bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

For those of you that may be following my trip, Well all went to Down hill. Actually it was a good trip in that we made it home safe, though a week and a half early.
engine in mororhome started giving trouble. I got that fixed though blew a hole in the exhaust with a bckfire. The unit sounded a bit like a shovel harley. Rested up then headed out fishing the next day. About six mile from the dock, the rotation spindal system got very stiff and the stearing gear broke only alowing stearing to the left. after many archs, and hand turning the motor then arching left we got back to the dock and brought the boat into the marina and dock using the trolling motor. It was a no fix deal. Exhausted, we decided to cut our losses and head home. we gave ourselves a day of rest to pack and load everything including the boat. Another trip about a mile to the boat ramp, this time alone. I disconnected the stearing and sat in the engine well using my body much like a tiller pulling and pushing against the motor. Allas the boat is loaded. All is rready to go. I would like to sy tht was the end of things, but NO!! Murphy was still with us. Just as we got onto th I 90 bridge at about 3:30 pm the belt broke on the hydrolic break and stearing pump. I muscled the stearing and used the hand break to get us across the bridge, through the tunnel and and to the neest off ramp. The first spot we could pull off was a Marajuana Story parking lot. That was followed by a nightmare with "Sam's Auto" . To shorten things up. Following them sending a tow truck that looked like it was designed to tow nini cars after multiple calls and repeatedly advising them I was in a class A motorhome towing a 23 foot boat and trailer rig, we finally got the proper tow, but it took some real effort for the driver to take just one person. There were two of us and this was at 10 p.m. At any rate we got home sometime around 1 or 2 a.m. The only really friendly people we ran into were the panhandlers that approached us and an employee at the pot shop. The owner was being a Jack A**. At least the employee told us to be very carefull if we had to spend the night as it was a dangerous place after dark. Bottom line: We got home safe and uninjured and Sam's did get our rigs home eventually, unstripped and unpainted with gang grafitti.

Yes, I cought 5 bass in the few hours I fished, but if you ask for photos, wear a flack jacket. LOL

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Sounds like what theyvtypically call a comedy of errors. You have my sympathy. I've had a couple similar days but on a much smaller scale.good luck with your repair

Barnacles Loc: Northern California

sometimes, you have the REVERSE Midas touch - - everything you touch turns to s--t!
...Been there, done that, got the tee shirt! Sorry it happened to you!

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

Man, what an ordeal!

Gary B123 Loc: Washington

That's some tough "fishing"!
I award you a gold merit badge for endurance... even going back for more! Well done.

Ted A Loc: Eastern Washington

I'm glad we didn't experience your problems on Pend Oreille lake. My nephew and a grandson fished Saturday trolling for trout. The grandson is the only one to catch a fish and it was not a keeper. He caught a bull trout that we promptly released.

Good luck getting your motor fixed.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Thanks. Always fun to cstch fish, even if not the target size.

Rhyno Loc: Santa Rosa,California

If there is a positive in the whole story,for me,y’all got 5 bass!! Some good whiskey on ice will take care of the rest,there’s always next time🎣

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

You are totally wrong Rhyno. For me it took rum and coke and for my fishing buddy, gin and tonic. But I may also be wrong, as both of those are a part of our trip anyway. That of course only applies to after the boat is docked at the end of the day. Although sometimes I am not sure about my 80 year old fishing buddy. He never drives anyway. That no drip water glass od his may on occasion have more than water in it. I just got to thinking, maybe the wiskey on ice is just what I need this evening, before I head out in the morning to work on the boat. Wrong again Bapabear. With this heat, I believe a margarita is more appropriate.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

As for the bass, they were not much bigger than the lures, but a bass is a bass, event though our target was pike. Think about it. seven inch lure for 8 inch bass. It's all fun

Rhyno Loc: Santa Rosa,California

To steal the phrase,
Do what floats your boat😉

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Don't say that. The way things have been going, the boat may sink!

DC Loc: Washington state

what a frustration. breaking down on i-90 bridge at 3:00pm would not be the best place or timing. glad you made it home safely. your trips sound like some I have had this year, maybe just not a good year. I have put over $7000 in my boat this year and still doesn't run right one thing after another. think rest of the year going to stay close to home and fish the salt. so if I see a boat floating without power I'll look out for you and you can do the same for me hopefully both our luck will turn for the upcoming salmon season if they don't cancel it. anyway I feel your pain and trust you will have a great rest of the year taking your grandkids our in the sound

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

You can't have the goods if you don't have the bads to appriciate whats good.

DC Loc: Washington state

you are right for sure and we just choose which we want to focus on. By the way Thursday I was comeing down the I -90 and about 7 miles from northbend my boat trailer tire blew all apart as I was going 65 passing a truck made it to the side of the road only to find my lug wrench did not fit my boat trailer's tire had to use a small wrench and a hatchet to pound them loose only to find my spare was really low in pressure but drove slowly to the truck stop at north bend filled up the tire and them made it home. next day ordered a new lug wrench with 4 different size sockets and bought a new tire so we are ready to take it out again. But the trip was good because the grand kids caught fish and had fun and that is what counts as they say new tire $150, boat repair $6000 smile on grandkids face as they pull in their fish PRICELESS! Take care and have a good day I'm going to follow your advice and take some grandkids out to get some dogfish and maybe greenling and flat fish next week or so.