Bust Out Another Thousand

[bird_dog0347]

So my family has always referred to ourselves as the Griswold family for many reasons/examples, and this weekend was just another good example of why. On Friday I went and bought a new surf board that I have been wanting for a while, rode one last year like it and loved it so thought it was time to go get it.


Saturday afternoon we get ready to get out on the water, and while loading things into the boat we put the new board up on top of the Bimini in the surf board pockets. We head out of the cove and start to search for good water, but as soon as we exit the cove into the main body (east/west only at this part) there is a 20mph wind from the west so we go check out a couple of different spots. The first one we go to is nice and calm, but pretty short run for what we want and with the lake 2' low we decided against it. As we leave that area there are some huge wind blown rollers coming at us and it was pretty rough getting back to calm waters with us taking lots of COLD spray as we splash through all the crap. We get up to where the lake is now running north/south along the west shore and find some pretty good water to start surfing! I decided to take my first set behind the new boat on the board we rode all last summer as I was familiar with it and wanted a back to back comparison to the new one. So I got in and did I mention it was COLD? 60 degree water temps and about 65-70 degree air, but man what an awesome wave!



After about 7-8 minutes of surfing that board I stopped to ask for the new board, it wasn't there. GONE. The only thing we could think was that when leaving the first place we checked and hitting the big rollers with the spray and the wind, the board must have come loose from the Bimini pocket and the wind got it, with no one noticing as we are all taking cover from the spray.

So we drained the ballast and started backtracking to find the board (hopefully)... We get back to where we were hitting those huge rollers and still don't see the board, but driving over the same spot we hit some rocks with the prop. So now we are sitting there trying to get backed out of where we are without doing any more damage, but there's still a good wind (was dying down some) and rollers pushing us into a rocky shore line. So since I still had my wet suit on I get in and start trying to walk it back away from the rocks which was really tough in the wind with the slimy rocks under my feet, but I got it far enough away we were able to reverse then used the stern-thruster to turn around and idle out of there. We then idle all the way back to the dock to put the boat on the trailer and see how bad it was. It appears the prop should be fixable, but the day was done for sure. Also, it seems that when I was walking the boat back away from the rocks I hurt my toe pretty good too, not sure if it's broken but it certainly hurts. We never found the board either and my dumb-ass didn't write my name/number on it. The upside though is that we decided on a name for the boat, Ellen (Griswold).

[ceyko]

A couple of years ago we were walking out to our boat slip to get out on the water and saw a pair of water snakes mating on the jet ski float just a few feet from us. My wife and kids were asking me to kill them, but how would I feel if me and the wife are doing the horizontal hokey-pokey and some fool comes up and whacks me for no reason? Got a video of it too somewhere.

Never killed one - had some drunken buddies try to pet them and such - water snakes (but sometimes tough to be sure at night with just underwater lights going) - mainly they don't try to get onboard so far so I'm more/less cool with them - they just getting the same stuff the fish are after. Now - my "bass boat" may be different - since it would be very simple for them to come onboard - old boat was a pontoon - requires a LITTLE effort on their part. Pretty sure my son will jump overboard if that ever happens. haha

We then idle all the way back to the dock to put the boat on the trailer and see how bad it was. It appears the prop should be fixable,

Take it those props not like simple outboard props - more/less just replace it as opposed to repair?

[ceyko]

We bought a ‘21 Tracker 195 tournament last fall. We have been really enjoying it. Trying to catch fish...

Curious how that boat holds up for you. I opt for G3/Lowe boats typically since no wooden deck that fails after a period of time. Also they tend to have a longer beam up front for fishing.

You probably won't have to worry too much anyway - first boat you'll probably be changing/upgrading after awhile anyway.

[cool cat]

The wife and I have kayaks, we go paddle and fish quite often from spring through fall when i'm in town.

[ceyko]

The wife and I have kayaks, we go paddle and fish quite often from spring through fall when i'm in town.

Kayak fishing seems like a blast and you can get anywhere with those things.

[bird_dog0347]

Never killed one - had some drunken buddies try to pet them and such - water snakes (but sometimes tough to be sure at night with just underwater lights going) - mainly they don't try to get onboard so far so I'm more/less cool with them - they just getting the same stuff the fish are after. Now - my "bass boat" may be different - since it would be very simple for them to come onboard - old boat was a pontoon - requires a LITTLE effort on their part. Pretty sure my son will jump overboard if that ever happens. haha



Take it those props not like simple outboard props - more/less just replace it as opposed to repair?

If there's multiple in the water and only one on the boat, I'll stay dry!!!

As for the prop, this one should be repairable but we will also buy a spare.

[cool cat]

Kayak fishing seems like a blast and you can get anywhere with those things.

It is, and you can be in the water for as little as a few hundred, or as much as a few thousand. The best part is you can go into the little streams or shallow areas where a boat can't.

[kingjason]

If there's multiple in the water and only one on the boat, I'll stay dry!!!

As for the prop, this one should be repairable but we will also buy a spare.

The one thing my buddy kept doing, tearing up the prop. Heavy rollers would push it to far onto the lift where the under fin would catch, he would jam it in reverse and it would go all over the place slamming against the sides, or hit trees and rocks. Not sure that one is fixable but they are fairly cheap though.

It is, and you can be in the water for as little as a few hundred, or as much as a few thousand. The best part is you can go into the little streams or shallow areas where a boat can't.

I have always wanted to go white water kayaking. I have done WW rafting once and it was a blast but I think a kayak would be more fun.

[Cobraman]

Curious how that boat holds up for you. I opt for G3/Lowe boats typically since no wooden deck that fails after a period of time. Also they tend to have a longer beam up front for fishing.

You probably won't have to worry too much anyway - first boat you'll probably be changing/upgrading after awhile anyway.

I looked at Lowe, but I went with the tracker 195 because it has such a huge beam. It’s got a bigger deck than most of the fiberglass boats I was interested in. It has one of the biggest beams you can get. In terms of the wooden stuff, it is garage kept and the warranty is great, so hopefully no issues. It will run 63 or so mph too, which rules!

[bird_dog0347]

The one thing my buddy kept doing, tearing up the prop. Heavy rollers would push it to far onto the lift where the under fin would catch, he would jam it in reverse and it would go all over the place slamming against the sides, or hit trees and rocks. Not sure that one is fixable but they are fairly cheap though.



I have always wanted to go white water kayaking. I have done WW rafting once and it was a blast but I think a kayak would be more fun.

This one is certainly fixable, but they are not cheap... This prop is on sale from the manufacturer (Acme) for $863, normally $1079 and the Dealer wants $1200 for it. Fixing it will probably cost $300-$500 which we will do to keep a spare on hand.

[32vfromhell]

boating is just one more ultra expensive hobby i will have a better time watching other people do than try to do myself.

Too little time, too little money for me.

[Gasser64]

Bank fishing and boat fishing both have their appeal. I downsized boats to hit any lake and be able to launch at any ramp - as opposed to being at a slip (which also has its ups/downs). When having no boat, did bank fishing and what's nice is the path the lure takes going deep than up - did not have any luck with my bait rods while bank fishing.

People kill it downstream from the spillways too at Texoma.

However - boat fishing shines when the fish are deep - or ya wanna crappie fish in submerged trees...etc...etc. When the water is up, can sneak back into creeks and other places you're not easily walking too. After being on a lake for awhile like Texoma - you learn places other boats don't frequent and you can hide to relax, enjoy the quiet.

Well to clarify, I was talking about walking to places that no boat is ever getting to. Unless maybe it's a canoe or very small boat you can and a buddy can carry. Way back in the weeds, where the truck couldn't make it. Too many trees, too much mud, no boat ramp, etc. The fishing is best at those places because nobody wants to go there lol

You can tell because it'll be fairly easy to catch a 3 or 4 lb bass on your first few casts. And you'll catch several of them within an hour. Probably never seen a lure, and aren't really aware of the existence of people.

I used to carry a small boat to those kinds of places sometimes, but that became more of a pain than it was worth. Eventually settled on just walk fishing the banks. If you get out into the sticks in these small towns, there are places like that. Gotta be real careful not to lose your lure though. You get good at casting exactly where you want it to go.

As for snakes, yeah they suck they eat the fish. Me and a buddy once removed all the snakes out of his stock tank. They're like frogs, at night you can spot light them and just walk right up and take them. With snake grabbers and a big tub. There were over 40 in total and some of them were huge. One of them was dead and we split open it's guts to see what it had eaten. A bass that was roughly 1lb.

The next night we went back out there to find more but we could only find 3. Probably got most of them. I'm sure the fish appreciated it.

[ceyko]

Well to clarify, I was talking about walking to places that no boat is ever getting to. Unless maybe it's a canoe or very small boat you can and a buddy can carry. Way back in the weeds, where the truck couldn't make it. Too many trees, too much mud, no boat ramp, etc. The fishing is best at those places because nobody wants to go there lol

You can tell because it'll be fairly easy to catch a 3 or 4 lb bass on your first few casts. And you'll catch several of them within an hour. Probably never seen a lure, and aren't really aware of the existence of people.

Fair enough, cannot disagree with that aspect at all.

[shumpertdavid]

B&B prop in Fort Worth is who I had check & balance my stainless bravo 3 props last year, pretty quick turn around.

Where do you board and have a slip bird_dog?

We are out of Walnut Creek on the west end of the lake. No surfing for any of us but I'll still get my wakeboard wet from time to time.

[bird_dog0347]

B&B prop in Fort Worth is who I had check & balance my stainless bravo 3 props last year, pretty quick turn around.

Where do you board and have a slip bird_dog?

We are out of Walnut Creek on the west end of the lake. No surfing for any of us but I'll still get my wakeboard wet from time to time.

That's not too far from us, we keep it in a private slip (or will in the next couple of weeks when the new lift gets installed) near highport... we are usually going to be on the main body between highport and Mill Creek, but walnut isn't too much further for us. If you want a pull for a wakeboard set, send me a PM and let me know when you'll be around and we can hook you up.

We ordered a new prop today, as well as a puller, so we will replace the bent one and get it sent off for repair so we have a spare moving forward, then we won't waste a whole day/weekend if we have the same problem again.