How do you spell B U M M E R ?

Reel Old Geezer · Post by **Reel Old Geezer** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:32 pm

I went down to the river at dawn today. I ran 4 miles upstream to start fishing. I picked up my 45 day old $300+ rod and took one cast - SNAP! The rod shattered about a foot down from the tip. Luckily it has a full warranty for the first 90 days. I should get a new one with no questions asked.

Then after a pretty good day of fighting the wind, but catching some nice smallmouth, I ran back to the ramp to be home for lunch. I beached the boat and walked to my pickup only to find that I no longer had a boat trailer on the back of my truck. Some @#$%^ stole my trailer, receiver, and ball. This in a remote place in Idaho! Cell phones don't work down in the canyon I was in, but luckily there was a local couple catfishing who were just getting ready to quit. I gave them my wife's phone number and told them to call her and have her come down to the river after calling the Sheriff, and we'd try to figure out how to get my boat out of the river and home.

She arrived in record time, and the sheriff's deputy a short time later. Luckily, she has a friend with a place on the river about 8 miles downstream. I ran the boat down there and tied it to their dock and she drove down and got me back to my truck.

We then went home, called the boat dealer and after buying a new receiver, ball and LOCKING pin, the dealer loaned us a trailer so that we could get the boat out of the river. He had just put in an order for a load of boats and will call them to get a trailer for our boat on the load. We then went down to the river and I motored 6 more miles downstream to another ramp where we put the boat on the borrowed trailer. It didn't fit very well and hung out over the rear, but we did make the 8 miles to our house, where the boat is now parked in the garage. I'll lock my trailer to my locked hitch in the future.

The boat dealer told us to look in the water at the end of the boat ramp. He had heard of some idiots unhooking boat trailers and rolling them down the ramps and into lakes. I'll try that in a few days. I don't think that's the case here tho, for you could see where a truck had been backed up alongside my truck and the trailer wheel skidded along in the sand.

Oh well... I did catch about 20 nice smallies, so I guess it was a good day.

D.R. · Post by **D.R.** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:49 pm

ROG,

Sorry that happened. I am not sure what the law is their, Buttttttt!

Down here in Texas messing with a Man's fishing equipment is like stealing a horse. You can get hung. All you have to do is tell the Judge he needed killing. Case closed.

D.R,

kbookert · Post by **kbookert** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:53 pm

R.O.G., that is one of the saddest stories I have heard in a long time. Hope the find the guy. Maybe he is still running around with license plate on the trailer.

superman_36 · Post by **superman_36** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:57 pm

i Hate thieves, they are scum. You work hard for what you have and they just come by and take it. Good luck on finding it. What comes around goes around especially if you find them

mps19913 · Post by **mps19913** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:59 pm

ROG sorry to hear about that...two of the unexpected...jw what type of rod was it??

REW · Post by **REW** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:18 pm

Some fools have been hitting one of the lake systems just south of me. The tricky part of this is that this is actually a place that gets a decent amount of traffic. Unfortunately, most people these days would rather turn a blind eye than risk getting involved. I, myself, have been triple-locking my trailer to the truck. Hopefully, somebody will catch the culprit(s), and give them a thorough beating.

Zman · Post by **Zman** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:33 pm

I'm sorry to hear this ROG, That had to feel awful. I hope they get what they deserve.

dragon1 · Post by **dragon1** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:28 am

Friggin' a$$401&*!!!...

Too bad shootin' 'em dead isn't legal..or at least a good Public Beating.

Fbass · Post by **Fbass** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:17 am

I can see people stealing a trailer but why would anyone want to steal the ball and receiver? Was the trailer locked to the ball one way or another? But then that would mean they'b be unable to tie it behind a vehicle! So your trailer must be in water somewhere near the ramp!
Over here we have quite a bit of petty crimes like that so I often remove one wheel from my trailer and leave the trailer on a log I keep in my truck! I have no boat dealer close by and should the trailer disapear I don't know what I would do! Maybe build on a roof on my boat and live on it!
Anyway, I hope they find your trailer and the MF who stole it!

Want · Post by **Want** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:32 am

superman_36 wrote:i Hate thieves, they are scum. You work hard for what you have and they just come by and take it. Good luck on finding it. What comes around goes around especially if you find them

Sums up my feelings. A few years ago I walked out of my office and my truck was gone. You have to wonder what kind of minds these 'low-lifes' have.

mhood · Post by **mhood** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:33 am

Bummer is right!!! Release the hounds!

Reel Old Geezer · Post by **Reel Old Geezer** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:05 am

Thanks to everyone for the shoot 'em suggestions. I'd love to have been able to do that.

The worst part of this whole experience was the feeling of what do I do with a boat in the water and no trailer; and what if the helpful people couldn't get my wife on the phone. I'd have sat down there on the river for 6-8 hours until she became worried about me. You can't drive the truck anywhere - then someone will steal your boat.

Theft of receiver hitches is apparently quite common. While I was in the farm store buying a new one - with locking pin, a rancher walked up and said "buy one with the locking pin." He was buying a new ball and receiver too, for when he backed up to his stock trailer that morning he discovered someone had stolen his receiver and ball during the previous night.

mikey · Post by **mikey** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:13 pm

Don't trust ANYONE!
My story. Last fall I'm at local lake doing my own tackle testing. Only person in parking lot. Tailgate down on truck. Four rods and four reels in bed. Rig one up, down to dock, start casting. Nice day!
Van with out of state plates rolls in . Grandpa (GP), Grandma (GM) and grandson (GS) get out. GP & GM set up lawn chairs on dock and settle in. 3" bluegill under dock prepare to die. GS has his fishing rod and is EVERYWHERE. Up the shore, down the shore, back to the van, looking in the back of my truck, in the bushes, back down to the water, etc... HYPER!!
I'm telling GP & GM I think it's great they take GS fishing. No video game.
Instant storm hits. Heavy rain. Run to truck, load gear in cab, drive home.
Unload tackle. oops.. a reel is missing. Double check everywhere. Back to the lake. GP, GM, GS and NIB Shimano Stradic 4000 M.I.A.
I can't wait till I see them again.
mikey

Charlie Tuna · Post by **Charlie Tuna** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:35 am

Had my ball & hitch stolen from my truck last year. Had to go to a locking pin.

Even with the locking pin all it takes is a ratchet & socket to remove the locking mechanism in the ball receiver.

I'm lucky mine was only a $40 dollar loss.

Sorry to hear about your trailer.

CT

SLM · Post by **SLM** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:42 am

Wow, that really is a bummer to come back to.

Even with a locked receiver, thieves can still unbolt the ball. That's why lots of guys weld a small bead underneath the ball (on the nut and receiver) for extra insurance!

How do you spell B U M M E R ?

How do you spell B U M M E R ?

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