A bowfishing night gone wrong

[Friends call me Pac]

I called my buddy Caleb this afternoon to see if he wanted to go bowfishing this evening.  I planned to take my boat but he just got his back from the shop today and wanted to make sure the engine worked.

Got to the lake and hooked up the trolling motor but no luck.  Wouldn't even spin.  Caleb checked battery hookups but still nothing.  I noticed a little dial that was in the "OFF" position and pointed it out.  All right now we are ready to back the boat in.  

Started the motor up.  Sounded good after it's tune up.  Wouldn't be long and we would be shooting some carp.

Tried to start the generator and no dice.  Wore the battery down and had to use a backup battery.  Finally it coughs to live and in a minute is running smoothly.  Now we are talking!  But wait what is all of this water in the boat?  Did we forget the plug?  Nope, plug was in.  What the heck?  Pull the boat out and we find a hole in the bottom of the boat.  Not very big but big enough to let enough water in to command our attention.  Caleb said the bilge would handle the leak. I said there were too many snakes for me to to be comfortable if we had to swim to shore in the dark.

With the luck we were having we decided to head back home without even attempting to shoot a carp.

Five minutes from the lake we got pulled over by a police officer.  We were not speeding and I really didn't have a clue as to why we were pulled over.

The officer walks up and told us we didn't have any trailer lights.  I said that figures and he asked me to elaberate. I told him the story of our evening and to make matters worse we never even got to shoot any carp.  

He asked us if we had been drinking and I replied, "Not a drop officer." "We're waiting till we get back home before we drink too much."  He let us off with a warning.

It was only 21 miles to home but I made sure Caleb drove very slowly.  It was hard to do since I was distracted so much from constantly sniffing for smoke and watching for UFOs falling from the sky.

What a night

[Zradix]

What a Day!!! Yikes. Sorry your setup wasn't ready. Nice of the officer let you off with a warning. My Dad always told me " Son, only break one law at a time. You break more than that at once and they won't let you go."

[motorhead7963]

probably the best thing to do under those circumstances. I can relate to your day.....evening.

[fido dog]

Awww.....hell. It happens.

[m midd]

I got one for you Pac...

Struck a gobbler this mornin, got within 100yds of him. He flew down then 5 shots rang out.. We didnt fire em... It was a great start..  Then we came up on a suprise,  4' Ratttle snake with 10 rattles amd a button. The plus side is i have a very nice lookin skin drying out and i took my first turkey with a bow in Kansas last monday

[twitchstick]

After a real ruff night on the mountain once I had an old man tell me " you only remember the hard times,they just make you laugh late on".

[Mudd]

Duane I'm sorry to hear the bad luck. I can sure relate to days like that as I've had one or three of them over the years.

I have to say I admire your choice to "call it" and knowing "when to say when".

I had a very similar thing happen with an old fiberglass boat that I salvaged from Cedar Creek.
I got it all fixed up and the state helped me get it a title.
[Side note: it had washed in from the Missouri river, it was last registered in Fort Scott, Kansas]

I couldn't find anyone to go with me to Lake of the Ozarks for some night bowfishing but I didn't let that stop the "Muddbugs" maiden voyage.

Long story shortened, I was on the other side of the lake before I started noticing water(not a little bit either) in the boat. I checked the plug, dipped it out and continued fishing thinking "I'm right near the bank if anything happens."

It wasn't too long and it dawns on me that while I might be near the bank, it wasn't the right bank..lol By then it's time to bail water.. again.
I also notice when I'm moving under power it seems to take on water faster than if I'm just trolling along. Now it has my undivided attention since my swimming skills are just above a rocks'.

I told myself to be really smart.. quit and get back to the other side if at all possible. I usually spend time alone like this talking with God off and on but now He was getting an earful outta me...lol I am so thankful He saw me through.
He is so very good... all the time!!!
Sounds like He was good to you and Caleb too and I am grateful for it.

God bless,Mudd

[KentuckyTJ]

Boats are a money pit. Believe me I know. Always something broken or won't work.

[WVeer]

I feel for you...... that's tough.  I had a boat sinking experience once.  I had a 10 foot jon boat that I had attached a 8inch PVC pipe pontoon to.  It steadied the boat great.  3 of us were bowfishing at nite when the pontoon got hung up on brush.   While trying to free it, it broke off.  2 of us were standing and one bending over to get us free from the brush.  The boat rocked violently to noe side and filled 1/2 way up with water.  We overcompensted the other way only to fill her up ALL the way.  Down we went into COLD march lake water.  Light went out, stuff was floating away........it was great (at least for a story).  We pulled the boat out on the bank, gathered up our stuff under the cover of darkness (2AM) and made our way back to the blazer.  You guessed it, keys were locked in it.  The vent was open and we managed to get in but makes me thankful for cell phones now.  Carry them in a plastic bag.  I don't have that 10 foot jon boat anymore but miss it.  If you are a hunter something Will happen to you from time to time.  Those are the experiences that make it interesting.  

[kbetts]

Once while finishing checking our turtle fykes, my buddy and I pulled to the mud bank to load the full chicken crates of turtles into the boat.  We were about 200yds from the ramp when I backed the 12 footer off the bank and gave her some gas.  She drove the nose under the water in about four seconds.  Luckly, when we stood on the seat (with the water at our chins) the lower unit would touch the bottom.  We stepped off very gingerly and paddled the boat to the bank once it surfaced.  Never lost a turtle, but lost one expensive fyke.  It was the last day of the season, but the 300 lbs. of snapper made it worth it.  I hadn't had a smoke in months, but I did that day.

[billy shipp]

Definition of a boat.

A HOLE IN THE WATER, INTO WHICH YOU POUR MONEY !!!!!!!

I sure do miss my bass boat though.

[bofish-IL]

That's bow fishing what can go wrong will. But it only takes one good fish to forget all.

My buddy & I had a head gasket leak once on an outboard 3 miles upriver. The motor was running fine then all of a sudden boom. It blew the spark plugs out of the head. They had to scrap the motor it tore so much stuff up.

The worst was once while I was driving to the ramp and come around the corner. The tops of the trees were all lit up. As I pulled up to the ramp I noticed a guy all wet standing there and his truck was in the water right to the head lights. Needless to say the cab was half full and the boat was floating real low in the water, seems it was still strapped to the trailer. He told me he was backing in with hip boots and as he went to hit the brake his boot slipped off and got stuck between the brake pedal and throttle. I tried to pull it out with my truck but all the water, truck, boat, and trailer was too much.

[owlbait]

Swamp boat at midnight. 30 minutes in water before someone hears us. 45 more minutes before Coast Guard and fire rescue show up. 5 bows, generator, 10 arrows, 3 batteries, deep sixed. EMS "TOO" busy to help 4 adults and an 11 year old out, lots of shootings that night. $2100 salvage bill to take boat out of lake
(required divers). $800 trolling motor toast. Outboard sold for salvage $125. Insurance cancelled. Now thats a bad night of bowfishing!

[Smallwood]

[lpcjon2]

I had a night like that striper fishing went to back the boat up to the launch and the retainer for the cable crank broke and my whaler ended up on the ground.At least you had some time with a friend and a good story.

[WVeer]

Owlbait.......wow! I think you won the best worst bowfishing story.  

[Friends call me Pac]

We went back in my boat today since Caleb's isn't watertight.
Got these and a little redemption.

 

[owlbait]

Are those shad or sheepshead? Look like they might be tough to hit!

[Friends call me Pac]

"Are those shad or sheepshead? Look like they might be tough to hit!"

They are carp.  Is sheepshead an aka for carp?    I know what a sheepshead is in saltwater but never heard of one in freshwater.  And yes they are hard to hit when you shoot like I do.

 

[Larry Surtees]

Wow!  Looks like it worked out on the next go round!  Congrats