Labor Day Weekend

[Mark]

We expected the river to be crowded and it was by Eleven Point standards. Lots of families on the river. We fished from Turner to Whitten both Sat. and Sun. When we could manage to escape the traffic for 20-30 minutes, we caught fish. Mainly 12" variety, maybe 2-3 in the 14-16" range. The weather cooperated and the river was low and crystal clear. We had a good time, but I know of some families that did not!!

Not to beat a dead horse, but the jet boats were out of control (most were obviously locals and drinking freely). No boating ettiquette whatsoever. It was the freakin' Indy 500 this weekend. Families with small children in canoes just had to hang on as the jet boats fly by. We talked to a young couple with 2 small girls in their canoe, and the man was thoroughly peeved. And we witnessed a couple of jet boats fly by them after speaking to us about their troubles, as they just had to hang on from the waves, and the guy flipped the jet boats the bird as they flew by.

We actually saw one idiot in a jet boat with just him and a baby. The baby was maybe a year old, and the idiot had her in one arm and the other arm on the trottle open full bore goin around a turn right in front of us, and he never slowed down one bit.

Remarkably, we saw no law enforcement for a holiday weekend. I wish they would patrol better and pull some of these idiots over and give them a BUI!!! I have no problem with the jet boats if the people would use some common sense and have some courtesy, but there were none of either this past weekend. It was as bad as I've ever seen it in 12 years of floating on the Eleven Point. People are going to stop coming from out of town and spending $$$ in the area if something isn't done about it.

[Bman]

We expected the river to be crowded and it was by Eleven Point standards. Lots of families on the river. We fished from Turner to Whitten both Sat. and Sun. When we could manage to escape the traffic for 20-30 minutes, we caught fish. Mainly 12" variety, maybe 2-3 in the 14-16" range. The weather cooperated and the river was low and crystal clear. We had a good time, but I know of some families that did not!!

Not to beat a dead horse, but the jet boats were out of control (most were obviously locals and drinking freely). No boating ettiquette whatsoever. It was the freakin' Indy 500 this weekend. Families with small children in canoes just had to hang on as the jet boats fly by. We talked to a young couple with 2 small girls in their canoe, and the man was thoroughly peeved. And we witnessed a couple of jet boats fly by them after speaking to us about their troubles, as they just had to hang on from the waves, and the guy flipped the jet boats the bird as they flew by.

We actually saw one idiot in a jet boat with just him and a baby. The baby was maybe a year old, and the idiot had her in one arm and the other arm on the trottle open full bore goin around a turn right in front of us, and he never slowed down one bit.

Remarkably, we saw no law enforcement for a holiday weekend. I wish they would patrol better and pull some of these idiots over and give them a BUI!!! I have no problem with the jet boats if the people would use some common sense and have some courtesy, but there were none of either this past weekend. It was as bad as I've ever seen it in 12 years of floating on the Eleven Point. People are going to stop coming from out of town and spending $$$ in the area if something isn't done about it.

I have seen the same on other waters and I have spoke to Water Patrol about it. Water Patrol said to gather as much information as possible. Take pictures, a description, registration numbers etc. and contact Water Patrol.

[try2fishlikeme]

I was down a few weeks ago and water patrol is just as guilty. We were on a gravel bar cooking lunch (not a fishing pole in sight) when Johnny law came hauling up to us asking asking for our license's. In the process a boat came flying around the bend and the officer just gave him a friendly little wave. I asked him if he thought the boaters speed was a little excessive and he simply replied "No". I kind of took exception to the water patrol's attitude. I know its his job to check for license's, look in coolers, check for fish, etc., but how about showing a little courtesy. Maybe something like a please and thank you. All the boats just out cruising really are annoying and certainly do kind of take away from the serenity of fishing and the float. But.....I'll be back.

[Phil Lilley]

If he's checking fishing licenses, he's not the Water Patrol. He's probably MDC agent and they probably wouldn't issue any citations for bad boating... I wouldn't think.

It's nice they were out checking fishing licenses!!

I wonder what the actual LAWS are about boating on a river in close proximity to other boaters are.

[ozark trout fisher]

We expected the river to be crowded and it was by Eleven Point standards. Lots of families on the river. We fished from Turner to Whitten both Sat. and Sun. When we could manage to escape the traffic for 20-30 minutes, we caught fish. Mainly 12" variety, maybe 2-3 in the 14-16" range. The weather cooperated and the river was low and crystal clear. We had a good time, but I know of some families that did not!!

Not to beat a dead horse, but the jet boats were out of control (most were obviously locals and drinking freely). No boating ettiquette whatsoever. It was the freakin' Indy 500 this weekend. Families with small children in canoes just had to hang on as the jet boats fly by. We talked to a young couple with 2 small girls in their canoe, and the man was thoroughly peeved. And we witnessed a couple of jet boats fly by them after speaking to us about their troubles, as they just had to hang on from the waves, and the guy flipped the jet boats the bird as they flew by.

We actually saw one idiot in a jet boat with just him and a baby. The baby was maybe a year old, and the idiot had her in one arm and the other arm on the trottle open full bore goin around a turn right in front of us, and he never slowed down one bit.

Remarkably, we saw no law enforcement for a holiday weekend. I wish they would patrol better and pull some of these idiots over and give them a BUI!!! I have no problem with the jet boats if the people would use some common sense and have some courtesy, but there were none of either this past weekend. It was as bad as I've ever seen it in 12 years of floating on the Eleven Point. People are going to stop coming from out of town and spending $$$ in the area if something isn't done about it.

We had some jet boat trouble the last time we went. They never slow down.

I shouldn't say that actually. Some do, that is the responsible ones.

[smallmouthjoe]

On The current this year I literally had one come about ten feet away from me going 20 or 30. Crazy man, I was frozen, I thought I was going to die.