Franks Track telephone sized poles widow makers

[The Dude]

A team from the aba toyrny reported hitting a 30ft log in franks. They said there was two of them. They were lucky to make it after launching, sheared lower unit. The delta is choked with trash, be safe.
Marty

[CBS]

It is getting scary out there I have never seen this much Hyacinth movement. Fished on Sunday Franks really bad but when I took the cut back to Orwood from Holland two of the corners were completely choked. Problem running through the stuff is you don't know what's hidden from view.

[Captain Morgan]

Agreed. I was out on Monday and also ran back down through Holland and didn't think we'd make it to Orwood with the vegetation so thick. While running through a clump of hyacinth in Middle River early in the day we almost hit a 10ft log floating in with it. After that I slowed way down and kept a good eye out for similar stuff. Scary to think what it will look like after Thursday's storm -- be real careful this weekend.

[Fred Fullerton]

I Reported this too Contra Costa Sheriffs on Monday and they are watching out for these poles too remove them. If you come across them try too pull them to a bank if you can.

[mark poulson]

How will the coming wind storm affect things up there?

[Wolfeman]

I remember being out there during the El Nino years and being worried that my front pole seat was going to hit the underside of the bridge in Connection Cut just north of Mildred. That was some high water.
Also remember cruising past a tree, not a log, a full blown 40 foot tree with all it's branches as it floated down Old River.
Going to be crazy out there in a few days.
- Wolfeman

[mark poulson]

I remember being out there during the El Nino years and being worried that my front pole seat was going to hit the underside of the bridge in Connection Cut just north of Mildred. That was some high water.
Also remember cruising past a tree, not a log, a full blown 40 foot tree with all it's branches as it floated down Old River.
Going to be crazy out there in a few days.
- Wolfeman

Sounds like you guys will have a bunch of new cover to fish!

[whazup]

Hope all the levees hold.

[bubba]

My lower unit took a hit. Looks like the skeg, prop, bottom of the hull and maybe even the steering ram all messed up. Won't know for sure till the insurance guy looks it over. Warning stay out of 14 mile slough, totally choked with hyacinth so you can't see anything in your way. Lucky I was going just barely fast enough to stay on pad.

[fishwithron2]

Same thing on the San Joaquin from Ladds toward the tract. There will patches and then some opening. Lots of tree and logs out there.

[whazup]

My lower unit took a hit. Looks like the skeg, prop, bottom of the hull and maybe even the steering ram all messed up. Won't know for sure till the insurance guy looks it over. Warning stay out of 14 mile slough, totally choked with hyacinth so you can't see anything in your way. Lucky I was going just barely fast enough to stay on pad.

On pad while in the hyacinth?

[mark poulson]

My lower unit took a hit. Looks like the skeg, prop, bottom of the hull and maybe even the steering ram all messed up. Won't know for sure till the insurance guy looks it over. Warning stay out of 14 mile slough, totally choked with hyacinth so you can't see anything in your way. Lucky I was going just barely fast enough to stay on pad.

On pad while in the hyacinth?

X2 That's like running on plane in the fog!

[VinnieTheFish]

Sounds like a good reason to go fish Berryessa for a couple of weeks. Stay safe out there the Delta is full of surprises at every turn.

[chris ball]

I can certainly attest to the poles, on Dec 6th I tee boned one at 50 mph destroying my motor mount, lower unit and jack plate, we hit it and immediately went airborne and finished with a 360 ejecting my nephew and cracking 4 of my ribs, thank goodness for a kill switch and life jackets!!..once we composed ourselves I thought we had possibly smoked a seal but after looking around we saw the pole roughly 30 feet long barely submerged under the water.. I have had 3 scary situations like this in 17 years of fishing the river and thank god for surviving them all so far, pay attention out there all year long and always hook your kill switch up and wear your lifejackets. as a side note I want to thank frank at inland marine for taking care of my boat quickly, these guys helped me go through the nightmare of dealing with the insurance company and $13,000.00 dollars later we are back on the river...be safe and good fishing to you all.
happy holidays
Chris ball

[jeff bradshaw]

Glad you and your nephew are ok! Scary stuff out there on the delta right now. Last month we almost hit a huge seal that surfaced right in front of me while going around 50. Could have been ugly. I agree wear your life vests out there and hook the kill switch

[whazup]

Here's a really wild idea......slow down. You know the danger is there.....do you not care about your passengers safety? Prob same guys who are WOT in the fog too. Unbelievable. (now get mad at me, or find a mirror and tell that guy to cool it)

[jeff bradshaw]

"whazup".... While I do appreciate your concern for others safety and agree we should all slow it down out there with all the crap in the river right now, I'm not really appreciating you insinuating I drive recklessly WOT in the fog The point of my post was to advise people to wear their life jackets and hook the kill switch up

[kraetzer]

Here's a really wild idea......slow down. You know the danger is there.....do you not care about your passengers safety? Prob same guys who are WOT in the fog too. Unbelievable. (now get mad at me, or find a mirror and tell that guy to cool it)

Since you seem to know, can you tell us the proper speed everybody should go that prevents you from hitting a submurged log?
I appreciate jeff's post because without live wests and kill switch a submerged log can badly harm or even worse kill you if you are going 50 or 30.
So everybody stay safe and catch some fish.

[whazup]

Here's a really wild idea......slow down. You know the danger is there.....do you not care about your passengers safety? Prob same guys who are WOT in the fog too. Unbelievable. (now get mad at me, or find a mirror and tell that guy to cool it)

Since you seem to know, can you tell us the proper speed everybody should go that prevents you from hitting a submurged log?
I appreciate jeff's post because without live wests and kill switch a submerged log can badly harm or even worse kill you if you are going 50 or 30.
So everybody stay safe and catch some fish.

Thought it would be obvious but maybe not. Slow enough so that if you do hit something, no one would be hurt. Why risk being thrown out, or having an outboard motor in your lap? Dunno, maybe it's just me.....

[scott h]

I have a friend with a damaged boat as we speak, he was only going fast enough to stay on pad, 20mph maybe, hit a log about 12" in diameter no one got thrown out or badly injured but they got banged up and 13k worth of damage to the boat and motor, so 20 or 50 it is still dangerous no matter how you slice it, when logs are saturated and suspended just under the surface it is a tough thing to see, not only on the delta but all of our lakes now with that last burst of rain are still rising, wear your pfd's and kill switches an impact at any speed could be deadly these are high performance rigs but are not indestructible, accidents happen and sometimes people do not understand just how dangerous it could be any time your on the water!

[mark poulson]

I have a friend with a damaged boat as we speak, he was only going fast enough to stay on pad, 20mph maybe, hit a log about 12" in diameter no one got thrown out or badly injured but they got banged up and 13k worth of damage to the boat and motor, so 20 or 50 it is still dangerous no matter how you slice it, when logs are saturated and suspended just under the surface it is a tough thing to see, not only on the delta but all of our lakes now with that last burst of rain are still rising, wear your pfd's and kill switches an impact at any speed could be deadly these are high performance rigs but are not indestructible, accidents happen and sometimes people do not understand just how dangerous it could be any time your on the water!

X2 Great advice!

[Black Champ]

At high tide with high water, don't forget that height of your power pole. Especially a 10' power pole.