RedactedNarrative: Per the operator email statement:
  Operator was pre-fishing for a FLW Bass fishing tournament.  Launched at the Clinton Street boat launch and was coming down the river from the north to fish the lower portion of Pool 8.  Operator encountered a group of barges with a pipe on them blocking the entire channel. The channel was blocked from green to red buoy.  Operator saw small white buoys that said dredge buoy.  Going through those buoys was the only route to around the obstruction.  Operator preceded through the buoys with caution at a slow no wake speed with the motor trimmed up.  Operator watched the depth finder to make sure everything was ok.  On his way back, he figured he did not want to idle past the barges and through the white dredge buoys because the depth was 9 feet.  Operator slowed down to around 0 mph and trimmed up the motor.  As he proceeded through the white dredge buoys he heard a snap.  Operator looked behind to see the engine sinking.  He put down the trolling motor and tried to make it to shore.  The strength of the current and the weight of the motor hanging off the back of the boat was too heavy for him to reach shore.  The current took him and slammed him against the stationary barges.  There is a 6’ gap between the barges that the current of the river is being forced between.  While the boat was pinned, it was being pulled into this gap.  The Operator had to hop onto the barge and hold the boat to prevent it from being sucked under water.
  