Winter Navigation
Scenario...............
Wake up bored and hear the river calling you. You look outside and the fog is in bigtime. So you
a) Sit at home and organize your sock drawer
b) Tromp through the brush and get in little drift fishing for IKE....
c) or launch the boat and follow your GPS to the sturgeon hole.
Since I have a GPS I pick c) everytime. I like IKE just fine but this is an awesome time to get buckled up with a Columbia river Great White. And of course once in a while with big daddy himself.
Now this is not possible if you haven't done your homework. Dodging bridge piers, wingdams and pilings is what keeps all but the most confident boaters at home on foggy days.
Go on a nice day and do a navigation exercise. Find the most obstacle free route to your hole of choice and break it into several straight segments. Mark each turning point on your GPS and label the waypoints. Take notes on compass heading, time to run each segment and where the obstacles are. Once you have a route made, try it. Use a spotter to keep you out of trouble and try to get there with your head down using only the GPS. Do this until you feel confident.
That's what it will be like in the fog. It's not the most risk free thing to do, but you'll have it all to yourself. If you go slow and have your buddy spot logs you can have your way no matter what the weather is doing.
GPS in the ocean is pretty easy. In the river it's a lot harder so practice, practice, practice or hang at the house and rake leaves or pick up the dog dew in the yard. Oh and go slow and use an old prop, the river is full of floating debris. Be careful and have fun..........
The bend is your friend!
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