Question - what are the poles in the river for?

[src]

Every time I see them, I mean to ask. The poles I am talking about are thin (usually only an inch or so in diameter), extend at least 5+ feet above the water line, and are usually laid out in a straight line in clusters from 3-10 (or so). I've never seen an explanation of what they are for, but I always assume that they mark some hazard.

 

[JimFromMD]

Maybe a fish trap if it looks like this?
http://www.djerickson.com/sail/photo26_files/Image158.jpg

 

[AKBASSKING]

Well, in the lower Columbia they served two purposes. Back when logging was legal here in the U.S. the lumber companies would tie up log rafts to them. They are also used to devert current to the main channel to help with channel depth. The theory was that the faster the current in the shipping lane, the less dredging you had to do. I see a lot of fisherman tied up to them too, so that would be three purposes.

 

[src]

I don't think that either of those is it. I've seen fish traps, and these are just a few poles in a straight line, not a "cluster". Maybe someone could attached nets to them, but I've never seen anything like that. Regarding the other idea, they aren't sturdy enough to tie a boat to - they are very thin, only about an inch. They are spaced about 10' apart (just from memory). I can't find any pictures so far, but will try to get some next time I'm out.

 

[Knot It]

In our area they mark shallow water. We only see them near marina entrances or boat ramps though

 

[dwna1a]

Along the James and York, my family used them as fish traps and storage areas. As the buy boats are mostly gone now they would store the catch live and wait for better prices or a better catch.

 

[src]

Along the James and York, my family used them as fish traps and storage areas. As the buy boats are mostly gone now they would store the catch live and wait for better prices or a better catch.

How would such a thing work, where there are only a few (less than 10) poles, all in a straight line? Just trying to understand. Again, I understand fish traps (weirs), but what I am talking about doesn't fit that model. I know of one a little upriver of you on the James, just above the confluence with the Chickahominy, that is just 4 or 5 poles. Those are what I'm referring to.

 

[38P6]

I see the same white poles on the Indian River off of Port St. John Florida. Nobody seems to know why they are there and I don't see anything in the water near them.

 

[Gofirstclass]

They're actually designed and laid out to steer liberal, left leaning boaters into the sand bars and shallow, rocky areas so the rest of us can boat safely!

Just kidding. I've seen 'em used to guide salmon to a fish wheel and to mark shallow areas and have been used where the USCG has no interest in putting in regular channel markers.

 

[AFD]

They're actually designed and laid out to steer liberal, left leaning boaters into the sand bars and shallow, rocky areas so the rest of us can boat safely!

can we use them on streets and highways too? that way i don't have to avoid another smart car swerving, texting Prius, slow driving Honda Fit with it's left blinker on for 7 miles, these people all belong to the same "CHANGE & HOPE" club...as evidenced by their club logo on their bumpers.

 

[Seven Cleats]

I saw a few on the Rappahannock River in VA this weekend and asked at the Tides Inn about the ones inbound to their docks on Carters Creek. The ones in their creek mark oyster beds that the owners want to keep everyone away from. In the past, they've been used to mark spots in channels that have shoaled up or to keep you in a narrow channel.

 

[Jeff_380]

In the Chesapeake bay/Eastern Shore area and inlets they mark oyster beds and hold the screens in place, usually in rows, always in shallow water, skiffs are used in these areas so not to find the bottom the hard way. If in a straight single line they are fish traps. You don't see very many as they are no longer legal, but existing fish traps are grandfathered in I have been told by the locals.