Story From: Bassfan.com
10/8/2010
An accident this morning at Barkley Lake claimed the life of a co-angler fishing the BFL Regional there.
Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife public-affairs officer Sgt. Garry Clark issued the following statement to BassFan about the accident.
“Two bass boats in two different tournaments collided on Barkley Lake near Kuttawa, Ky. at approximately 7:15 this morning,” Clark said. “One boat was fishing the Renegade Bass Classic, and there were two people on that boat. The two people in the other boat were fishing the BFL Regional bass tournament. They were on Barkley out in the main channel – one heading east, the other heading west. They came on a collision course and collided with each other. When they realized they were on the same course they tried to make amends and still collided.
“On the (Renegade) boat, it ejected the operator but he had his lifejacket and killswitch on and it didn’t hurt him. (Both the driver and the passenger) were unhurt. In the other boat, the passenger did have the boat hit him and he died on the scene. The driver was okay – he had his safety stuff on too. He was practicing safety as far as having the killswitch hooked up and lifejacket on while moving.”
Sgt. Clark added that the deceased was a 41-year-old male from Eupora, Miss.
Additional Content Below From: Blog Author
The above story is a reminder of how easily tragedy can strike while on the water. Please be sure you take extra steps to ensure you and your passengers are safe while on the water. Here are a few things that you can do to help avoid an on-the-water incident like the one listed above.
- Slow down in congested waters. With the many tournament trails that surround us today there are more and more opportunities for individuals to compete on the same bodies of water at the same time. It is important to remember that your event may not be the only tournament on the water. It is easy to overlook the safety required during early morning blast-off as you and your partner are eager to get to your first stop and make that first cast, as is every other angler on the water, but do not let the thoughts of your first cast overshadow your need to operate your boat in a safe manner. When approaching narrow passages (Bridges, Creek Arms), intersections (Splits In Creeks), or any other location that may cause you to come into close passage of another boat or object very quickly, be sure to slow down and look for these obstacles. Just this weekend I was involved in a tournament event in which I witnessed many boats proceed at full speed under a highway bridge. Luck played a major role in the outcome of no accidents at this location, but it could have easily turned tragic. I always try to look at the “What-Ifs” in these situations such as it could be so easy for wake from another boat to cause your boat to shift left or right very quickly when approaching the bridge and may result in you striking a bridge support. Remember – Boats Are Not Equipped With Brakes.
- Use your running lights at blast-off. Running lights can help you identify an oncoming boat from great distances and these items only take an extra minute (Or less) to put away once you reach your destination.
- Know the rules of the road on the water. Be sure you know the correct methods of navigation when approaching other boats. Many states require individuals to pass a boater safety course and obtain a certificate of proof before operating a boat. Be sure you check to see if you are required to possess such certificate before operating your boat, especially in waters outside of your home state.