3000 pounder caught while catfishing…

Started a little early tonight..thought I would check out a couple areas new to me.

Dirk, was that you and your wife heading back to the launch about dusk?

Although the two spots I fished looked good…I only spent about 15 minutes on each as “the golden hour” was rapidly approaching. No nibbles in either…so off to a spot just off the main channel with wood, rocks, currant, deep and shallow water….and I was running late.

Across from tonights spot “A”, I could see a pleasure boat moving slowly…with a spot light flashing. Thought they might have been fishing eyes and had a fish…but was too far away yet. As I was getting closer to my spot the spot light from the boat begain to flash faster…so I figured I better check it out.

Yup, sure ’nuff…boat trouble.

It was a fairly young couple…compaired to me, with there two kids…well under 10 years old. He said he needed tools to take off his prop…he hit a dead head. I talking further…he didn’t have a spare…so it really didn’t matter if he got it off. They needed a tow to Hastings, so we tied a couple anchor ropes together and off we went…

Now I’ve towed boats before…but I was running at 4000 RPM and going 7 mph! Turns out this “little” pleasure boat weights 3000 lbs…plus people and stuff! With lightening to the west, I asked if they had a trailor in Hastings which they did.

We ended up landing in Prescott and driving over to get his rig.

On the way over, we’re talking and I found out the just bought the boat on Friday.

They spend Friday and Saturday on two lakes and

Sunday on the Croix.

They were going to Treasure Island but couldn’t find it.

First time on the river

The boat will do 60+ MPH (he hit the wingy at 30)

They didn’t know what channel markers were

They didn’t have insurance yet

They did have well over $2000. worth of damage to the lower end.

They do have the DNR’s website to down load river boating rules…now! Along with an In-DepthAngling.com business card

They also know what a wing dam is.

Now…I could have told them that they should have read the river/boating rules before they came on the river…but…being a lake boater all my life as they were…and getting a ticket my first time on the river…I knew how they felt.

Some of you were lucky enough to grow up on the Great Mississippi, Croix or other river system…and might have had a dad to teach you all the “things”to know about the river…then there’s the few…that family and myself that learned the hard way.

They seemed like a very nice family, the kids even came over and thanked me for the tow.

Home tonight by 10:30. Not a bite…but I sure feel good….

Nice job brian

CA

A prime example of somebody who shouldn’t even be on the river.

If you can afford it, it’s just another way to learn the river.

Way to go brian, thats the kind of deed that gives good reputations to the people on the river.

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Home tonight by 10:30. Not a bite…but I sure feel good….

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As well you should Brian. Imagine the feeling the guy and his wife had floating down river as it was starting to get dark…and being first timers they had no idea that they should have oared out of the shipping channel and anchored for fear of floating to the middle only to have a barge appear!

Be glad you were there and willing to help

If they can afford to drive a boat like that they should have been able to afford your tow fee

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A prime example of somebody who shouldn’t even be on the river.

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Kinda harsh.

I remember hitting my first wingy. It was long before I knew about the river. I came out of North Lake through one of the runs, and turned upriver to go to Prescott. We were inside the green cans, and Bam! Luckily no damage to the lower unit, but trashed the prop. It was a long trip back to the North Lake landing with our tail between our legs..

Tough way to learn a River lesson….

BTW, Great job Brian! You know how intimidating the river can be after dark. For those kids, and maybe even Mom and Dad, you must have appeared as an angel with a hook through his nose! (You did do that for the kids, didn’t you?) Man! That would be a great Twilight Zone movie!

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Kinda harsh.

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Not really Eye, somebody who doesn’t even know what marker bouys are shouldn’t be on the water. I don’t want to get into another debate, i’ve got my hands full in the “bass”hin thread, but I think this is a good example that we need better education out there. It’s obvious that these people never attended any boater’s safety courses, let alone pick up a rules and regulations book….

It’s like letting a 15 year old out on the road w/out drivers ed.

If you take on the responsbility of owning a boat…you should know the rules.

thanks bk

We watched a guy saturday night hit a wingdam just south of prescott. Somehow he ended up getting it started agian and continued along in the wingdams going idle speed.

way to lend a helping had Brian. Saved them guys from a long night on the river.

Way to go, Brian. You are right about people who didn’t grow up on a river. I’ve had the poc boat out there maybe a dozen times and still am not comfortable. Current going one way, wind going another, cruisers tossing wakes at you, trees floating past, wingdams, deadheads, and throw in a barge or two and it makes for an exciting trip. And that’s during the day! Give me the 2 footers on Mille Lacs. At least I know what’s coming.

way to go brian. never been on a river. by the way it sounds, i’ll take a lake.

It’s obvious that these people never attended any boater’s safety courses, let alone pick up a rules and regulations book….

Don’t take this as a shot Slop, but what class did you take on river boating when you started?
Tuck

I had my boater’s safety by the time i was 12? or so. Maybe they teach things different down here because we ARE on the river. Call me Huck Finn, But i knew what marker bouys and wing dams were the first time I was OTW.

Nice job Brian.

Dont belong on the river? I wouldnt go that far. I have put a few bumps and bruises in boats and lower units.. not to mention props and good old shear pins when on the river… Most the time it happened in stretches of river I knew. A couple times it was due to a spotlight going dead. I had a recoil unit break on me in front of the Ford lock on pool 2 when a barge was in the lock and started to come out… a person would be amazed how fast you can move with a paddle and trolling motor in heavy spring current.

It only takes a split second for things to go bad.. it can happen to any of us, and will happen to most of us if we fish the river.

Eye-Guide…this morning I would have agreed with you 100%. But in a few PM’s with the “evil” Slop Bass I do feel that they shouldn’t have been on the river…more for thier safety than anything else.

I’m going to go as far as to say that YOU shouldn’t have been on the river when you hit the wing dam…AND that I shouldn’t have been on the river when I got my no-wake ticket in ’86. I slowed down…but the officer said it wasn’t enough Point here is at least in my case, I didn’t know the rules. Thought I was an experianced boater…WRONG!

Because of my experiance, the only thing that troubles me is that I’ve boated for years on a lake…how was I to know the rivers differant? No excuse for not knowing the rules…and the bottom line is “if you own/operate a boat, YOU are responseble for knowing ALL the rules and regs. End of conversation….sort of…

This fella in particular was telling me that the dealership he bought it from took him out to ‘tonka and went through all the safety rules of operation/maintinace and trailoring his boat. This guy wanted to be responsable as I back in ’86 (I really couldn’t afford a ticket)…so how do we get the word out to new boat owners that the river isn’t a lake?

I know this family was taught a lesson by old man river…and I’m glad no one was hurt…with the low water, it could have been much worse!

A few years back I was on Lake of the Ozarks.I ran from my friends cabin towards the nearest public ramp where my friend would meet me with with the trailer.It was about 5 miles and it was about sundown when I left.This was in early April and there weren’t many people out.I couldn’t find the ramp and darkness fell.A guy who was fishing cats of his dock had an orange beacon light on top of his dock flashing.I went over and he told I had overshot it by two coves.He said he turned on that light for people like me.I’ll always remember and appreciate that.

“Been there, done that”. Me and my first boat in “60”s learned by trial and error. My suggestion to inform these new boaters would be an info board at each landing with basic instruction on bouy markers etc.. Just some basic info to make there day on the river more enjoyable and safe. I generally look over these boards when I go to a strange lake or landing just to pick up any local info for that area.

Brian, I agree..I was trying to get Slop to say that there are courses one can take, and that may have been the proper course to take, rather than say people don’t belong on the river. I still think that Pro Staff, Field Staff, Moderators and the like, have the responsibilty of educating folks. That’s why we are in positions like that.

In my case, I did take boater safety, and still clipped the wingy, because I thought there was enough room inside the can to go…there was on the depth finder until…..too late! Stupidity on my part. But I would be pissed if someone I don’t know would judge me like that, and say I didn’t belong on the river.
I think my first question to them would have been something like “What the HE!! were you thinking? Statement #2 would be to recommend checking into rules and regs of the river before venturing out next time. This time it was obviously too late. And while you were at it, you could have told them how much we enjoy the huge wakes their boat throws up when we are fishing!

Back to my statement, Kinda harsh. That’s it.

I’m not one to join a debate here, but I think the family unfortunately made some mistakes and learned their lesson the hard way.

I’ve never taken a boater safety course, but I consider myself to be very knowledgable about the river and boats in general. I learned from my dad on lakes, but I taught myself about the river years ago (in high school, when I was as stupid as anyone) by trying to use common sense and proceeding slowly when in doubt. I’ve never hit a wingdam when I’ve been running, but it may happen someday. I sure hope that if it does I run into someone like Brian! Nice job.

John

Eye,

when i read this:

“They didn’t know what channel markers were “

I’m not one to tip toe around others, I state things how i see them, and I’m gonna stand behind my statement.

Everyone hits things on the river, even the best of river rats do. Maybe I shouldn’t assume that people on the river have even the MOST BASIC knowledge of boating.

Maybe i’ll amend my statement to say “if you don’t know the boating regulations,(or marker bouy’s even) you don’t belong on the water”

Either way, they fit the bill

I would like to take Eye-Guide out of my earlier statement…because I didn’t know all the facts… I thought you didn’t know what the cans were for Chris…

The question remains…How to inform people when they don’t know…what they don’t know?

As Slop says…wing dam mishappes, engines not starting in front of locks…ect…happen…and would be classified as accidents.

I ‘spose a person can claim going on a river without any idea of all the items mentioned could be stretch to be called an accident….but there must be a way to clue in the clueless…as I was…

Living in a free society comes with it’s share of problems, huh? Like trying to convince someone who has free will as well, that your way is the only right way. Wars are started and fought for this very reason. Oh well…I know my way is not the ONLY right way. Eveyone has their own way of thinking. I respect that.

Enforcement is the only real answer. We know that there are far fewer “River Cops” out there than on the street. They can’t be everywhere, all the time. Careless boating- In my estimation, that is what this was- should be rewarded with a ticket. Just like in a car. You learn quickly that what happened was not the “Rules of the River.” “Ignorance of the law/rules is not an excuse” was a line I used often when I was a part time cop. It applies to me as well.

After reading all of these posts, I think maybe I’ll stay off the river and stick to my favorite lakes. Unless I can get BrainK to “learn” me the river

Rootski

Personally…I think the river should close at sundown to boats over 17.5″…And you can only be fishing for cats on seceret spots from Pools 3 trhough 10.

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17.5″…

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Man Chris that’s a small boat??? I use bullheads that long

Jason.

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And you can only be fishing for cats on seceret spots from Pools 3 trhough 10.

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OH MY!

Rootski…I would tell you like I did them…DNR website for the rules…

What I think is (kinda) funny is… When you talk with “many” boaters..they stay away from locks, because they don’t know the rules is the common reason. After reading the portion about locks in the boaters manual…or someone locks you through once…it’s a piece of cake…

Now why do people go on the river without knowing the rules? Many times it’s because they’ve been on lakes and feel confident they know all they need to know…again…WRONG!

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17.5″…

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Man Chris that’s a small boat??? I use bullheads that long

Good one!

Maybe we can get that line down the river, and ban all boats over 17.5 FEET from the MN side, and force all the Tuna Vessels to hug the red cans?

A guy can dream, right?

I know I’ve said it myself “They don’t belong on the river.” Got to ease up on the novices boys. There really is only one way to learn the river and that is with time on the water. No book or class will teach how the river changes from month to month or year to year. I’ve hit wing dams evry couple years, and I even knew they were there. Just not paying attention I guess, along with the wrong wind and current, it’s hard to see them sometimes. Same with logs. Yesterday it was WOT and today watch out cause something new moved in.
If you think you know the river well enough to judge others, it’ll make a liar out of you soon enough.
This is NOT mean’t for Slop Bass. It’s to remind all of us.