got wet.



That must have been God telling you not to smoke. :mrgreen:


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## wasilvers (May 20, 2011)

Sort of "on the water" - I left some of my fishing tackle scattered in the boat after one morning of fishing. In the clear plastic closed case, sitting in the sun, on black carpeting, most of my crankbaits "expanded" and became misshapen. Of course, none of the garbage ones were affected, just the ones that cost $ 
:?


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## FishingCop (May 20, 2011)

Ha, ha...... lots of funny and stupid mistakes here...... I'm so glad I have nothing to add to this thread


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## Hanr3 (May 20, 2011)

Took the wife fishing in a thunder/lightening sotrm. Well, it wasnt storming when we got to the lake. It was an hour later, the crappie were biting hard and we werent paying attention to teh weather. Suddenly (we ignored the obvious dark clouds, thunder and lightening in the distance) heaven opened up and it dumped hard on us. She being the smart one of the group brought an umbrella. Which she kindly shared when it really started raining hard. Fortunately we were in a cove with tall hills on both sides. Nothing worse than being in a tin boat holding an umbrella in the middle of water with lightening striking all around you.


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## Deadmeat (May 21, 2011)

Years ago two buddies and I were fishing in south Georgia. As we were moving from one spot to another I saw a water moccasin swimming ahead of us and decided to catch it. Catching snakes, even poisonous ones, is something I've done all my life and I've only had one bad experience from all those I've caught (that's fodder for another time). Anyway, my two buddies were less than enthusiastic but I told them I wasn't going to bring it into the boat. It was just one of those dumb "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time" things we all do at one time or another. Actually, I'm not quite sure even now what I was planning to do with the snake once I caught it.

Anyway, I motored up beside the snake, kept my left hand on the tiller and reached over the side with my right hand to grab the snake. Somehow my aim was a bit off and I grabbed him a bit farther back behind the head than I had planned and the snake had a little more room to swing around toward my arm than I had planned. My lightning-fast reflexes saved the day though. Realizing what was about to happen I launched the snake into the air--and into the boat. 

The snake landed on the front deck. Both my buddies did the only thing they could do--scream like girls--and race to the back of the boat. With three guys in the back of the boat, the bow rose and dumped the snake onto the floor between the deck and the middle seat. I had no idea it was possible to seat two grown men on the top of a 30-hp Evinrude but it is. I suppose it could have climbed over the seat toward the back of the boat but it didn't. I grabbed the net, scooped up the snake, and put over the side of the boat. One of the guys was able to laugh about it afterward. One wasn't. The first guy kept fishing with me after that. The second one never did.


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## S&amp;MFISH (May 21, 2011)

Here's a pretty stupid thing. About 10 years ago The guys and I went to TableRock for our annual "Guy Trip". We decided to start the week off with an all-nighter. 

So we're out on the lake,at about 2am a t-storm brews up. We head for the covered docks to wait out the storm. It starts getting pretty wicked out there. The winds were getting really strong,the dock was rocking about 3ft each way.At that time I suggested that we untie the boats,as a precautinary measure,incase the dock decided to flip over. At one point the wind was so strong(felt like 50-60mph) it picked the end of the dock out of the water. Mind you this is a 20 stall dock,about 100ft long. The worst part of the storm lasted less than 5min. We waited the rest of it out, then went back to fishing.

The next day we were watching the news from the Branson area. They reported a Tornado crossed the lake about 3/4mile from where we were. We just sat there dumbfounded,looking at each other,realizing we almost got nailed by a tornado the night before.


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## dyeguy1212 (May 21, 2011)

Roll casting in my old 14 footer, I hooked a rod and reel sitting there and launched it into the water. When I get my side imaging unit I'm going back and finding that GD thing.


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## poolie (May 21, 2011)

Deadmeat, it takes a lot to make me laugh out loud, but the snake story did it. That was just funny!


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## bailey86 (May 21, 2011)

i was coon huntin one night with a few friends had a nice looking girl with me and was acting a mocho seating on a tree trunk over the creek then wham it broke and i was in the in the water and soaked i got one on my father in law we always poke at him about we were fishing in a buddy's tin and he put a bluegill in the basket and forgot to tie it back to the boat and it went to the bottom of the lake. Full of nice big bluegills


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## angry Bob (May 22, 2011)

On a fishing trip right now with my buddy waiting out a storm. Thanks for the morning laughs guys! :lol: =D>


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## The Outdoorsman (May 24, 2011)

Back when I was younger (13 yrs old) I was fishing with my cousins(by marriage) and his son. We were in his v-boat boat and finished up a decent day of fishing. The boat was light enough that it could be pulled by a car. So with it being windy that day, I didnt feel comfortable putting it on the trailer so he told me to back the trailer in and he would put it on. So I back it and and everything is good. Im looking back to see when he gets the boat on the trailer and I get the OK to pull him out. He gets on the trailer and says "Ok go!" I look forward and step on the gas, but I dont see myself going forward and all I hear is the wheels spin and "whoa whoa whoa whoa!!!!!" He's yelling from the boat for me to stop because silly me forgot to put the car in drive!!! #-o Somehow in the midst of all that, I quickly thru the car in drive, stepped on the gas again and pulled the car and boat up the ramp. I had put the car into the lake up to the back of the back doors (where it meets the rear quarter panels). I sat there and just looked straight down after I put the car in park. I felt so embarrassed. People all around me watching. I felt the size of an ant. Luckly I didnt get any water in the trunk or back of the car. Everything happened so fast its amazing I didnt dump the entire car! To this day he and I can still laugh at it but at that moment, Im sure he did something in his pants seeing his car going into the lake! lol


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