Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

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Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by pirateer2007 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:12 am

Since there were a couple other threads about Rock Lake, I thought I'd see what stories, mysteries and legends come to mind when you think about Rock Lake.

I literally have a list of at least 7 stories that have been told to me since I was old enough to remember.


Share your stories and I'll share mine after a bit so as I'm not the only one sounding like a scared little kid. :( :? :cry:
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by fballcrazywagner » Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:30 pm

I haven't heard any legends about rock lake. But I have heard legends of mammoth snakes on the Island of Bonnie lake, the lake that Rock Creek feeds into.

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by pirateer2007 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:50 pm

Ok... Well, I guess I'm the only one :mrgreen:

I'll make a list. Tell me if you've ever heard any of them.

1. Rock Lake Monster- I was told by an elderly gentleman, years ago, that there is a large creature living in the depths of Rock Lake. He said that he's seen on multiple occasions, ducks and geese swallowed whole by something that did not come all of the way out of the water. He said that normally, there was just one large splash and then silence.

2. Depths of Rock Lake- There is a myth that in portions of the lake, the bottom has never been found or that there is a false bottom on the lake. This is supposed to explain the difficulties that searchers have finding bodies of victims.

3. The Rock Lake Curse- It's said that before homesteaders moved into the area, Rock Lake was a very revered and sacred place for the native peoples. When the white settlers moved in and tried to drive the native Americans out, the chief put a curse on the lake that a year would not go by that a white man would not lose his life on the lake, and ever since, there hasn't been a death free year.

4. The Rock Lake Noises- This one ties in with a couple other legends, but it's been said that at night, especially in the late winter and early spring, you can hear the sounds of Native American drums and war cries. It's also said that you can hear steam whistles from old trains and an eerie rumbling can often be heard coming from the location of an old train wreck.

5. Lava Spires- this I know to be at least somewhat true. It is said that in areas of 75'-300' depth, a series of lava spires have grown to within feet and sometimes just inches of the surface. I have seen spikes on my depth finder in areas of 100' of water that have spiked up to just 10' and then back down. This is said to be a contributing factor combined with the high winds of the lake that has attributed to many boat wrecks and drownings.

6. The Ghost Train- Back in the late teens to early twenties, there was said to have been a major train wreck. A train carrying both passengers and a load of brand new Ford Model T's was said to have derailed right along the lake and then plunged into it's murky depths. Some people believe that the lack of light combined with the low oxygen levels of the deep, cold water has preserved the cars in near mint condition.

7. Undercut Cliffs- One of the contributing factors to so many deaths at the lake is the supposed undercut cliffs. The story goes that youths and young adults looking for an adrenaline rush often view the cliffs of Rock Lake as an opportunity to get some energy out while cooling off during the summer. Unbeknownst to them though, just under the surface of the water, the rock cuts back, up and in. Once a swimmer finds them self under the cliff, they try to follow the slope of the ceiling, only taking them further from safety and ultimately their untimely demise.


There are a few more stories I've heard and would be glad to list them, but I really just wanted to see if anyone else has ever heard of any of these stories as well.
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Hazel » Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:53 pm

I've Heard couple things about ~ Old Cars, Bodies, & Even Lake Monsters ( People pick up Large Images on Fish radar, & Very Large Splashes)
Its a Fairly Deep Lake ~ Its Been Years Since ive Been Fishing there but i think it get up 300-400 ft deep
Note * these were things my grandpa use to tell me

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by dauntless89 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:13 pm

I've heard of the first two.
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Masonryman » Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:26 pm

1. there are several sturgeon in the lake.

2. it's a deep lake, I,ve never lost the bottom though.

3. people do stupid things, small boats when the wind comes up??
similar things happen on Sprague lake.

Fun topic pirateer2007 :)


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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by pirateer2007 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:33 pm

Masonryman wrote:1. there are several sturgeon in the lake.

2. it's a deep lake, I,ve never lost the bottom though.

3. people do stupid things, small boats when the wind comes up??
similar things happen on Sprague lake.

Fun topic pirateer2007 :)


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There are Sturgeon in Rock Lake??!?! I never knew that!
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Wigeon » Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:34 pm

Sturgeon?!?! Is that a myth or confirmed?
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Masonryman » Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:58 pm

pirateer2007 wrote:
Masonryman wrote:1. there are several sturgeon in the lake.

2. it's a deep lake, I,ve never lost the bottom though.

3. people do stupid things, small boats when the wind comes up??
similar things happen on Sprague lake.

Fun topic pirateer2007 :)


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There are Sturgeon in Rock Lake??!?! I never knew that!

Would it surprise you there were sturgeon in Sprague lake?
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by pirateer2007 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:01 pm

Here are a couple more stories...

8. Hotel Ghosts- Apparently, there was an old hotel atop one of the flats overlooking the lake. It was a roadhouse of sorts with a restaurant and rooms for rent. Well, the story goes that the entire building, which was quite large for it's time, as well as some of it's patrons, perished in the fire which burned to the ground in less than two hours. According to legend, from time to time, once night falls you can still hear a player piano, smell cigar smoke and hear people laughing off in the distance.

9. Rock Lake Bump- I have heard this from multiple fishermen over the years. When either trolling or anchored up in open water, the boaters feel a series of "bumps" on the hull of their boats. In each instance the boats have been in 50'-100'+ of water and nothing has shown up on fish or depth finders. One fisherman said it always came in a series of 3 bumps. Another said that once, he was anchored up and the bump was so violent that it almost knocked him out of his boat. Looking over the gunwale of the boat he saw what he described as a large grey figure sinking into the depths. He said that he pulled anchor and has never since returned.
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Airon » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:31 pm

I have heard the one about a train wreck. No details about cars or anything, just that a train derailed and went into the lake.

I have seen with my own eyes a fish surface for a few seconds that probably measured two feet from dorsal fin to tail fin (couldn't see the head). This was at the other end where the stream feeds the lake.

I have also been out there where fog formed out of nowhere that was so thick it took me an hour and a half to make it back to the launch from the other end.

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Wigeon » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:35 pm

Airon - probably a carp.
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by dauntless89 » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:38 pm

The largest known White Sturgeon was over 20ft long, and they're very well known to exist in the Columbia and Snake river systems. IMO, it's entirely conceivable that a breeding population of them could have become landlocked in what is now Rock Lake (or any other larger inland lake) in the last 20,000 years or so, possibly as a result of the glacial floods that occurred at the end of the last ice age.

Once landlocked, they would have no natural predators, and the depths of a lake like Rock would afford them the ability to grow very old and large.

Either way, lots of history there. Maybe I should get SCUBA certified and find those Model T's. Anyone care to sponsor me? :P
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by fballcrazywagner » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:41 pm

I have seen some HUGE carp there.

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by hatchdog » Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:42 pm

[quote="pirateer2007"]Ok... Well, I guess I'm the only one :mrgreen:

I'll make a list. Tell me if you've ever heard any of them.



6. The Ghost Train- Back in the late teens to early twenties, there was said to have been a major train wreck. A train carrying both passengers and a load of brand new Ford Model T's was said to have derailed right along the lake and then plunged into it's murky depths. Some people believe that the lack of light combined with the low oxygen levels of the deep, cold water has preserved the cars in near mint condition.

I too have heard this rumor, right down to the cars being preserved. I have never been to Rock Lake but work with a few guys who fish there often. One rumor that is true is they catch some nice fish from there! I've seen the pictures. :D

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by youzernayme » Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:16 pm

TOPIC DE-RAILER

I grew up in southern Illinois. The closest body of water not engulfed by swimmers was Crab Orchard lake.
heard many times about Ol' Blue, a monstrous catfish large enough to flip or drag a boat around the lake. The same is said for catfish under the Mississippi river bridge. "big as a bus" they would say.

But crab orchard-the creepiest thing i heard, on a few occasions, was that it was a man made lake, created to submerge a village ravaged by smallpox.
and that's the first thing that comes to mind when you're swimming there and the sunfish start pecking at your toes! :shock:
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by jimmy » Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:20 pm

I have fished Rock lake since I was a kid, know the lake very well. Also know a family that has lost 3 relatives out there by drowning on different occasions. I came very close once, long story.. If you don't know the lake very well, I advise not taking a boat on it without someone that has experience. I have heard about the train and most of the other ones. I have also heard of drownings and bodies popping up in a different lake.
I do know of a spot in the middle of the lake where it is over 300 ft. deep but yet I was standing on a rock that was 2 ft. under the surface, (I was in a float tube).
The fishing is great but be careful, the wind can pick up and its a ocean! :(

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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Stiff » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:12 pm

If memory serves correctly, back in the late 1970's the Colfax Gazette ran a couple of feature articles covering the subject matter you speak of. I will have to look but I do believe I still have them. In regards to the stories, I am familiar with a number of them, some much more than others.
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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by Masonryman » Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:32 am

dauntless89 wrote:The largest known White Sturgeon was over 20ft long, and they're very well known to exist in the Columbia and Snake river systems. IMO, it's entirely conceivable that a breeding population of them could have become landlocked in what is now Rock Lake (or any other larger inland lake) in the last 20,000 years or so, possibly as a result of the glacial floods that occurred at the end of the last ice age.

Once landlocked, they would have no natural predators, and the depths of a lake like Rock would afford them the ability to grow very old and large.

Or, maybe these Sturgeon were transplanted from the Columbia river.. :o


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Re: Rock Lake Legends, Myths and Mysteries...

Post by dauntless89 » Thu Nov 28, 2013 8:57 am

Were they actually? I'm not much of a fisherman anymore, I wouldn't know.
America is at that awkward stage... It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.

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