Common Sense ....

[bgault]

I was out this morning early with a Jon boat rental from Lilley's. As many mornings on Taneycomo, the fog was pretty thick in places. I was drift fishing a nightcrawler on the bottom so engine stopped and just floating along like many where. I was completely petrified by a few who were flying up and down the lake like there was no fog and they were the only ones there. A couple of times I could hear them coming but could not see them until they were almost on top of me ... which means they could not see me either. Twice the wake came crashing over the back of the Jon as they swerved seemingly at the last second. Not good.

I don't know if there are any regulations for running on Taneycomo in the fog. I'm not necessarily a proponent of more rules and regulations. There are already too many in our lives. But I am a big proponent of common sense.

Please, please ... slow down when it's foggy ... this morning was not very enjoyable until the fog burned off ... tough to fish when you are worried about getting run over.

What disturbed me some was that some of the boats thundering up and down the lake in the fog looked like guide boats with clients. You would think they most of all would demonstrate good sense on a crowded foggy lake.

I did have some success today ... boated a few with one very nice brown ... so other than a rocky start was a good day.

[fishinwrench]

There are two really good reasons not to head out into a fog on a body of water where motorboats are used.

1. You can't see.

2. You can't be seen.

So both you and the guy that almost hit you are equally at fault.

[Travis Swift]

When I was there a couple weeks ago it was horrible. I've been on that lake for close to 30 years and it was as bad as I have ever seen. I had one guide whom I know his name and respected before this trip come by on plane about 40 mph on 3 different mornings that I was just shocked and how fast and dumb he was acting going that speed. He was in a big fiberglass boat, and fishes the landing area where there is already a ton of folks anyhow. I won't even name the brand out of respect although I lost mine for the guy. This was 4th of July weekend already which mean there was a lot of people running boats that don't own or operate a boat much already on the water. Rant over......anyhow here is what I do on foggy mornings, I try to wait if I can but if I think I need to go out, I always go at idle or barely above, I always use my lights (which I saw very little of), I always wear my auto inflatable life vest. When I'm shut down fishing while foggy, I try to stay close to the bank or dock. I try to avoid he middle of the lake if it's extremely foggy for the reason that there is always someone running. I feel like if I'm close to a dock or bank there is a better chance that people will be going down the middle. Having an air horn or whistle close by isn't the worst idea in the world. I'm not a guide basher, my dream job since I was 8 years old was to be a guide on Taneycomo and Taneycomo only. Just this one particular guy I was floored by the way he was acting but I have a ton of respect for them so I won't elaborate any further.

[Gatorjet]

Travis, I was thinking the same thing about some guides I saw going way faster than they should when I was there around the same time. Just too worried about keeping the client's lines in the water to use common sense. I noticed a lot of boats with the running lights on, but didn't really see an advantage. By the time I saw the lights, I saw the entire silhouette of the boat.

Fishing alone most often, I always wear my inflatable vest just in case I fall in.

One other troubling thing I saw in the fog was not power boat related, but rather kayaks. There are so many now on Taneycomo, and it seems some using them lack common sense as well. Sunday morning, the 5th, I saw a group of 8 or 10 loosley grouped, floating right down the middle of the lake in the dense fog. Most keep their speed bumps along the shore, but this bunch had no idea at all that boats may be coming through the fog right where they were.

One thing with the Gator though. Even as I run at a fast idle because of the fog, others hear me long before they see me!:-)

[Phil Lilley]

Taney's always been like this in the summer. It's not good. I've made misjudgements as well. You think you can see out 100 feet and going slow enough and someone appears out of no where. Go too slow and throw a big wake. It's tough.

Kayak situation isn't good either.

[JCW355]

You can carry an air horn and use it when you hear someone coming

[Old plug]

We got some of those on the Gravois Arm because we fog up pretty fast. I think these fool read there GPS and forget about maybe someone being out there. we have had a couple good single boat accidents in the fog.Noboby hurt but running your boat through a dock is not good for it.

[ruthead]

This may not be a politically correct statement or popular and I do understand the respect angle in not mentioning the guides name BUT.......

maybe just maybe if the guides name was known it just might keep someone from using that guide and prevent them from being seriously hurt or worse. AND just maybe if a guide knows he will be called out on public forums that may cost him clientele for dangerous practices he just might slow down and think twice.

I have a lot of respect and appreciation for guides. I even have one son that is considering a guide school doing it. I just hope if he does he will respect the clients as well as the other people on the water and not do things like this. And he will (respect others that is)!

[Terrierman]

There are two really good reasons not to head out into a fog on a body of water where motorboats are used.

1. You can't see.

2. You can't be seen.

So both you and the guy that almost hit you are equally at fault.

Not so fast. Just don't outdrive your sight distance and then everybody is good. I'll post a pic or two tomorrow of what Taneycomo can look like with pea soup fog and what it looked like five minutes later. This time of year and this kind of weather can throw anybody a curve. He's right though about folks driving too fast for conditions. Happens on the highway too. Mostly due to lack of common sense.

[Gatorjet]

maybe just maybe if the guides name was known it just might keep someone from using that guide

From what I saw when I was there it would not be a name, but a list!