Thread: Rookie mistakes

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  1. #1
    Member Hollada's Avatar
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    Rookie mistakes

    Let's here 'em. What are some of your biggest rookie boater mistakes and lessons learned. Forgetting the plug is too easy. Let's hear some of those things that will reduce the learning curve for us rookies.

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    #2
    Don't forget to pick up trolling motor

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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Bassman7031 View Post
    Don't forget to pick up trolling motor
    Did that on someone else's boat when I was fishing an FLW college tournament. That was after the first stop of the day and he was pretty quiet after that. Transducer wasn't quite the same...

  4. Member dwbeck2's Avatar
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Bassman7031 View Post
    Don't forget to pick up trolling motor
    Did that one...
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  5. Member Crankb8's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Bassman7031 View Post
    Don't forget to pick up trolling motor
    This one made me laugh outloud!! My No-Brother-Good-In-Law bought a new Lakeland Bassboat about 25 years ago. We are fishing with it for the very first time and because it's a tiller, he has the transom mount trolling motor so he never has to leave his rear seat. He's got it down and maneuvering us around and we decide to move up the river about a 1/2 mile. He turns and pull starts his tiller and I looked him right square in the eye and said " aren't you going to lift and tilt that trolling motor up"? he says, "NO, IT'S DESIGNED TO STAY DOWN AND CUT THROUGH THE WATER"! We didn't go 200 yards WHAM!!!!!!!!! Broke the bracket clean off his new boat and fortunately, I had the presence of mind to grab the battery cables, or that baby would have sank to the bottom!! I didn't laugh at him to his face, but I sure did under my breath!!!
    "Cast Everything in the Best Light Possible"


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    #6
    Don't forget to trim the motor back down before hammering the throttle.
    I was fishing up shallow so had the motor trimmed up but prop still in the water - Hammered the throttle to move to another spot - Looked straight up at the sky and about sh*t thinking I was going down transom first. After the initial shock I looked around to see who was watching me be an idiot.

  7. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #7
    Keys left at home.

    Lug wrench won't fit the trailer

    leaving something on so the battery is dead at the ramp

    Locking the keys in the truck on the ramp
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
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  8. Member Hollada's Avatar
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    #8
    Any stupid mistakes while learning to drive? I've heard backing off the throttle too fast if the boat starts to walk can cause issues - for example

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    #9
    take off the tiedowns and/or transom saver

  10. Member Midnight Rider's Avatar
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Hollada View Post
    Any stupid mistakes while learning to drive? I've heard backing off the throttle too fast if the boat starts to walk can cause issues - for example

    Yea...trim down FIRST, then slowly get off the throttle. Then, try again...
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  11. Member crank68's Avatar
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    #11
    Most important.....forgot toilet paper.
    Boat come unhooked from truck.
    Back entire truck in water.
    Forget to fill up boat and can't get far from ramp.
    Left rods at home.
    Compartments locked and keys at home.
    Loose TM prop and no spare.
    Throw blade off big mota prop...no spare.
    Dump boat onto ramp.
    Loose track of time and be late for weigh in and miss a check.
    Throw ruler in water first thing while tryin to hit a bowfin.
    Cull the wrong fish.
    Give weigh master the wrong fish for big fish and miss big fish money.
    Only have 4 fish when you culled too many.
    Cut a turn short and mess up white letters and rims.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to boat and get in a hurry and pull out and it pulls the boat up ramp.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to trollin mota, get in a hurry and pull out and it snatches trollin mota off.
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  12. Fishfarm (Jay) fishfarm's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by crank68 View Post
    Most important.....forgot toilet paper.
    Boat come unhooked from truck.
    Back entire truck in water.
    Forget to fill up boat and can't get far from ramp.
    Left rods at home.
    Compartments locked and keys at home.
    Loose TM prop and no spare.
    Throw blade off big mota prop...no spare.
    Dump boat onto ramp.
    Loose track of time and be late for weigh in and miss a check.
    Throw ruler in water first thing while tryin to hit a bowfin.
    Cull the wrong fish.
    Give weigh master the wrong fish for big fish and miss big fish money.
    Only have 4 fish when you culled too many.
    Cut a turn short and mess up white letters and rims.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to boat and get in a hurry and pull out and it pulls the boat up ramp.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to trollin mota, get in a hurry and pull out and it snatches trollin mota off.
    LOL WOW IF ALL THIS HAPPENED YOU SURE GOT ME BEAT.
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  13. Georgia Bass Club Moderator fishnfool38's Avatar
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by crank68 View Post
    Most important.....forgot toilet paper.
    Boat come unhooked from truck.
    Back entire truck in water.
    Forget to fill up boat and can't get far from ramp.
    Left rods at home.
    Compartments locked and keys at home.
    Loose TM prop and no spare.
    Throw blade off big mota prop...no spare.
    Dump boat onto ramp.
    Loose track of time and be late for weigh in and miss a check.
    Throw ruler in water first thing while tryin to hit a bowfin.
    Cull the wrong fish.
    Give weigh master the wrong fish for big fish and miss big fish money.
    Only have 4 fish when you culled too many.
    Cut a turn short and mess up white letters and rims.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to boat and get in a hurry and pull out and it pulls the boat up ramp.
    Put in by yourself, tie rope to trollin mota, get in a hurry and pull out and it snatches trollin mota off.

    Lmao!!!
    Don't buy a Bullet 20xrd w/250merc sport xs from Kenly, NC and you should survive the rest!

  14. Member Hollada's Avatar
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    #14
    These are all good to learn from! Anything relative to learning how to drive the boat?

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    #15
    steer right to on coming boats, if possible.

  16. Member crank68's Avatar
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Hollada View Post
    These are all good to learn from! Anything relative to learning how to drive the boat?
    I would post your set up in the proper forum that matches your boat and list you set up and ask questions there. You'll prolly get a lot of help there.....
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    #17
    How about always check your kill switch , fished a whole tournament then figured out why the motor wouldn't start .

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    #18
    Beach the boat on the bank (not nearly far enough). While getting the truck, the boat current drifts the boat out into the middle of the lake in very frigid waters. (Ask me how I know)

  19. Member wicked's Avatar
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by 01bulletxrd View Post
    Beach the boat on the bank (not nearly far enough). While getting the truck, the boat current drifts the boat out into the middle of the lake in very frigid waters. (Ask me how I know)
    LOL the exact reason I got power poles :)
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  20. Member 1BADAIR's Avatar
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by wicked View Post
    LOL the exact reason I got power poles :)
    mine still wanted to go fishing without me lol

    About the only thing i regularly forget are the steering clips
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