Your scariest situation on the river…

You see the topic…

Mine was about 4 years ago on pool 5.Was fishing with Shannon and our German Sheppard Mollie.We were in a 14 foot jon boat,powered by a 6hp Johnson.Actually,there are two tales of terror here.While sitting in the diner on the G.A.F.F. eating breakfast we saw a boat bang right into the rock pile above the island.It turns out to be my dad and uncle.They of course wrecked the lower unit on the motor,so we decide to tow them back to the landing.The wind was up,and the waves were too high for a small 14′ boat.About midway down river a barge is heading upriver right towards us.There was no way we could get to the other side in those waves,and he didn’t seem to be concerned we were there.We,just in time,got behind a small hump along shore where a fellow stores his boat.I mean that was close!!After getting them to the landing,we headed down below the power plant to fish calmer water.It didn’t seem that far away,but about 30 minutes before dark we decide we should head back.The water pump on the motor fails minutes after start-up,and here comes another barge.Having no lights,and only a 17 lb thrust motor,I knew we were in trouble.Every few minutes i’d start the big motor and run about 45 seconds,then back to electric.We had to duck into some parked barges to get away from the barge comming up river at us.We got back to the landing well after dark.I was so scared on the river that day,I never went back until I bought a bigger boat.

Ok so the subject line you typed brings back a memory I’d rather forget! Fishing alone on the Wisconsin River a few years ago, I decided to try a new area on the river. At that time I had a 16 foot tunnel hull. I saw a feeder creek and some interesting current breaks and thought it looked like a cool area to throw a couple of lindy rigs out into the break as dead rods behind the boat and then at the same time pitch along the feeder creek and the breaks that were in that area…working the jig off the bottom naturally. I had an electric anchor on the bow of that boat, and put the anchor out… began fishing….and was having a blast. Then I don’t know where it came from but a tree let loose from somewhere. I was on a bend and narrows in the river so there wasn’t much room there for this tree to flow down river. I freaked when I saw it coming at me. I can still picture that tree bouncing up and down in the river as it went across my anchor rope. The bow of my boat started going down into the water. All I can remember was me being scared to death and trying to figure out how to cut the rope by going to the bow that was going under without having the boat go under. The tree was hung up on the rope and had all kinds of branches on it pulling my bow under. So I threw my life jacket on and grabbed a knife. Water was coming over the bow more and more and my heart was racing. I thought for sure I was going to go under… I held my breath, went to the bow and as fast as I could I cut the rope, went to the back of the boat and somehow got out of there….I don’t remember exactly how that part happened…I just remember that nobody was around in that part of the river and I was never so scared fishing. The bummer was that I was catching fish in that area but was too scared to go back, and also was too scared to use anchors again for a while. Fortunately I got over the fear of using anchors again in rivers because there a couple of areas in a couple rivers I fish where anchoring and lindy rigging is a highly effective technique to use at certain times of the year. I’m not so sure how I’d compare that with a barge experience…but holy cow those barges come upon you so quickly because they’re so quiet!!!!!!! Luckily haven’t had any close encounters with them!!!

We had been slow trolling 3-ways upstream for a couple hours on the main channel below Red Wing without bite — then two nice eyes hit at the same time. We were on an inside bend next to a green can but drifted out about 20 yards into main channel while untangling the mess created from double catch. For some reason I looked upstream and saw a barge coming right at us — it was turning real close to the green can and about 40 yards away. We did not hear the barge as it was going downstream under little power and the wind was blowing any engine sounds away from us. There was not time to fire up the main motor so I put the electric trolling motor in high speed and barely got away.

To this day I can not believe how that barge snuck up on us. I guess we were too excited about finally catching some fish . Since then I am very paranoid and am always looking out for barges whenever in the main channel. I am also thankful for the oversized electric trolling motor that had the power to quickly move us out of the way. I don’t think I would have made it with a smaller motor.

In regards to jenn’s above post:

I keep the boat end of my anchor rope attached to a small float — not permanently fastened to the boat. In case my anchor is stuck and I have a dangerous situation, I just throw the whole rope in the water. I can come back later and pick up the float with the anchor rope attached.

Dave Gulczinski

Dave G! Great tip! I’ve been using a dual thumb latch, leash styled thing-a-ma-jig (heavy duty) to put a quick “wrap and fasten” set up to the boat that would release in less than 5 seconds of effort but I never gave thought to the possibility of a lost anchor so I’ll have to tie on a small float and cover that possibility as well!

Mine was hitting a huge piece of ice during the Team Walleye event last spring at full throttle. Thankfully no boat damage, just a new lower unit.

Remember the pictures of the tug going under the bridge??? I was the captain. ……………..lol Thankfully I’ve been pretty lucky throughout the years I’ve been on the water. The scariest thing actually happened to some family members. Two summers ago several boats of us went on a ride down the big Iowa here in SE Iowa. We ended up on a sandbar, most out in the water cooling down and taking it easy. My wife and I decided to head back up river but not everybody was ready to leave yet. Our oldest son decided to wait and come back with my brother-in-law and my sister-in-law in their Jonboat. We got back to the landing and pulled out and waited at the campsite for the others. It was quickly becoming dark but we were not too worried as all were experienced and knew the river very well. On the way back one of the boats that my brother and sister-in-laws ended up riding in hit a log that stopped the boat dead in it’s track. Our son who was riding in a different boat saw the whole thing. He fished my brother-in-law out of the water and picked up the dog who had swum to the side of the river and went back to see if everybody was okay. Everybody was not, one of the gals hit her head on the anchormate and knocking her out for a short while.. They ended up calling 911 and driving back down river to the Oakville bridge where an ambulance took her to the hospital for a stay over nite. Everbody ended up ok..cuts and bruises…but it will be a experiance my son will always remember. By the way – no life jackets were on but now everybody puts them when they are running.

Great tip on the anchor. I lost an expensive richter anchor last year and sure wish I had that system in place!

Okay, so the river is a scary place. I can think of half a dozen close calls and near misses, but the worst still makes me laugh. Dangerous and dumb, but pretty frightening.

I was fishing alone and in a narrow area of the river near Red Wing, heading back to the landing last December. Decided that since no boats were coming, I’d take one last potty break before heading in. Very carefully, I stood up and unzipped the four or five layers of clothing I was wearing and walked back to the back of the boat. The kicker motor was on, but fortunately in neutral.

As I stood on the transom, hunting around for the “hose” a cross wave washed the boat, I stuck out my hand and it slipped right off the top of the motor. Before I knew it, I was down into the river, did a complete tumble and came up about three feet from the boat. For half a second I watched it start to drift away from me before realizing that this was not the right place to be. I fought the current for a second and then finally got hold of the transom and pulled me and about 80 pounds of wet clothing back into the boat. That water was cold!

That pretty much ended the fishing for the day and I now drink less water while on the boat. The worst thing was that when I got close to the marina, I started wondering if maybe I could get a line back into the water for a few minutes and kept thinking that I might still have time to catch another fish before I started shivering too badly.

Now I laugh about it, but I’ll tell you, getting home in wet clothes and thinking about it at the time, it’s now wonder that people drown while doing the dumbest things.

Mike

I have only fished Red Wing a handfull of times but I do have one story. I believe it was 2 mabey 3 years ago. My brother wanted to get his Nitro out of storage and head down there for the afternoon. It was raining around Mankato and we thought, “no big deal, we got rain gear” Well we picked up on of my buddys and headed down there. We got down there and found the wind howling strait down the channel about 40 to 50 mph. Being bass fishermen we were kinda mad, but we thought we could make it to the shallow water, WRONG! We got the boat off the trailer and started down river, it wasn’t too bad untill the river opened up a little bit and all hell broke loose. I can remember taking 4 waves almost in a row over the bow. The bilge pump was going full blast. We decided there to just head back to the landing. Going with the waves we were able to get up on plane. Needless to say we found out that bass boats aint made for rough water. I have been in some big waves before in the Nitro(like Okiboji in the spring) But nothing that bad! One of the scarest times of my life.

I have way two many to list here..Some I was involved in some I was just a witness too. I have witnessed way too many lower units being lost to wing dams and closing dams..

Floating Dead heads in high water are my nightmare..I have seen some big speedy rigs hung on sandbars..Expelling there occupants like a black lab shaking off from a good retrieve. I have personally tried to catapult my fishing partner into the back channel but I wasn’t going fast enough to get him all the way out of the boat.

One of my peevs is I think boats are becoming to fast..and Speed kills land air and water..Brings me to one of my scariest moments..The names are changed to protect the innocent. This happened during a Spring Walleye Tournament..Take off was from Lake city. Of course I’m bent on the back channel so we are cruising I’m not that fast about 38 to 41 Mph..So I wind up following three boats most the way. As we get to fifth cut the boat ahead of me decides to set down and fish Well I had anticipated him on running up the channel,,,,Needless to say boats don”t have brakes and I almost put my Lund into the splash well of this boat..I hit reverse at about 4000 rpms and that Suzuki bucked and howled and saved are Asses..Me being the biggest for following so close….That was My scariest Moment to date but there are others from the past that rank right up there.. Who knows what 2002 has to offer!!!!!! OH yea I have some really good Fog stories I could tell but not enough room here..I’ll save them for another time!!!!

Picturing Reefrunner fishing in his bunny hat and pink thong!!!!!!!!!!

Nate Cadwell

I will never tell what happened in that fog bank !!!

Hey C.C. (criminal cadwell) I know a good Therapist…LMAO

I think I know a couple of guys who need to get out on the water this weekend! If I’m able to get out this weekend [might have my oldest son and grandson home for the weekend] I’ll be sure and keep an eye out for you in your new bunny outfit Reefrunner. LOL Bill

I was catfishing in the springtime for channels is north dakota, it was highwater and it was flowing pretty good. I was a top of a mud bank reeling in a nice channel with hip boots on….. well the bank broke free and I went in to the rushing water in about 12 feet…. I grabbed fro tree roots but they couldn’t support me and I felt my boots filling up and me bieng sucked under…. I finally snagged the last branch in reach and held on for what seemed an hour, until I had the strength to CLAW myself a hole into the side of the bank where I could get a grip to claw my way out…. I thought for sure I was done….. I will never be NEVER be that careless bank fising again……

My scariest situation on pool 4 came a few years back when I was a passenger in my partners boat, this was also a spring time tournament and my partners first time back on the river after the flood. We had been fishing the head of the lake and decided to head for 5th cut, full speed ahead right into 5th cut as my partner had done so many time before the flood, yup you guessed it the sand bar had changed!!! Luckily my partner saw the sand bar at the last second and throttled down so we did not hit it quite as hard had we been wide open! I was catapulted to the front of the boat and came very close to burying my hand into a Rapla, had we hit the sand bar wide open there is no doubt in my mind that I would have been shot out of the boat faster than a speeding bullet! Yes I did have my life jacket on and now I always make it a point to wear one when I am running.

Have you heard of the expression “can’t sink a ranger”. Well my dad and I figured it out the hard way, by experience. Last year we were heading back up river to beat the storm, and before we left I said we would be lucky not to get wet. Well I shouldn’t have said that. As we were heading up river we came up to a Forty foot cruiser, yeah you know the kind! The cruiser was running that nasty speed for bass boats. Not idling and not full throttle, but the speed were they put out a swell of a wave. Well we slowed down to around 20 mph to investigate the situation and the size of the waves, because it was a narrow part of the river and could not go way around him. Well they didn’t appear to be to bad, and thought we could make the crossing between the 2 crests. When we got up to the top of the first wave and started to cross to the second one, I looked over the side of the boat and it was a long ways down! When I looked up all I could see was a wall of water, and as quick as I could say “OH S%*T”, we were drenched from head to toe. The boat was full water clear up to my knees, and baits were floating around and everything. Thankfully the ole suzuki stayed running and we kept the boat on pad, and turned on the bilge pump. We had 12 mile yet to go and the bilge pump ran the entire way back. When we got back, before it started to rain I said “Well we got wet alright!”. Then we both started to laugh and thanked God it wasn’t any worse than it was. Better to be “soaked” instead of “sunk”. I guess the Ranger ads are true “can’t sink a Ranger”. Good luck and good fishin.

I can’t for the life of me figure out why those big boats seem determined to run at that “MAX WAKE” speed. If they would slow down or speed up a couple of MPH the wakes would go way down and I would think fuel milage would probably double. Do they have a chart on those boats that tells the owner what speed and trim to use for the maximum wake or what?

I don’t know if they have charts or not, but I do know that it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that your wake is going to create boating hazards for smaller boats. Thanks for the reply, and tight lines!

I know they don’t have charts, I was being sarcastic I guess. It just seems they all have figured out that speed where they are almost but not quite on plane. I call it max wake speed. I guess when you spend the big bucks for a big cruiser it would be a shame to slip quietly down river and not be noticed. When they leave a 4 foot wake they are sure to be noticed.