Bob,

Rule 21. All boats must comply with existing State and Federal operation and safety laws and regulations.

What does the safety laws and regulations say about fishing below Bankhead Dam?


Ellis

I was there saturday and there is not a rope or bouy. There is 2 signs, one on each side of the river that says "NO BOATS". I talked to the lock master yesterday and he said people fish up there everyday in boats. He said he thought as long as you had your liffe jacket on within 800' of the dam you were ok BUT he wasn't sure.

Ellis, if you are on some fish up there, I think you should not go above ,oh, lets say Rocky Branch. That's just to be safe, you know.  Anyway, I saw boats almost beached on the dam last weekend while they were throwing in the flow. The lockmaster came out a watched a while, but never said a word. I'm not sure if they care anymore.

Wade

Sorry, I was out of town all day on Friday (Southern Miss).  Thanks to Shannon for calling and getting us a clarification.

RHF

After I got home fri. I looked at this site concerning what Ellis had questioned me on earlier in the day, although I did not have time to post it(I had to be at the hospital):

 
http://www.outdooralabama.com/boating/

Here are some excerts from the "rules" sight concerning the subject: (I numbered them 1 and 2)

#1 - Whenever the director of the Marine Police Division shall determine that in the interest of public safety it is necessary to restrict the speed of boats or boating activities on, or prohibit the entrance into certain areas of the waters of this State or otherwise regulate or prohibit the use of boats or water skis (including all devices similar to water skis) in such areas, he shall designate such areas by appropriate signs or buoys.

There is also some guidelines for anyone who desires...can apply for "signs"

Too, as far as being all new to us (the new signs), I can only assume that Homeland Security (post 9/11) applied for and through process had those posted(doesn't matter who did really, because they are there) and obviously deemed necessary which overrides #2 below, according to the first one posted.

#2 (the old way)-  No person shall operate any vessel on the waters of this state within 244 meters (800 feet) below a hydro-electric dam and/or navigational lock and dam unless each person aboard, including the operator, is wearing a U. S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device Type I, II, III, or V. Such personal flotation device will be worn and securely fastened in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and recommendations for such personal flotation device.



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same thing found on another site. I think it was the vessel license site.

Buoys and Markers
220-6.19 (1)
Whenever the Director of the Marine Police Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall determine that in the interest of public safety, it is necessary to restrict the speed of boats or boating activities on, or prohibit the entrance of boats into, certain areas of the waters of this state, or otherwise regulate or prohibit the use of boats or water skis (including all devices similar to water skis) in such areas, he shall designate such restricted areas by appropriate sign or bouy.

There is a second part to this that kind of leans toward letting you know that it could be a "sign" not necessarily on a marker or bouy.

I saw those kind of signs above Seldon Dam on lock 7 when I was prefishing for lock 8 tournament. I didn't fish above the dam, but I did venture into the lock area (no signs there and is not parallel to the dam site) 3 times prior to the tournament. Tournament day we went back in there and went all the way to the lock doors. We were only there for me to show my partner something and started idiling out of there. As I cranked up the bottom was sucked out from under us and a huge current was against us. I had to get on it just to get out of it. I assume the pump was cut on to fill the lock below. There was no advanced warning either. Wades remark about the guy watching...could it be that they are going to start "flushing" us out? Maybe he thought I wanted to lock through??

Buzzbait



 

That makes sense.  But the best time is when they are generating 

According to the 1-800-lakes11 they generated from 4 to 6 pm.  Just our luck.