Ohio River ??

[BASSKING]

I know there are alot of people fishing the river right now and i also fish it from the bank and i have a question for all the guys who fish it from a boat. i have a 12' jon with a 15hp on it and i wanted to get your opinions on taking this boat out on the river? i would only be fishing between greenwood ramp and ghallager station. i dont want to get up by the hydros or the upper d am. so, what do you guys think? Thanks

[HURRICANEBOB]

Is it a V-hull or a flat bottom? I think I'd be more inclined to do so in a flat bottom as they are more stable and somewhat less prone to do a bow dive, even though they ride firmer. Do you have running lights? I'd not go on the Ohio without them, as even if you just plan a day trip, a dead motor, or foul weather, or a unexpected set of very high winds that causes a delay in a return trip could put you in the dark. I just under no circumastances would go the Ohio route without lights in case I got caught in the dark. Do you wear a life jacket? In a smaller boat, I'd wear it constantly. What is your plan of attack for confrontations with tugboat wakes? These can throw up 3-4 foot wakes. Do you plan to turn tail and run clear of them? Will you be patient enough to cut the engine, and wait them out? I ask this becasue on a 20 foot pontoon, I occassionally have to take the stop the motor and bob around for a while routine to be sure I don't dive the bow. How experienced a boater are you? I'd not hit the Ohio in a 12 footer with out plenty of boating experience in rough water. Do you have a trolling motor to act as a back up propulsion system if teh engine dies, and you need to get safely to the bank or out of the way of a tugboat? Are you willing to stay close to the bank, so your speed handicap will not put you in harms way trying to dodge push boats? Are you going by yourself, or with someone else, what is the safe load limit for your boat?

Not trying to discourage you, Have seen 12 footers on the Ohio before, some with closed bows, some flat bottoms, some V-hull jons. I'd say weigh the degree of risk prudently, unemotionally, decide if its really worth it, then if you decide to give it a try, do so very cautiously, equipped with all the right safety gear, and then do so in small trips until you gain more and more experience. Try a very short trip at first, just say 300 feet from the ramp and close to the bank. Experience your first tugboat wake from that distance. Experiement carefully until your are sure what you and your boat really are capable of. Always operate just short of your max capability, and short of your boats max capability, allowing a margin of error. The Ohio can throw all sorts of unexpected conditons at you, like converging tugboat wakes, unexpected fog or rain, high winds, and of course stuff drifting around that ought be on dry land like docks, and trees, etc. Man, just be careful! I've seen 12 foot jons on Cumberland in 30 mph winds who made out okay. I've also seen folks in 12 jons get into serious trouble on Taylorsville, just by getting caught between the boat wakes of boats far smaller than a tugboat.

I can't and I won't in good conscience say "yes" or "no". It's just my opionion. I'd just say know exactly what the risks are, decide if you really are prepared, and in any and all cases, exercise caution. I think I'd be happier fishing safer.

[Moose1am]

My Best Advice is to stay off the River in such a small boat. Why risk your life. There are other lakes that are much safer to fish than the Ohio River. The River is very unforgiving.

Take it from one of the guys that had to recover the bodies of drowning victims and boating accidents on the Ohio River. I am as serious as a heart attack when it comes to Water Safety.

And for god sake if you don't listen to my good advice at least wear a life jacket and take an extra set of warm cloths, blanket and something to warm you up if you get wet and survive the river. That water is cold at this time of the year. Normal body temperature is 98.6 and if your core temperature drops below 96 deg F you are going to be hypothermia and could die.

Just wanted to add some information as to why I say what I said above:

My boat is a 15' 11" John boat by Fishermarine. I've been out on the Ohio River when it's calm and this boat works great. But when that river gets up or a barge comes by it's taking a chance in a boat that small. The winds can kick up on the Ohio River or a tow boat will come by you and throw out 4 ft high rollers. From Crest to Trough the waves are at less 4ft.

Just recently we lost one young man to drowning when his small john boat began sinking while he was fishing a 90 acre strip pit lake in Warrick County, IN. He was fishing out of a small john boat that could not have been much longer than 12ft. One man was able to swim back to shore when the boat sunk but the other lost his life and it took the police and rescue workers hours to locate and recover his body.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE FELLOWS!

[birdstrike]

Bassking,
I won't assume to know your skill or experience level on the water, I will just tell you that I see every type of boat imaginable on the river. I've seen people fishing out of everything from rubber rafts to off-shore racing boats. I often take my kayak on the river but I do feel a bit safer in the Zodiac that is in my profile picture. I saw a boat like yours anchored in the river, fishing the hydos, yesterday. The waves were lapping up over the bow and I was thinking these dudes better get out of here. They just sat there and caught fish like they have been doing this for years. Like Hurricane said, just take it slow and see what the river is going to throw at you and how your boat will handle it before you get too far from safety and it's always a good idea to go upstream so the river will take you home if you have boat problems.

[bookworm]

Guys, I appreciate your advice. I was giving serious thought to trying the Ohio with my 15 foot boat but now I'm thinking again. Doesn't sound like water I have any business being out on, even if guys are having 100 fish days on it.

[fisheater]

These guys make alot of great points.The river can be a very dangerous plave to fish with any size boat.Personally i wouldnt do it in a 12 footer because ive seen the way the river can handle my 16 footer some times.I could have made a diamond with coal in my backside quite a few times.But i have seen them out there but usually they stay close to the bank.Riverrat goes every where in a small boat but hes very experienced and takes great risk doing so even then.In the wrong spot a turn over in current will almost definutely mean a drowning.Those barges are mean buddy.

[BASSKING]

I should have been a bit clearer with my question. Bob, i always use all of the saftey procedures with my boat because its small and have never had any problems. I have had my boat on the river quite a few times and have found the wake from the barges arent as bad as som fisherman and pleasure boats.we usually anchor up and fish fairly close to the bank on both sides or where i graph some fish on the sonar and catch nice fish. I have never been past ghalager station which is before the double decker bridge, so no where near the hydros or the lower and upper d am, im a little crazy but not stupid.the 12' footer actually does good with the wake but not the wind so after the wind picks up we put-put back to the ramp. we alway put in at middle creek or greenwood. i really was just wondering about the current right now with all of the water runnig through the d am and how it would be in my boat. usually if the running more than 10-15 feet of d am i dont even think about it. i appreiciate everyones concern and imput. i love to fish but always ues my head when on the water and keep everything as safe as possible, dont want to get hurt or something worse. Thanks BASSKING


BTW, we fished the uppe d am today from 12-5 pm and caught a few sauger and i had a big hybrid break off about five feet from me.

[HURRICANEBOB]

No sweat Bassking, didn't mean to lecture, but was scared to leave anything out. Agreed, didn't have any idea you'd "been there-done that". Regards and best wishes.

[RoadToad]

As someone who hasn't "been there, done that," I thank you for spelling out the different hazards of the river like that. If I do put my 14" runabout (15hp Evinrude) in the Ohio, I think I'll just go in at New Albany and go across to the island to fish from the bank. No barge traffic to worry about there, right? I always kinda thought mine wasn't really enough boat for the Ohio. So I'll just stick to exploring the Kentucky. Poor me

[DavidPT40]

Excellent post Hurricane Bob.

The Ohio River is dangerous because of so many converging factors. You have the massive barges, hydroelectric dams, and strong currents. One other factor is that the river is the deepest and widest near Louisville, being about 180 feet deep (check it on wikipedia).

Its hard to fish if you are dead.

[PL]

Excellent post Hurricane Bob.

The Ohio River is dangerous because of so many converging factors. You have the massive barges, hydroelectric dams, and strong currents. One other factor is that the river is the deepest and widest near Louisville, being about 180 feet deep (check it on wikipedia).

Its hard to fish if you are dead.

I've been from cannelton dam to markland dam on the river including every creek in-between and I've never seen a spot over 70' . Where is it 180' deep?


PL

[Chubminnow]

180' foot deep? Where at?