RedactedNarrative: Owner/operator was idling his pontoon boat at slow no wake speed, traveling down stream in the slow no wake zone on the fox river up stream of lake puckaway. The canopy of the boat was up. The canopy and frame caught on one of the "cattle ferry" cables that stretch across the river. The boat has previously cleared the cables with ample clearance so the operator was expecting the same. The current was strong as the river was rising due to recent heavy rains (6+ inch events). The operator threw the motor into reverse and turned to try to stop and back up against the current. The steering cable broke in the process.