Stories about forgetting the plug

[BoarBuster]

I bought my first boat used and knew it had went thru Katrina. It has and 03 115hp four stroke Suzuki on a 17' Glastron. Paid a grand for boat,motor and trailer. Motor cranked the sec you hit the key. Boat needed new deck and trailer needed a new axle, tires and wheels. So I put in new springs,axle,wheels and tires. New trailer jack. New wiring and lights for the trailer. Now it is time for my first launch. A coworker was meeting me and we were going to go out and do some fishing out of Shell Beach,La. I decided I would put the boat in the water so we would be ready to go when he got there. He knew the area. Hookup and back into the water. Had slid it off the trailer when I realized I didn't put the plug in. I jumped in and put the plug in while it is begining ti fill the boat. When My buddy got there we went out I got it on plane and we drained it.. I suppose I need to do what my buddy did to his boat and that was to put a engraved plate on his trailer tongue right by the hookup that says," Put the Plug In"

[rascalsweet]

I don't think I've ever left the plug, but reminds me of the boat I learned to fish in. Was old sears 12 fiberglass boat, pale green by the time I seen it. A couple people picked it up out the truck and carried it water, that kinda boat. Had build in live that you had fill with bucket. It great flotations in it, couldn't sink. which was good because of few time to many that my uncle (momma's brothers) borrowing while dad was at work. seems it you let the nose drag it was easier, till wore down the hull. Last few years we fished it, you put what you wanted dry in the live well and let the fish swim at your feet.

[EnonEye]

This wasn't about forgetting the plug but of learning about my new boat. 1996, first time to Canada with it. We were anchored in a bay with nasty 3 footers coming in and breaking over the transom (1st mstake). We were just killin the perch, big, fat, jumbos and paying no attention to the waves and water entering the back of the boat. I noticed when we went to leave there was some water coming up through the carpet but I figured no matter, tomorrow we'll put her up on the trailer and drain the "little bit" of water in the bottom (2nd mistake). That night with the boat tied to the dock I left my bait-well running to keep the minnows alive overnight(3rd mistake). Sometime during the night a couple of the minnows got stuck in the overflow tube and completely plugged it up. So now I had running water into the bait-well and no place for it to go except into the floor of the boat. The next morning we got up bright and early for an exciting day of perch and smallmouth fishing but when I saw my not-even-1-year-old-boat I nearly stroked out right there. The back end was nearly underwater and the dock with the trailer was about a half mile away. I had heard stories of pulling the plug while on plane for the water to drain but I coudn't even get it on plane. My butt was super-puckered all the way to the dock where after trailering it and pulling the plug water drained out for a half hour at least. Apparently the combination of the waves breaking over the transom and the plugged up bait well did the trick. Thank goodness we got up early to go fishing that morning. Had we slept in... "honey I've got this HUGE repair bill coming from Canada." Now I always keep an eye on what if any water is coming into the boat and have never used the bait-well since. It makes for a nice dry place to keep the pee can.

[flytier]

One friend of mine always would get in the boat and try to fish while I parked the truck, well this time as I walked to the boat he was yelling GET THE PLUG!

[LeeH]

My first boat was a used Sears 14' jon boat with a 8hp Evinrude and tiller steering. My brother Billy and I launched on the St Johns River early one morning for a little Florida largemouth bass fishing. As we drifted out into the river I was trying to pull start that ornery lil Rude and realized we were taking on water! A frantic search for the plug was in vain but luckily I managed to get that Evinrude started and got us up on plane draining the water out.
So we're running up the river without a plug and I hollered at my brother to find something to stick in the hole, after a few minutes he handed me a plug......he had whittled a drain plug out of my favorite Devils Horse Top water lure.
Miss you Billy.

[zummy]

I had an 88 Starcraft Deep V. Buddy and I decided to go fishing on a day off. He is experienced in boats and has probably 6 or 7 himself. I was getting things ready and put him in charge of putting in the plug. Don't know where he found it, but he stuck a gooey old plug in without me knowing. We launch and get to where we will fish. Its cold enough we have one bibs and coats. Get ready to cast and look down to see water covering the floor. The plug had come out as we ran to the spot. Get the anchored pulled up, and by the time we get the motor started there is so much water in the boat we can't get on plane. I come flying up to the dock to drop him off. As he goes to get the truck I happen to see a plug and reach thru the water to plug it in. Bilge pump had blown the breaker. Get the boat out and it takes like 10 minutes to get all the water out. I was scared out of my mind at the time. Now I always make sure I have at least 2 good plugs in the boat at all times.

[scoremaster]

gosh I hate to say anything but I have never forgot the plug but 1 time ..........

took the whole family fishing ooohhhhh was to be a great trip the wife said look at the quality time we will all spend together and have fun well it's about a 45 min ride to the lake we were to fish and by the time we got there the lovely children then ages 7 and 8 boy and girl were about as close as two types of snakes on the same rock could be so my nerve level was elevated to say the least .
and like everyone one else I have a routine I go through to get my boat in the water so as that process started and the daddy whats this how this work and of course hunny wheres the sun block do I need my purse and etc.........

I neglected to put the plug in ( maybe it was gods way of fixing my situation lol) but launched the boat pulled the truck and parked everyone got in and we was cruising twards the no wake bouys
my dear daughter stopped screaming at her brother just long enough to say dad there is water back here my boat is a 17 sea nymph v bottom so sits high in the water most times lol.

so while processing all of this I say baby there is water in the front of the boat also ( he he so much for being a smarty pants) she said no dad this is in the boat and getting deeper

so once again my mind kicks into the processing data side and then my ass kicks in gear thinking go we are gonna sink but it wasen't to bad I tilted the motor stuck in the plug and run the bilge pump all was good with the world ........until we got back to launch and I pulled the plug gosh water run for days, it seemed like people were looking and the water just kept coming ........now I carry spare fuses for the bilge pump and others but mostly the builge pump it seemed to have blowed the fuse and I had been packing that water all day I just figured it was with all the people in the boat as the reason we were so sluggish but alas it wasen't so lol.

but all in all we did fish that day ( and we all lived through it much to my surprise lol) guess he wife was right did have some good memories and hopefully more to come

hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did living it lol,

take care tight lines DID YOU PUT THE PLUG IN ,

Scott

[jimmyfreeland]

Went duck hunting once with a few guys I just met in my boat. Got to the lake and realized that the plug wasn't in the boat. That's the day I learned that a 10 guage shotgun shell will fit perfectly in the plug hole. So we stuck a shell in the plug hole and went duck hunting.

[ol yank]

We were fishing walleye on Lake Erie during the spring jig bite. I caught a nice one and my brother in law netted the fish. After I put it in the live well, we noticed water on the deck. Bail! I shouted. I started the big motor and got her up on plane. It soon drained the water out and I beached the boat so it would not sink. I leaned over the transom and found my drain plug was out of the hole. It was one of those snap type plugs and was on a cord tied to the boat. I put it back in and we went fishing again. Turns out, when he netted the fish, he must have hooked that stupid plug and pulled it out. I no longer use snap type plugs.
Anyone who has had a boat longer than a couple years will have a drain plug or boat ramp story.

[Jasonlboyd]

I've never left the plug out but when I was in high school my friend, his girlfriend and I went fishing with my Dads boat. My dad is real particular about things and when water started coming in the back I started to panic a little. When we realized that the aerator pump had broke off and the water was coming through it I went back to the ramp. When we got home I showed my dad and he asked, "Why didn't you just stick a rag in it to plug it and keep fishing?". Hmm... Good question, maybe because I wasn't wanting to get a lecture when I got home! I currently have 3 plugs in my boat. I always keep it unplugged when not on the water, that way I have a routine of taking off the transom straps, transom saver, putting the plug in, and opening the gas vent. If I know I take the plug out, I will never second guess if it's in or not. Now my luck I'll sink my boat tomorrow by forgetting the plug.

On a related note, the first time i saw my dad pull the plug while a boat was on plane I thought he had lost his mind. I was about 7 or 8 and I started to panic! Nice trick to keep in mind though.