Just heard about the sled that went down above Black ck on the Nooch yesterday. Reports indicate the motor quit on a sled and it was sucked into a log jam, last word was it's still there! Both occupants survied.

I read the same thing in the paper today. I guess they are going to try to salvage the boat when water the goes down.

[This message has been edited by banki (edited 02-01-2001).]

From the way its rainning right now i dont think that will be anytime soon.

He was on the Noohc yesterday? Wasn't it pretty well out of shape? Well, I guess his boat's out of shape.......

Hope all turns out well for them. They must not of had time to get the kicker going...


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rip some lips

It was a Driftboat....

It Was a small sled about 16 ft and 80 hp merc I believe. We saw it on wed. talked to the guys several times going down the river.Saw it rolled over and in a log jam just a little ways above the big bar take out. On thursday we went by at about 3:00 and it was gone. Either its completely buried or they got it out.

No one hurt but I guess the boat had on guy pinned in the log jam for awhile befor it let him go. Lucky.

The boat that picked them up took out at the same time we did.

Glad everyone is okay, it sounds like it could have gone a lot worse for those folks in the sled. In the forum's opinion, what is the "safe" flows for the Wynoochee. Does it get more difficult at higher flows? I have floated it always at real low flows (450 cfs)and have found it okay other than having very little water to work with. In the interest of safety, I think it is okay to share river information regarding hazards/river features. By the way, for those of you who know, at what flow level can you run a drift boat over the spillway. Any suggestions appreciated. Tight lines.

Riverdog,

the river on wed. was a little fast but certainly easily drifted. What happed to the sled was that they couldn't get their motor started and as it just happed it was in just the wrong spot. the only real tight place. I don,t remember seeing a kicker motor and or right where they we're it was really shallow just before the log jam. Not enough time or depth to use one I wood guess.

I personally feel it takes a pretty good size river to run a sled safely. take the cowlitz, for instance, there is enough flow that it doesnt really have tight spots at log jams and such. In the summertime my dad and I will float from blue creek down to mission bar with just the oars with no problem. the only time we use the motor is to run back to the top of a hole if we hit a fish or to fight a fish. .
Anyhow, we could run smaller rivers, but it just ISN'T SAFE. You CAN'T manuever a sled with oars (or a kicker for that matter) the same way you can a drift boat. This goes back to the post about running sleds in the nooch above black creek. It can be done... but just not as safely as other rivers. You wont see my dad and I with the sled on any thing but the cowlitz. Just my opinion.

Can anybody tell me just where that sled is??? I'm just curious; I usually launch at the sandbar (some call it the chicken ranch), and drift down to Black Creek. I dont recall anywhere tight enough to be a safety problem. From White Bridge to Sandbar, though, well that's another story. Made me pucker in a couple places. I've only run it once, though.

I,m not sure what the area is called but it is just above the gravel bar about a 1/2 mile. Just below the bar that you can get to thur the quarry. It's the only place along there where the road on the west side of the river comes close to the road and its a deep looking salmon hole. The only thing I figure is he lost it in the tailout there and floated into the big log jam just below. The boat ended up abput 200 yds down from that on a root wad.

Sorry I don't know the names but I only go there a couple times a year.I hope this helps.

Hey Ron Bob, don't feel bad. I've fished the Nooch religiously for over the last 20 years and I can't tell you the names of the holes/bars. Why? Because my Dad and I always have been zipperlipped about our info and fishing locations. We never talk to people about them so never got the names of them.

Hmmmm, actually sounds like a couple spots, I sure hope it's not the big log pile way up by the deep salmon hole on the road. It's the spot during the summer most people drop in on roadside to drift in innertubes. I know some people will drop their sleds in that hole just to fish that spot. I always thought that was odd. All you need at that point is a small dinghy with an anchor. Why waste a sled there. If he swamped down below I'm just curious why he didn't try to either dump anchor (if he had one) or jump out and pull boat. Even on high volumes that channel doesn't get that deep. I always keep my oars ready in the sled in case that happens. It's true they aren't the most responsive boats with oars, but they will respond enough to maneuver.

I'm glad they're ok. Hmmmm, I'm not sure exactly what the best float to drop over weir/spillway is. I know around 1900 it gets pretty comfortable to do, very easy at 2200. I'm able to go over at around 800 or less, but I have a cat, so it's easier for me.

Hey riverdog, what kind of boat are you using? At 450 there's not much water at all to work with. You'd be dragging a driftboat every 10 ft. I know I even have to push my cat in those flows and I only draft around 3 inches water max. I'd have to say you da man on that one. (crazier then me even)

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you haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

I don't know how accurate the flow gauge was, but I know we wanted to get down the river before it was too late, and we did it in early June. We scraped through at least half and dozen places but felt it was "tolerable". I don't like banging up my boat. I row a 16' guide model Willie's with a wide bottom. I was just wondering what you guys thought about higher flows, etc. I always hate to hear about someone getting in trouble on the river. You never know if what you encounter is easy or tough, I guess it depends on the day. Anyway, I think everyone that goes out in the morning should be able to get home, a few fish aren't worth going crazy and doing something stupid, but people do it all the time. Tight lines!

The thing about the Nooch is that it can be wild and the locals can be threatening (Deliverance). I am just glad these guys got home with their catch, they were quite lucky to salvage the fish. I can't swim so I avoid the Nooch and restrict myself to spearing carp in the pond at the mall. Glad they made it!