RedactedNarrative: On December 5, 2017 I, Sgt., received a call concerning a boating incident in the Mississippi River.  I contacted Operator and we met at his residence.  Operator stated that at approximately 8:00am he was running hoop nets in the Mississippi River, which he is properly licensed for.  Upon leaving a net, he proceeded to the next net located between the Plaquemine ferry and the Georgia Gulf plant.  As he proceeded down river cruising, he encountered a large wake from a ship which had recently passed.  Upon navigating the wake his propeller caught an unseen piece of debris which caused it to cavitate and loose forward propulsion.  The loss of forward movement enabled the second wave from the wake to break over the bow of the remotely steered vessel (LA 1626AY).  
  
  The vessel swamped than sank in approximately 30' feet of water.  Operator was wearing a type III PFD and was able to swim to shore.  There he made it back to his vehicle and contacted LDWF.  No drug or alcohol use is suspected.  Operator stated that he was going to try and recover the vessel, but he did not know if it would be possible.  Operator does have insurance on the vessel and motor through State Farm.  It appears as though the large wake in conjunction with debris in the water were the greatest contributing factors.
  