Regarding the video. Yes that is a very dangerous place. Some tailwaters have very dangerous places at given times. I guess most on this board have stayed away from those dangerous places by virtue of being here to read and post.

There are places I will fish and places I will not. I only fish places where the water is moving away from the dam or moving toward the dam in the direction of a non threatening destination should I loose power. For example, I don't fish the tainter gates up close at McAlpine.

Typically I don't anchor close to the dam. Occasionally I will anchor where the water smooths out. I always have a very sharp fillet knife at hand to cut the anchor rope should the water get ugly quickly.

I used to fish at alone at night extensively at mcalpine and it was obvious what would happen if I took a dive anchored vs drifting. A boat and a person should drift at about the same rate.

Regarding life vests. The guy who survived the incident at the dam said he could not find the cord to inflate his life vest. If you hit your head on the way in you wont be able to find the cord. Some auto inflate. My car is always supposed to start, my computer is supposed to work. You likely will only require being saved by your life vest "maybe" once or twice so it has to work 100%.

Give me foam! It always works!

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