Ever had a fish wreck yer boat?

[12Footer]

I was just reminded of a fishing trip a buddy and I took when I was a teenager (many moons ago) that I figured I would share with the forum. It was NOT funny at the time, but in retrospect, it's a hoot.<br />It's kinda long, but has to be.<br />This guy and I were inseprable in Jr High and High School. He and I lived somewhat close to each other, me in a house, him aboard the Tugboat "Five C's". He and I would go fishing and searching for artifacts (spearheads,clay pottery shards and the like). On one such fishing trip,we allmost met our maker in a 300foot wide river in about 20 feet of water. Have you ever tried to bring a medium sized tarpon into a boat?If you put one in your boat, you are asking for major trouble, least of which is, the bugger may SINK you with it's thrashing.<br />Steve had a Boston Whaler 13foot skiff. He laid-into a big king tarpon,between 40-60lbs...Exact wieght, unkown,nor do I want to know.He got the bright idea to have it mounted,as it was impressive. So We both gaffed it(me on one gill,and him the other, and we brought it in. BIG MISTAKE!! It immediately went to thrashing violently,he ripped the control box off the gunwhale, broke the deck mounting on one side of the center console, and with a mighty surge from it's flailing tail, it contacted my knee,and I fell-out of the boat.It took Steve off his feet,and slimed the deck so bad, he could not get to a kneeling position for some time,for the slipping and sliding,and the fact that when he moved, so did the king! After about 10minutes hanging onto the transom,I told Steve I had to get back in one way or another,but not with THAT big bastich ,So I grabbed the good gaff, as I could actually manuever better than Steve. I carefully gaffed it by the gill,and pulled.But my footholds were less than enough.The king went basitic, but now it had a gaff with a 3foot golf club handle (we dubbed the "MINE IRON")flying around the inside of this little skiff. Finally,Steve was able to grab the gaff (now peircing the tarpon's boney gill plate),and pulled the king overboard,while I simultanieously climbed in over the transom. He let the king keep the gaff.Damage report:<br />2 cracks in the gunwhale glass, probably from my knee as I went over, console broken off on the starboad side, troling motor mount broken,battery acid on the deck,mixed with fish blood,Steve blood (small laceration to one of his arms) and gasoline. Broken fuel line, 2 broken rods,one lost rod (overboard), smashed tackle box, 1 lost gaff, wire harness pulled loose and broken, console teak door ripped off it's hinges, cracked windscreen, anchor gouged two 2" long tears in the deck, and 2 packs of smokes, and our lunch.<br />The week before last, I brought a 30pound tarpon up the the gunwhale of my Bayliner, after a good 15minute fight. What a rush! Needless to say, I cut the line

 

[JB]

Re: Ever had a fish wreck yer boat?

Goooooolleee, 12Footer! Good thing you guys had a Whaler, he might have sunk you otherwise. <br /><br />I have had intense learning experiences of much lower consequence than yours.. . .bull dolphin trashed a cooler and scattered a tacklebox full of stuff all over. Wont do that again.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[12Footer]

Re: Ever had a fish wreck yer boat?

Yes, JB, we were glad it was a BW, but were UNglad that it was his father's boat. Of course, we damaged it, we were obligated to pay for the repairs (sweat-equity,and all materials).<br />We were really worried he would take the belt to us,and seperate us for life...But once he had regained his composure from his laughing jag, he just said, "well, I guess you'll be workin on it,instead of fishing out of it for a while".<br />His dad was much more easy-going than mine,as I recall.<br /><br />Ahh yes, the good old days.