John Rieple, Part 3
John Rieple and his brother Tom were well known among river people for their Best Dam Fishing Float at Lock and Dam Number 7 at Dresbach, Minnesota. From years of fishing the Mississippi they knew the dilapidated historic barge’s location was an incredible fishery. The brothers bought the barge in 2010 and rebuilt it. The barge is tethered to pylons but because it floats they needed Coast Guard licensing. They went through 100 hours each of training to become certified. They called themselves Captain John and Captain Tom. Their training included CPR and first aid. In 2013, John Rieple saved people whose houseboat had tipped over on the dam. John was shuttling customers back and forth between the boat ramp at the I-90 travelers’ stop and the barge when he noticed debris coming from the dam. He found five people clinging to a lifeboat and saved them.