Breaking In A New Boat
My fishing buddies are breaking in their new boats. Last year Handy Randy got a Lund and a few weeks ago, Meat Stick got one too. Both boats are decked out and ready to fish.
The Boys love to catch walleyes and enjoy Canyon Ferry Lake. The only problem is whose boat do you take fishing. As the Boatless Buddy, I just get to go as the guest.
The other day I went with Meat Stick to test out his new Lund. This is a popular boat on the lake. His boat is quiet and perfect for two anglers. Both Meat Stick and I tend to bring more gear than we need. If one of us doesn’t have it, the other one does.
Meat Stick is a morning riser. That means getting up early. I understand that the bite can be great early but getting up early to hunt or fish has always been an issue with me. We launched at 6 and his boat worked perfectly.
I received a good fishing report from a friend so off we went. Walleyes are a challenge for some on Canyon Ferry. Using bottom bouncers, planer boards and other hardware, crankbaits, worms, and leeches can get confusing. The water depth keeps changing and staying on a troll can be hard.
We managed some small walleyes with bottom rigs and had a few more bites. On this day the lake was smooth and full of bugs. I accidentally ate one and would not recommend their flavor.
Later we went trolling for trout. Trolling can be boring but if you have a good buddy to talk to too, time flies by fast. The trout bite was consistent but landing them was a challenge. We lost more than we boated. With crankbaits loaded with treble hooks, you think the hook ups would be better.
Fortunately, we tackled enough fish to share and enjoy ourselves before a thunderstorm chased us off the water.
Trying out a new boat means a learning curve. Meat Stick has had boats before, and I have used them many times. Neither of us would brag about being an expert. Everything is new and requires some relearning. Everything from backing up to launching, retrieving, and figuring out how to secure the cover becomes a challenge.
Teamwork is important but Captain Meat Stick is the captain. I do as I am told and help when I can. He’s remembering and relearning too. Most of our boating was with older boats, technology and other waters.
At the end of the day, it’s just about fishing and friendship. We love to fish, and Meat stick or Handy Randy’s boats are a tool to that end. We snacked on some great jerky as we drove home, new boat in tow. Looking forward to many more days on the water.
Catch a biggun!
Montana Grant
