CANCEL Dubuque

[MWC]

The weather caused enough damage to boats and motors at Spring Valley, their is all kinds of logs, brush,and crap in the river, we don't need more equipment damage, but most of all we don't need a accident, and have someone get hurt bad or worse yet killed.It's only a walleye tournament, it can be re scheduled. As far as the championship I stand behind the MWC 100% in there decision to reschedule it, I guess the people who are complaining have never been on a river in that condition, October is kind of late for the Championship for many of the reasons other people have stated, but if it is the best they can do, so be it, I'll be there whenever it is!

[angler]

I think a back up date should have been made in advance just in case this would have happened

[The_Walleye_1]

Dont you think it is a little to sudden to cancel the torney. I believe that it would be a little to late to cancel it having only a week untill the tournament. The championship has a three week warning. Some people will already be there pre fishing for the tournament and to cancell with such a short notice wouldn't be to bright!!!!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't mind if we would have had a 2 or three week warning but a decision the day before we go prefishing is a little to ,how should i say it "shocking or suprising". Also there is only one day, friday when there is a 30% chance for showers. So all in all i say keep the tournament, unless there are really bad problems with the river.
"The_Walleye_1"

[Zach]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-15-01 AT 05:02PM (CST)[p]Don't be surprised if it is cancelled; it should be and they may have no choice. It's bad here in LaX and will only get worse in IA. This is not a normal spring high water event, it is approaching a 100 year type of flood.

From today's LaCrosse Tribune:
The U.S. Coast Guard in St. Paul issued a Captain of the Port order at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday to close the Mississippi River to all boats from Genoa north to Minneapolis.

Until then, the Coast Guard had recommended that boats not travel the river and issued a no-wake order.

"We are trying to stop all wake damage," said Chief Todd Dudley of the Coast Guard in St. Paul. The order was necessary because wakes can damage submerged homes and property and railroad tracks running along the river, he said.

The order was broadcast on Marine Channel 16.

Boats and barges on the river when the order was issued were to pull into the nearest safe harbor, Dudley said.

The river closing was recommended by the Caption of the Port in St. Louis, who has jurisdiction over the Mississippi River to St. Paul, said Petty Officer Greg McMenimen, of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office in New Orleans.

The penalty for disobeying the order is a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years, he said.

[rd]

I know the postponement of the championship has caused hardships, they have hit close to home but in my opinion the MWC/WF made the right call and should also seriously consider postponing the Dubuque tournament as well. Yesterday I drove down the Iowa side and up the Wisconsin side from Winona MN, to Prairie de Chein, WI. There were areas of the river you could not drive a boat on without hitting a branch, tree or something large. I would not put myself nor my boat at risk to what is going on there. There is just too much danger out there. Any kind of boat problems and you are looking at a possible life or death situation, that is not an overstatement either. There are many visible obstacles plus many more you can not see. The current speed is unbelievable. I live on the river, I fish the river fanatically, and I am staying off until the levels recede. The Mississippi River is NOT the place to be right now.

[The_Walleye_1]

I guess it is postponned now!

[MinowaEyes]

The MissWC club web site states that the event has been post poned. Also they have put a link up there for current river conditions in Dubuque.

Karl