How is the barge traffic on the Mississippi River? Do the barges throw big o rollers. I am heading up to fish in August. I have a 20 foot SeaArk flat bottom. I was kinda wondering what I was in for. I will probably be fishing the main river on either pool 19 or 20.
Nah, the barges won’t bother you they don’t go fast enough to move much water. It’s the displacement hulls that can’t get up on plane…like Carvers and such that really push a bow wave…they’re murder.
IMO you’ve got nothing to worry about. barges do throw a fairly large wake, but your boat size shouldn’t be any problem. i lived on the river for the first 25 years of my life and drove a 14 foot flatbottom with a 20 horse merc. for nearly 12 of those years. never was afraid that i would swamp the boat in barge waves. the biggest waves come from the 40-60′ pleasure boats going up and down the river. relax, don’t worry. 
thanks for all the info guys. That makes me fill a lot better now. Maybe when I come over to fish some of us good hook up and go fishing. I am going to be there for 1 hole week. 
Barges used to throw off big rollers, but they’ve changed design since I was a kid and now tunnel their force backward much more efficiently. Barge waves are downright gentle now. Like many have said, it’s the large pleasure boats that do it – they’ll rock you right off anchor and make you swear. Don’t see many after dark, but you will this coming weekend – it’s pleasure boater’s “go like hell” weekend – July 4th.
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