Leave your boat?
- Thread starter LBL
- Start date
I have gotten there early and seen a pontoon left there. I think virtually all conscientious anglers would leave your gear alone. So you’re probably okay, but: I wouldn’t; I find the occasional worm container at the launch and have found worm rigging broken off in the vegetation. If someone blatantly breaks fishing regulations then I think they’re likely to help themselves to gear.
Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
I trust nobody! Takes a few minutes to load your stuff…..takes less for some assclown to steal it! We work hard for our stuff, it’s sad but that’s today’s world.
I wouldn't leave squat at the launch. It is not just people that fish the lake that visit the launch. It only takes a few minutes for me to load up and leave. Plus, that way I can leave all my stuff on the boat and have it back at camp. If course, you have to protect your stuff from raccoons. There are many there and they know how to use zippers - don't ask me how I know....
Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
Must be the same smart ass raccoon that unzipped a pontoon pocket to get some beef jerky….glad it didn’t get my beer to wash it down with!
Beer, you take beer too?
Wayne Kohan
Life of the Party
I would not leave an inflatable, but I would hate to bump my pram and trailer up that road more than I have to. I’ve seen someone leave his driftboat overnight. But I still wouldn’t. Just in case.
I will never ever leave my boat at a high traffic public launch. Took me a long time and hard work to get it even if its a tiny raft. Biggest reason why is because if its "gonna happen", dude, its gonna happen to me! 100% of the time.
Thread drift: Then there's that lovely, wonderful well graded, graveled boat launch with room for two or three boats beached at the same time.
I got an idea. Hear me out.
Leave your pontoon..... but.... attach it to the rock (you know what rock I'm talking about). I'm thinking like a trick, where you drill/epoxy an embed into the rock and then weld your pontoon frame to the embed, so they're essentially merged into one massive entity.
Maybe someone will want your pontoon so bad that they end up getting rid of that rock in the process of stealing your pontoon.
You'd be a hero for sacrificing your pontoon boat for the betterment of everyone's boat launching experience.
Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
Gotta have something to wash down the Crown Scott!
Related story: Floated the Yakima from KOA to Ringer with a well-known local guide. As we pulled up to the takeout my friend's rig and my truck were there. As we were getting out of waders and stowing gear the guide asked if I would drive him up to his truck at the KOA, as I was camping there. I said sure but do you really want to leave your drift boat and gear here unattended. He was totally confident it would be fine. I am still amazed by this. Maybe I just don't have that much faith in my fellow man.
