Bammorris
Welcome to the fishing community. I m at the other end of the age spectrum but I m happy hear from a young man like you who is passionate about fishing. If I lived in your area I would volunteer to show you what I know about navigating on the river. I happen to be putting together a talk on river navigation and I can share my outline. I hope it helps and I will email you my address so we can communicate.
River Navigation
A. Hazards
1. Rock (bank protection, Wing Dam, Closing Dam)
2. Stumps
3. Sand Bars
B. Wing Dams
1. Primarily in main channel
2. Some are deep and some are shallow
a. Assume they all are to shallow-may be able to cross in one location and not other
3. Know the T or Box Dams
a. Some have rock running 90 degrees to wing dam
4. Understand water disturbance (riffle)
a. Fast sloping wing dams-riffle directly above dam
b. Gradual slope-riffle may be behind dam
b. Always approach unknown wing dam from below (the down current side)
5. Approach shore 90 degrees from main channel
C. Closing Dams
1. Good news-bad news, they are in major back channels
2. Many are breached for passage
a. look for V riffle
b. Watch where other boats go
3. Difficult to see in silted back channels
D Bank Protection (riprap)
1. Some are old
a. They were in the river before the lock & dams
b. The bank may have eroded behind them
c. They may be across the mouth of side channel
D. Lakes
1. Old farm land and forests
2. May have channel running through them
3. Just because you see someone running don t assume you can run anywhere
4. Just about impossible to see the stumps because of lack of current
E. Sandbars
1. Occur when current slows
a. Any where fast current meets slower current
a. Below islands
b. Where channels intersect
c. Deltas
d. Where channels widen
e. Anywhere the current slows!!
F. Maps http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/
1. Get one and know where you are
a. mile markers on the day markers tell you where you are
2. Note: the navigation maps don t show the depths because
a. Water levels change
b. siltation
G. Learn to read the Water
1. The current will tell all-the worst case is low water-slow flow situations
1. Trout and small stream angles have the skills
2. Steep banks usually have the deepest water
3. Be careful around places where slow and fast currents meet
4. Watch out in areas where channels widen
5. Look for pattern changes
a. Look 300 yards ahead of boat when on plane
b. Don t focus, just scan water surface and look for changes
c. Changes needs to be analyzed-how deep am I-where am I-what does the bank look like
d. Keep in mind any change in depth will cause a riffle-it can occur in the middle of channel-you must know where you are
e. Analyze color changes-sand bars
f. Be prepared to trim-up or stop
g. If you misjudge a shallow area in a back channel don t stop
h. Explore new water up-stream if possible
i. Use common sense
