Ultimate Guide to Dale Hollow Lake

Safety Tips

Safety is critical while on the lake, which includes obeying all laws, rules, and regulations while on the water or exploring the over 300 miles of shoreline. Here are some of the basics you should be aware of.

Life Jackets

Life jackets, or Personal Flotation Devices (PSDs), will only save you if you wear them. When should you wear a life jacket? Anytime you are near, on, or in the water. You won’t have time to put on a life jacket after you have fallen in the water. Get the right size for your body and ensure it is coast guard approved. Many marinas sell life jackets of all sizes.

Even if you choose not to wear one, you are legally required to have at least one regulation personal flotation device for each person when in a boat on the lake. If law enforcement finds that you do not have enough PSDs for each person, you could receive a fine or ticket.

Operating a Boat Safely

Operating a boat safely means you are considering the safety of yourself, your passengers and all those around you. Some quick tips for boat safety are:

• Avoid alcohol
• Ensure everyone is seated, secure, and wearing a life vest before moving.
• Go at a safe speed
• Give other water vessels a wide berth
• Don’t overload your vessel
• Take a boaters safety course
• Watch for and obey buoys as well as other posted rules.

It is also a general rule of thumb to treat the lake with similar rules to that of vehicles on the road – when meeting other boats head-on, both boats should keep to their respective rights. If you are approaching a slower boat from behind, pass it on the left and make sure to keep a wide distance in between you and the boat you are passing.

Pro Tip: Be aware of your boat’s wake size when passing near other boats. Often, it is better to either maintain a normal cruise speed or slow all the way to an idle speed.

Buoys

Water buoys are not just there for decoration. Buoys act as the road signs of the water ways and you should be familiar with what they mean and how to operate safely around them.

While some symbols and colors may vary based on location or lake you are visiting, generally, colored buoys such as red or green are directional indicators of river channels or waterways, or sometimes low water indicators that should be given a wide berth.

White and orange buoys with symbols are typically regulatory or informational buoys. These are most common, and indicate something you need to know or do. Most often, you will see these in a perimeter around the various docks and marinas indicating a “no wake zone”. You must maintain idle speed when inside the perimeter of these buoys so as to avoid creating a wake that impacts the docks or boats parked in the area, as well as ensuring a safe operating speed for all boaters.

These buoys may also indicate areas where you are not supposed to go between the shoreline and the buoy itself for safety reasons.

Bottom line, if you are unsure what a buoy is indicating, then a good rule of thumb is to just slow down and give the area a wide berth.

Wildlife

There’s an abundance of wildlife around water sources, so it’s a good idea to be familiar with what you might encounter. On Dale Hollow Lake you may encounter a number of animals, from turtles, to raccoons, to white tail deer, and even bobcats or bears. When camping along the shoreline, you should pitch your tent so that you’re not blocking access to the water. Put food in secure containers, seal trash and place it away from your campsite, preferably in a tree 30ft away. As always, be respectful of any wildlife and give them their space.