Your dumbest mistakes on the water. I made mine today. 2024
BankBassing reply :
I had an interesting day. Being new to a baitcaster, I've been working a lot on my casting. I have apparently improved... and it ruined my day fishing. I was fishing a local creek that is fairly wide. I'm using a Abu Garcia Silver Max reel with some old braid on it that came from a friends broken baitcaster that he had hardly used. Not a ton of line, but more than I have been able to use. Well today I reached the limit. I have a frog on, and I'm trying to cast as close to the other side as I can because that's where the shade is. I cast as far as I have in my life, and my frog gets stuck in a tree that I thought was way beyond my casting distance. I try to pull it out, and it breaks off, in the process creating a massive knot in a lot of my line. I spend an hour sitting on the dock trying to untangle, and finally, since I was thinking of buying new braid anyway, decide to cut off the knotted portion. I've still got enough line to do a little jigging around the dock, so I tie one on, and just as I do, a fish jumps halfway across. I decide to cast as close as I can to the blow up, and sure enough I cast through all the braid, through the backing mono, which breaks clean off the reel, and waves goodbye to me as it follows my jig landing just beyond the fish. I stand there, dumbfounded holding a rod and reel with ZERO line on it, minus my only frog, and my only jig. I just walked back to the car and went home. Unbelievable.
So, I bought this tonight at Wal-mart. Good choice? Oh, and let's hear your stories. Surely I'm not the only one to have a comedy of errors like this happen.
S. Sass reply :
That line should work but I am sure some will have their opinion. I have used some spiderwire braid not that exact stuff but it worked fine. My reels all but a couple (my crank bait reels spools are solid) have holes in the spools. I don't have that issue of getting into backing or it coming off. If my braid goes to far that fish is screwed unless he jerks the reel out of my hands.
As far as a mistake I sailed a lure over a old dead snag. This snag was sticking out of the water quite a bit. Lets see my partner stood on the front seat that had a 48 quart cooler in it and used a 7'11" flipping rod stretched as far as he could reach to get my favorite Mann's baby 1-back. I bear hugged the 2 snags to keep the boat from pushing away while he kept poking at the lure. The whole time I was thing we are all going into the lake. This was when I was a really bad rookie with bait caster. I thought I could split 2 of them snags and pull the lure right between them. I mean that line just had to come down right over the top into the 1000 slits in the top of that snag. I was not happy but it was my fault. I'm not a bad rookie I am just a rookie now. 
And it was his idea to try and save it. I was just going to buy another but he knew that one had been a good one for me.
soflabasser reply :
Every single bass fisherman makes mistakes on the water,it's part of the game.What matters most is that you learn from your mistakes and use that knowledge to become a better bass fisherman.
BankBassing reply :
On 9/10/2016 at 7:21 AM, S. Sass said:That line should work but I am sure some will have their opinion. I have used some spiderwire braid not that exact stuff but it worked fine. My reels all but a couple (my crank bait reels spools are solid) have holes in the spools. I don't have that issue of getting into backing or it coming off. If my braid goes to far that fish is screwed unless he jerks the reel out of my hands.
My reel has holes in the spool as well. Do I not need backing?
S. Sass reply :
On 9/10/2016 at 7:43 AM, BankBassing said:My reel has holes in the spool as well. Do I not need backing?
That is your call. Some use backing to save a few bucks on line using cheap crap line for a filler so to speak. Some use tape. Some even claim its stops the braid from slipping. Personally I tie to my spool It isn't slipping unless the spool slips. And I am not a fan of extra knots and I have a few bucks to fill my spool with line. Others have different opinions I am sure they will eventually chime in.
N Florida Mike reply :
I took a friend's daughter fishing once in my bass boat.We launched and got the motor cranked.We were heading down a canal to a lake and she asked me " Why is there all this water in the boat?"I had forgot to put the plug in.The boat was already pretty full so I turned around and got back to the ramp area in time to keep her feet dry and get bailed out.Dont think she told her mama!I know I didn't!?
drew4779 reply :
About 10 years ago, i forgot to lift the motor when leaving the lake. I got caught in a bad storm and was rushing. Drug it up the ramp about 15 feet before I noticed. I had my dad's boat at the time. He still hasn't let me forget.
j bab reply :
Last winter I was making a pitch and the line caught suddenly and the rod & reel literally jumped right out of my hand! My hands were cold so my grip was very loose, and I made that cast one-handed so it just hopped right out and into the lake. Luckily I was quick enough to grab it before it sunk, but I got wet up to my elbows so I was freezing for the next little while
fishnkamp reply :
Here is what I have works best for me. Between my wife and I we usually have at least 18 rods on board the boat and several more back home. In order to have them function well and afford to keep line on them I have developed this as a normal practice. First I use a Berkley Line Winder, which is a tool. It hold your reel securely and holds a bulk spool of line under tension. This allows me to spool line on a reel very smoothly. On all of my baitcasters I use 1/2 of a spool of 14 pound mono, usually either Bass Pro Shops Excel or Original Stren Clear blue. This makes a nice smooth tight base for the main line. It does help eliminate the line from slipping on the spool. Learn hot to tie a good tight arbor knot. Now I use a double uni knot and attach either braid, copoly line or fluoro depending on what I want that rod and reel to do. For braids I like Power Pro Spectra, the Spiderwire Stealth lines and Suffix 832. For copo;y lines I like the P Line CXX moss green and usually use 10 pound for my leaders as well. I also use a lot of P Line FloroClear, a copoly line with a fluro coating. On my spinning reels you will find 1/2 a spool of mono with the rest being filled with 14 pound Berkley Original FireLine or Fused Fireline. I have been using this for my setups for the last 6 or 8 years. My tackle gets used here on the Chesapeake Bay, big deep clear lakes in Kentucky and Tennessee, and for fishing in some rock filled rivers like the Susquehanna river. I chase panfish, smallies,largies, and Kentucky spots as well as big stripers and large catfish. Some of the tidal blue cats have nearly spooled me and yet my line has never really been an issue. Learn to tie your knots well and retie both leader knots and lure knots as needed. If I tangle with a bigger fish I will usually replace the 3 to 5 foot leader and tie my lure back on. The leader gets dragged on the rough bottom the most. One last thing make sure to fill enough line and at the same time do not overfill it, stop about 1/8 of an inch from the top of the spool
S. Sass reply :
On 9/10/2016 at 12:36 PM, drew4779 said:About 10 years ago, i forgot to lift the motor when leaving the lake. I got caught in a bad storm and was rushing. Drug it up the ramp about 15 feet before I noticed. I had my dad's boat at the time. He still hasn't let me forget.
That makes a horrible sound. Don't ask me how I know. 
dwh4784 reply :
Great story, I literally laughed out loud!
I remember once on the bass boat with my dad and uncle, I'm a lefty so standing up front by my dad with uncle in the back. They both go to cast at the same time and tangle up horribly on the back-cast. I'm laughing so hard, I go for a cast into a good looking spot and instead end up tangled up about 15' up in a tree.
Another one comes to mind, I went bass fishing with a coworker that had a boat but no idea what he was doing but wanted to try it. He's up front, and we make it through the first bay without a bite and he is already losing interest. I'm sitting in the back when a HUGE northern pike, biggest I've ever seen I'm guessing 15lb or more comes up and inhales his lure right in front of me. He's looking off in the distance somewhere and doesn't see it, and when he finally goes to set the hook his pole snaps in half right at the reel. Funny thing is this was only 50' or so down the shoreline from my first story. Oh and the coworker did end up catching a 6lb LM bass that day which really made his day!
hunterPRO1 reply :
as far a spiderwire goes i HATE IT!
i bought some mono line from them (20lb test) and it felt like it broke at 12 or 15 especially after having to get unsnagged, final straw came when i got a backlash and 2 casts later my line broke on the cast, i guess the know i had to get out crimped the line abit which i understand but on the cast ? (only a 1/4oz) sticking with my cajun line red cast for that.
that being said i havent used spiderwires braided line, powerpro is imo the best braided line though.
Catch 22 reply :
Last winter I launched my favorite LC into a tree branch about 12' off the water.I knew that breaking the line would do one of two things.The branch would catapult the lure somewhere, probably not into the boat. Or the LC would have a new home. So I tied the anchor rope to the net handle and began tossing it up to snag the trebles.First shot I was standing on the rope and the net shot back at me knocking my hat off into the water.Each throw I had to reposition the boat as it kept moving in the breeze. Six throws later the netting hooked the trebles and I pulled it down along with many twigs and a branch..I failed to notice two people on a walking trail that saw the whole episode.We all had a good laugh.
After that I started carrying my extendable boat hook.
C22
Columbia Craw reply :
How many of you have backed your boat in without taking the transom straps off. Come on...give it up.
Took my daughter out many years ago and I had taken everything out of the boat because I left it over night a a service provider. Got out on the lake and realized I had Zero lures in the boat. I made do with a plastic container I threw my discards in. I'll hang on to the other 1343 air head things i've done.
Outdoor Zack reply :
On 9/10/2016 at 2:08 PM, j bab said:Last winter I was making a pitch and the line caught suddenly and the rod & reel literally jumped right out of my hand! My hands were cold so my grip was very loose, and I made that cast one-handed so it just hopped right out and into the lake. Luckily I was quick enough to grab it before it sunk, but I got wet up to my elbows so I was freezing for the next little while
I did something similar earlier this year
Josh Smith reply :
Two weeks ago a favorite frog snagged.
Because I was using 65lb braid, I decided to straighten the hooks.
I picked up a stubby branch, wrapped the line around it a few times, and pulled.
The braid snapped and the branch flew backwards, striking my thumb. It then shattered, burying splinters under my thumb nail.
First aid included removing part of the nail and most of the splinters before bandaging.
Afterward, I tried to fish but it hurt to much to really enjoy myself, so I packed it in. (I later removed more splinters and bandaged it properly.)
Lesson: Before using braid and a stick to bend hooks, make sure stick is not rotten, with green being preferable.
Josh
BobP reply :
Bankbassing, braid usually comes in 150 yd spools, which is plenty enough to fill 2 reels if you fill their spools about half full of backing before spooling on the braid. You cannot cast 75 yds. However, if you have a perforated spool, you can tie line through the holes and it won't slip on the spool during use. But if your spool has no holes and you put braid on there with any kind of knot, all of the braid will spin when the spool is under strain while fighting a fish. It makes it seem as if your drag is slipping - but it's the braid spinning. Not a good result. So yes, you should put at least a little mono backing on the reel and join it to your braid before you fill the spool. I like dividing the braid into half since 75 yds is farther than you can cast anyway. And you can reverse the braid when it gets old and discolored and so save even more on this expensive line.
Skeeter Dan reply :
On 9/11/2016 at 9:20 AM, Columbia Craw said:How many of you have backed your boat in without taking the transom straps off. Come on...give it up.
Took my daughter out many years ago and I had taken everything out of the boat because I left it over night a a service provider. Got out on the lake and realized I had Zero lures in the boat. I made do with a plastic container I threw my discards in. I'll hang on to the other 1343 air head things i've done.
I've done the strap thing my self. I hate it when people see you do things like that.
On 9/10/2016 at 2:08 PM, j bab said:Last winter I was making a pitch and the line caught suddenly and the rod & reel literally jumped right out of my hand! My hands were cold so my grip was very loose, and I made that cast one-handed so it just hopped right out and into the lake. Luckily I was quick enough to grab it before it sunk, but I got wet up to my elbows so I was freezing for the next little while
Been there done that twice
DrMarlboro92 reply :
My biggest mistake on the water? Well, I was fishing the tidal part of the James river, and went back into a hydrilla/spadderdock field at peak tide. having a pretty good time with my dad catching tons of fish, nothing big but still enough to prevent me from paying attention to what was going on. An east wind was blowing the tide out faster, and I ended up sitting in the mud for 7 hours waiting for the tide to come back in so I could get out.
Edit: I've also forgotten to put the plug in the boat...... twice.... nothing like seeing 6 inches of water in the boat then getting wet up to your armpit trying to put the d**n thing in on the water and hoping the bilge pump will keep you afloat long enough for you to figure it out. You think I would have learned the first time.
I've always heard you get what you pay for with braid. I used spiderwire years and years ago, and wasn't very happy with it, but I'm sure they have gotten better since then. I'm currently using sufix 832 on all of my reels but one, which is spooled with daiwa samurai and I'm using sunline assassin fluorocarbon leaders on them. Really happy with all 3 lines. Also, something I found out recently, is that 150yrds is plenty to spool 2 reels, and saves quite a bit of money.
BrianSnat reply :
I have a few. One time I trailered the boat to a local lake. I had just loaded two of my rods with brand new line and put them in the rod holders with no lure on the end. I apparently didn't properly snug the line under the tab on the spinning reel. By the time I got to the lake (about 2 miles away), both spools were bare. The wind apparently caught the line and ripped it from the reels as I drove.
No plug? I've done that several times. I had a 12 ft jon boat I kept chained on the shore of the local lake. The plug was always in it so I never bothered to check. I was about 100 yards onto the lake when I noticed water around my ankles. Someone had swiped my plug. The other times were with my boat on the trailer. Each time I caught it before I even backed away the trailer, but it's amazing how much water can enter the boat in such a short time.
Another time I had launched the boat and was pulling the trailer out. I hadn't noticed that the wind had blown the boat back over the trailer and the trailer hooked my trolling motor on the way out and ripped it from the transom. I fished it out of the water, reattached it and tried it and it worked fine...for a few minutes, then it died. I probably shouldn't have used it until it had completely dried it out. That was a $250 mistake.
Probably the dumbest thing I ever did was while night fishing on a reservoir. I left the launch, and was soon at full speed with my "tiller" 9.9. I was headed out to open water, there were no other boats on the reservoir (the lot at the launch was empty and no boat lights on the water) so when I noticed my fish finder wasn't working I looked down at the battery to check the connection. I was fiddling with it when I looked up and saw something strange ahead of me closing fast. It took me probably a fraction of a second to realize what it was, but it seemed to happen in slow motion. It was the shoreline. I took my hand off the tiller, covered my head and braced for impact and hit the shore at nearly full speed (the boat gets up to 18-20 mph when I'm on it alone). I was pitched face down on the floor. I was fine, but what about the boat? I had hit a gravel, but gently sloped section. The boat seemed to be fine but it was pretty far up on the shore. I gave it may all and eventually got it back on the water. Taking my hand off the tiller had slowed the motor an instant before impact and it was undamaged. I consider myself very lucky. 50 yards to the right I would have hit a concrete dam head on. 50 yards to my left and I would have hit a boulder field on the shore. I landed in the only possible spot in that area that wouldn't have been a total disaster. I've never taken my eyes off the water while driving the boat since.
faygo1979 reply :
To me any mistake that does not involve me getting a hook taken out if my skin is a minor mistake..
I am not a fan of spiderwire but i have a buddy that loves it. I prefer something a little rounder but that is a personal preference.
Hez reply :
On 9/12/2016 at 11:45 AM, briansnat said:I have a few. One time I trailered the boat to a local lake. I had just loaded two of my rods with brand new line and put them in the rod holders with no lure on the end. I apparently didn't properly snug the line under the tab on the spinning reel. By the time I got to the lake (about 2 miles away), both spools were bare. The wind apparently caught the line and ripped it from the reels as I drove.
No plug? I've done that several times. I had a 12 ft jon boat I kept chained on the shore of the local lake. The plug was always in it so I never bothered to check. I was about 100 yards onto the lake when I noticed water around my ankles. Someone had swiped my plug. The other times were with my boat on the trailer. Each time I caught it before I even backed away the trailer, but it's amazing how much water can enter the boat in such a short time.
Another time I had launched the boat and was pulling the trailer out. I hadn't noticed that the wind had blown the boat back over the trailer and the trailer hooked my trolling motor on the way out and ripped it from the transom. I fished it out of the water, reattached it and tried it and it worked fine...for a few minutes, then it died. I probably shouldn't have used it until it had completely dried it out. That was a $250 mistake.
Probably the dumbest thing I ever did was while night fishing on a reservoir. I left the launch, and was soon at full speed with my "tiller" 9.9. I was headed out to open water, there were no other boats on the reservoir (the lot at the launch was empty and no boat lights on the water) so when I noticed my fish finder wasn't working I looked down at the battery to check the connection. I was fiddling with it when I looked up and saw something strange ahead of me closing fast. It took me probably a fraction of a second to realize what it was, but it seemed to happen in slow motion. It was the shoreline. I took my hand off the tiller, covered my head and braced for impact and hit the shore at nearly full speed (the boat gets up to 18-20 mph when I'm on it alone). I was pitched face down on the floor. I was fine, but what about the boat? I had hit a gravel, but gently sloped section. The boat seemed to be fine but it was pretty far up on the shore. I gave it may all and eventually got it back on the water. Taking my hand off the tiller had slowed the motor an instant before impact and it was undamaged. I consider myself very lucky. 50 yards to the right I would have hit a concrete dam head on. 50 yards to my left and I would have hit a boulder field on the shore. I landed in the only possible spot in that area that wouldn't have been a total disaster. I've never taken my eyes off the water while driving the boat since.
I have imagined this happening to me while boating early in the morning before sunrise - glad you are okay.
Redlinerobert reply :
Dumbest mistake on the water? Where do I start?
One situation that comes to mind is the first time out with my first new bass boat back in '99. Before I picked up the boat the dealer took me out and showed me how to launch, what to look out for, all of the basics. A few weeks go by, and apparently, I should have written all of this down....
I get the boat on the water, tie up to the dock and go park my truck. I hop in the boat and turn her on, and start heading out...give it some more gas, and the front end is pointing straight up in the air. The more gas I give it, the higher the front end goes. What the heck and I doing wrong? Is my boat broken? Motor not right? Luckily the dealer gave me his personal number so I call him from my flip phone and tell him that I think my boat is broken. I explain the situation and tells me, "Is the motor trimmed up??" To which I respond, "What's that?" 
BrianSnat reply :
On 9/13/2016 at 2:24 AM, faygo1979 said:To me any mistake that does not involve me getting a hook taken out if my skin is a minor mistake..
I am not a fan of spiderwire but i have a buddy that loves it. I prefer something a little rounder but that is a personal preference.
I've done the hook thing too. I was awaiting a friend and took the boat out a short distance to fish while waiting. I had a jitterbug hooked to the biggest guide. When I went to take it off it slipped and the pole acted like a bow and drove a hook into my thumb. I tried but couldn't get it out. No way to push it through and cut the barb because of the angle and it was in deep. My buddy showed up and saw it and said "Shouldn't you go to the ER?" I said that I preferred to fish and worry about it later. Got off the water about midnight and when I came home my wife woke up and we had a chat while I was hiding my hand behind my back. I taped the lure to my hand so it didn't flop around while I slept (in retrospect I should have simply taken it off and left only the hook) and the next morning I went to the ER. When I told the Dr that it had happened the night before he said "That was stupid to wait so long". Yup.
Bankbeater reply :
I can't tell you how many times I've brought my rod back to make a cast and hit something behind me while fishing off of the bank. It is real hard to hold in the cuss words after you've spooled a reel full of 15 pound line.
MassYak85 reply :
Two I can think of that really hurt.
Snagged a savage gear swimbait from shore, so I could not retrieve it from the snag (breaking off 20lb CXX was fun...)
Spoiled a spool of 20lb Sniper with a backlash when I smacked the lure into the water at the beginning of a cast.
gimruis reply :
These are some good stories! Some are borderline insane, some are complete stupidity, but they are all entertaining.
A lot of people have forgotten to put their plug in the boat. A new law last year in MN requires boats to be hauled around while on trailer with the plug out so it is evidently taking people a while to remember to put them back in when they get to the access.
Last summer when it was raining at a steep concrete ramp, I saw a big 20 foot fiberglass deep V Ranger walleye tournament boat load up on the trailer. The individual in the boat failed to hook up the strap in front after he power loaded it and when the driver stepped on the gas to pull it out of the water, the whole boat slid back and landed on the concrete. SMACK
DubyaDee reply :
Every trip I usually do something embarassing, I get too excited to be on the water and don't think things through.
Last trip I was retying, cut the main line (not the tag end) and tossed the tube over the boat into the water. I picked up my rod to make a cast and my tube was gone.
Last_Cast reply :
I hate spider, those wind knots kill me.
Started using baitcasters this year myself.
Whenever it tangles i just cut it all out and re spool.
adrenalizd reply :
One of my dumbest moments and coolest moments occurred on the same day. Every once in a while you may be glad you have a reel rigged with #50 spiderwire braid. I was launching my boat by myself, for some reason I wasn't paying enough attention and backed too far and too fast down the dock. I realized and hit my brakes. My jeep stopped, the trailer stopped, the boat however did not. As I watched it slowly floating into the lake, I contemplated jumping in and swimming to it when I remembered that I had a catfish rod in my jeep rigged with #50 Spiderwire. I grabbed it and it already had a treble hook and sinkers on it and I started casting towards my boat. The fourth cast hit in the middle of the boat and snagged the carpet (Luckily I had chosen to use carpet from Lowes instead of marine carpet, I probably would have never snagged it if I had). I slowly and carefully reeled/pulled my boat back to the ramp. From that day on, I tie a rope to the cleat and to the back of my Jeep every time I launch the boat by myself.
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