Safety Tip of the Day

With the recent viral video clip of a motor being violently ripped off the jack plate and going to Davey Jones Locker due to a floating log on the Mississippi River, I felt like we need to examine some common differences between fishing rivers vs lakes. As the boater pointed out in his follow-up video, he had run this particular stretch of water many times in the past.  Many responders to his post commented on how he could have avoided this incident by slowing down or possibly keeping a better watch for floating debris.  As an avid river fisherman, I need to make some points that lake fishermen may not know or realize. 

Those of us who fish rivers, especially big rivers, are always in fear of this scenario.  I fish on two large rivers here in Virginia.  I’ve seen semi tires on the rim and various large kitchen appliances in the Potomac River after a big rain event.  There are so many feeder creeks, that in a heavy rain almost anything is possible.  The Rappahannock River while not clogged with man-made junk is very heavily wooded and has a good tide swing so any day can dislodge big trees and logs.

In the rivers I fish, it’s not uncommon to run 30-40-50 miles to fish the right tide and spots.  The Potomac is always a risk with floating debris.  There is some level of risk when you get used to running rivers.  That may sound callous and irresponsible but your other option is to idle everywhere.  99.9% of impact strikes that are serious are going to take out your prop first, lower unit next, and motor last as the rarest.  It’s no different than getting in your truck and accepting the inherent risk that someone is going to hit you.  Not your fault, unavoidable. Sitting in the passenger seat, it’s also my responsibility to keep both eyes on the water as well.  Truth be told, if there’s a log 2 inches under the water, chances are you're not going to see it from the boat.  If the water is a little bit rough, the wave action sometimes will expose it. An added risk around here are seine nets and crab pots which you rarely find on freshwater lakes. Those normally are prop eaters but a few years ago anglers drowned when they were running through a storm and wrapped their prop in a crab pot line.  Before they could get it untangled, their boat swamped.

Lakes on the other hand, normally don’t have the level of floating hazards.  They are more dangerous for rocks, stumps, and other stationary hazards.  Caution needs to be heightened after a rain event if the lake is fed by rivers or has a heavily wooded shoreline but it is nowhere near the amount of a river. Rivers with tidal swings can dislodge hazards 4 times a day with the tidal swings.  Big rain events can also move and form sandbars and shallow areas where they weren’t before. There’s a term given to those who fish mainly rivers and I think it’s true, “river rats” are a different breed of fisherman.  My final point being, once again, there’s a level of risk associated with getting on the water and no one should ever forget it.