Anglers discover century-old boat in low Mississippi River

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. (KAIT) - A group of anglers participating in an upcoming catfishing tournament in Helena-West Helena reeled in a whopper.

According to our sister station WMC-TV in Memphis, they found an old wooden boat sticking out of the Mississippi River.

An archaeology team excavated the boat and estimated it to be from 1910.

George Young, Jr. is the director of the inaugural Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Mega Bucs Tournament, which begins Friday, Oct. 21.

He said he’s heard similar stories from other anglers up and down the river.

“It’s amazing how many cars are in this river,” he said. “I’ve heard guns, other old boats that may be 100 years old. But a lot of cars, that’s the main thing.”

As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service’s river gauge at Helena-West Helena registered -3.79 feet. That’s nearly 7 feet below what’s considered “low stage.”