HAZARDS IN BULLFROG BAY

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Not to keep hammering on the NPS, but I agree they should be better at marking hazards in the main channel and high traffic areas. Also need to maintain the channel markers they already have.
Last fall I made a night run from White to Bullfrog. Knowing this could happen I marked the route on my GPS chart on the way up. I ran back using my chart and the few lighted bouys that still work. Not all the channel bouys are where they should be. If I had been unfamiliar with the lake, had my GPS quit or not working and a number of other things it could have been ugly. Or a long night waiting for daylight.
My point being they need to maintain and monitor the bouys and main channel better!
 
I received an email answer that I sent to NPS, there is a team going to Bullfrog to address hazards in that area this week. The gentleman that replied said if that particular hazard isn't addressed by weeks end to let him know. So if any are there please let me know if it gets marked as I won't be there until 3/24.
 
Dorado said:
I have never understood this mentality that it is someone else’s fault when you run your boat up onto the rocks. Every time the lake drops the hazards Change almost daily. Probably 1000’s of shallow water hazards on the lake, that are constantly changing. There have probably been dozens of threads on here about them, and how to avoid them. It’s pretty easy to highlight shallow areas on your plotter or Navionics....
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Yes the water level changes. I have been going to the lake for over 25 yrs. trust me it has changed. NPS should do there job, mark hazards when possible to keep boaters safe, this is your tax money at work. I agree also to watch for yourself if you see a bird standing on one leg in the middle of the lake, stay away from that bird. It's just when they are out training or checking fisherman for lic. carry some markers to help out after all they are on the lake more than most of us that can only get there a few times a year. If i see something i will mark those areas. Thanks to all that do.
 
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Skip said:
I received an email answer that I sent to NPS, there is a team going to Bullfrog to address hazards in that area this week. The gentleman that replied said if that particular hazard isn't addressed by weeks end to let him know. So if any are there please let me know if it gets marked as I won't be there until 3/24.
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Looks like the NPS marked the hazards outside of Halls on Monday. Although, didn’t see any others marked.
 
Jwc said:
Well having been a former federal employee for almost 20 years I know that we better take care of this problem ourselves because they are probably trying to get through a heap of papers and bureaucratic red tape to buy the buoy , buy the weight , get a bid from three contractors within 400 miles , etc etc . I agree it is our responsibility to stay vigilant and boat safely, and you can never ever rely on the feds to protect you or your boat or your family. Let’s mark that thing ! As soon as I can get my boat down there (in the shop from crackin a reef In halls trying to avoid getting swamped by a wake boat wave 6 footer, error on my part tho should’ve just taken the soak, thought I had a few more feet ) I’ll get it marked, used to mark dead heads in the ozarks with jugs all the time.. works good ! Keep that SA up when in doubt, idle .
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Can you tell me about the wakes thrown by big boats? What is the approach I take is this is to happen? Do I just take it straight on with increased speed and bow trimmed up?
 
kgmerrill12 said:
Can you tell me about the wakes thrown by big boats? What is the approach I take is this is to happen? Do I just take it straight on with increased speed and bow trimmed up?
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Well every situation is different when hitting a big wave . Back in the day when I had a Ranger 518vx(bass boat ) I used to alway try to hit them as perpendicular as possible trim up a bit as long as I think I can jump the well and not spear the next crest , this is a back adjuster , but generally a decent way to stay dryish, now with the family and a deeper v boat , if the water is massive , I just stay mostly grounded on the water and get off step to navigate huge water. I am confident in my boat to stay upright in even the biggest waves the lake can tho at me even if there is water up to my shins. The problem with Powell is that waves are rarely evenly spaced with wells and crests because of the canyon walls and the bathtub effect so it can really thro a boat around. My very first day on powell in 2000 I was prefishing for a tourney out of bullfrog , as a co angler, before the days of spot weather forecasts , it started to get windy up lake canyon and by the time we got to the main lake the wind was sustained 50mph with higher gusts. When we got to the mouth of halls the waves were probably 5-7 feet high with some approaching 8 or 9 feet, I looked over to see the other boat we were traveling with spear the center of a giant wave and rip of his trolling motor.. gone of the boat. Just as that happened we speared one (in a 91 18 foot champion ) I put my hands up just in time to deflect the plexiglass windshield and it sliced open both my hands. We were sitting knee deep in water , basically just hoping we weren’t gunna sink /flip. Proceeded to spear one more at idle speed, thought it might be it for us, pretty sketch day on the water. A dozen boats ended up capsizing on powell that day. After that I never ever F*** with bad weather or wind at powell. Off subject but if you are a new boater to powell , if it is super windy and your not extremely comfortable handling your boat in big water, stay out of the main channel in big wind, and watch out for intoxicated boaters , the dude the threw that big wake at me when I clipped that rock cut right in front of me at twilight with no lights , pulling a wake surfer full ballast , either he was drunk or just reckless and ignorant. Either way , Powell is the most dangerous lake I’ve ever fished. And I’ve fished many many lakes and river systems all o er the US. Also the raddest lake I’ve ever fished... be cautious out there. And don’t take chances!!
 
I’ve been boating on lake Havasu the last few years and I know there is no size comparison but it is well marked Powell is a joke as far as marking don’t put a milk jug on it it’s against the law🤷‍♂️ For real 😂
 
JWC is absolutely right; Lake Powell in high winds can be a near death experience; it's happened to me multiple times. When the wind blows 50-70 mph, all bets are off. Your secured houseboat is no longer secured. Your bass boat is subject to be trashed no matter how secured you thought it was. Last year. on our first day, one of our party fell out of my bass boat and hit his shoulder on the canyon wall; I thought that he jumped into the lake to cool off. It was everything that I could do to get him in my boat and get back to the houseboat. I used my Garmin Inreach to text NPS who arrived within 30 minutes. They determined that he had a dislocated shoulder (he had that plus a severed rotator cuff). We were 45 miles from Wahweep, the wind was high and so were the waves, so he elected to call Life Flight to take him to Flagstaff Medical Center. The cost was $45,000 for the one hour flight. NEVER take Lake Powell for granted. It's a wonderful place, which is why we come back every year, but I'm always wary because of lessons learned the hard way.
 
I wish surfboat owners (any boat owners actually) all knew they were responsible for any damage caused by their wake.
We have a local water up my way I like to fish but the ski/surf boats are creating problems for the boaters/tubers/kayakers, etc.
Not to mention environmental damage to the shoeline (back east a lot of waters have a 10 hp motor max for these reasons).
Every year I bring up the discussion this lake should be odd/even days for wake/wakeless use but most people think I am the devil for even mentioning it.
I don’t care.
I still believe some local/heavily used lakes need to have wakeless days, not just a pathetic little corner with wakeless buoys.
 
David A Dexter said:
JWC is absolutely right; Lake Powell in high winds can be a near death experience; it's happened to me multiple times. When the wind blows 50-70 mph, all bets are off. Your secured houseboat is no longer secured. Your bass boat is subject to be trashed no matter how secured you thought it was. Last year. on our first day, one of our party fell out of my bass boat and hit his shoulder on the canyon wall; I thought that he jumped into the lake to cool off. It was everything that I could do to get him in my boat and get back to the houseboat. I used my Garmin Inreach to text NPS who arrived within 30 minutes. They determined that he had a dislocated shoulder (he had that plus a severed rotator cuff). We were 45 miles from Wahweep, the wind was high and so were the waves, so he elected to call Life Flight to take him to Flagstaff Medical Center. The cost was $45,000 for the one hour flight. NEVER take Lake Powell for granted. It's a wonderful place, which is why we come back every year, but I'm always wary because of lessons learned the hard way.
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Classic Air Medical has a membership that you can purchase for $89.00 per year for the whole family. I believe that they have joined with a few other air services to provide complete coverage for Utah and parts of Arizona. You are the third person that I have heard about using the garmin in reach. Everyone has talked about the rapid response from the NPS. It is really kind of nice having one and worth every penny of my $15.00 per month.
 
SBennett said:
I wish surfboat owners (any boat owners actually) all knew they were responsible for any damage caused by their wake.
We have a local water up my way I like to fish but the ski/surf boats are creating problems for the boaters/tubers/kayakers, etc.
Not to mention environmental damage to the shoeline (back east a lot of waters have a 10 hp motor max for these reasons).
Every year I bring up the discussion this lake should be odd/even days for wake/wakeless use but most people think I am the devil for even mentioning it.
I don’t care.
I still believe some local/heavily used lakes need to have wakeless days, not just a pathetic little corner with wakeless buoys.
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In the 80's bartlett lake north of scottsdale was divided down the middle. Anything upstream was wakeless. You could fish anywhere. It did make it rougher on the big(wake) end of the lake by concentrating all of the wakes at that end. Rabbit Ears pass has a skiing only side. This is a system that has been proven. You would have to accommodate wake boaters at Bullfrog/ Halls somehow. Maybe give the wake boats down to the San Juan. No wake upstream to hite . I think no wake is impractical as distances are great at Powell. We need an enforceable standard above that that allows safe travel for all.
p.s. We should all contact NPS and thank them for marking the whale.
 
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