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Posted

A boat fishing a youth school tourney went thru the spill gates at Pickwick Lake this weekend.  They are searching for 2 15 year olds and the 43 year old mentor. 

I have been fishing the lake for several years now.  The past few seasons have been some of the highest water ever.  Pickwick has spillgates open almost non stop lately generating alot of current above in the lake.  If you lose main motor, a trolling motor does not stand a chance if you get too close to the dam.  From the looks of it, that may have been the cause of this accident.  Sadly, it seems to happen every year lately.  Boaters beware on lakes with big spill gates like this one.

https://m.facebook.com/burtstaggsnews/photos/a.339731556186984/1555537084606419/?type=3&source=48

https://www.kfvs12.com/2020/02/26/search-missing-boaters-near-pickwick-dam-transitions-recover-operation/

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

Posted

How horrible

"Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor

Posted
3 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

OMG!    How far from the dam is the weigh-in area ?

Somebody made a bad judgement call.  😟

I think I had read the launch was right by the dam.  They were having engine issues prior to launch and they let the field go out without them and they were just going to troll around the launch area and fish but seems they may have gotten the engine to fire and went out.  Seems they couldn't get it restarted and went through the flood gates.  There was video evidence they were on the boat as it went over the edge.

 

Its actually the 2nd time in about a year this has happened on Pickwick.  A small jon boat went over last year sometime.

-- Jim

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles. -- Doug Larson

Posted

I would have thought dams like that would have cable above the danger zone? Are all these hydro dam spillways accessible by boat?

Posted

No cables, you can fish right to the dam on either side. Usual lights, sirens, and warning signs.

Probably launched out of State Park ramp by dam and was fishing close because of motor issues.  Lots of current, trolling motor was probably no help.

I think Pickwick has 16 or 18 spill gates an two locks.  Not sure how many bottom discharge generators. They keep the lake level pretty constant.  With all the flooding, they have been putting over 200,000 cfs thru since Dec.

 

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

Posted
3 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Probably launched out of State Park ramp by dam and was fishing close because of motor issues. 

They did, I saw a TV news show on it.  You wouldn't think the current ABOVE the dam would be that strong but I guess not.  They also stated that they didn't know they were missing until the evening.  The rest of the tourney thought they went home with motor trouble but apparently they launched anyway.  Very tragic!!!

Posted

Terrible tragedy prayers go out to the families. Really makes you think about all things that can happen.

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