6/04 Dam Site--licking my wounds

[kjackson]

Put in at Dam Site relatively early but not early enough. Was greeted at the ramp by the sight of a dozen bass slowly swimming around the dock with a couple of keepers. The lake is up enough that the grassy lawn is under a couple of feet of water by the dock, and the bass were doing a pretty good job of exploring.

I chased walleyes with spelled spinners rather than trolling crankbaits as the water at the dam end had a lot of debris in it. Caught one dink smallmouth, and that was the success of the day. I did have a lot of tail biters hit, but given the numerous small bluegill and small bass I saw at all depths, I'm thinking they were the guilty parties. I did mark a lot of fish, some fairly large, from 18 to 35 feet or so.

Fished with Ned a bit, but I had the same experience--a lot of small-fish type bites but nothing serious except for a couple of missed opportunities. When the fun boats arrived, I pulled the pin, shortly after noon.

Visibility was 12 to 14 feet, although there was kind of a greenish tinge of some kind. Water temps were around 75. There was very little wind.

WARNING: There is a lot of big stuff floating around out there. I saw one log that was just under the water--the only reason I saw it was that the water looked "nervous" like you'll see when a school of fish is moving around just under the surface. On the way back to the launch I jumped the log's brother. I was tootling along just above planing speed when I popped over the log. It was completely under the surface but close enough to hit the lower unit. Fortunately, I was going slow--about 20 mph with the motor trimmed up to where it was close to ventilating. So the boat jumped the log and the skeg and prop were unhurt.

I'm thinking it's time to come up with Plan B.

[J-Doc]

Log jumping on Beaver is NOT one my list of things I EVER want to experience.

Good tip because I ran from PC to Rocky Branch and back the other night and never saw anything. Scary part is I was full bore most of the trip and could have just as easily hit an underwater log as you did.

With the current slowing and generation slowing eventually, things should settle down and fishing should improve (I hope). I got a report last night that said War Eagle looks rough with junk floating everywhere.

[kjackson]

That's the fourth time I've hit a log in a boat. Two were memorable. The first time I was running a 14-foot fiberglass skiff in the Strait or Juan de Fuca (Washington saltwater) and hit one running full bore with a 20-hp Johnson. Granted it wasn't Ranger (ahem) speed, but the impact when the motor kicked up (no power trim in those days) knocked me off the seat in the back of the boat--running a tiller--and rolled me up to the forward seat. Scared the stuffing out of me..

The second time was in a new boat, but I really don't know what I hit.I was in 190 feet of water when I put the hammer down to pop up on plane (115 hp wheel boat this time) when I hit whatever it was. Never did see it at all, and the lake was glass smooth. The impact on that one took two blades off the aluminum prop. Fortunately, I was close to the launch and able to limp in.

Gotta love boating. The other two logs were jarring but no big deal. I would imagine hitting a submerged log at 50 mph plus will leave a bruise.

[crkoester]

There's quite a bit of crap between PC and Rocky right now... was just out this AM. Running wide open at night would be a big mistake. The worst is the big wide open intersection of the river channel and PC near Rivercliff.

[Mike jones]

Hmmmm...so crkoester went out this AM and has no report to give. That must mean he smashed'em and wants to keep it to himself!!

[crkoester]

I landed one 5 pound striper. Exciting enough for you?

[JohnF52]

Since an incident that happened many years ago, I have never ran much above no wake speed at night. When the lake was new, we were running on plane and ran onto a small low island somewhere in the vicinity of 12 bridge. The motor kicked up and we wound up about 40 feet from the water. The thing that saved us from any damage was the fact that the lake was brand new and the original soil was all there, making it one big sage grass covered mud flat. The three of us pushed and pulled on that boat for probably 15 minutes to get it back in the water.

[J-Doc]

That island is still there and full of skeg marks. I've got a side image screenshot showing it.