Rough Year

[fatrap]

I haven't been posting much as I haven't been fishing a whole lot. Nothing really to report on. My shakedown trip this spring to the local mud hole went uneventful. So I greased up the bearings and headed to a small lake know for good bass fishing. Port side bearing failed and almost lost wheel pulling into the ramp parking lot. I'd stopped and checked bearings after about 10 miles and things were alright. Lucky the park ranger had a friend who was a mechanic. The brake shoe came unattached and jammed somehow that's not clear to me under the drum causing heat thus failure. He replace both sides bearings brakes everything. Second trip same lake the starting battery was dead despite being on the charger all night. Couldn't jump start it so back home and new battery. Noticed my travel cover (new replaced) was coming apart at the seams and the starboard side ratchet was broke. Back to the Dowco who replaced it gladly. Next trip the master power switch didn't work. Fished anyway and produced some nice bass including one 22 inch one. While backing into the driveway the trailer was making a clunking noise when I changed from forward to reverse. The swing tongue on the trailer opposite the side I fixed last year was split in two places clear down to the bottom plate. Dragged out my Miller 220 volt welder removed the tongue pounded the splits back together then ground grooves on the splits and welded inside and out side I had to re-drill and file out the hole for the swing pin. Finally had a successful crappie trip with my brother and a child hood friend. Child hood friend notice the "T" on my tracker decal, a raised foam thing" was coming off. Used some of my rifle bedding compound (accuglass) to stick it back on. I can add this to my three page list of boo boo's.
Sooooo
I haven't made one walleye trip to South Dakota
Decided not to trade it in as I get nothing for trade value
My local fishing has been minimal
Am finding it increasingly hard to be optimistic
I'll just keep plugging away and take what comes.
Mike G
aka
fatrap

 

[Donald Prater]

This sounds about the way my year has gone. Best fishing this year was in the Bahamas with my son who lives there. Hope the weather cools off so we can get back to fishing here.

 

[cq]

I am not quite that bad this year, but look on the bright side, "Tomorrow is Another Day".

 

[fatrap]

A summation of my years fishing. No trips to South Dakota for walleyes. I went from 11 trips to zero! Caught a few crappie and walleyes locally. I had a good stand of grass growing under my trailer. The bite up there (Francis Case) was poor and my contacts there said it was hit or miss. I have a 2015 Power stroke with about 15000 miles compared to a year ago total mileage of nearly 30k. Good things.....the replacement carpet in my cockpit area is awesome the guys really did a good job. Other than bearing problems and some welding issues no big repairs to my rig. I did take my two grand daughters camping and they caught their first fish which I have on video.
My goal for next year is simply to go fishing. I have some things to overcome but I'm hoping for the best.
Mike G