MLF multi boat accident

[Obi-Wan]

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One dead in multi-boat crash during Major League Fishing tournament in Alabama

The crash happened on Lewis Smith Lake, a reservoir in the northern portion of the state, at around 7 a.m., according to the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency.


https://www.si.com/onsi/fishing/bas...on-monster-bass-pasquotank-scott-martin-quits

https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...id=596B177F2C5F405EB98296DE1526725D&FORM=VIRE

 

[wslayer]

Surprised the boat accidents don't happen more often. $$$ and prestige does crazy shit to some people.

 

[Sum1]

I believe it’s two dead now. Idiots driving through fog full bore. I’ve seen this on Nelson lake in the winter.

 

[CatDaddy]

May those who lost their lives rest in peace. Death toll up to 3 on the boat that got hit.

 

[Vollmer]

 

[Obi-Wan]

The 3 dead most likely were not in the tournament. If fog and speed were a factor I would suspect criminal charges along with large lawsuits against the tournament fishermen and the MLF.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Why take off in fog.

 

[wslayer]

Why take off in fog.

I suppose the tournament figured they'd lose money if didn't proceed on. Bullshit . . .

 

[SDMF]

Why take off in fog.

Sometimes it's not bad where you start but you run into it along the way. Pretty sure it was spring of 2011 we got on the Missouri really early, like Mid-March. 2 buddies and I left the Hazelton ramp and headed S towards Ft Rice. Not far past the bend that runs you SW, we ran into fog so thick I couldn't see far enough to operate safely. I was in the channel running down the "Bismarck side". Neither GPS could pick up a signal. I came off plane and moved out of the channel and moved across until I bumped the sandbar on the "Mandan side", I didn't ever actually see it, just bumped it. The fog was so thick I couldn't see the shoreline at all, the GPS's couldn't get a signal, and for a good while, we really couldn't tell which way the boat was pointed. Obviously the boat had no choice but to float downstream but you could no longer intuit where that was. It was freaky.

Not a lot different that driving into a whiteout from a blizzard or ground-drifting. People can say:

"You shouldn't have been on the road in those conditions."

That might not have been the conditions 300Mi back where I started.

 

[Sum1]

Sometimes it's not bad where you start but you run into it along the way. Pretty sure it was spring of 2011 we got on the Missouri really early, like Mid-March. 2 buddies and I left the Hazelton ramp and headed S towards Ft Rice. Not far past the bend that runs you SW, we ran into fog so thick I couldn't see far enough to operate safely. I was in the channel running down the "Bismarck side". Neither GPS could pick up a signal. I came off plane and moved out of the channel and moved across until I bumped the sandbar on the "Mandan side", I didn't ever actually see it, just bumped it. The fog was so thick I couldn't see the shoreline at all, the GPS's couldn't get a signal, and for a good while, we really couldn't tell which way the boat was pointed. Obviously the boat had no choice but to float downstream but you could no longer intuit where that was. It was freaky.

Not a lot different that driving into a whiteout from a blizzard or ground-drifting. People can say:

"You shouldn't have been on the road in those conditions."

That might not have been the conditions 300Mi back where I started.

This is all true but even if they give you a go ahead to fish the tourney and run into fog along the way doesn’t mean you keep flying through the fog because you have gps. This is a preventable accident in every sense of the word

 

[Obi-Wan]

Why take off in fog.

$$$$$$$

 

[NDSportsman]

This is all true but even if they give you a go ahead to fish the tourney and run into fog along the way doesn’t mean you keep flying through the fog because you have gps. This is a preventable accident in every sense of the word

This. Common sense isn't so common anymore!

 

[SDMF]

This is all true but even if they give you a go ahead to fish the tourney and run into fog along the way doesn’t mean you keep flying through the fog because you have gps. This is a preventable accident in every sense of the word

No argument here, more just a notation of how fast conditions can and do change.

I've got video somewhere from hunting deer right along the Canadian border in MT. Beautiful Bluebird morning, everything covered in thick white frost. Late morning, we're sitting in a spot glassing and the fog rolled in so thick you couldn't see over 50yds, we weren't even moving.

 

[NodakBob]

Ya I occasionally see/hear boats screaming down the Missouri late at night apparently following their gps…but gps doesn’t show floating logs or other boaters. Idiots.

 

[Bfishn]

With the advent of GPS on every boat, there are way to many guys who they they can run in poor visibility because they can see their track on the GPS. Tournaments as usual bring out the worst of this behavior, but I've seen plenty of non-tourney guys do it too.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Night time i have been guilty of leaving a friends or the bar non-impaired truth --in the dark. In the dark i worry about somebody swimming so i hate it. Fog been der many times. You just slow down period and hope the hell no one hits you. Hwy i pull off if i run into it bad. Nobody cares anymore.

Everyone will get sued in this case, sponsors -- probably even luke bryan too. The saving grace may be its a business, he's a guide, he licensed coast guard approved, MLF is going to share some fault.

These local yocal wannabee tourneys the liability risk has to be sky high

 

[AaronJ]

Shows small. Angler fishing the same tourney reported no issues with visibility. As do many of the anglers in the MLF.

 

[SDMF]

Shows small. Angler fishing the same tourney reported no issues with visibility. As do many of the anglers in the MLF.

Couple this with what the winner said in the vid above and MLF better have phenomenal lawyers.

Watch the vid from 1:37-1:45 or so. That man WILL be on the stand in court having to articulate precisely what he meant when he said:

"I told my cameraman that boat was in a bad spot."

If the boat that was hit was in some sort of commercial shipping lane that's one thing. If the winning angler meant that the boat was in a bad spot due to its proximity to any tournament goings-on, both he, other anglers in the tournament, the MLF, and indeed tournament anglers in general will wish he hadn't said it.

 

[AaronJ]

Just out of pure interest regarding any tragedy I have been keeping tabs a bit on it. Lots of speculation for sure.

Sounds like the boat hit was stopped and fishing in an area somewhat behind an island or cut. An area commonly used by other anglers to save some run time. Also, the tourney guy that hit the center console was boat 1 in the tourney, so the 1st to run this line. Maybe it is a tight line so he was running with GPS as opposed to eyesight?

I wonder if some video (go-pro or otherwise) will clear up some of this. Either way, a horrible situation for individuals and families.

 

[SDMF]

the tourney guy that hit the center console was boat 1 in the tourney, so the 1st to run this line. Maybe it is a tight line so he was running with GPS as opposed to eyesight?

The guy named the winner said he'd been by the spot a couple hrs before the accident and remarked to his cameraman:

"That boat is in a bad spot."

I suppose he could've seen that from shore, but, I took that to mean he'd passed the boat on the water. Which I also then take to mean it doesn't matter that the guy who hit the stopped boat was for running order.

"Who's fault" will bear out over time and even when that's been determined, fines levied, judgements handed out, and time served, it's still going to be awful forever for a whole bunch of folks.