what a miserable day for me and my poor boat and motor. I treated my equipment like hell all day long.
It all started this morning at the bait shop. The one I told everybody they should use went out of business LAST WEEK. The store didn't look out of business, so we waited a good 20 minutes for them to open. Ended up going somewhere else and geting alate start. This is important to remember later on in this story. Anyway, stopped and got 18 gallons of gas, and a pound of shinners. Didn't have toughies, which is what we all usually fish with. No big deal though.
Anyway, get to the boat ramp. can't drive the stakes into the ground for the banners. Like solid rock. Do the best we can. Launch the boats, get everyone on their merry way.
I take off with my 200 merc screaming up the lake about 3-5 miles to Srping creek. Got my buddies following me. Just as I get in front of the Paper mill, it hits me, and I nearly throw up instantly. I FORGOT TO PUT OIL IN THE GAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOly $(*&. I stop immediatley. The motor is running great. Nothing weird. Have I goten away with something as serious as this could have been? apparently so. Pat Stegall comes up beside me and he can tell something is bad wrong. I am pale as a ghost. I ask him" Please, tell me you have some oil". He says yes and throws me what is left in a gallon bottle. I thank him 100 times and look at the bottle. It has exactly 3 quarts left. Just what I need. 3 quarts right!! WRONG I need 3 PINTS. I poor in 3 quarts. This is the second, really stupid-in a hurry- increadily dumb mistake of the day. I crank up, runs like a scalded dog to my fishin hole
I fish for 2 hours, catch 3 fish. Decide to move. The motor cranks, put in in gear, and putt putt putt putt putt dies. Now, with what little knowledge I have of motors, I think the motor is fried. I get sick all over again. But what really happend is the mix is too rich and the plugs are fouled by now. I am close to Spring Creek bridge and call my buddy Pat. Our plan is he will come get my keys when he goes in to weigh-in, then drive over and get me at the closest boat launch. Well inside the tournament rules and regualtions. Just gotta reach the weigh-in before 1:00. But, I am the president and the only one who really knows how to use the scales. But I am not concerned about that right now, my motor is fried.
While steadly running the trolling motor toward the boat ramp, I tied on 4 crank baits. 300 series bandits in my favorite colrs. It's about 9:30, so I trolled across a submerged hump and hooked up on a nice 14" white crappie within 10 minutes. Proceeded to fish the next 2 hours and caught 10 fish on crankbaits. All nice quality fish. Had 4 fish around 14". Would not have fished there if not for my motor messed up. Finished in 2nd place with 6.16. Not a bad ending for such a screwed up day. Got home and took out the spark plugs. Not metal shavings. The plugs are fouled and will replace them and fill up the remainder 10 gallons in my gas tank and run it after church. ALl of this may end up costing me only $20 in spark plugs.
What a day