Fatal boat wreck on Barkley this morning

[Hershey102]

BUT it was fate . Things happen for a reason ,unfortunately it was that gentleman's time to depart our world. WE all will face that same event some day . It is easy to set back and say oh that could have been avoided. It was just meant to be.

Now that's a theological question and obviously a personal truth for you, though not necessarily a universal truth. Accidents can be often be avoided and are usually survivable for a variety of reasons. If it is just attributable to fate, why even bother wearing a life jacket? One's fate is frequently a product of his/her actions and preparedness. Theology aside.

[ukbass]

I'll second that

I don't feel the need to flame anyone. But I can't believe you guys that are sooo quick to overreact when something bad happens. More regulation would have never prevented this accident. All it would do is hurt the good guys. And for the small tourn. guys like myself, you are telling us we can fish, as many guys as you would like, you just can't call it tournament. That is crazy. A little more education and constant reminding from the tournament officials I'm all for. But don't tell me that too many tournaments are dangerous when I almost get runover every tournament I fish by pleasure boats, pontoons, and jet-ski's. MOST tournament fishermen are the safest guys on the lake, yes there are exceptions. But don't punish the majority.

[fishincreek]

I don't feel the need to flame anyone. But I can't believe you guys that are sooo quick to overreact when something bad happens. More regulation would have never prevented this accident. All it would do is hurt the good guys. And for the small tourn. guys like myself, you are telling us we can fish, as many guys as you would like, you just can't call it tournament. That is crazy. A little more education and constant reminding from the tournament officials I'm all for. But don't tell me that too many tournaments are dangerous when I almost get runover every tournament I fish by pleasure boats, pontoons, and jet-ski's. MOST tournament fishermen are the safest guys on the lake, yes there are exceptions. But don't punish the majority.

X3!

[Todd2]

MOST tournament fishermen are the safest guys on the lake, yes there are exceptions.

Don't take this the wrong way, because I'm not a tournament hater and I'm not talking about this particular case because I wasn't even there. But I'd rather take my chances all day with random pleasure boaters than be anywhere near a huge tourney blast off.

[ukbass]

Don't take this the wrong way, because I'm not a tournament hater and I'm not talking about this particular case because I wasn't even there. But I'd rather take my chances all day with random pleasure boaters than be anywhere near a huge tourney blast off.

Todd, if I were not involved in the tourney, neither would I. But the main topic is about safety. Generally when a tourn. takes off, there are very few other boats around. I don't ever remember an accident being reported from the take-off of an tournament. I can understand not wanting to be washed ashore if you are fishing nearby when this happens. But it generally doesn't last very long. But by about 11:00 on a weekend, the pleasure boaters are in massive force and it does not let up.

[riptordjb]

I was fishing on the West Side of Kentucky lake Saturday afternoon about 15 minutes or so before 2:00 pm CST. It was boat after boat after boat heading towards the dam. Boats zig zagging back and forth, passing port side to port side, screaming off of another boats wake..... Oh I forgot these are tournament fisherman they may break boating laws and regulations, just as long as we get back to weigh-in on time. Oh they must feel cool getting to run like this. Here I am in a 2010 Z521 Ranger with a 250 proxs and don't have to act like that. its not like I'm sitting in a 14 ft. jon boat with a trolling motor or anything and just trying to bi...h about something.I told my partner, " tournament weigh-in is obviously @ 2:00 PM!" My partners reply, " uh, ya might say that ".... Yeah I have seen pleasure boaters do this as well, but they are not forced to do it in bunches twice daily. It appears to me if you increase the number of anything enough, something has to give and will give. You just simply INCREASE YOUR ODDS !!! It seems we are getting caught up in a debate that literally means squat at this point. Yes including myself!!!! Lets not forget this fisherman and his family, Please.

[everettvet]

Ok, I think I will throw my two cents worth in on this. First of all, this was a horrible accident and we should all be more concerned for the families and those involved in the accident than to worry about second guessing choices made by boats or the state of Kentucky or whoever. The question we have to ask ourselves as state officials, fisherman, boaters, causal observers or whoever we are, is what can I do to make the waters safer for me, my passengers and other people on the lake. Everyone has thoughts on this subject, the correct thing to do is whatever it takes as individuals to make it better. For some it may be limiting the number of boats in their event. For some it may be slowing down on the water. For some it may be paying more attention to where the other events are launching from on the lake and adjusting launch sites and take off times. Whatever it is, I think this horrible tragedy will bring the subject of boater safety to the front of the everyone's mind. Take care and be safe on the water.

[ukbass]

I was fishing on the West Side of Kentucky lake Saturday afternoon about 15 minutes or so before 2:00 pm CST. It was boat after boat after boat heading towards the dam. Boats zig zagging back and forth, passing port side to port side, screaming off of another boats wake..... Oh I forgot these are tournament fisherman they may break boating laws and regulations, just as long as we get back to weigh-in on time. Oh they must feel cool getting to run like this. Here I am in a 2010 Z521 Ranger with a 250 proxs and don't have to act like that. its not like I'm sitting in a 14 ft. jon boat with a trolling motor or anything and just trying to bi...h about something.I told my partner, " tournament weigh-in is obviously @ 2:00 PM!" My partners reply, " uh, ya might say that ".... Yeah I have seen pleasure boaters do this as well, but they are not forced to do it in bunches twice daily. It appears to me if you increase the number of anything enough, something has to give and will give. You just simply INCREASE YOUR ODDS !!! It seems we are getting caught up in a debate that literally means squat at this point. Yes including myself!!!! Lets not forget this fisherman and his family, Please.

You are right about the subject, and I feel very bad for this man's family. And I'm not trying to sell anyone on tournaments. If you hate them, so be it. I get angry with the bad ones as well that I come in contact with. But when I hear the word REGULATION, you can see the flames coming out of my ears. We are regulated enough in this country already. More accidents happen on our lakes that have nothing to do with tournament fishing. If you don't like having all of these tournaments, that is your right and I truly understand how they can rub you the wrong way while you are quietly fishing at your hole. But you just can't limit them, that is wrong. And it would not do anything to improve safety. If you don't like tournamets, try to avoid them. I am president and founder of CAST (Christian Anglers Serving Together) Ministries. But I want no part of being around a tournament either when I am not fishing one. I just do my best to either fish another day or fish another area of the lake. It usually isn't that big of a deal.

[Duayne]

A central body to organize what events happen on what lakes and on what days would do everyone a world of good. It may have prevented this, it may not. Aside from the obvious safety factor that would be prevalent with this sort of organization, wouldn't the entire lake experience be improved for those in the events and those not? Would the fishing experience not been greatly improved?

Aside from this I believe regulations are LONG over due. I'm not for over regulating either, but the situation on the water is vastly changed from when the loose operating guidelines were established way back when. You need a permit to operate a car, you need one to operate a plane, you should need one to operate a gas powered boat. There should be a yearly renewal fee and that fee should go toward putting more officers on the lake. The operating regulations, including SPEED LIMITS, and over all operation need to be over hauled and strictly enforced. The fines should also go to adding more officers to the water. These regulations should be enforced for fishermen and pleasure boaters alike.

Limiting the number of tournaments may not have prevented this. But I am pretty darned sure that had there been a speed limit and over all operating rules followed, this could have easily been avoided.

[publican57]

It is without a doubt a very sad situation. However, reguardless of any sport, there will be fatalities involved. statistically, you have a far greater chance of getting killed in an auto accident than on a boat. So trying to mandate some guideliness is not going to change anything. It would be like telling basket ball teams that players cannot RUN up and down the court because they may have a heart defect witch may lead to death. The obvious is to drive defensive all the time, the same as you do when you are in your car or truck. And even then, accidents will continue to happen but maybe not as often. Im not sure if the hp and speed are as much of the culprit as simple (not paying attention) is. I feel really bad for the guy that lost his life, i can only imagine how his family feels. And if the above mentioned is true, that the bfl driver has had multiple accidents, I would be suprised if this investigation does not lead to escalated legal issues for him if he is found at fault.

I think any one that drives a motorized vehicle should have a license to drive the vehicle; be it a boat or jet ski on the lake or a four wheeler or moped on the highway.

If you are going to operate the vehicle in public we should require license that you get after passing a test that shows you know the rules of the road or waterway and then a test that shows you know how to physically operate the vehicle. I think it is ridulous to be able to buy a boat and go out an just take off without any kind of proof that you know how to operate the darn thing.

I am not saying the people involved in this accident did not know what they were doing; I do not know. And I am not saying because you have passed a test, you proved you know what you are doing. You need experience to get better. But some minimal requirements should be mandated before people go out tearing down the lake or on the road. (The road thing I am talking from what happen to my nephew who wreck one of those small motor bikes that don't require a license. He was lucky he was not killed. It was his fault and it was his fault because he did not know the rules of the road. If some minimal licensing requirement for the vehicle were in place, he would not have been driving or he would have known the rules better and maybe not wrecked.)

I took a boat safety course before I took my boat out. But I bet 70% of the folks out there have not taken a course on boat safety. Mandate something like that at a minimum.

[ukbass]

A central body to organize what events happen on what lakes and on what days would do everyone a world of good. It may have prevented this, it may not. Aside from the obvious safety factor that would be prevalent with this sort of organization, wouldn't the entire lake experience be improved for those in the events and those not? Would the fishing experience not been greatly improved?

Aside from this I believe regulations are LONG over due. I'm not for over regulating either, but the situation on the water is vastly changed from when the loose operating guidelines were established way back when. You need a permit to operate a car, you need one to operate a plane, you should need one to operate a gas powered boat. There should be a yearly renewal fee and that fee should go toward putting more officers on the lake. The operating regulations, including SPEED LIMITS, and over all operation need to be over hauled and strictly enforced. The fines should also go to adding more officers to the water. These regulations should be enforced for fishermen and pleasure boaters alike.

Limiting the number of tournaments may not have prevented this. But I am pretty darned sure that had there been a speed limit and over all operating rules followed, this could have easily been avoided.

Well, I know I am not going to change anyone's mind, and your not going to change mine. So I will get off this subject, but I have to say first. I hate overreaction. Not that this wansn't a tragic death, because it was. But we have a lot of regs on the highway, yet people still speed, and it is full of irresponsible human beings. And people die every day on our roads and tons more have accidents. But everyone feels as if they just have to do something when this happens. It was an accident. An isolated accident that prob only happened due to poor judgement. These two guys should have never been that close to one another in the first place. And like another poster said already, you better be careful what you wish for. Not much good is going to come from more regs. Good day.

[BIGBADDAD]

MOST tournament fishermen are the safest guys on the lake, yes there are exceptions. But don't punish the majority.

MY OPINION ONLY!
I don't post here very often but You must be out of your mind! I'd say nearly ALL the tournament bass boats run way too fast and courtesy takes a back seat to safety of themselves and others. Fishing for crappies this weekend with the bass boats flying in between, sometimes as close as 50 feet, was crazy. To be in a tournament you should have to have a Captains license at the minimum. My opinion is that soon there will be speed limits because it's too dangerous. I have and do fish in tournaments, but rarely anymore because my boater usually hasn't a clue to driving his speeding bullet. Just because your boat goes 75 mph does NOT mean you have to go 75mph.