Have any of you guys ever taken a boat to Neyland?

Sorta.

Took a boat trip from Guntersville up past Knoxville. It happened to be gameday as we went by.

I can say this. Being in an 18 ft bass/ski boat is hell when coming out of Nickajack and Chickamauga Dam's when there's about 40 other boats, most larger gunning it. I thought we were going to sink in the swells. We broke the seats after we topped one swell and dropped about 8 foot through the air til the hull crashed back down.

took a shite there once. thought about fishing that turd outta the bowl cause I felt bad that it'd have to stay in that dump.

He will get there in plenty of time. We left from Joe's Fish Camp in South Sauty in Langston on Guntersville that morning after day break and passed Neyland while the game was in progress. Make sure he checks where the marina's with fuel will be so he can refuel. We just went until an hour before dark and camped out on an island north of Knoxville that same night and returned the next day.

Always talked about doing another trip in the other direction. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. That trip was a longggggg time ago. 89 I think.


eta- we had 2 boats on that trip. One had engine trouble and slowed us. He may be able to get there in one day if not slowed by anything. I think we averaged around 45 or so all the way up.

I remember that houseboat.

I can't believe Alabama doesn't have a more organized group of boats. We need to infiltrate the Vol Navy.

Without a doubt. Change of clothes in some 2 gallon ziplock bags to be safe and a couple blankets is a necessity.

I'd love to do that again. Maybe 2014 trip I can. Leave Friday morning, and find another island to camp on and cook over a fire, then dock for the game, camp out again that night and back on Sunday.

A cabin cruiser? Damn, just rub our noses in your power and connections.

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It has a cabin down below

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Ahh.. you've got it made then.

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I tend to overpack anyway

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Reminds me of another trip on Guntersville.

Me and my friend have been owned by that lake over the yrs.


So, we're not long out of H.S. and me and two other buddies decide to go on one last excursion, before one of them gets married. We decide.. hey, we'll go to Guntersville, and camp between their cabin and Buck's Pocket. So we get up there, and mind you.. we're taking a small john boat with a 25 hp motor since we're gonna be landing and anchoring on the bank. We start loading the boat and the soon to be married friend (who is a city boy) starts pulling out item after item and pack after pack. Me and my other buddy start laughing, saying damn.. you brought all but the kitchen sink.

.....

He then pulls out a camping sink that you fill with water and pump to use, like a soap dispenser. lol We finally get loaded and it's late in the afternoon. We have to make time to get where we want to camp. So we're hauling arse across the water, at least 3 knots, the boat is about 2 inches from sinking, there's so much crap in it, for one night of camping. We finally reach our destination and decide fiddle fart around instead of setting up, when suddenly, it's almost dark and the winds start gusting. uh oh. We finally get the tent set up after wrestling with it for what seemed an hour. Dark is nearly upon us, when we realize we've got some Crappie to clean (caught some while fiddle farting around). One of us starts to clean them and we tell Jason, the kitchen sink guy, to get the coleman stove ready. There's silence for a moment from him, as we watch a terrified glaze come across him. He forgot it. We can't start a fire, due to the wind, as it's blowing uncontrollably and then he remembers. Oh, I got it! He rummages around in one of his bags he brought, and whips out.... wallah! a freaking sterno. To cook a mess of crappie on.

As you may have surmised, it didn't work. We lost all the fish we caught and cleaned. We were left to a can of beans for supper. Which took another hour to open, since nobody thought to bring a can opener either.

Somehow, we survived the night without being attacked by a rabid, killer jackalope and repacked the next morning and set sail for the cabin again. Oddly, the lake was empty we thought. Then we realized, those sure are some dark clouds overhead.

At this point, I should mention the motor we were using, had been shearing pins in the head and killing the engine. Fortunately we had the foresight to buy a pack of 3 before we left. Unfortunately, we used 2 to get where we were going. We're about a quarter way back when we shear the last one. So there we are. In the middle of Lake Guntersville, barely can move and almost sunk from so much crap in the boat, stranded. Not a boat on the water anywhere and the wind increasing and clouds getting darker.

My other buddy digs through everything, not to worry... a paddle! 3 foot long, and broken in half long ways. We may as well been paddling with a 2x4. Finally, in the distance, we hear a roar... MY GOD! Another boat! YELL YELL! He see's us and comes to us. Tells us about severe storms with tornado warnings in the area and is gracious enough to tow us back to my buddies cabin.

It was miserable then, but funny now. And that's still not the worst story to happen to us at Guntersville.

People always make fun of me for everything I pack... but I ALWAYS have something that can MacGyver us out of a jam.

My car trunk is like Mary Poppins' bag.