7-20-14 Wake Boat, Jet Ski, Pontoon, And Fish Report

[Quillback]

Crazy stuff, glad to hear you got out in one piece.

[Ron Burgundy]

U guys should wear safety vest like road workers, it may not look cool but u guys are hard to spot.

[YAKFM]

U guys should wear safety vest like road workers, it may not look cool but u guys are hard to spot.

I agree with you on the need to take preventative safety measures while operating small water craft. I've been using a bright orange flag on my kayak for a while now. Unfortunately, it seems the flag had the opposite effect I was hoping for, like attracting bugs to a light. I kayaked Beaver heavily up until 2004 and I don't recall having this many issues on the water. Of course, as Nathan pointed out, NW Arkansas has grown quite a bit since then. I am sure there are many lakes that are statistically more dangerous than Beaver, but I have had more near misses this year than in the prior 14 years of owning my kayak combined. This issue goes way beyond kayak visibility, I believe. Even F&F and I were repeatedly waked by pleasure craft 2 weeks ago and he is running a 20 ft boat. From February to Memorial Day I had no issues with boaters, likely owed to the fact that most boaters I encountered up to Memorial Day were fisherman. Unfortunately, many in the pleasure craft crowd don't respect the law and generally demonstrate a lack of respect for fellow boaters. I am sure alcohol has been involved in a number of the incidents too.

[nathanhooper]

How's the old saying go - you can't help stupid.

Stupid people, which is in all reality what they are, are not going to recognize anything. Vest may help some of us, who actually look out where we are going, spot someone sooner. But it won't help the stupid people.

Yak is right. It could pull them in like a bug light.

"Hey George, what's that orange thang over there? I dunno Fred, speed up and get a little closer so we can get a better look"

And so the story goes...

[nathanhooper]

That was the drunk redneck version....

This is the rich cocaine head version....

"Hey Stephan, what's that bright thing over there? Well Fredrick, that's what they put out to mark shallow water. Didn't the guy who sold you your boat said you could fly over 6" of water? Sure did, he said at 80mph it would be like floating on air."

[JohnF52]

We need to go out with video in mind and only pretend to fish. Turn the videos of idiots over to LE.

Personally, I would like to see a 50 hp limit on the lake above 412 Bridge. Lots of little boats in that water. Wakers don't need to use that part of the lake.

[J-Doc]

Lack of enforcement and the enforcement teams not wanting to enforce is the problem. The enforcement doesn't seem to care. As long as no one is hurt or killed, they don't seem to overly concerned. I saw them run a kid off the dock at PC for fishing. While a wake boat sped thru the no wake zone.

[Feathers and Fins]

We need to go out with video in mind and only pretend to fish. Turn the videos of idiots over to LE.

Personally, I would like to see a 50 hp limit on the lake above 412 Bridge. Lots of little boats in that water. Wakers don't need to use that part of the lake.

They wake at much lower speeds than 50. It would require the area being off limits to Skiing, Wake boarding activities and a speed limit of 45 would be reasonable from 412 to point 12 then a 35mph zone above that. I would also like to see the create no wake zones in some of the coves such as Prairie Creek and Avoca and from the North ramp at Rocky Branch to the Back also Mid section of Fords Creek and Starky, Rambo and from the mouth of Blackburn back. Those concern me in low water years especially.

[M_Taylor]

I have fished enough at different times of the week and have yet to be checked in over a year of being in town. I won't say I want them crawling over my boat each weekend, but how many other boats have went years without being checked on? Lack of presence leads to lack of responsibility in my opinion.

[nathanhooper]

I don't think "checking" on boats is the key. We really don't need that kind of enforcement when the stupidity is plain to see. I for one would not like to be checked if I am not doing anything wrong. With that kind of process, then we would start seeing people pulled over on the road just randomly.

I see what your saying, but just a visual presence on the lake watching people is more than enough. They could even have someone sitting at some of the higher elevations, being able to watch a significant portion of the lake, watching and directing water crews to the perps.

I have never been checked, and quite frankly don't ever think I should be unless it appears that I am doing something wrong. I'm all for the laws we have set up, but I also like my rights as an American.