Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Bruce · Sep-07-12 3:47AM

I was driving down Belmont Ridge Rd. yesterday, and when I passed Mt. Hope Rd. I saw a sign that it was closed (and barricaded) from August 27 to December 1. Does this mean that using it to launch a kayak onto Beaverdam is not allowed until December?
Bruce

Ernie · Sep-07-12 5:11AM

I wonder if they are going some work on the road that leads to the water. This could be good.

There is access on the other side on Reservoir Rd (it is also Mt. Hope Rd).

bart2puck · Sep-07-12 6:15AM

reservoir road off of evergreen mill has some good access as well. its a 20 yd walk or so but its fairly open and should serve as a good alternate.

hookup · Sep-07-12 12:06PM

bart2puck wrote:
reservoir road off of evergreen mill has some good access as well. its a 20 yd walk or so but its fairly open and should serve as a good alternate.

Show up early during nice weather or you'll be walking more than 20 yards.

BillyBigMouth · Sep-07-12 12:18PM

Ernie, they are making their parking lot bigger and paving that road. Hopefully they will pave it all the way down. I am in the know because it is affecting the rowing teams out of there

NOVAhunter · Sep-07-12 12:21PM

I was talking to my doctor today who paddleboards out there quite a bit. Evidently FFX county is putting in a watermain there by the church and that is why it is closed. Part two of this is FFX is thinking about closing down beaverdam down again to all access like they did after 9/11. There has been a huge stink raised by people who have seen the crew team out there with a motor boat (the old if they can have a motor boat out there why can't I). I get the crew team needs one out there for safety, but people don't need to be tearing up the lake on weekends in their jet ski's, bass boats, and ski boats.

T. · Sep-07-12 12:29PM

They were just starting this the last time I was over there. Good to know it's closed off right now. I'm heading over to the west side shortly.

More info about goings-on at the reservoir here: http://www.loudounrowing.org/

Last edited by T. (Sep-07-12 12:31PM)

basscrusher · Sep-07-12 4:25PM

Completely absurd and unjust that the rowers can have a motorboat for the "coach" but none for fishermen. Hypocritical at best...elitist at worst. The rowers are NOT special.

Osprey · Sep-07-12 8:31PM

basscrusher wrote:
Completely absurd and unjust that the rowers can have a motorboat for the "coach" but none for fishermen. Hypocritical at best...elitist at worst. The rowers are NOT special.

Wonder if he could keep up with a pro angler..... (maybe with some pharmaceuticals)

basscrusher · Sep-08-12 5:36AM

Care to explain what that means?

I'm not sure I'm getting the implication....

Last edited by basscrusher (Sep-08-12 5:39AM)

basscrusher · Sep-08-12 5:42AM

Wait...now I get it. Could the coach keep up in a Pro Angler Kayak?

I assume this is the joke. I saw pro angler and immediately started thinking Bassmasters...

BillyBigMouth · Sep-09-12 12:00PM

Wait wait... The crew teams need power boats to practice effectively and safely. Why do you put coach in quotes? Because they are in small powerboats? That is crazy. The main reason for this is because of safety... The rowing shells can flip very easily. I'm sorry if you get waked occasionally by the rowing coaches but trust me, that is worth it. Would you rather have that or a shell of 9 kids flip and the coach not have the ability to do anything about it? Power boats are very very necessary for the crew teams.

basscrusher · Sep-09-12 1:38PM

No, I'd rather there be no rowing teams out there, and no two-tiered system of rules for water usage.

Its a double standard. You have no argument.

Ernie · Sep-09-12 2:00PM

All of that said, some of the "coaches" I have run in to on the Potomac have been less than cooperative. They believe they own the water. Curly and I were fishing one day (near 3 Sisters Island) and a woman's 8 boat was taking on water. We safely guided them to a shoal and then went back to tell the race officials. Of course, I put the boat on plane since I thought this was a bit of an urgent situation (water was cold). We got hollered at by the officials. WOW! But the DC Harbor Police had been called (by us) and they were grateful for our efforts.

Rowers, especially when the water is cold, should wear life jackets or preservers.

I think it's great that this sport is being offered in our area. The team from my High School won the Henley regatta in England in 1969. That's the World Series of HS rowing!

I don't think the use of gas motors by coaches is a safety deal, they use it to holler out instructions to the rowers. If the gas boat was in the water and on standby should a boat capsize, I get it.

The argument against gas motors by crew coaches is lost. I just hope that access to BDR for fishermen is not taken away.

Curly · Sep-09-12 3:37PM

BDR is a drinking water impoundment. That means NO gas motors allowed in the water. Only exceptions are the game warden and rescue personnel. Fairfax County Water will shut it down to everyone if high school teams keep using the gas motors.

Ernie · Sep-09-12 5:28PM

Curly wrote:
Fairfax County Water will shut it down to everyone if high school teams keep using the gas motors.

Believe it or not...they got an exemption.

basscrusher · Sep-09-12 5:30PM

Ernie-

I've had even more contentious run-ins with the rowers on Occoquan Res. I've had them come within 5 feet(!) of our boat, then curse at us for not moving...when we were there first. some of the "tough guy" teens have challenged us to fights back at the ramp (then scrambled once we moved in their direction). They've walked behind my buddy's truck while launching his jonboat, then had the coach verbally attack us (that didn't last long). The coach at Westfield got into a fistfight with a fisherman, and when reported, the principal shrugged it off (think he would do that if the coach were a teacher inside the building? Hardly!)

I know these instances are not indicative of all rowers...but polite ones have been a small minority since I moved to NoVa 13 years ago.

I hope that our rower on this board will read these stories and rather than chalk them up to "sour grapes," will inform his fellows that their reputation is in dire need of a makeover...and their actions at Beaverdam could go a long way toward changing or perpetuating the stereotype.

mudkart · Sep-10-12 4:55AM

I have no experience on Beaverdam, but rowers/coaches on the Rez show me absolutely no respect.

hookup · Sep-10-12 6:09AM

basscrusher wrote:
some of the "tough guy" teens have challenged us to fights back at the ramp (then scrambled once we moved in their direction). They've walked behind my buddy's truck while launching his jonboat, then had the coach verbally attack us (that didn't last long). The coach at Westfield got into a fistfight with a fisherman, and when reported, the principal shrugged it off (think he would do that if the coach were a teacher inside the building? Hardly!).

Sounds like the coach has a severe difficiency of lead & copper in his blood stream.

BillyBigMouth · Sep-10-12 9:46AM

From our perspective, as high school rowing coaches. And this is not defending coaches who are rude or get in fights; that is just crazy. We are out there with the responsibility of sometimes up to 20 kids who are in these rowing boats which are no more than 5 inches off of the water. We have all had experiences where a power boat has flown next to our rowing shell and completely filled it with water. This is why I believe the coaches get very defensive towards the power boats. It is a fear that something like that will happen and we will be responsible for a kid drowning. A nightmare of mine, as a coach.

As for crew boats getting too close to you while fishing. This is not anyone doing that on purpose (I hope). It is mainly because it is a high school kid steering those huge boats and not paying as much attention as he/she should be. Those shells are not easy to navigate and do not turn quickly whatsoever.

Not saying that this warrants anyone not being paid the respect of also being a boater... just trying to give you the other side of things.

Ernie · Sep-10-12 11:11AM

Thank you Billy! Remember that we don't have power boats in BDR, only human or electric power. Under the navigation rules of the water, if a boat comes up on another boat, they musty do everything they can to avoid hitting them or creating a swell that could flip them.

Hopefully, you can tell the good folks that row that we love the water too and repect what they are doing.

I know that I play by the rules when I motor to Fletcher's in the spring where there are many rowers. Most of the time there are no issues. But I have seen them, both ways.

Osprey · Sep-10-12 12:37PM

Pacemaker wrote:
I think it's great that this sport is being offered in our area. The team from my High School won the Henley regatta in England in 1969. That's the World Series of HS rowing!

You'd row your arse off too if you had those crazy Jesuits snapping at your stern

Ernie · Sep-10-12 1:01PM

Osprey wrote:
You'd row your arse off too if you had those crazy Jesuits snapping at your stern

Luckily, this was at my 2nd High School...after the Jesuits ran me off at Gonzaga. Man, I could tell some sotries!

fishin4food · Sep-15-12 7:09AM

Any idea who gave the permission to the crew teams to use the motor boats?

NOVAhunter · Sep-15-12 1:50PM

fishin4food wrote:
Any idea who gave the permission to the crew teams to use the motor boats?

It had to be someone in Fairfax County. They own it. I don't really see what the big deal is. The crew teams needs a motor boat out there for safety. I think that says it all. We as fishermen and outdoors folks don't need a motor on a lake of that size. A trolling motor or paddle is more than enough to get around that reservoir. FFX allows motor under 10 hp down in the occq. reservoir. They probably placed the requirement on the crew teams.

BassCrusher, sorry you had a bad run in with a group down on the occq.. It happens with all people. Jet skiers, fishermen, waterskiers etc. I wasn't there and can't comment. More than once in HS I may have sent a few errant balls in the direction of people cutting across our fields while we practiced. It sounds like your fishing spot was on their "practice field".

The issue with the reservoir is going to turning into a everyone needs to get along or we all are going to loose our privileges like what has happened at goose creek reservoir just up the way. I for one can share. No big deal. I like being on the water 15 minutes after I decided to get off my can and go fishing or paddling.

Pacemaker Fishing Forum

#1 Sep-07-12 3:47AM

Beaverdam Access

#2 Sep-07-12 5:11AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#3 Sep-07-12 6:15AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#4 Sep-07-12 12:06PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

bart2puck wrote:

#5 Sep-07-12 12:18PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#6 Sep-07-12 12:21PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#7 Sep-07-12 12:29PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#8 Sep-07-12 4:25PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#9 Sep-07-12 8:31PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

basscrusher wrote:

#10 Sep-08-12 5:36AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#11 Sep-08-12 5:42AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#12 Sep-09-12 12:00PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#13 Sep-09-12 1:38PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#14 Sep-09-12 2:00PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#15 Sep-09-12 3:37PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#16 Sep-09-12 5:28PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

Curly wrote:

#17 Sep-09-12 5:30PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#18 Sep-10-12 4:55AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#19 Sep-10-12 6:09AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

basscrusher wrote:

#20 Sep-10-12 9:46AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#21 Sep-10-12 11:11AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#22 Sep-10-12 12:37PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

Pacemaker wrote:

#23 Sep-10-12 1:01PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

Osprey wrote:

#24 Sep-15-12 7:09AM

Re: Beaverdam Access

#25 Sep-15-12 1:50PM

Re: Beaverdam Access

fishin4food wrote:

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