After reading about Charlie's success in Godfrey's Creek, Donald had launched at West Landing Marina with plans to try Godfrey's for himself. As luck would have it, though, his outboard wouldn't start. Because he was forced to rely entirely on the trolling motor, he simply headed straight across the river, and once there, he started fishing at the dead tree located just off the bank on the edge of the channel. His first cast with a motor oil-colored Senko went right up next to the tree, and the monster pictured here nailed it.
After landing this fish, Donald started trolling a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow toward the creek and caught a 16-inch striper and another small bass.
"It was then," said Donald, "that I realized why the outboard motor wouldn't start--the emergency-cutoff switch had gotten pulled out. I felt a bit silly, but I think the fishing gods were looking out for me that day," he concluded.
If it's of any consolation, Donald, let me share my own little personal embarrassing moment. I just had turned left out of West Neck and started downriver when, without any warning, my outboard suddenly sputtered and died. I subsequently cranked and cranked with no luck at all. Finally, I hailed a passing boater and his wife, and they happily agreed to tow me back into West Neck.
It was after I had thanked them and they had gone their way that I took a good look at the outboard and realized my problem: I had forgotten to hook the gas line to the outboard (back in earlier days, I always disconnected the gas line after an outing but no longer do). I simply had gotten as far as the gas already in the motor would get me. I hooked up the line, and after priming the bulb, the motor fired right up. Rather than go back out on the water and perhaps have a lot of explaining to do to the good folks who had towed me, I decided the better part of valor was to put my boat on the trailer and call it a day.
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