Today, i would like to talk to about mental toughness. Some of us have it, some of us dont. Sometimes we forget to grab it as we are flying out the door on the way to Elizabeth Park. This was the case early Saturday morning preceeding my trip downriver. The following events were all contributing factors to my mental break down which not only cost me points, but possibly a check and definatly a much needed boost in my confidence on the Detroit River/Lake Erie waters.
I woke early Saturday morning, which wasnt hard as i had gotten a good nights sleep and opted to stay away from grandpas ol' cough medicine the night before. I felt good, relaxed, excited. The plan was to pick Maize up in Westland and then meet Kev at the 7-11 on Telegraph to grab some snackolas and beverages, then follow him to the launch. Mission Accomplished. No snags along the way, things were going as planned.
We arrived at the lauch with plenty of time to spare. It was perfect. No running around trying to get stuff in the boat or worrying if i had forgot everything. I was 100% at ease. I even had time to talk to the gang and sell some product. That was nice. I looked around and we had a good turn out. There was a lot of 'competition' there but i was not worried. I had not been on Erie since last season, and even then i was only out there 3 times. I wasnt here to win it, but i wanted to have a good showing. I dont get to fish on Erie much, but for some reason i can always put together a respectable limit out there. At this point, i am still feeling good.
I knew where i was going and i knew what i was throwing. Then, a little birdie in the form of a dartag invited Kev and I to join him on some new waters. I immediatly agreed as did kevin. I was excited to check out a new spot and learn more about a lake that i have only fished a dozen times. The plans changed and i was feeling good about working with these guys to find some fish and go to town on them.
We started the pre meeting and then did partner pairings. I drew an old chum. His name is Pat Blumgren otherwise known as 'Big Fish'. This guy fishes as a co angler and has brought in more giant fish than anyone else i know. He has claimed big fish honors in our events several times. This made me happy. I figured if there was one person in the group who was going to catch a 6+ lb smallmouth, it was him. And since i like looking at fish this size, i had front row tickets to the pig show with him as my co angler. Things we going great. But they would soon change.
Everyone scattered to there boat as the co anglers backed us in. It was go time. We made our way out of the marina and into the river, just passed the bridge and waited for our numbers to be called. Kev was boat #1, I was #8, and Steve was boat #10. The plan was to let Steve out in front so we could follow him. They called for boat #1 and Kev dropped the hammer. He was almost out of sight in the fog when they got to me. I hit the gas and the nose went straight up and my RPMs were only at 3200. I had it floored but wasnt getting anything. I looked up to see the rest of the field flying past me. I tried again but nothing. I looked at Pat and told him something was wrong. He looked at me for a second, hung his head and then turned back to watch the other boats make there way to the big lake.
After babying boat for a few minutes, i was able to creep it up on plane and we were off and running. But by this time, Steve and Kev were long gone. So now it was back to plan A. Plan A was to fish some of my spots on the North Shore and catch 20 lbs. It was a long shot, but worth trying none the less. I have had days like this in the past out here while fun fishing so it was definatly possible.
We headed out of the mouth of the detroit river and out into Lake Erie and made our way East. The first spot i wanted to hit had another boat directly on it. It was interesting to see another boat there. I know spots are spots and if fish are there then others will find them, but this spot is out in the middle of nowhere and i couldnt help but think what an incredible coincidence it was that not only did someone else know about it, but that they were there the same time, the same day as i was. Oh well, i had plenty of other spots to hit. The next spot we hit was a nice big rock pile in 9 feet of water. Pat was dragging a tube and i was DS a gobie in a custom color. Within 2 minutes i hook into my first keeper. Nothing big, but it was a keeper. I was geeked and felt like we were going to grab an easy limit here and still have time to find a bigger bite.
With one in the box, i made another cast with the DS and immediatly hooked into a good fish. I yelled for my co angler to grab the net and after a couple good runs, the fish was in the boat. This one topped 4 lbs. I was doing good. We werent out there 15 minutes and i already had 2 fish with one being a nice one. Pat on the other hand hadnt even got bit. I suggested he switch to a drop shot for a few minutes and cast up in front of me towards the rock pile. He switched rods and rigged up and DS with a Gulp leech. We worked that area for another 40 minutes without a bite. The action had died just as fast as it started. So it was off to the next spot.
We headed further east, but not before having more problems getting the old bucket on plane. At this point i had to have Pat stand on the front deck to help keep the nose down. It worked, but barely. As we were running i was contemplating turning around and heading back to the river to play it safe. With my motor running funny like it was, i wasnt comfortable having my co angler or myself on the big water. I decided to tough it out until we got to the next spot and then talk it over with him. The next spot was only 1.5 miles further and i figured it wouldnt make too much of a difference running that extra little bit.
After reaching spot #2, i pulled out a drift sock and positioned the boat so we could both get a good drift over this area. We were fishing a stretch of was that had a very irregular bottom with tons of rocks and sand and some sand grass mixed in. I told Pat that i wasnt exactly comfortable with the boat situation and asked what he thought. "It is what it is, now lets just fish" he said. I figured he wasnt too concerned so i focused my thoughts back to catching a limit. But it only took about 15 minutes to figure out that the fish were not on spot # 2, so now i am faced with the decision once again. Do we press on? Or do we play it safe and head back to the river? The next spot was 6 miles further east. I asked Pat how he felt and he said he wanted to go check it out. So, after a few failed attempts at planing out, he was back on the front deck, this time in 2 to 3 footers. It was nerve racking to say the least.
Making our way further east, i noticed that we were taking on a lot of water. It was starting to come up from the floor. Pat noticed too, and started smacking my leg to get my attention. All i could do was look at him and nod. Had i slowed the boat down and gotten off plane, there was no guarantee that we would get back on. At this point in the morning, i am not even thinking about the 2 fish i have, or the 3 fish i need. Now i am thinking about where were are going to go when the boat starts to sink. I make the decision to not run any further and instead stop and fish the 'Green Cottage'. The cottage is long gone, but for some reason i recognized the shoreline and the surrounding area. I seen one other boat about 1/4 mile north east of us, but opted to stick out deeper concentrating on a small hump that rose from 17 feet to 15 feet. This is where the day takes a wicked turn for the worse.
My first mistake, i think, was taking my eyes off my pedestal seat as i made my way to the front deck. After dropping the sock in, i stood up and leaned back hoping to find the cusion resting against my bum bum. Must have miscalculated cuz i leaned back to find nothing but air, Whch didnt slow my fall any and i slammed backwards hitting the deck hard. I figured i was going on for sure on the way down, but luckily, my spine managed to wedge against the gunnel and keep me falling further. I layed there for a second, then gave a laugh and made my way back up to the seat. For a few seconds, i felt like i might need medical attention, but the pain started to dull and i was back to fishing mode.
Our first drift produced 2 good fish for Pat and nothing for me. I still wasnt worried. 2 good fish in one drift was a good sign. I felt confident that we had a good school of active feeders. 5 minutes later, Pat hooked up again. This time, as i am bending over to net his fish, my shorts rip in the front. 3 big tears our now ventilated my JohnsonMercuryYamahoohoo and exposing my 2 years extended warranty for all the north shore to see. I comment to Pat that the breeze feels nice but he may have to weigh my fish in for me later while i hide in the truck. Anyway, Pat has 3 nice ones and i am still looking down at 2 fish and no bites in between. Then it happens. I get a bite. I set the hook and feel good weight on the other end. Pat takes notice and meets me in the front with the net. All of a sudden, my line goes limp. I scream a few obsenities that the fish gods must have heard and then i feel another tap as my rig makes its way back down to the bottom. This time i really lay into him. He comes up and jumps and i see its a good fish. But as soon as he hits the water, he pops off again. Pat looks at me and remarks " that sucks man, you'll catch another one". But i didnt want 'another one', i wanted that one.
So far, i am sensing that luck is not on my side. But i have no idea at this point how bad things will get from here. I am still feeling confident that we will both limit out and have good weights, but time is ticking and i still have to deal with my boat problems on the way back. We figured out that the fish were actually in a smaller area than we had thought. So our 15 minute drifts were reduced to 5 minute drifts with a lot of sock pulling and idleing back to the spot involved. This produced well.........for Pat. Within 4 drifts, he had his limit and culled on sqeaker out with another small, but heavier fish. I figured he had about 15 lbs and i was looking at about 6 lbs. I finally decide to switch to a tube and start dragging with Pat. I proceed to catch 4 sheephead and snag 6 gobies. All the while, missing good solid hits. Convinced that they are smallmouth hitting me, i decide to make one more drift through the area. This time i wont let them get away.
We line back up and get the lines back out. Immediatly, i get another good thump. I set the hook and miss and tumble back down to the deck of the boat. Apparently, that seat isnt as big as i thought it was. This makes 2 great falls for the day....so far! I compose myself and cast back out. Within seconds of hitting the bottom, i fall on another failed hookset. This time, i really break down. I say every bad word i can think of, twice.....some of them 3 or 4 times. Pat is looking at me like im nuts which he is probably right. I have never had a breakdown this bad. It took me a while to get my stuff back together and make my last cast before heading back to the river. But thank god for that last cast, cuz i hooked up with my 3rd fish of the day. It wasnt much to write home about but it brought me closer to my goal of a limit for the day. 3 in the box and i packed everything up to make the run back west.
As i was making my way back to the cokpit from the front deck, my foot snuck under the line from the drift sock and i found myself in a familiar position again. This time it was face first though. I laughed it off and fired the boat back up. Pat made his way to his new favorite spot, the front deck to help me on plane again. This time it wasnt as easy. They winds had gotten stronger and were now whipping up consistant 3 foots, and they were much closer to each other now. I watched Pat dance the happy dance for several minutes in the waves as i tried desperatly to get the boat on plane. Finally, we were off and running.
Just as we were coming back into the river, i get a phone call. I reach into my pocket and notice that it is Anthony, our tournament director, calling. I answer but while still running. I didnt want to get off plane again, plus we had water up to our shins. I needed to get in the river and get in there fast. So i made my way to my first river spot which is basically right at the mouth. I call Anthony back immediatly to find out he is broke down east of Pointe Pelee. He informs me that i will have to run the weigh in and he would call me later to tell me how they are doing. At this point they are safe, but no way will they make it back in time.
So we continue to fish. I hit several of my river spots in the last hour and fourty minutes and niether me or Pat ever hook up again. Now i have to make sure we can get back across the river and to the launch in time to get set up for weigh in. We make it back with 20 minutes to spare and i pull everything out. I get set up and everyone starts to make there way into the marina. Finally, i can relax. I take a moment to reflect on the day and realize that i completly blew it. I was on the fish to make a limit, and a good limit at that, but i choked. I couldnt even add up the total amount of fish i had lost. Or the times i fell down. Or the stupid mistake i made that cost me big that day. It came down to one thing, i had a few mishaps and i let it completly ruin me. I self distructed. I have done it before, but never this bad. At one point, it was almost like i was sabotaging myself. It was a bad feeling. How could the day have started so well and ended so horribly. Oh well. I have a responsoblitly now to the other guys to weigh there fish and get them all sqared away.
MY phone rings again. Its Anthony. He asks how everything is going and i tell him we are just getting ready to weigh them. "Ive got bad news!" he explains. "Those guys are going to lynch you, i have all the money on me and we arent going to be back anytime soon." Crap! Now this should be interesting. I decide to wait til the end to tell the rest of the gang. This way, the crowd will be thinner and i have a better chance of outrunning them. So, we weigh the fish, and as always there are some phenomenal bags and as usual its the same guys who always do well. I was happy for the guy who won. he is having a great season and is heading for angler of the year. This one really helped. I toold the guys that there was no money and they were all cool with it. But they did make some comments and being unorganized and the money should be kept some place safe on shore and blah blah blah, but they didnt give me too much crap.
So there you have it. My coangler finished 4th place and i finished in the middle of the pack with just under 9 lbs with a dead fish penalty. I bombed, but i guess it could have been worse. We made it back safe which was a major concern of mine. I dont know what is wrong with my boat or why it had to happen when we were on the big water, but it just goes to show you. It could be fine one day and junk the next. As for my luck, when it rains, pours. I'll get them next time.
PB himself :-\'
great, story -- we've all had those days.. I apologize for laughing out loud after the 3rd fall.
that is a great report. i must admit i did laugh a few times only to be reminded of my still sore body today. i am sure in the future Kev, Grant and Dave my non-boater and me will all vote to follow you.. i am hoping my boat will dry out before i have to put it away this winter.
by the way. did anthony ever get back to the USA..
It could have been worse. You could have been stuck with Grant all day ;D
Cold man, very cold!!!!
Quote from: fishon1219 on July 17, 2006, 06:37:10 PM
It could have been worse. You could have been stuck with Grant all day ;D
that was a little low man..
i asked my non-boater dave one time if he was scared.? he said no,? ?so i was glad only one of us was!!.. 8) 8)? ?i guess i just go to erie on the wrong days because it is always like that when i am there.
so kev how was lobdell on sunday..? Union lake looked like erie with all the powerboat waves..
Just kidding grant. You know you are my favorite boat rider.
Just curious, what was wrong with the boat??
The cap is seperating from the hull. Its not real bad right now. But if you look real close you can see that is has started to seperate. So, when i am plowing through waves, it pushes water down the sides of the boat and then into the the crack and down into the hull. I am taking on more water than i can pump out in a short time, so it just keeps filling up.
This is or should i say was a common problem with the particular boat model that i have. There are 2 other guys i know who have the same model and have had the same problem. The one guy ended up just fixing it himself. I want to get with him to see what he did and if it is easy enough maybe i can use it as a temporary fix until i can get my boat taken care of by professionals. I would imagine i could use some kind of caulk/sealant for right now, just to keep the water from rushing in.
OH, and i am pretty sure i need a new fuel filter and plugs. Cheap fix for the outboard. If that doesnt do it, i have no idea.
PB himself :-\'
WOW!!!
If you still have the Ranger, I'd suggest a call directly to them. Cap seperation from the hull is a serious deal and they should be willing to offer suggestions or help.
Good Luck!
i have one of them Glue Sticks you heat with a lighter. that thing will fix anything.. or i would call Ranger.. at least you made it back to the ramp...
Ace hardware has duct tape on sale. 2 rolls for .99 That should fix it
Wait until you see my 'custom' duct tape seat repairs this Saturday.
PB himself :-\'
Brings back such fond memories, Now that i have a boat-maybe you can return the favor some time.....
Okay, an old story for sure, but question? I think my hull is seperating from the cap also, but in the rear. I don't take on much water yet, but you can push down on the cap and hear it sueak through the bumper. How did this get fixed?
1Jav
i dont know that it did, really. I had a friend of a friend, who is a fiberglass specialist??? re-rivet and seal it back together. Unfortunatly, days after this i blew my powerhead so i never got a chance to test it out.
McCarter himself :-\'
Mccarter, This is the first time I have read this story. I laughed so hard i fell of my chair. you are soooooooooo funny! great story!!!
looking back i now blame the whole day on chris. i didnt know him then but he somehow had a hand in my multiple misfortunes
could it be SATAN? sounds like you need the Lord.....
satan wants us to fail and fall down...God is always there to pick us up and lend a hand. good vs. evil?
i am the eggman. i am the walrus.
I had a similar power problem a few weeks ago on torch lake. I would only develop about 3000 rpm and had to have my nb go to the front to get on plane. Once on plane it would only run about 50mph. Talked to a mechanic at the marina next to the hotel and he recommended new plugs and Mercury fuel injection cleaner. They were salty from the marina but it runs great again now.
Pat and I were talking about the adventure you guys had last week. he did say you were a great guide and let him catch some nice fish. even though the boat was sinking. I still remember me and Kev in them big waves. Cass is big enough for me these days.
Quote from: McCarter on July 29, 2009, 01:36:45 AM
i am the eggman. i am the walrus.
Finally thought I was going to find out how to spell koo koo ka choo correctly... but no
goo goo g'joob. your welcome