Hunting the Missippi River, Any Pointers?

[donia]

it is the trees and debris shooting up out of the eddys that'll get ya!!

[BR549]

Duck season is not the time to learn how to fool with ole man river! It takes no prisoners! Lodi Delta and some of the boys that run it all the time can tell you some horror stories Im sure would make you never won't to go on it! Yes it is just another body of water, but it has lots of perils that go along with it. If you don't know em or have to ask, you best stay off it. Especially in the dark! You need to KNOW what to do before you get out there for all senarios that could happen! Especially FOG! Trust me you won't find your way in the fog without good tracking equipment. Even then you are at a loss for vision and runnin blind. Not a good feeling either when you can hear a towboat in the fog and you are somewhere in the river not knowing where you are or which way to go! Don't ever think you can stop to see which way the current is flowing either! That trick don't work! Learn it in the daytime in warmer weather. Learn all the perills of it before you try something foolish like going on the river in the dark with a boat loaded with people and gear! I've seen the times when I actually wished for a tow to knock down some of the waves out there! That thing can get tough real quick!

[randall25x]

+1 on what everybody else has told you. I will add that I hunt it fairly often and in the area you are asking about has steady barge traffic. There are also several sandbars and dikes that will give you a bad day real quick. I guess the one piece of advice I can give you that has not been mentioned. If there is a strong south wind or southwest wind STAY HOME.

[Scully]

I have been out there in a 21 ft bass boat enough to tell ya- I do not want to be out there in the winter. There are just too many things that can go wrong. If you are determined to go, have every bit of safety gear you can think of and add a second bilge pump on a circuit of its own. Killing ducks is just not worth the gamble to me.

[LODI QUACKER]

Common sense goes a long way!


Watch the weather before you go, if there isa chance of bad stuff coming --go somewhere else. Go on bluebird days after sunup untill you have it down to a short slow run, train a gps and do it real good, use the other safety info you have beed given and you will be fine.


THE main point is allways eror on the side of caution!!! things happen way too fast and most mistakes CANNOT be compensated for. Dont make any mistakes and you will be fine.

MAY your skies be full o wings!!

[gator]

i'm rootin' for the river.

gator

[quack_a_tack]

Yea, wear a lifejacket cause if you are askin this question you will be needin it.

[ballcoach]

Guys,


Thanks for the advice. I have read several good articles about hunting the river. Really looking to hunt some of the oxbows and areas that have flooded. We hunt the Tennessee all the time, probably not as much barge traffic but it does present itself from time to time. Most of the areas that I am looking at would be short runs from boat launch. Can't go too far anyway because of fuel capacity. Again thanks for the advice.

Coach

[BR549]

Guys,


Thanks for the advice. I have read several good articles about hunting the river. Really looking to hunt some of the oxbows and areas that have flooded. We hunt the Tennessee all the time, probably not as much barge traffic but it does present itself from time to time. Most of the areas that I am looking at would be short runs from boat launch. Can't go too far anyway because of fuel capacity. Again thanks for the advice.

Coach

I can tell u from expererience there is no comparing the mighty mississippi and anything else. There's no other body of water like it! The area u talkin bout has pretty good barge flow too! U get a northbound triple screw pushing 50 to 60 barges and he will have that river torn up for miles! Tge best times to hunt it are the worst possible times to be on it too! Rising water and cold as hell bluebird days! As far as life jackets go? Better have a flotation suit on! You go in out there chances on a frigid day chances are u won't survive! Life jackets do make body recovery easier though! One thing though make sure u know good survival skills and be prepaired to spend the nite! I've spent the nite on that thing will looking at my truck across the river and couldn't get back to it! U don't take ANY chances out there! You knoq absolutely the capabilities of ur equipment before u go too!

[teul2]

The first time you see a 50ft oak tree pop out of the water, roots first, and slam down 30ft from the side of your boat, you'll re-evaluate your choice to be on that river. I sure did.

And I promise you, that wasn't a bad day.
The whirlpools, rock dikes, debris, and the plethora of other stuff in that river is all there waiting to kill you.

Just be forewarned.

[DeltaCotton12]

i was thinking about the same thing but someone told me that a 9.9 was too small.....

....You aint friends with One Shot Payne are you????

already asked that and he said, no, but i'm startin to wonder if they're not one in the same.....tupelogum's been askin some mighty lame questions and making some mighty lame statements

i dont know anything about these two boys, but can you imagine the conversations they would have if they hunted together??????

[quack_a_tack]

Dude I was not trin to be a smart booty, I really meant it. The Tennessee is absolutely nothin like the MS and the way that puppy was roling this morning I thought twice bout hittin it.I between hunting and fishing I average prob 150 days a year on it.I just hate to hear a post askin for a prayer request for your family. You might ought to stick with the Tn river this year, use summer next year to try the MS. And those short runs are not short when you are runnin back north in a 30mph current full of trechery headed south. My granddad was on the Bolivar county civil of Defense and told stories of draggin gfor bodies that to this day have never been found. You go in in Tunica and crabs end up eating you in the gulf.

[madrod80]

Hunted the river a lot. No point in wearing a life jacket in the winter. You will probably die of hypothermia if your boat capsizes before you can get to shore. Meet a guy two years ago that gave up duck hunting when his boat capsized duck hunting. Lost two of his friends. I agree with the other guys if you are not familiar with the river better have your life insurance paid up.

[Faithful Retrievers]

Don't we cover this topic about this time each year. I have hunted the tenn and the MS, the two dont compare. Next time you see a bouy come out of the water flies way the he!! in the air then back down on the Tenn, I will say you can compare them. I run a 18' with a 100 and take heed the advice you have been given each time. Major thing no one thinks of that causes the biggest chop is the wind out of the south. I started out running a 15' with 25 it can be safe as long as you are very aware, no barges calm wind, daylight run. Bottom line get out there in the summer, this is not the time to be a beginner.

[teul2]

Major thing no one thinks of that causes the biggest chop is the wind out of the south.

+1000
those standing waves gave me one of the scarest days of my life. Ain't that right Chuckle?