Bad Luck Fishing Stories

[fishermatt]

My dad and I always fished together on the Opener, from the time I was 5 til he died when I was 18. When I was about 10, we launched the boat at a gravel access. While he was out on the trailer launching the boat, our '65 IH Scout suddenly came out of gear and started rolling into the lake. It kept going until the front end was about 15 feet out in the lake, and needless to say we were stuck. I was just so glad the old man couldn't find a way to blame ME for what had happened!! He ended up getting it out after much backing and forth, but we never got to fish, cuz he was so mad we just went home.

[DOC33]

It will be 11years ago this weekend. Went out at midnight of opener for some bobber fishing near the river inlet. It was a cold opener, so we had full gear on. Caught a few fish, so headed in about 2-2:30AM. I'm sitting in the seat behind the driver, facing the back. Being as it was cold I had my head buried in my hood for the cold ride across the lake. I can still remember the sound of the motor running wide open in my head to this day. WHen all of the sudden, "Oh F***", then bang. I had no idea what had happened, facing the back. As I look behind the boat, I see a boat teetering back and forth in the water. We had hit another boat at about 35-40MPH. We turn around and go back to hear the people yelling for a life jacket. As we get close enough, they don't need the life jacket anymore. When we hit them the guy sitting in the back was sling shot into the water. It was a 16ft aluminum vs our 20ft. Wearing full Carhart covies and heavy boots he was able to paddle back to the boat and get in. Unbelievably, nobody was hurt. We were maybe 500 yds from our cabin and the other boat was staying in the same bay as our place. As we were throwing them a rope to tow in, another boat came racing out to see what had happened and make sure everyone was alright. We towed them back to their resort. The boat that came out to check on us was staying next door. That guy came over and told us, he had come in not 5 minutes prior to us and was by the other boat before he even noticed it was there, NO LIGHTS!!! He told us when the sherrif came, to come and get him and he would share his story. They initially tried to claim they had there light on, but the sherriff wasn't buying it. I believe his reply was, "I have one boat that almost hit you and I have another boat that did hit you, try again. Now go in and call your father and explain what happened to his boat."

There were four guys sitting in the boat, we went right over the front of their boat shearing off the front pedistal seat. The guy in that sit said all he remembers was seeing the hull of our boat heading straight for him. The next thing he knew he was on the floor of the boat.

One of the most surreal moments in my life. It took a couple of hours and a couple of beers to calm down enough to go to sleep. Besides not injurying or killing anyone, the best part was we did catch fish the next day.

[moviking]

Years back while duck hunting, myself & 2 buddy's were puting out the decoys, me in one boat, them in another. Well my bud had hit the boat I'm in with a bobcat, which he had repaired, when I noticed I'm up to my ankles in water, not sure what was going on I noticed my "buddys" watching me, it was then I turned around & saw there was no plug in the boat. They never did say how long they were going to wait before telling me to put the plug in.

[backlash 1]

Back in the early 80's I had just bought a brand new 16' Crestliner Fishhawk, and for opener we went to Mille Lacs. We were camped on shore by the marina just north of Garrison. My dad was along with his old 14' fiberglass fishing boat, along with a few of my brothers. We went out at midnight and were catching some fish, when a storm blew in from the east. We headed back to shore, pulled both of our boats onto the beach a bit and dug the anchors into the sand, and went to bed.

The wind just howled the rest of the night and I remember hearing a funny banging sound durring the night but thought nothing of it.

Next morning we wake up, look out, and my boat is gone. Found it washed up on shore, swamped about 100yds downshore. What had happened is the waves had drug both boats out a little and my dads had banged into mine all night, looked like someone had taken a ball peened hammer to the whole side of mine. Of course his tank did'nt have a scratch. Thank God I had ins ($25 ded.)

The ins company totaled my boat and I had a new one shortly there after.

Love these stories, keep them coming!!!

[Iambjm]

Doc your story scared the bejeebers outta me!!! Something very similar happened to a friend of ours on a fishing trip. His son and another kid snuck out after dark and took 2 paddleboats out in the middle of the lake. Our friend almost hit them coming back across the lake at a reasonable clip. Scared him so bad he darn near had a heart attack. If it would have been my kid he would have been grounded until he was 40.

[SDbowhunter]

The 2nd time I ever took my boat out. The motor flooded. After cranking on it for a while the battery died. So I'm stuck floating in 3 foot waves. After a few hours I finally start floating close to shore. My boat ended up fortunately landing on a sand beach as the surrounding properties had rip rapped shores. Some people staying at thier cabin saw me coming in and gave me a hand. My boat was almost swamped but we got it out with a few minor scratches and dents. It could have been alot worse.

[TCon17]

A few years ago my cousin and I were out fishing in the fall on duck opener in our 16' aluminum lund. We were anchored 50 yards out from a river mouth on the lake catching walleyes when i heard a gun shot. I didnt see anyone anywhere, so I figured it was somewhere else. A few seconds later i heard 3 more shots and I could heard shot wizzing by. Some guy was in a duck blind no more than 60 yards away on shore shooting at "ducks." He stands up out of his blind, and says "You guys cant fish here, you're in the way." We left immediately and called the sheriff from the cabin. The guy got a slap on the hand and was told to be more careful about what he was shooting at. He lives on the lake, so he thinks he owns it. Needless to say, we dont fish that spot in the fall anymore.

[GAP]

Two winters ago me and a couple buddies went out ice fishin we get out to our spot drill the holes clean them out and my buddy realized he forgot the lantern in the truck so he was gonna run back with the wheeler and get it he goes jumps on his fourwheeler starts it up takes off but he forgot to unhook the portable. me and the other guy were satnding up when he took off thank god the door was open me and my buddy barely got out and the kid on the wheeler still didnt have any idea that he forgot to unhook it finally 75 ft later he stops. our gear was all over the ice bent frame on the portable. didnt catch any fish that night and since then i always i unhook the portable myself

[ozzie]

wow lets see bad luck fishing.....hmmmmmmmmm well there is the time on opener my dad takes me to Mille Lacs and it was windy and cold (typical opener) well we said screw it let's go in well the motor doesn't start and and we try to use the trolling motor to guide us to the landing well we missed the landing and ended up 100 yds down and crashing into the rocks well pa says I am going to go get the vehicle....so he jumps out and goes to shore and starts walking the road he said to me before he left don't let the boat hit the rocks so I ended up in the cold water at waist level trying to hold the boat off the rocks...then Pa comes back and says let me try the motor one more time he wades out jumps in the boat and the motor starts...wet and cold we are on our way home!!!

Leech lake land the boat and the battery doesn't work dad says stay here I will run to Walker to get a battery....well hour later he is bakc with a battery and starts to work on the boat gets out and when he gets out on to shore we look back and his boat starts floating away....He turns to me and says get the boat but it was very cold water and I said yeah right your fault your boat you get it well the boat went like 100yds out and he had to swim to get it......

Lac Seaul, Canada my dad bro and I are in a 16ft 45hp boat and get lost....not the lake to get lost on well the weather starts to turn ugly and we can see a boat off in the distance so we go to them and they point us in the right direction..odd thing was one of them seen the stenciled name on everything and says are you from......turns out they went to high school with my dad..aynways scary ride back across the lake with big waves and small boat!!!

Fall of 06 on Devils Lake with a few friends and the wind picked up in a matter of minutes and we had to go into the wind over the biggest waves I have ever been in....go down one and you couldn't see over the next...scary but made it to the landing when one guy gets the vehicle backs the trailer in and leaves the door open....wind blows so hard it bent the hinges on the door backwards...drive all the way home the next day with people signaling that our door was open....REALLY!!!

I have more.....when you fish alot I guess you are bound to run into problems.........Good Luck

[crazyice]

I have one, but the three of us involved swore to secrecy on it!!Most of it was self inflicted troubles!

[backlash 1]

Out on Mille Lacs one evening, way before GPS, a friend and I were out on I think 5 mile. As it started getting dark I zeroed in on a bright light on shore for a marker to get back. After dark when we started to go in, of course everyone had their yard light on and they all looked the same. When we finially hit the shore,in a big weed bed, we went up to the nearest cabin and asked for directions. Ended up we were 4 miles south of where we put in.

Been lost on a lake twice after dark ice fishing also, once on Mille Lacs and once on a lake just across the road from where I live. Gets a little scarey. Haven't had a problem since I got a GPS though.

[morelnmusky]

Late season Musky fishing on Beers lake my buddy who we call Bo ob backed me in and when he pulled out the tire caught the deepest link in the concrete slab. I knew what was going on cause Ive seen people back in too far here before. Bo ob thought he needed more traction so he put the Bronco in 4 low and he thought hed get her out just fine until pop up comes floating my right tire and axle stub. Ive had worse luck fishing before but this is when I felt the most helpless. Come on Bo ob 4 low are you kiddin me!!!!

[brassman]

A couple years ago I went out ice fishing with a buddy at my cabin. I felt that the 2 feet of ice was sufficient for my jeep cherokee. I drove to the spot and fished for a while when it started to get nasty out. We packed up and left. about 200 yards from shore driving on the ice road the front axle decides to go for a swim. Mind you I drove over this same spot to get out on the lake. After 2 hours of 4 wheel drive pipe dreams I begrudgingly called my father who was an hour away to yank my jeep out of the water. Have not driven on a lake with anything bigger than an atv since.

[SDbowhunter]

Another time coming back from up north my friends tranmission on his truck started slipping. We lost 4th and 3rd and had to drive 120 miles on back roads in 2nd at 30 miles an hour. We made a good time out of it but it was really frustrating.