RE: maps boating
mifisheyes - 7/31/2014 1:52 AM
Thank you all.
Any boating info I should be aware of above the dams?
Here is my experience... please learn from it
I am sharing my shame on this open forum.
I had not had a boat for several years... Back when I had a boat I primarily fished Carters and other North Ga mountain lakes.
Chickamauga was all new to me when I bought my current boat in March this year. When I bought it I had no mapping on it. So I set out on my maiden voyage to the Chick. Unloaded at the ramp near the dam and was just going to ride up river and scout it out.
I was watching the bouys closely making sure I was between the red and green and keeping the red on my right. The sun was in my eyes as it was rising and the River was making a big turn just past Booker T... remember... I had not been on the lake but twice and that was 20 years ago. In my eyes I saw two bouys.. with the sun in my face and the wind making my eyes water I just made the assumption that the one on the right must be the red one....
Wrong.... next thing I know my boat is stuck in 8" of water right out in the middle of the lake. That red bouy was a stump... there was no green bouy... the green marker was up on the bank. I had to get the tow boat out to rescue me... not cheap... I joined the service the next day. You should look into that.
My point is... even trying to stay between the bouys can be a problem is you don't know the lake at all. I bought the Lakemaster chip for my bird and now can navigate with confidence.
Chick has a LOT of shallow areas above the dam... Most are fully exposed in the winter and make you think "oh my" but many are just inches or a couple of feet under. You can get in trouble in that same area I did... all around the Islands in Harrison Bay and across the lake from Chester frost and even back in the cove at Chester Frost. Also some shallows around soddy creek they seem to come out of no where.
Be very careful.... it doesn't take but a few trips for you to learn where most of the hazards are but don't be like me and learn the hard way.