Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

[scooper77515]

I have noticed at my local lake (Lake Houston, Harris County Texas) that if anyone comes upon a sunken log or other obstruction that could cause harm to a boat or skier, they tie a jug or bottle to it to help others from hitting it.

Well, yesterday, I fought for a half hour to tie a 2-liter coke bottle to a just barely above water stump, which would be submerged if water rose another 4 inches or so.

Well, I have kept 5 or 6 2-liter bottles on board for just this reason. But when it came time to mount them, all I had was 8 lb test fishing line, so I doubled it over and tried tying it to the log, but no luck. Then I tried to put a fishhook into the log, but again, the string broke.

So today, I bought 15 zinc plated eye-hooks with wood screw ends, and hot pink nylon "mason line". i figure I can screw the eye-hook into the log and tie an ample amount of the string to the bottle neck with a hangman's noose or similar.

Then I got to thinking...Is there an accepted method for doing this, or do you just do what you can, like I am trying, to mark obstructions?

 

[robert graham]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

If the water is fairly shallow lots of folks just stick a pointed section of about 1" or 2" diameter PVC pipe in the bottom, leave maybe 3' or 4' sticking above the surface, shows up pretty good. A plastic jug could be O.K. but folks might think it's a crab trap or similar. A concrete block with some nylon rope would anchor a marker pretty good if the current wasn't too strong. It's a darn good thing you're doing and may save someone a torn up prop, foot or motor. Good Luck!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

and hot pink nylon "mason line".

Ayuh,... That Nylon,... The Sun will rot it in no time...

Poly-pro rope would probably be better...

Tie yer marker to a rock, or brick, cement block, or whatever to anchor it...

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

This packaging says "Contains one or more of: Nylon, Polyester, Polypropylene" then repeats it in three different languages. In other words, I have no idea what it is made of.

The water here is pretty deep, and typically, they tie jugs to the actual item since they move around when a hurricane or strong thunderstorm comes through.

The log I was working on yesterday was in 18' water, near the dam at the south end of the lake.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

I've seen trout lines deployed in the middle of the main channels on LOTO that were marked the same way.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Regardless if it is trot line, stump, or whatever, I keep my boat and my skiers away from all floating jugs and bottles. So if everyone else does the same, I will be helping them to steer clear of this log.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

I think it would be less trouble for you to just stand on the stump and wave people off. :facepalm:

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Regardless if it is trot line, stump, or whatever, I keep my boat and my skiers away from all floating jugs and bottles. So if everyone else does the same, I will be helping them to steer clear of this log.

I guess I was just saying that those jugs in our main channels won't cause me to alter my course beyond not hitting them with the hull. I like the idea of marking hazards, though. I know of one on our lake that I'm sure has claimed a boat or two at night. Short of putting a solar light on it, I don't know how I would mark it. I'm kind of surprised the Corps hasn't removed it.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

There are a bunch of trees and logs that float down from the two branches of the San Jacinto river when heavy rains occur. These move periodically when storms roll in. There was one in Skier's Cove for the first two seasons that we had to steer around, but after a good thunder storm, it floated further south toward the dam.

The one I am trying to mark actually looks like a pylon (sp?). A straight upright chunk, looks like a power line pole. But it is heavily anchored into the ground, and on low tides sticks up above the water, but on higher "tides" it is right at the water's surface. And since it is so heavily anchored, it could do major damage to an outdrive or a skier if hit.

I figured I would put 4' of line on it then a bottle. People would steer clear of the bottle, and hence miss the pole.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Ayuh,... You otta be a Swamp Logger,....

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

I FEEL like a swamp logger when the wind is pulling my boat around, and I am trying to sink a hook into a sunken log. Then the anchor rope, which i have looped into it's hook, sinks 10' down and gets hung on the log, and I have to sink the anchor down along the rope to snag it and pull it back up.

Not fun, but better than watching someone else hit a log that I knew was there.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

I FEEL like a swamp logger when the wind is pulling my boat around, and I am trying to sink a hook into a sunken log. Then the anchor rope, which i have looped into it's hook, sinks 10' down and gets hung on the log, and I have to sink the anchor down along the rope to snag it and pull it back up.

Not fun, but better than watching someone else hit a log that I knew was there.

We've gone through some pretty extreme measures to remove hazards from our lakes. I understand your intentions on marking those that you can't remove.

I don't know if it was on this board or one of my others...Someone posted that they tore up their drive on a large log. Later that day, others that were on the same water posted that they knew exactly what he was talking about since they narrowly missed the same log earlier. What The...!

 

[dg512055]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Some folks around here marked submerged stumps on Reelfoot Lake with 1/2" conduit. This turns out to be a very bad idea. The conduit will rust off at the water line. You can figure out the rest.

 

[mmwest]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

i think what your doing is great,especially since i'm heading to lake houston real soon.have been doing the san jac thing the last two summers and its gettin a little crazy lately.not to raid your post but the last time we went to lake houston (maybe 4 years ago) they were building new homes and installing a bulkhead where we use to beach our boats at.......is there any good hang out and swimming holes anyone could steer me to.THANKS

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Some folks around here marked submerged stumps on Reelfoot Lake with 1/2" conduit. This turns out to be a very bad idea. The conduit will rust off at the water line. You can figure out the rest.

That sounds like a very bad idea.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

mmwest! Good to hear of others wishing to hang out at the lake! We tend to hang out at "Skier's cove". That is the cove with the bulkheads about 2 miles north of Deussen Park, and on the east side. There is a nice little beach there, even though most of the time, the beach is under water. But if you get there and anchor off shore on the north end of the cove, you will find that the water is only ankle to knee deep, so everyone anchors off there and hangs out. Sometimes, on holiday weekends, you may find 20-30 boats there. Most of the time, just 5-10 boats.

Rumor has it they bulkheaded it off for a new neighborhood, but found that a bunch of bald eagles nest there, so they stopped construction. We see the eagles all the time, so there may be some truth to the rumors.

We live right on the lake (on a neighborhood on the lake, not on a HOUSE on the lake, not quite THAT rich!). So we are out there all the time. Feel free to pull up and introduce yourself if you see us out there. Look for the "Clastron" with wake tower and owners in cowboy hats!

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Hey scooper, i also boat in Lake Houston on the days when i don't feel like making it down to Galveston. Good to know theres people like you watching out for thous hard to see stumps. I always find my self coming way to close to them while running not being able to see them sometimes when the water is choppy. I actually hit one by BJ's marina the other day but i was going slow so the only damage was a ding in my prop.

 

[tex_man9999]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

hey man not to change subject just wanted to say i grew up on that lake was like 15th house in atoscacita shores man the crappie we caught in those canals wheeewww

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

Our SeaRay has been in your waters, Scooper.

We'll do our best to keep our waters clear up here, as well.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Is there a method or etiquette to marking submerged stumps and obstructions?

hey man not to change subject just wanted to say i grew up on that lake was like 15th house in atoscacita shores man the crappie we caught in those canals wheeewww

Yea crappie is about all i catch out on Lake Houston, but it is fun for a short ride.