While low water isn’t much of a problem at a deep lake like Caesar Creek, it can be a major hassle at shallow lakes like Grand Lake St. Marys and Indian Lake. Venture into the wrong part of some lakes and your motor’s propeller and lower unit can quickly fall victim to stumps.
“When you operate a boat in some of these canal lakes (like Indian and Grand Lake), you can have plenty of trouble with stumps,” said George Sholtis, manager at Indian Lake State Park. “You have to know where you are going. You can get into some of the backwater areas and there are stumps all over.”
Stumps might be good for attracting fish, but they also attract propellers. I have a doorstop that used to be a propeller to prove it. Several years ago at Grand Lake St. Marys, I was leaving a marina and instead of following the channel markers, I decided to cut across a large bay. I opened that baby up all the way and was skimming across the water. I don’t know what I hit, but it took all three blades down to an inch or two of metal. Wham!
So not only are low water levels inconvenient, they can be expensive.
“I think it’s more of an issue with novice boaters,” said Bob Culp, assistant service manager at Spend-A-Day Marina on Indian Lake. “Experienced boaters find out where they can and cannot go. We have maps here we give out to boaters, showing them where the potential trouble spots are on the lake.”
He said his shop has had several boats come in during the summer with lower unit and prop damage. A typical repair bill for someone hitting a stump, ruining the prop and maybe bending the shaft: about $1,300. Obviously, it’s better to know where you are going.
Some lakes typically have problems with boat ramps when lake levels drop. Although they are open now, Paint Creek Lake often has closed boat ramps due to lack of water. Right now it is about 3 feet below normal pool.
Acton Lake (Hueston Woods) is experiencing low water problems. It’s about 30 inches below normal pool. The ramp is open but boaters have experienced problems taking boats in or out.
Grand Lake is 14 inches below normal pool. That might not seem like much, but for a lake that is only about 5 feet deep on average, that’s about one fifth of its water that is missing.
Brett Trump, supervisor at the Wapakoneta office of the Ohio Division of Watercraft, said people can still enjoy boating in lower water conditions if they pay attention to a few simple rules:
— Watch your speed, especially in areas you might not be familiar with.
— Use maps and have someone local mark it for you.
— Be particularly careful when you are close to banks or points. Shallow water can extend out from both.
— Keep a close eye on your depth finder. Water depths can change dramatically within a few feet.
He also said accidents with more than $500 damage should be reported to the watercraft office. A report by a watercraft officer can be helpful in filing insurance claims.
Outdoors columnist Jim Morris can be reached by email at sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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