Wobble

Almost identical accident to the one three years ago on the same lake Father killed, 1 critical in boat crash on Lake Conroe | khou.com

A fishing boat hurrying to make an after dark weigh in slams into a stationary fishing boat killing one and injuring two others.

Why would any tournament operator have a weigh-in around/after dark?????

Given the speeds that some bass boats are capable of, it just seems like a really stupid idea.

Previous accident http://abc13.com/news/three-killed-i...conroe/150930/

Griff

Sad

they do the same at LOTO. We were putting our boat in the water at PB2 one evening about 10 pm and about 100 bass boats came rolling in.

F-2 Speedy

iTrader: (6)

LOTO and TR, for sure have 35mph speed limit at dusk..........maybe not in TX.....very sad for sure

Wobble

There is a minimum planing speed rule that came into effect after the last accident that applies to this lake.

"(3) operate any Vessel on the Reservoir at a speed in excess of minimum planing speed (the minimum speed at which a Vessel will achieve and maintain a level plane) during the period from one half-hour after sunset to one half-hour before sunrise."

sunset was about 8.20, accident around 9.30 apparently

t500hps

WOW, man that sucks!!!!

Many years ago I fished tournaments with my father and when I first heard there are night time fishing tournaments I thought the same thing.......then I realized there are a large number of people who work odd shifts and their lives revolve around sleeping during the day, awake at night. (over 30% of my employees work 2nd or 3rd shift)

Griff

30 mph speed limit that goes into effect 30 mins after official sunset and last until 30 minutes before official sunrise.

The charged violation is the same same whether you are going 35mph or 70mph

DRAG

I thought Missouri law was 35, but it's been 2 years since I looked. I go slower.

I was leaving backwater jacks july 3 and water patrol hit us with a spotlight and turned his lights on. He nailed a boat that came up on us fast and I didn't even see him. I thought he was after us, but I wasn't on plane yet and apparently this guys came up fast to stern and must have gotten in my wake. When water patrol hit him I could have spit from my boat to his. I assume they got him for speed or being too close to me

thirdchildhood

iTrader: (6)

I've never been a fan of these bass tournaments anyway. They have them on my local lake. They pull all the bass out of there that they can and put them in small live wells, parade them around, weigh them, show them off, hold them for photos and then release them and expect them to live.

t500hps

Have you fished these tournaments cause it doesn't sound like it. When I was a kid you could weigh-in 16 fish per boat but now most tournaments are limited to 5 fish. Do you also realize there is a significant penalty if a fish dies or doesn't swim away "normally". Not only would you be surprised at the percentage of bass that live.....alot of clubs collect money for the state to buy "fry" (baby bass) to be released in local/public waterways. My father donates $1,000 per year and his donation alone buys many thousands of them. The state says they have the resources to distribute the fish but no longer can get funding to buy them. (His club usually buys 500,000 fish per year for the state). The typical tournament fisherman WANTS the fish to survive to reproduce and be caught again while the average guy with a boat is taking them home for the frying pan.

thirdchildhood

iTrader: (6)

No, I've never done it. I'm not that good of a fisher! I do know that it would be hard to pull 5 legal size large-mouth from "my" lake. Maybe the fish do live but it seems like they are put through a lot before they are released. Anyway, sorry to hear about another fatal accident.