Are people crazy?

[DTro]

Spent the last two nights fishing an area down by Shakopee. Fri night was pretty slow as far as boat traffic, we ran at a slower pace to monitor the water levels, and there were a few spots that came up to 2.1 ft at the deepest.

Sat night there were 3 to 4 times the number of boats and the majority were 18ft+ I/O's with one at least a 22fter. These boats were traveling at 30mph+!

I realize a boat will draft less water at plane, but it will also hurt a LOT more.

We actually bumped a couple of hidden logs at idle speed.

I just cringe at thinking that it's only a matter of time until a tradgedy happens

[Kyle B]

Lastnight Me and Ed found bottom 3 times? I figured that everywhere I went was atleast 4 inches deep but I guess not! all 3 times it was about 2 inches!

You would think that the amount of money some of these people that own these big boats and are flying up and down the river would make them use a little more common sense!

[aanderud]

Any water skiers trying to impale themselves on mid-river logs?

I don't get it I guesss. When I'm out fishing I tend to think of it this way -- if I can spend XYZ hours sitting around waiting for a bite, the extra time it takes to get back to the landing *safely* and without damaging my boat surely can't matter a whole lot either. If it does, I better quit fishing earlier.

The water is definitely low. For you guys who've fished the river in priory years, how far does it normally go down? Are we about as low as it goes, or is fall fishing all going to be from 169 downstream?

[Flaco651]

We also came across some crazy people in the same areas you guys were workin'. There is a lot of stuff showing up (logs) that we were boating over just weeks ago. I couldn't believe some of the carelessness we saw yesterday. A few of the people even talked to us and seemed pretty intoxicated. We also bumped some logs going slow, and then seen boats fly by the same area not even knowing the danger right under the surface. Probably just a matter of time...

Dtro- Were you with Hanson? I think you guys passed us around 1 a.m. on your way backto the launch.

[DTro]

Yep I'm pretty sure we seen you also. You wouldn't believe how many boats came up and wandered around that corner only to turn around and come back because you guys were there

We tried to warn one of the large boats that the water level is at a point that one needs to pay attention. Their response......."aw, our prop is all dinged up anyways and we're just cruising, not fishing".

[Flaco651]

That was our third spot of the night and turned out to be the best of the night as well. We started upstream from the launch and after one channel decided to go downstream.

[rushing]

Hopefully nature will be weeding out those dummies.

[Flaco651]

Quote:

---

Hopefully nature will be weeding out those dummies.

---

[ec30_06]

Maybe this low water will scare some people away from the river. It has been pretty busy lately around jordan.

[Shack]

Pool 2 in front of lillydale yatch club sticks right out of the water, one brut of a solid log. Its kind of on the west side and just down stream a half block. She has a large slit at top and I figure someone found her. She it staying right their, it is as solid as a rock (no budging or movement). Hard to see at night with spot light (black and about a 1-2 feet out of water and only on one end).

I figure shore fishing has been fun the last couple of time, I will stick to this.

[Flaco651]

I think the Miss is still okay. Its all over the place on the Minnesota west of Savage that is getting dangerous. I will continue to fish the MN by boat. I'll just get out a litte earlier, check for dangers before dark, and travel slower after dark. It's not helping navigation with the fog rolling over the water late night though.

[SneakAttack]

I was out Saturday and spent the night downstream of the shakopee ramp and I to noticed alot of bigger boats flyin' pretty good. Saw one boat getting towed upstream Sat. night and another getting towed Sun. morning, maybe prop problems. I just cringe runnin' a short-shaft motor and a flat-bottom in these conditions, then seeing those big boats flyin', thats nuts! Managed one channel about 8lbs, many small channels, one soft-shell turtle and a bunch of carp, pretty fun.

[Flaco651]

SneakAttack- The boat getting towed in Saturday ran out of gas. We were launching as they were coming in. The guy said they went down river close to the airport or mississippi and ran out of gas on the back. I think he said they we towed for about 5 miles.

[Shack]

5 Miles!

I hope he got a tip .

Maybe we should start a post in "open water" about tipping some one who tows another back to launch. I remember reading about someone who got stiffed doing this.

That is going above and beyond. If I broke down, I would be happy with a tow to the next launch, so I could call a cab and run back to my rig. This is why I always go upstream and have dual batteries for trolling motor. I would hate to burdon any one with my problems, unless saftey was a factor.

I have broke down twice this year with a ghost of an elec. concern, but it did not ruin night or fishing. I would not let it. Just floated and trolled my way back to launch at 35w. Went up stream and floated back.

This concern had not showed its self for last couple of trips, untill this last week and weekend up at Breezy. It was a hold down on my elec. disp cap was loose. Murphy's law, it finnaly chewed up cap housing and no one had one up north. Spent more time with familey than other years.

[DTro]

yep, pretty nice of the guys to tow 5 miles. The kicker was that the tow boat was fishing near us and they packed up and headed downstream, about 20 minutes later hear they come back upstream towing the boat, then back downstream they went. So it was much more than 5 miles for them.

I hope they at least flipped a Jackson if not a Grant to the guys.

[DTro]

Quote:

---

For you guys who've fished the river in priory years, how far does it normally go down? Are we about as low as it goes, or is fall fishing all going to be from 169 downstream?

---

We are ahead of schedule, this is the level that is normally prevelant during Sept-Oct.

I honestly don't mind it at all, it (usually) forces people to go slower and keeps the recreation boats to a minimum.

[sparcebag]

Shack theres a lot of people who arnt that smart ya know! would you run 10miles with 5 miles of gas in tank,I dont think so! Its nice to hear someone who thinks ahead,most fisherpeople do, its the pleasure boat people mostly who do dumb things! What gets me is they expect others to bail em out!

[Shack]

Thanks sparce!

DTRO brings up a good point. If you were to call someone to tow you on the river, who would you call and god only knows how much it would cost. Getting your car towed allways cost over a $100.00 no matter how far. You got yor $60.00 to $90.00 hook up fee and milage.

In the above mentioned case, I would not have a concern with flipping them $50. I figure if your could get your car towed for this, it sure would be a bargun in a boat.

Nothing much to this post, just good BS. As I stated above I have been stranded over the years and honestly never been towed do to a little prep work..

[dps]

I have got towed off the river twice this year due to breakdown.. offered cash both times and it was refused! It was a very nice gesture. I have towed countless boats off the water over time and most of the tim I never got anything, a few times I did get paid because the folks refused not to pay me... whatever works. For the most part, it still seems that there is still pretty good overall etiquette on the water(with some obvious few exceptions at times).

As for the cruisers on the MN river.. those are the boats that often uproot the big logs to make it more hazardous this time of year... hitting logs under power, and king size wakes all play their part in uprooting the logs out of the muck.

Anywhere around shakopee is a disaster waiting to happen this year.. too much traffic from fishermen, and the local pleasure drinkers... its not going to get any less traffic when the area is brought up every 3rd post.

Downstream the traffic hasnt ben any worse than normal, but the barges are making up for what pleasurecraft arent. The water is very low with next to no current, some areas are very shallow if you get out of the channel, and running the channel at night with all the stationary floating logs is like running an obstical course. The mississippi river isnt any better for the floating debris... the current is so slow(non existant) that when these logs get torn loose fom wakes, they will float in the main channel for hours in the same general stretch of the river.

[DARK30]

YES. People are crazy. Thats why I fish and look for rocks all by myself