Keyport Seahawk - Dinkfest fluking and Macgyver coming in

[Chrisper4694]

We hadn't been out fluking in 2 weekends, but went for it anyway despite the touch and go reports, hoping for a little luck. The seabass fishing was excellent of course and we quickly caught our 3 man boat limit of nice 13-15"+ fish as by-catch looking for keeper fluke.

After hopping around to different depths and bottoms, with only 2 keepers to show for it and many shorts we called it and headed in. As we came around the hook we hit a weird big wave in the rip and the steering cable snapped completely and we did a pretty intense 90 degree turn in the water.

John dug into his tools and fished out some vice clamps and a strap and Macgyvered a handle onto the motor (picture included haha). It worked pretty well but we could only go about 5-6mph and even that was hard for john to hold steady for 3 hours straight!

We got the boat back in the slip like this without hitting anything so it def could've been worse! The right side of John's body will probably be vibrating for the rest of the week, but he got it done!

Most fluke and seabass came on pink and chartruese bucktails and teasers, the smallest we could get away with in 45-55fow

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fishidy.com/5d4863ff6e8bb806fcc7c314_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fishidy.com/5d48641a6e8bb806fcc8573f_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fishidy.com/5d4864626e8bb807985188f2_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fishidy.com/5d4864fd6e8bb806fcd3a8a0_800

[bunker dunker]

glad you guys are ok and back safe.

[Chrisper4694]

us too, thanks :)

[Gerry Zagorski]

Nice red neck tiller there!!

[Hookmanski]

Had to be annoying/scary, especially with that crazy turn! Glad to see you guys caught some despite the issues! :D

[AndyS]

Glad you guys made it bad safe, Sea Tow an option ?

[Chrisper4694]

yeah, but this was what we did. thought it'd be quickeri guess, maybe it was, idk.

[dakota560]

Chris glad everything worked out for you and John. Losing steering in the rip can be extremely serious depending on conditions and no joking matter. All's well that ends well, some good ingenuity making something from the tool box to get back home safe and in one piece. Funny you never seem to have issues in the 3 foot tin can and then something happens like that on John's what looks like a Parker. You never know when things can go wrong and always have to be prepared, especially with those currents around the hook. Full moon wind against tide situation and I've seen those rips become absolute fear. Glad you guys made it back in one piece!

[Duffman]

Damn man thats some serious $hit if ya cant control the ride thru the rip. nice job on the rigging to get her home!

Any after pics and replacing the cable pics? Really curious as to why it let loose, where it broke, etc

[Chrisper4694]

Damn man thats some serious $hit if ya cant control the ride thru the rip. nice job on the rigging to get her home!

Any after pics and replacing the cable pics? Really curious as to why it let loose, where it broke, etc

John got it fixed at the marina, idk we just hit a big wave the engine got pulled one way we had the steering wheel the other way i guess and it just snapped. I don't think it broke anything else. Probably just a cheap part, knowing these marine companies.

[Fortunate Son]

Looks like single cable steering on a 200, that's probably the problem right there.
Upgrade to hydraulic steering, you won't regret it.