Jig and plastic baits $5

Okuma reel $50

Kistler dropshot rod $140

Gas (2 cars 1000 miles) $385

Kickboat $400

The opportunity to fish the biggest, baddest, float tube and kickboat tournament in the country PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My trip started out off schedule. Left the house over 1 hour behind schedule. At the top of an overpass on the 99 just before the 46, in a construction zone with no shoulder, I look in my mirror, only to have my heart stop. I see my kickboat bouncing off of the pavement! Somehow due to the pressure change between Tehachapi and Bakersfield, my boat lost pressure allowing the tie-downs to come loose on my trailer. Unable to pull over or turn around, I took the first exit, (which just happened to be my exit) and pulled over. A Chevy truck pulls up next to me and says, I just ran over your boat. AAAHHHHHHHHHH

While my wife trades insurance info with the guy, I start to backtrack. Mind you, this happened at the end of a construction zone. I had to backtrack about 3 miles before I could exit the freeway. I drove down some dirt roads and through a couple of fruit tree fields until I got as close to the overpass as I could. I walked uphill, through the stickers, about 80 yards until I got to my boat and carried it all the way back to my truck and trailer. One of the welds under the seat was broke, the right footpeg had been snapped in 2, the rear aluminum cargo deck with attached rod rack and safety light were gone, 1 oar was ruined, and 1 pontoon was flat.

Get to the lake and immediately start CPR on the boat! After about 3 hours, 20 zipties, JB Weld and 8 patched holes in the right bladder, I was ready to fish!

Went to launch long after everyone else had already left (I had to figure out how to take everything with no rear deck) and the strap on 1 of my fins broke. Went to the truck and got a spare. Finally on the water at 6:04. Day 1 went good, no keepers but I caught a lot of fish (one 3 lb cat). I was just happy to be able to fish after everything that had happened!

Day 2 was going better. Had 2 keepers. Hooked another and went for the net. Splash! Kistler rod and Okuma reel in the drink! Spent the last almost 1.5 hours trying to find it. No luck. I went back out on the water after the tourney and was able to hook a nice 15 inch almost 4 lb fish. Nice fatty! Made it all worth it! Got off the water before anything else could happen. Put my boat back on the trailer and went to move my truck…battery was dead!!!! Quick jump and I was good as new!!!

If you read this far, I know this was long, I want to thank everyone for all the support and a great time!!!! Can’t say it enough, thank you to everyone out there and hope to come to another one soon!!!

I was just about to post if anybody had heard from you.After talking with you before I left sunday I was thinking with the luck you had been having what could happen next.Sure enough a dead battery,unbelievable.Glad to here ya caught a nice one and eventually made it home safe.Thx again for the killer baits and shirt.:D

It was good to meet you and your wife. Sux all the problems you had on the way up and on the water. Hopefully the ride back was much better. Hope to see the both of you again soon.

I'm sorry tohear you did not get the rod/reel back. Glad to have met you at the open and THANKS for the reapers, a got bit on them even though the fish were still too small to do me any good. I think that was where I was fishing as I had the same problem on a jig.

Buzzfish

Dang! Man Jake, didn't realize you had so many problems x(

Glad you ended up catching a nice one and always glad to have you!

See you soon!

Todd

Man, that story puts having a bad day on the water in the proper perspective! :( Glad you were able to patch things up enough to get out there and fish. I got some of your Atomic Bluegill drop shot baits at the raffle and am looking forward to using them (did not get bit on them at Clear Lake, unfortunately, but I did not stick with drop-shotting very long -- DOH!)

Hey Jake. It was nice to see you again and meet your wife and mom. Dude you have used up all your bad fishing luck in one weekend. Next tourney we see you at all will go well.

I caught a bluegill on one of those atomic bluegill baits. I like the way those baits look. I have a feeling they'll work well somewhere. I did catch a couple of bass just under 13" on them also.

HEY JAKE, SORYY MAN ...TELL YOU WHAT IF YOU WANT SEND ME YOU FRAME AND I WILL WELD IT BACK UP FOR YOU AND FAB UP ANY PARTS WE NEED AT NO CHARGE...WE GOTTA GIVE YA SOME LOVE AFTER ALL THAT :7 YOU CAN REACH ME AT "IMWELDERDUDE@AOL.COM"TALK TO YOU SOON
JAY

Jay, that's super, super cool of you!!! Thanks for the offer. If I decide to buy a new one, I'll just keep this one for a spare as is. If not, I'll get with you to see what we can do. Thanks man!

Sorry to hear of your bad luck, one good thing, sold alot of
your soft baits (made some mula). I'll send you a picture once I
catch the honking mama with one of them reapers.

I didn't know bass could honk....learn something new every day!

Buzz

I always fish for "Hugh Honk'n MAMAS". It's one of their lesser
known characteristics (so keep it under raps). So how come I keep
gettings dinks??? One of these days she will be on my hook!