# Dangerous waters



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Made a solo trip yesterday looking for stripers in the treacherous waters below Martin Dam. When I cleared the islands, I saw this in the middle of the river. I reported to the local authorities and they were unaware of any sunken boats. I did a quick scan for survivors but found none. I was the only boat on the river, but later in the day talked to two guys that said the boat had been there for a week or so. Wish I knew the full story.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Doesn't look like a typical stripe fishing boat. Looks like an old school ski boat. I personally wouldn't take a fiberglass boat behind the dam. I got .a 18 foot aluminum with a 60 mercury. I fished a lot behind Neely Henry dam on the coosa river back before gas prices rocketed. It would cost me $100 in fuel to pull my boat from birmingham plus 6 gallons in the boat with some cold beverages and a jacks burger combo. I haven't been in a while. But this is a great time to go. Big hybrids are usually what I would catch on the fall run. Then in mid April to June 1 we would catch the big salt waters stripe. I watched the typical size of these fish start to diminish, making my trip from birmingham not worth catching. I started fishing for these fish in the mid nineties when I was going to school at Jacksonville state university. The dam was 15 minutes from campus. I went just about every day during the season when they were there in huge number. Once the Mexicans and the Vietnamese realized the fishery, that's when it started to go down hill. There would be hundreds of people lining the bank loading coolers full leaving and coming back doing the same thing every day. I met a foreign guy from Atl that would drive from georgia every day to supply Asian restaurants fish in Atlanta. 
I miss those days of 20-25 pounders. In the end all we would catch were 5-10 pounders, which is when I lost interest.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

May have come over or thru the dam?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Try'n Hard said:


> May have come over or thru the dam?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


Very possible


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Can't really tell from the pic, but the hull was all sparkly blue metalflake, like an older bass boat. The pointy nose looks like a high performance Hydrasport or something close. Absolutely the wrong water for high performance.

A few years ago, I saw spanking-new Ranger with a 200 HP come ripping up the river, unwittingly roaring into harm's way. I was thinking, "OH NO! This guy's gonna bust a lower unit about right BLAAAAHHH! ... now." Once again, I was the only SOB on the river, so I dumped out my hard-earned barrel of shad, and towed him the 8 miles back to the ramp. I guess he was too embarassed in front of his two grandsons to remember his manners, 'cause I don't remember him even offering a "Thank you".


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## spinfactor (Sep 22, 2013)

I hate people like that. Few months ago I ran across a local guide stranded and have the man a tow back in. He'd been fishing with his family and definitely needed the tow inand I did. Once at the dock he gave me a gallon bucket of mingo with multiple thank you, thank you, thank you. He didn't have to give me the fish but I took them being we'd strick out on the fish. Saying thank you made it worth it for me.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

I have towed several people back to the dock.. People are always breaking down on the rivers


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

On a lighter note, I was fishing the Coosa with a buddy and saw two middle aged women drifting in the middle of the river with their outboard tipped up and the cowling off. I asked my buddy if we should go help, and he said, "Naw, they'll just try to f**k us."

Sure enough, the next weekend in the same area, there they were again - motor tipped up, etc. They were trolling, all right, but not for fish.


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