This past weekend, was an experience I will not forget anytime soon.
It was the weekend of firsts. It was the first time took a gravel road for an extended period of time and had some learning to do along the way. The roads started out dry, so our boat stayed fairly clean on the way to the lake. We lost our piece of custom treated 2×6 wood that I use to prop the motor up so we had to improvise with a stick to get to the lake and back home. I did buy a transom saver years ago, but I never did use it because my transom seems fine without one, but I could have used one on the gravel road to help prop my motor up this past weekend.
When we got to the lake, we loaded up the boat and explored a new to us lake for kokanee, rainbows and lake trout. My new MotorGuide electric motor worked well and was easy to operate. This was the first time using it and the first time trying a Costco battery with the recommended breaker switch by MotorGuide. I’d have to say, it was nice to have an electric motor back and gain some peace and quiet before the rain came.
Now, this trip was a quick one because of the weather and I went into it thinking the kokanee and lake trout bite was going to be off. The interesting thing about this lake was the kokanee seemed aggressive and were biting jigs that were being reeled in. Again, this was another first experience. Spoon fishing for kokanee next time?
This trip was also the first time our family spent time in the boat together this season due to busy schedules with other family activities. I noticed that all the added weight from the electric motor, new battery and heavy tackle box with kokanee and lake trout gear seemed to be slowing us down. What I didn’t calculate into the equation was weight gain from the boys. Ethan and Austin are growing more and more each day. This was the first time I started coming to terms with “needing” a bigger boat for the family. My want has started turning into a need if we plan to fish together as a family for years to come. Now, can the 14ft hold us a bit longer? Absolutely. However, comfort is starting to become a main factor on the boat needs list. Our umbrellas and bow of the boat seem to be shrinking and we just don’t fit the way we used to. I guess it’s time to start looking again and hopefully we can find a boat for this time next year.
On the way home, the rain had made its mark in the road. The roads were kicking up mud that clung to our truck and boat very well. It was getting harder to see through the back canopy window to make sure my motor was staying in the upright position. Surprisingly, we found my lost piece of 2×6 right where we figured we lost it on the way back. Then, when we stopped at the pavement to do a walk around check for loose straps, I noticed my gas tank had bounced a great distance in the back of the boat. It never seems to bounce that much. What do you do to keep it from moving?
All in all, while catching fish is fun (we caught one rainbow) I enjoy learning about how to make each trip better than the last. This trip taught me a few things about gravel roads and had me questioning if staying closer to the pavement is a better choice for a trailered boat. While a few screws came loose, I hope to try a few more back road lakes this year, so I’m going to be looking for more ideas on how to protect my boat, trailer and motor while traveling through the dirt. What do you do to protect your investment on gravel roads?