A couple of years ago I drove to a Florida boat ramp turned around to back in and the boat wasn't hitched to the truck.  There was a sheriff at the ramp that must have thought Georgians were really dumb.  He wasn't there when I came back 15 minutes later.  What's your story?

My boat is moored out in the bay  so to get out to it you have to row a dinghy to get on. This one particular day there was 4 of us who were going out. The current was particularly strong that day and it took us a bit to get out. We had to start well before the boat so that the current can push us into the boat once we got out there. 
 

It took quite a while from the time we walked to the beach, dragged the dinghy to the water and rowed out.
 

Got on the boat and realized I had taken the boat key out of my bag the night before to clean it out. Totally forgot to put it back in the bag once it dried out. 
 

We lost an hour to an hour and a half to our fishing trip.  

I once left my house at three in the morning to launch an hour away. I unloaded everything except for my paddle and spare because I'd forgotten them. Because I was launching at a creek, I was up a creek without a paddle. 

I have forgotten to wait until I feel the weight of the bass before I set the hook with a topwater, for 50 years.  I still hope to remember to do it right next time.

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

I once left my house at three in the morning to launch an hour away. I unloaded everything except for my paddle and spare because I'd forgotten them. Because I was launching at a creek, I was up a creek without a paddle. 

Ditto, including the time +/-, and the distance. I’ve forgotten my life jacket a couple times too, it normally stays in the truck so I get messed up if I need to remove it for some reason. I call it a day in these instances.

I forgot my sunglasses one time.  I went fishing anyway.

Being new to having a boat and not yet having a routine at that point, I forgot to latch the trailer one trip.  It was a quick trip early in the season to test out props and I didn’t have much time so I was running out to my closest lake to run the big motor.  Fortunately, it was only 8 miles of 2 lane road.  A couple bumps and clunks but it all stayed connected.  I had the chains on of course, but still..

 

Another time a couple years ago I forgot my entire tackle bag in the truck.  When I had the kayak, I left the motor, tackle bag, fish finder, and the rods in the truck from April to September.  For some reason I had taken the bag out and forgotten to put it back in my rush to get out to the lake (get the theme?). I had 5 rods with lures tied on plus the dozen or so cutoffs in the drying rack.  Learned a few things that trip about adapting.  

I once forgot to park my truck. Launched my boat, took off and looked back only to see my truck still sitting on the ramp backed up to the water. A couple years later, I did it again. I’m an eager beaver when I get to the ramp. 
 

The first time it was at a pay-to-launch private marina, and the marina owner was watching it all go down without saying a word. Just a mouth full of chaw and a raised eyebrow. 

I usually leave my boat trailer hooked to my truck all weekend. A couple months ago on a Monday morning I forgot to unhook it and got halfway to work before I realized there was my boat behind me. I thought about playing hooky and going fishing (a sign you know) but I had taken all my tackle out the night before.

I should you’all this…. I forgot my fishing poles once, please don’t tell anyone, but I left them on the dock. I got all the way to my first fishing spot. This usually when I have my

egg & cheese biscuit and coffee. Lowered the trolling motor, it was then I noticed no poles in the boat. I go that instant picture flash ….. I laid them on the bench at the dock. 

Oh Boy!!! I forgot my tackle box once, lucky for me I was with my son that day and could use his stuff. Another day I got half way across the lake and realized I'd left my rods in the back of my truck so back to the ramp we go. Not long ago my brother and I launched his boat and we get a hundred yards out and I realized I'd left same rods in his truck, back to ramp we go.

12 hours ago, Glenn said:

I forgot my sunglasses one time.  I went fishing anyway.

 

 

10 hours ago, Glenn said:

I forgot my sunglasses one time.  I went fishing anyway.

I’ll bet you’ve NEVER forgotten your mustache!

 

The list of things I’ve forgotten over the years might shut Glenn’s server down. 
 

I’m sure many things other members have forgotten too, such as:

• The boat’s drain plug.
• PFD.
• Kayak paddle.
• Charge batteries.
• Specific rod/reel, or baits.
• Rain gear.
• etc, etc.

Years ago, hooked the old Rich Line to the truck and forgot to lock down the hitch. Did have the chains on...

 

Drove 6 hours to north central Nebraska (not the best roads), with out any issues. 

 

Staying in a cabin in Canada with a buddy fishing Bay of Quinte for big walleye in the late fall. We get all our gear down to the boat & take off for about an hour run to where we want to start fishing. I get the rods all set up & ask my bud where is my tackle bag with all the lures in it? He forgot it & we had to go all the way back. I was a little aggravated.  

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Drove 6 hours to north central Nebraska (not the best roads), with out any issues.

OMG...how lucky was that!

8 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

I once forgot to park my truck. Launched my boat, took off and looked back only to see my truck still sitting on the ramp backed up to the water. A couple years later, I did it again. I’m an eager beaver when I get to the ramp. 
 

The first time it was at a pay-to-launch private marina, and the marina owner was watching it all go down without saying a word. Just a mouth full of chaw and a raised eyebrow. 

I did just the opposite just last month. I got to the ramp and started jawing with a buddy who had just launched while I unstrapped the boat. I then proceeded to pull into a parking spot without launching. 🤦‍♂️😂 My buddy got a kick out of that one. I'll be hearing old and senile jokes from him for awhile.

I've also forgot to put the plug in a couple times, and forgot to hook up the launch rope once. I got to go for a COLD skinny dip in the river that day.

This happened in the spring at a tournament weekend.  On Saturday evening we got a ton of rain and my cover was off so I took out the plug.  As my partner was backing me down Sunday morning, I wondered- "I did put in the plug-right?  Well, I'll know in about 30 seconds when the auto-bilge will kick on if I didn't."  It never kicked on so I figured all was good.  We got to our first spot and I caught a keeper within about 15 minutes.  As I'm weighing my fish I see water coming up from the back deck into the floor of helm.  I immediately knew the plug wasn't in and the autobilge was not working.  And the manual bilge would only run for a few seconds before shutting off.  I immediately started the big motor to get back to the launch.  I couldn't get on plane since so much water was in the boat so it took about 20 minutes to get to the launch.  I was quite nervous and continually turned the manual bilge on for it to run a few seconds before shutting off.  I did make it to the launch and got it on the trailer and it took a long time to drain all the water out.  Needless to say, I took my boat in when I got back and got all my pumps replaced.

 

 

I took my dad fishing one day. It was a cool morning so we had jackets on. It warmed up quickly. I threw my jacket in storage and did not notice he had just tossed his onto the back deck of the boat. After a couple of high speed runs, the jacket was not there. Thankfully, for some reason he had put his car keys in his pants pocket this time. We were kind of bummed out at first, it was a nice new jacket. Later, we laughed about a classy bass swimming around with a stylish jacket on.

A few years back On a Canoe trip with Lynn,

I forgot the Paddles.

#knucklehead.

So we went all the way home and drove back.

Ended up fishing the day a bit better than it started.

https://youtu.be/gWfXaO_a3g4?si=VGG7xyVu3731r7od&t=149

🥺

A-Jay

 

Another time my buddy and I were getting the boat ready to launch and we were joking and laughing and not really paying attention. I thought he unhooked the back straps, he thought I had. We were both stumped at first when we launched the boat and the boat was stuck to the trailer. Two of the three stooges at the boat ramp.

I feel I have forgotten more than others, but those trips are memorable and will live in infamy.

Oh, I forgot I forgot a few more things:

 

I forgot to take the motor toter off  - I didn't know the prop could shoot it that high.

 

I forgot to take ONE of the back straps off.  What ensued was nothing more than comical as the boat drifted off the trailer, but was stuck at the same time.  Let's just say I got wet.....in 55 degree water.  Still went fishing though.

6 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Let's just say I got wet.....in 55 degree water.  Still went fishing though.

 

More than once, got to the spot and put the kayak in and looked for the paddle. DOH! Have forgotten the tackle box, the rods, the crate. Everything but the boat.

I forgot back straps, tackle bag, cell phone, Polarized subscription sunglasses " worst " and forgot to unplug the batteries.....drug the extension cord for quite aways.

Good news !

All this didn't happen on the same trip