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Junior Member
I have fished many tournaments, some as a boater, but most as a non-boater. I have had my fair share of scary moments on the left side of the boat. The problem as I see it and yes, I'm putting my 2 cents worth in here; 1. Too many individuals with egos that outmatch both their fishing and boat operation ability, 2. No training for anyone of the legal age that can afford a boat. Why is it that when you turn 16 and as most are excited to get their vehicle drivers liscense you have to meet several state requirements in order to obtain it? However, anyone that can plop down the money to purchase a high performance boat can just jump in the seat and take off flying down our lakes and rivers without a question asked. Now, I understand that the two drivers involved in this particular accident probably have numerous hours logged behind the wheel, but that still doesn't mean they know their @ss from their elbow with regard to safe operation. More needs to be done to educate our future tournament fishermen. I hardly doubt anyone fishing tournaments today will think they need it! That also refers back to comment #1. My prayers go out to the family of the victim. I also have had my family travel with me to several tournaments and it puts alot in perspective thinking of how and what would have happend had it been me? Life is much too short, and can be taken in an instant.
Senior Member
Mr. Robert Manley of Belleville, IL reported he and his co-angler were about 40 yards behind Youngs boat when the accident occurred. In addition to witnessing the accident, he and two other boats assisted in providing emergency assistance at the site and transport back to the marina. He has reported his story on BBCboards.
Senior Member
I am terribly sorry for the pain and grief of the family of the man who lost his life for them October will be a bad memory for a very long time. When you leave home with the thrill of day ahead of you, it would be easy to forget that there is always danger in any out door activity. I think that most of the other folks who use this board also feel a small bit of the pain that these accidents cause. I am one of the folks that tourny fishermen, can not stand, I have a very slow pontoon with a 40 HP on the back, I choose to buy a pontoon so that when we take the family out my granduaghters will be safe, this was bought one week after my wife, her brother ,and my self werwe fishing the rock wall on dog creek on nolin were were in my ouddle jumper 14ft jon boat it was 2:50pm there was a 20 boat tournament with a 1500, 3pm weigh in. 2 fishing rocketts came flying around the dog leg turn at top speed they were within seconds of each other the first boat nearly hit the bank about 25 yards from us the second boat saw the first and came with in less than ten feet from my old jon boat. We were scared that he could have hit us and we would not be going home that night. A lot of the responses here were for prayers and some tryed to act like it is a shame but things happens. I am not a fan of how tournys are run, there are a few tourneys come out with a rule book about how to fish and get them back for weigh in. This is fine but just like our road ways there should be lake specific rules too. each lake just as any race that someone could get killed or killing other floating face down even nascar has figured this out each track is checked and when problems are found so as to help protect the drivers and those bystanding. restricter plates are used to slow down the driver not all lakes are the same size where a 250hp motor might be great for cumberland but in smaller narrow lakes need some way to have the tourny and keep the competiters at a safe operating sped and if needed they should pay up just like a speeder on the highway.
Senior Member
This is very sad. My heart goes out to anyone who loses a family member. I have been there and it isnt fun.
With that said, it was bound to happen. Not because of speeds, or that it was anybodies fault, but statisticly speaking when there are that many moving objects in an area, without control, they are going to collide eventually. We all know this and we all accept this risk when we get into a boat and go out. Just as being a pilot puts my life in some amount of risk every day. Just like driving to work does. Remember to "see and avoid" (pilot term)... and assume that you are completely invisible... this will make it your responisbility to take your own self home safe that night.
Be safe out there guys... please.
Senior Member
Too many boats and too many tourneys going on at the same time. I feel for these folk's families. Go ahead and flame me I don't care, these tournament numbers are completely out of hand, way to many boats even for the twin lakes.
Junior Member
As my number of posts indicate, I do not post on this forum very often. My heart goes out to the family of the lost fisherman and everyone else involved. I did not witness this horrible accident although I was on Ky. lake Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I was not in this particular location around the time of the accident but have talked to several that were in the general area at that time. Fog was not an issue is what I have been told. Saturday morning on Kentucky Lake was horrible. Poor, very poor visibility on North Kentucky lake. From Dam to Smith bay on east side was down right scary. Absolutely no reason these tourney directors should have let these boats go on Saturday morning. I talked to several toruney guys while I was fishing and they were looking for shelter inside a creek or bay until the fog lifted. Even they said this was COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS !!! You could hear boats on the lake running 3/4 throttle, then let off, back in the gas, then let out. As if they were not sure what they were seeing while running the water. As to the number of boats on the water from different tournaments, this too was ridiulous!!!! The worst I have ever seen. Absurd!!! Folks what is everyone thinking!!! This can't go on... PERIOD!!!! Again remember the family of this lost fisherman....sad, very sad.........
Member
Wow... You guys want regulations??? Really???... How many boats are on KY and Barkley during the 4th of july weekend, or Memorial Day? A lot more than 1100, that's probably a normal weekend total for those lakes... Be careful what you wish for... Dan
Senior Member
I agree COMPLETELY. Who's to say how many boats are allowed on a lake? KDFW? US Army Corps of Engineers? State Govt? Federal Govt (YIKES!!)? Who's going to count the boats on the lake to make sure the lake isn't over the "limit"? Who wants to be boat number "X" and is told, "Sorry sir, you have to wait until a boat comes off the water in order for you to enter"?? Regulations are NOT they way to go to solve this issue...common sense and following the rules/laws currently in place would be the first place to start.Originally Posted by yellow20xd
Senior Member
The fog Friday and Saturday was extremely dense - in places, in fact Saturday Big Bear down to Bee Springs was like driving in the dark yet as soon as you hit Bee Springs it was clear almost to Jonathan creek with only patchy spots in between. So when I too heard boats running I thought to myself "they are crazy" then after going a hundred yards I saw that it was clear. The boater in question as mentioned before has been in an accident before but if you knew the area he was in back in 2007 you could see it happening - just an accident he hit a stump just off the channel, and the channel in question is VERY narrow to say the least.
I was in the tourney out of Jonathan with approximately 200 boats and anyone in Jonathan around 7:00 am would have been washed a shore with the waves produced from takeoff. I have been fishing tourneys for 20 years and classics are the worst because there is so many people from out of town in on the lakes that have never been here before it is scary! I agree we need a marine licence, I believe it would possibly save at least one life and to me that would be worth it. Every year there is an October bonanza of tournaments each of these tournaments have to get permits, I do believe they could issue the permits through out the week and not just for the weekend to keep the number of boats down a bit because it is dangerous not knowing which ramp is going to have a blast off ruining peoples day.
God bless the families involved, prayers are sent to them. And everybody please be safe.
Member
How many is too many? 11?... 110?... 1100?... 11,100?... 11,111,100?... And who do you trust to make that decision? Not flaming, I just want an honest answer... Dan
Senior Member
What if you addressd the number of tournaments and that would dictate boat traffic on a given part of the water on a given day and time? Just a thought. Also it sounds as if some bad judgement may have been used here as well. That many tourney's with that many people spells disaster, that's all I'm saying. I've been saying for years some form of common sense regulation on tournaments needs to be enacted.
Take poor little Guist Creek for example. It barely over 300 acres and for awhile they were having three tourney's a week on it, some with 80 boats..... REALLY? It's just food for thought and I'm not a tourney hater so please don't go there I'm just bringing up some what if's. Have a good day, and thanks for being civil in your question and somebody much smarter than me would have to figure out how to regulate or coordinate such a venture, lol.
Mark
Junior Member
"It is all fun and games until someone gets hurt" Was it that there were too many bass boats running rampant on the lakes this weekend that contributed to this gentlemans death????? Carelessness???? Someone even said not using common sense???? This situation must be looked into and something done IMMEDIATELY! Reference to 4 july weekend and memorial weekend being really crowded. Yeah true....but are all these boats twice daily running like mad to get to their winning fishing hole and make that last minute cast and fly back to the marina to beat the time limit. Probably not. Two totally different situations..
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