New section of Potomac River shut down!!!

[3dkicker]

US Marine Corp base at Quantico VA will be shutting down fishing in a large section of the Potomac River coming up in March. Section of the river starts just south of the Marina down past Chop. Island and past the mouth of Chop Creek. Boats must remain out of the marked area and the area will be patrolled by the Marines.
We don't know if the ramp on Chop Creek will be open or if you will be able to fish back in the creek.

For those of you who have never fished this area it is the section of Quantico where the Presidential and State Department helicopters are kept. There is also a small runway in which small transport planes land and take off.

It's also a great spring time spot to load the boat !!!! This absolutely sucks!!! Chop creek has been one area that I've done well fishing the spring and fall. I've caught many 10-15lb limits in this section of the river.

[bamabassman]

maybe obama is taking up fishing? lol, sorry buddy.

[Justin2729]

lol, wow that's ruff.

[bassboogieman]

That's bit misleading, they are not shutting down a major section of the Potomac River. They will close the channel leading in to Chopawamsic Creek which, I've been told is a good spot especially in the spring, but I've never been in there, therefore making it inaccessible from the main river. The Chopawamsic may still be accesible from a small ramp in the back of the creek, but MAY require permission from the Marines at Quantico to launch. Should you choose to fish in Chopawamsic then you will not be able to access the main river due to the channel closure. The channel is at the lower end of the airstrip in the photo. They will also make off limits the water along the Va side of the main river, which paralells the airstrip. The photo shows the new "off limits area". There is still a LOT of river to fish. I've fish(ed) the Potomac several times a year over the past 5 years and haven't gone in there, I understand it's a good spring spot, but I won't be impacted by this decision. And it is understandable, with the Presidents air taxis stationed there.

[TN_Bassin]

That's not good. If I had to guess they probably roped it off because of a threat. Them damned terrorists.

[Ebbetsguy]

I guess fishing is more important than FBI security? How selfish can you get?

[Kicksomebass]

Originally Posted by Ebbetsguy

I guess fishing is more important than FBI security? How selfish can you get?

hahaha!

I hate to come across the wrong way, but you know if it was an area you fished regularly you'd have a problem with it also...

but that being said, i have to agree with you... they gotta do what they gotta do...

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by Ebbetsguy

I guess fishing is more important than FBI security? How selfish can you get?

I guess if we weren't surrounded by useless, over-the-top security measures everyday, like putting Grandma through the full body scanner at the airport, we probably wouldn't take things like this so hard.

Government, these days especially, seems all too willing to inconvenience the population first, rather than put forth a little extra effort on their part.

[Ebbetsguy]

You do realize that the armed services are currently under the most heightened risk of terrorism since the Sept 11 surprise attacks?You realize these young men and women are fighting for our safety?

[screwballl]

First of many bans in the works... start locally and expand from there.
That is as much as I will say without getting seriously political.

[bassboogieman]

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by Ebbetsguy

You do realize that the armed services are currently under the most heightened risk of terrorism since the Sept 11 surprise attacks?You realize these young men and women are fighting for our safety?

Wow, thanks for opening my eyes, Dom. I had no idea there was a threat of terrorism. Or that they are fighting for our safety. I always assumed it was for oil.

[Ebbetsguy]

You guys can jeer and make fun all you want. If the President does nothing Fox will say he has a finger up his butt ala they did with Clinton, if he reacts now, ahead of time ,The New York Times crew will call him a tyrant ala Cheny, so how does this administration protect us now? By not paying attention to the kind of crap posted here.
9/11 was targeted , because they blew out the NYC 9/11 response center and tried to knock out the Pentagon, so no military response could happen. They got it 1/2 right and almost toppled the economy by knocking down a handful of buildings and crippling air travel.
They are at it again, there have been several upgrades in domestic security provisions called for by those who are now watching these things. Who knows why you can't fish there, fish somewhere else, they ain't looking up your dresses
and the intelligencer demands a response, instead of a bunch of h whining over I cant drive my nifty bass boat there, sometime you should revisit 9/11. my dear friend Larry D was in that rubble, all they found of him was his wedding ring, along with the Rescue One squad from Union St ,Brooklyn. I remember the horror, the honor of our uniformed service and I respect the government for trying to avoid this from happening to any of us again, IT"S ONLY FISHING

[TN_Bassin]

Originally Posted by Ebbetsguy

You guys can jeer and make fun all you want. If the President does nothing Fox will say he has a finger up his butt ala they did with Clinton, if he reacts now, ahead of time ,The New York Times crew will call him a tyrant ala Cheny, so how does this administration protect us now? By not paying attention to the kind of crap posted here.
9/11 was targeted , because they blew out the NYC 9/11 response center and tried to knock out the Pentagon, so no military response could happen. They got it 1/2 right and almost toppled the economy by knocking down a handful of buildings and crippling air travel.
They are at it again, there have been several upgrades in domestic security provisions called for by those who are now watching these things. Who knows why you can't fish there, fish somewhere else, they ain't looking up your dresses
and the intelligencer demands a response, instead of a bunch of h whining over I cant drive my nifty bass boat there, sometime you should revisit 9/11. my dear friend Larry D was in that rubble, all they found of him was his wedding ring, along with the Rescue One squad from Union St ,Brooklyn. I remember the horror, the honor of our uniformed service and I respect the government for trying to avoid this from happening to any of us again, IT"S ONLY FISHING

What if, in the process of protecting the nation, the nation we are protecting becomes worse than the people we're trying to protect it from? "IT'S ONLY FISHING" is what you said. One day it's fishing another day it's something else. Seemingly small in the grand scheme of things, but these things add up over time, and once the government takes more power, it's mighty hard to get them to give up that power.

[Ebbetsguy]

Once your dead it's even harder to get that back, Never mind sorry I started answering this in the first place. Too many folks have already been easy to forget the lessons of 9/11. Maybe being across the river watching that all happen, has a profound effect, more than watching it unfold on TV>
It is a valid point, how much of the Patriot Act needs stand?

What of all the lapses in security and intelligence that helped 9/11 happen in the first place?
They have achieved some of their goals by causing all this interuption of free living, but what's the alternative.
as for me I am Okay with some waters bieng off limits, It is only fishing, and I trust these measures are being taken in an attempt to protect us all.

Have fun,never forget.

[3dkicker]

Sorry but this is a large section of the river since it's probably 1/2 mile of shoreline. Many people fish in this area. Many commercial guys fish in this area.....by the way there is an exception for commercial fishermen...as well. I have a copy of the proposal to shut the area down. And it does include the entire creek unless you get special permission from the commander....How likely is that??? It was dated Sept. 7, 2010. All comments concerning the changes were to be sent by Oct. 7, 2010. Who knew???? Isn't it nice for them to make this public after the fact??? Oh by the way it was made public to the "Baltimore District Engineer" of the US Army Corps of Engineers. What???

I still don't know if this proposal has passed or taken effect or if people are just getting word that it's about to be enforced but I believe there will be a large public outcry.

Here's a few things to think about.
1) It took 6 years after 9/11 before anyone was asked to move away from the shore line in this area while fishing. It's on video in a FLW or BASS event. The same day I was asked to move away from the same area as well. Why? If the base is secured by a fence and patroled there is little chance that anyone will enter the area.
2) People fish the channel from shore all the time. It has areas specifically for people (civilians and military) to fish. They even have a public, yes public, ramp so boats can be launched in the creek. Why change this???? What threats have been made since they built the ramp???
3) Quantico is a town on the Marine base. Anyone can enter the base and go into the town at any time. Security issue??? You tell me.
4) The Helicopters on the base never have the President on board. They take off from the base and then land there. That's where they are worked on and do all there preflight work. Marine's patrol this area and stand guard with M16's at the entrances. How is it a National Security issue all of a sudden???? You tell me.
5) The only true issue is the runway that's used. The jet or prop wash can be hazardous to boats sitting off the point at the end of the runway. Usually if a transport plane is coming in they give you a heads up and tell you to move. If you don't that's your stupidity for not moving. Simple.
6) There's a many similar issues on the river like this one. National Airport is one. Big airport and bigger planes. People fish around the airport all the time. Pentagon cove is still open to fishing and it was targeted in 9/11. In Mattawoman Creek there is a rocket testing area. They have a warning system that tells you to move when they test fire their equipment. If you ever fish there and hear it get out of the way!!! Chickamuxen creek has a demolition area in which boaters are warned to move away when they are about to detonate something. Dahlgren, further down the river, tests the new magnetic guns on the river (or so one of my previous students tells me - he's Army/National Guard and is about to be shipped to the Middle East this summer). I could go on because there are so many places that are either shut down or restricted due to government or military issues......

[screwballl]

They use the guise of "national security" to erode our freedoms, one by one. It started with airport security and got worse. Now they are combining it with their environmentalist nuts outlook and finding ways to start to ban fishing, in the name of security. Next comes half Choctowatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico around Eglin AFB. the bay and gulf around Tyndal AFB. The waters by Pensacola NAS. Other lakes and rivers around the nation just because it happens to be near or in the vicinity of a military outpost.
Environmentalist lobbyists stepping up and getting the current administration to ban "potentially damaging usage, such as fishing" under the guise of national security.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
Thomas Jefferson

There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the
people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power,
than by violent and sudden usurpation.
-- President James Madison. 1751-1836

The natural progress of things is for government to gain ground and
for liberty to yield.
-- President Thomas Jefferson. 1743-1826

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Letter to Josiah Quincy, Sept. 11, 1773

[nofearengineer]

I just think it's funny how raving libs all of a sudden become jingoistic when there's a Dem in the White House. When W was living at 1600 Pennsylvania, they'd have been screaming about this as taking away our freedoms...probably accused him of letting Haliburton commandeer the Potomac or something.

[jmartin]

OMG......What are they gonna do next shut down the Hampton bay because a couple flattops are setting there... Give me a break closing down that section of river is TOTAL BS... But oh well name a good thing that came out of Washington in the last two years except George Bush.

[nofearengineer]

Frankly, we have things backwards in this country...

The military doesn't need to be protected. They need to be turned loose without a bunch of civilian lawyers hamstringing them at every turn. If we did that, then we wouldn't need to argue over better body armor for them, or having to shut off rivers so bad guys can't get close.

[3dkicker]

If the Marines can't defend their base from a water attack then we're all in trouble!!!!

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

If the Marines can't defend their base from a water attack then we're all in trouble!!!!

agreed!

[XIntel007]

Wow! I have been a member for less than a year but I always found the opinions on this forum to be similar to mine. This time, I am sorley dissapointed. The restricted waters are a very small portion of the area around the airfield. The creek is only so so as a fishing spot and it isnt very big. Quantico is the most open base I have ever been on. There are no fences except those by the front gates and water access is easy to come by. Frankly I was suprised the first time I was able to get so close without being stopped. Most bases restrict access to their airfields and many restrict access to bases entierly. I don't here you complaining that you can't hunt A.P. Hill or drive through Ft. Belvior to get from 7100 to Rt1. Look, until we allow airport screeners to profile and begin seriously focusing on the social and political ideology, cloaked in a veil of religion, called Islam then we are going to have to retreat back into ourselves in a defensive posture.

In reality I doubt the Corps is concerned about the helicopter getting shot down. The President is not on it by the time it reaches Quantico. (Thats why its called HMX1 and not Marine 1, its Marine 1 what he is on board). More than likely they don't want anyone getting close enough to look at protective measures on the helicopter.

Quit crying about liberty encrochment as it relates to the Corps. We have bled and died to preserve your liberty. I and my Marines worked in excess of 24 straight hours more times than I can remembeer to preserve your liberty. We have endured divorces, dissabilities, IEDs, Snipers, and sickness to ensure the American people can think as little as possible about the thousands that died on 911. Some of you served, thank you, some of you supported, thank you, most of you do appreciate the military and I appreciate that. The closure of a 200 yard wide swath of the river and one small creek is not an infrindgement on your liberty. It is the prudent thing to do in order to preserve the security of the single most powerful man on earth. I personnaly would rather see someone else ride in that helicopter but I would never want to see our President attacked or worse. If a few yards of water and one closed creek accomplishes the security of the President, why would I complain. The Potomac is huge. Go somewhere else and appreciate your freedom to own an expensive bass boat, the vehicle to pull it and the freedom to complain without getting the internet shut down or finding yourself in jail.

[TN_Bassin]

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011.../2011-2478.htm

[Ebbetsguy]

Originally Posted by XIntel007

Wow! I have been a member for less than a year but I always found the opinions on this forum to be similar to mine. This time, I am sorley dissapointed. The restricted waters are a very small portion of the area around the airfield. The creek is only so so as a fishing spot and it isnt very big. Quantico is the most open base I have ever been on. There are no fences except those by the front gates and water access is easy to come by. Frankly I was suprised the first time I was able to get so close without being stopped. Most bases restrict access to their airfields and many restrict access to bases entierly. I don't here you complaining that you can't hunt A.P. Hill or drive through Ft. Belvior to get from 7100 to Rt1. Look, until we allow airport screeners to profile and begin seriously focusing on the social and political ideology, cloaked in a veil of religion, called Islam then we are going to have to retreat back into ourselves in a defensive posture.

In reality I doubt the Corps is concerned about the helicopter getting shot down. The President is not on it by the time it reaches Quantico. (Thats why its called HMX1 and not Marine 1, its Marine 1 what he is on board). More than likely they don't want anyone getting close enough to look at protective measures on the helicopter.

Quit crying about liberty encrochment as it relates to the Corps. We have bled and died to preserve your liberty. I and my Marines worked in excess of 24 straight hours more times than I can remembeer to preserve your liberty. We have endured divorces, dissabilities, IEDs, Snipers, and sickness to ensure the American people can think as little as possible about the thousands that died on 911. Some of you served, thank you, some of you supported, thank you, most of you do appreciate the military and I appreciate that. The closure of a 200 yard wide swath of the river and one small creek is not an infrindgement on your liberty. It is the prudent thing to do in order to preserve the security of the single most powerful man on earth. I personnaly would rather see someone else ride in that helicopter but I would never want to see our President attacked or worse. If a few yards of water and one closed creek accomplishes the security of the President, why would I complain. The Potomac is huge. Go somewhere else and appreciate your freedom to own an expensive bass boat, the vehicle to pull it and the freedom to complain without getting the internet shut down or finding yourself in jail.

Thanks for your service, and it is this attitude and the youngsters here that really is offensive. I hope you stay safe sir, and I pray that your comrades do also, I can no longer participate here and stay out of trouble ,I am out of here.