Bear River to Benson Floatilla - Plus Report

[SkunkedAgain]

WH see my other post about motor size we are okay this time of year. For bridge clearance we are okay at the current water level when it gets up to high levels it can get interesting but we're good now. Very good questions you do your homework. Later J
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

WH there are two bridges to go under and we waterski under them in the summer but it does make us duck. Now with a little higher water level you should be able to get under them in most ski boats without towers. I'm guessing 4 to 5 feet from water to bridge bottom. The upper bridge is the closest fit. Later J
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Yote are they still doing that? I got after them last year to free up the ramp not to mention all the waves they throw at ya while your trying to load your boat. I think they are scared to venture out past 100 yards from the dock. Guess that happens when it's a low use ramp but they aren't home town boys so don't blame it on us farm boys from Benson. Later J
[signature]

[one8sevenn]

Good luck on not catching any mudders, they are everywhere. I may swing up, if I get all the work at my folks house done on Friday. If not pretend they are Pokemon and catch em all.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

WH I'm going to launch from the marina about 6:45 and head up river around 7:00 to meet the flotilla since it is a better launch for a bigger boat. If you want to meet us there you can follow me up the channels so you don't hit too much mud. There is one spot that gets pretty shallow or we can power down around the forks and run full throttle. Let me know and I'll plan on it. Later J
[signature]

[CoyoteSpinner]

Actually Curt - for the route planned we won't have any bridges once on Cutler, but there are two bridges along the river where roads cross - Johnson and Ballard bridge. Unless you've got something like a wakeboard tower I don't think you'd have any problem with clearance. Jeff might have a better feel for that, having run that river.

[wiperhunter2]

Actually, we will be in Reelfast's Jet boat and that is why I'm concerned about the clearance.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

I'm sorry I haven't measured that before but I know the lower or Johnson bridge has more clearance than the upper so if your okay up top you'll be fine downstream. If you go upstream from the marina you only have to pass the one bridge. I have a 15.5 ft trihull with a 115 hp Merc and I clear with ease if that helps. Later J
[signature]

[BagABigOne]

My understanding of the old ralroad bridge in Benson is the wood walk bridge south of the Benson Marina, it was used for the old electric train way back in the day that went to Petersboro. It converted to a walk bridge very nicely. I can remember when that was just the pilings sticking out of the water.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

I think you are correct other than I didn't know it was electric but there used to be a Benson station just east of there and the line continued on into Logan. There was a beet dump and I think it almost looked like a town back then. Way before my time though.

There used to be a sign on that bridge that told about the special boating regulations in that part of the marsh but I haven't noticed it lately. Guess I hoped they would forget those stupid regulations. Later J
[signature]

[BagABigOne]

I didn't know about the regs until I took the time to read them posted at the valley view launch. I used to go full speed up the Logan arm all the time, but it isn't worth the $300 fine, I'll just putter around.
[signature]

[Bama_Boy]

Just got back from measuring the clearance at both bridges we will be passing under. The bridge right there by the launch just north of the church in Benson (where we are putting in) has 70 inches of clearance (from the bottom of the bridge girders to the water surface). The other bridge a few miles downstream has 83 inches of clearance. Not sure what you need for the boat, but I am pretty confident you will be just fine. [cool]

Hope to see you there!
[signature]

[big_griggs]

Welcome me aboard captian[][][][]
[signature]

[CoyoteSpinner]

Ben you rock. Nice of you to go measure that. Didya happen to wet a line while you were there?

Now Jeff - when you say 'go upstream from the Marina' - you talking about heading south? The road-bridge over sure has plenty of height. But the wooden bridge (I call it the Trestle bridge, but that might just be me) is quite a bit lower. Can you get your boat under that?

There's also the "train bridge" south of Cache Junction that has real trains.

I think it's neat hearing from you guys who know the history out there. This should be a fun venture, fish or no - folks might want to bring binoculars if you're interested in any bird-watching.

[SkunkedAgain]

So you got some time off good deal. See you then. J
[signature]

[Bama_Boy]

Didn't get a line in the water today. I did see the guy that drives the blue Avalanche fishing there where I ran into you a few weeks ago. I always see him somewhere around that area or Benson.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Ben Yote is right you do rock. Thanks for the extra effort. Sounds like we should be in good shape. Any idea if the launch up there will work for larger boats? We used to launch a friends 21 footer there but that was ten years ago so I think it's still okay but I always have put in at the marina since it's closer to my house. I know it's great for smaller stuff and we are just launching so it will be light to pull the trailer out. Should be okay I think. Later J
[signature]

[Bama_Boy]

I have no idea, honestly. I don't see why it wouldn't be ok for bigger boats. Plenty of water there. I think the bigger problem would be just having the room to maneuver a bigger trailer. But I really think it wouldn't be a problem.
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Yote now I don't mean to be too confusing but there's two upstreams off Cutler, upstream Logan/Blacksmith/Little Bear is south from the marina and upstream Bear River is north and east. I'm not sure what I said when I mixed things up but hopefully that will help clear it up. I hadn't planned on going south of the marina this trip. My boat will clear both bridges but I have to duck. Anyway for some reason south hasn't treated me very well this spring so I wanted to try the north side this time plus south has the motor regulations and I'm not sure if just using the trolling motor would be legal for my boat with a 115 on there as well. I'm afraid there is going to be too much country to spend much time fishing any of it so well try not to cover too much at once. From what I'm seeing we may move down the river fairly quick and fish longer in the shallows since the cats seem to be out of the deeps now. Later J
[signature]

[SkunkedAgain]

Ben thanks on the ramp report as well I just don't use that one much except with my toon and canoes. I can't believe blue Avalanche (BA) is out all the time. I can't ever get on that spot I like because he's there. We went after he left last night and that spot was great ten days ago and last night it was terribly slow. I got one kitten and no crappie in an hour and a half. I had been doing much better. Well Saturday we will be on lightly fished waters so I won't have an excuse if I get skunked. Good luck on your last final or is tomorrow the internship deal? Good luck anyway. Later J
[signature]