Tailrace navigation

Miller Time · Mar 18, 2019

I know this has been a topic on here before but I can’t seem to find it. I am getting the itch to get the boat out with this warm weather but I haven’t fished much at the tailrace. The couple times I have gone I attempt to navigate south from the ramp and never seem to make it very far do to not being able to find a channel that is passable. Does anyone have any tips on how to get farther south than the first sandbar? I’m not looking for spots but just routes to find my own. I see some people run full throttle south. I don’t have the balls for that. Is a guy able to make it south at a slow pace or is it shallow enough that you have to plane out? Any information is appreciated!

campchef · Mar 18, 2019

boulders as big as volkswagans, good luck

DirtyMike · Mar 18, 2019

this is just generally speaking here, but once you get to the island, you're going to want to be on the east side of it. After that, you can swing into the coal veins (be careful here for lower unit-loving boulders, or you can continue south to the spillway. After the spillway, your guess is as good as mine.

ifish4iz · Mar 18, 2019

I would advise tagging along with a "river rat" that knows that part of the river, especially now that releases are at 16k. It will be a little hairy for awhile until water levels recede down south. There wasn't much room for launching or loading last weekend and levels are going to be even lower now. Mostly hard stuff in that stretch as well-rocks, gravel and trees.

guywhofishes · Mar 18, 2019

sort of like ice fishing.. "there is is no safe ice"

there is no safe water

in rivers - especially that one

and the Red - ha ha

guywhofishes · Mar 18, 2019

That's one place I wouldn't boat buzzed

jdinny · Mar 18, 2019

ifish4iz said:
I would advise tagging along with a "river rat" that knows that part of the river, especially now that releases are at 16k. It will be a little hairy for awhile until water levels recede down south. There wasn't much room for launching or loading last weekend and levels are going to be even lower now. Mostly hard stuff in that stretch as well-rocks, gravel and trees.

that is no joke. I was praying they wouldn't cut releases more while we were out or there woulda been a few of us spending the night waiting for releases to ramp back up

limit2winit · Mar 18, 2019

I would suggest finding someone heading south and follow a safe distance behind. My first time out many years ago i literally idled all the way from the ramp to just south of the cable crossing. Water levels change from morning to afternoon so keep that in mind too. The other part that's scary is the water is crystal clear so you can see everything and everything looks extremely big in the water. running in 2-4 ft on the river in bismarck full throttle doesnt phase me. going 1/2 throttle on the race scares the day lights outta me. but once you do get it figured out its a blast.

Captain Ahab · Mar 18, 2019

Calm/sunny day you can read the river quite well. Stay east until after the spillway cut. After that, you don’t have to deal with boulders bigger than your boat, just a bunch of deadheads mostly. Try not to look straight down too often or you will just scare yourself. It’s not for the faint of heart.

MSA · Mar 18, 2019

River is low right now. Good time to mark "HOLY SHIT!" spots on your GPS. My best advice is to follow a big sparkly boat down river and don't watch your graph, because you'll see some nerve racking depth changes and if you let off the throttle you'll bury the lower unit. I'm a seasoned river rat and even we had some scary moments this weekend down river. Another way is to let a river rat drive your boat down river and back to mark a path on your GPS for you, maybe even pull up to most of the really bad spots and Mark them with a skull n crossbones for you.

Fritz the Cat · Mar 18, 2019

I hope there were some small ice jams causing water to dig some holes in the river bed creating structure.

I'll fish the stumps. But remember the good ole days at the cable crossing, the Keenes, the wash machine and the corner by GRE. Good times.

Sum1 · Mar 18, 2019

You would think in this day and age someone would have invented a nice hovercraft to fish out of.

89bluefin · Mar 19, 2019

LOVE the tailrace.. only way to learn it is to drive it...hate to say it you can google map and see where your best options are but experiance is everything once you get past the spill way

JayKay · Mar 19, 2019

All good advice. I like MSA's the best, and perhaps Ahabs.

Don't look down. When you're in 10ft, and look down and suddenly there is a boulder the size of a house sliding under you, not 3 ft down, you'll pucker.

Miller Time · Mar 19, 2019

That’s where I screwed up. Looking in the water and seeing those rocks really put. A dampener on the trip. Thanks for the advise. Sounds like I’ll wait until they are letting more water out to make it a little easier.

huffranger · Mar 19, 2019

If you fish the tailrace below lunker island this will come in handy.

https://www.bismarckpropworks.com/index.html

On the letting more water out the COE is sure to wait until the last second before the realize that the lake is full and then they will again run the river bank deep all summer.....

JayKay · Mar 19, 2019

huffranger said:
If you fish the tailrace below lunker island this will come in handy.

https://www.bismarckpropworks.com/index.html

On the letting more water out the COE is sure to wait until the last second before the realize that the lake is full and then they will again run the river bank deep all summer.....

Don't forget to get your frequent shopper card punched.

Huffranger has his own "sittin' stool" at BPW.

huffranger · Mar 19, 2019

JayKay said:
Don't forget to get your frequent shopper card punched.

Huffranger has his own "sittin' stool" at BPW.

I know the shop beer is Budweiser.

gone_fishing · Mar 19, 2019

One of these with the UHMW bottom would make a good "lead" boat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kff4w5OXt74

Mgx2400 · Mar 20, 2019

That is a cool and crazy video of those boats!

Tailrace navigation

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