Fishing Forum

Boy I hate it when I am the one needing rescue. Camped at Strawberry Monday evening to fish Tuesday morning - it rained all night so everything was wet. 0600 pulled down to the ramp and launched the boat. First time ever on this boat, it wouldn't start - wouldn't even turn over. Called my wife to bring the jumper pack down from camp - dang she couldn't find it. Robert was just launching so he gave me a jump and it started right up. Okay, we run the big motor all day and it should recharge the battery - big mistake. 

Well fishing was pretty fast first thing, 3 kokes, 2 in the boat and 1 lost at the boat. Then it happened, bringing up the electric downriggers, killed the engine. Dang battery was completely dead. The 2 batteries on the trolling motor (that I haven't used all season) were also dead after swapping them out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Now that's a trick. By now the wind was starting to pick up, so I put out the distress - thankfully I have friends up there. Robert came to the rescue and towed me in. Stupid mistake on my part, but thanks for good friends. Not to put a jinx, but hope to repay the favor sometime. 

Won't make that mistake again - went into Heber for a new battery - everything went fine the rest of the week. I now carry the jumper pack and a crescent wrench on the boat.

Sounds like you needed a partner. Glad to hear the o2 temperatures are coming down. Watch for those thunderstorms.

Hey VerDean, yeah I did have a fishing partner with me. Unfortunately he did not have a battery jump pack with him either. This goof was totally on me. Too anxious to get fishing and did not cover all the bases.

(08-05-2022, 10:01 PM)brookie Wrote: [ -> ]Won't make that mistake again - went into Heber for a new battery - everything went fine the rest of the week. I now carry the jumper pack and a crescent wrench on the boat.

Been there and done that and that is why I now carry a fully charged extra-heavy-duty jumper battery on my boat and also one in my Armada.  I also have jumper cables and a set of tools on the boat and in the Armada.

There are some nice little jump starters that cost about $50. Really great. I have three of them.

2 cranking batteries and a selector switch has saved me before.
I now carry jumper cables and make sure both trolling motor batteries are charged up.  Guess I'm screwed if I discharge them then it doesn't start.
One time we used the kicker to get from Soldier Creek to Renegade when I forgot to check the 2 stroke oil and ran low.  Now we carry a couple of quarts with us.

Funny how these experiences affect our habits. When my family was young, I used to tell the kids “if we didn’t get stuck, we didn’t go far enough”. I guess no wonder the wife will no longer leave the asphalt roads.

Kind of funny I just finished checking out the cranking battery.  I have had my suspicions for a couple of months.  Been kind of babying it along.
One of the cells has now gone totally bad. Guess there is no choice now new battery coming up.