Caught a guy running his cutterhead too shallow on the Upper Ohio last Wednesday

He was barely 2 feet deep in a 14 foot cut, said he was afraid of hitting a snag but all he did was stir up silt and clog his pump every 20 minutes. Has anyone else had to talk a green hand through the balance between depth and debris?

2 comments

2 Comments

tessa_kelly1mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh come on, you really think this is worth getting worked up over? Guys run shallow all the time when they're new, it's not like he wrecked his pump or tore up the bottom. A little silt and a clogged pump is just part of learning, you know? You probably did the same thing your first season. I'd be more worried if he was grinding through a snag and blowing his seals than running a foot or two too shallow. Let him figure it out, he'll get tired of stopping to clean the pump after a few hours. If he's not costing you money or breaking gear, it's just a minor annoyance, not a crisis.

hunt.leo1mo ago

Part of learning" sure, but @tessa_kelly, a clogged pump can burn out a seal real fast if he's not paying attention.