Fatal Boat Crash in Major League Fishing Bass Tournament

There were two separate boat crashes in professional bass fishing tournament today. One was a Major League Fishing tournament in Alabama, and the other was a NRFL bass tournament on Lake Norman in North Carolina. The Lake Norman boat crash involved injuries, but no one was killed. Jessie Ayers was charged by the NCWRC as being at fault in the boat collision during the bass tournament on Lake Norman. The boat crash in the MLF tournament on Lewis Smith lake left one man dead. MLF confirmed the accident, which took place on the second day of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational at the Lewis Smith Lake. The accident happened at 7 am on the reservoir, according to local CBS outlet WHNT. The accident involved one of the event’s competing anglers, Flint Davis from Leesburg, Georgia. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency confirmed that Joey M. Broom, 58, was killed on his Center Console vessel, which was hit by a Nitro Bass Boat, local Fox affiliate WBRC reported. Major League Fishing (MLF) confirms that a serious boating accident occurred this morning on Lewis Smith Lake during Day 2 of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational. The incident involved one of the event’s competing anglers, Flint Davis of Leesburg, Georgia.

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[ianammon]

I'm a co-angler in bass tournaments on the club and state level. I can recall an incident (that didn't involve a boat crash) on the Potomac River where it was an "idle start" due to foggy conditions. That means that the boats were supposed to be moving at "No Wake" speeds. At launch, it was exactly that. People traveled at slow speeds to their fishing spots. The boater I was paired with was a local, meaning he fishes this waterway every year in multiple tournaments. We tried some stuff around Mattawoman for an hour (an hour where I caught the day 2 co-angler lunker), but he wanted to fish his grass flats. So, with the fog still being heavy but most of the anglers already in their spots, my boater followed the trail on his GPS unit at full throttle all the way up to his spot. Lucky for us no one else was moving at the same time, because there wouldn't be enough time (or water) to avoid at least a near miss.

[tphvictims]

None of these people could fish without electronics.

[hotgenlee]

Bad part is boats don't have brakes and don't handle anything like a car doing 70 in a boat is like handling a car at 140

[BobbyOfEarth]

Boat accidents are a horrifying experience. I speak from experience, as my brand new Ranger 488 was hit from behind during blast off, in a Cal Delta tournament in 2002. It totaled my boat, hitting the motor hard enuf to break the transom. As it did, his boat did a pirouette and his prop came down on the windscreen, with the prop cutting gouges five feet along the right side gunwale. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

[Theburningseason]

22 probably been driving a boat 3 yrs, I'm a firm believer in tourneys should be capped some place around 100 boats these 200 boat plus fields is asking for problems. Another black eye on the sport, ppl who live on lakes are probably sick of seeing so many tourneys and now they will hate them more after this

[kellyproctor]

They removed a bass boat belonging Flint Davis, the boat had a lot of damage to the hull on the bottom. The outboard motor was broken off the boat. This was at the smith lake crash.

[jamesscully]

Thank you Dieter for the update my prayers for all🎣

[dwighthedden]

MLF needs to be held accountable! Also safe speed if fog isn’t 70mph . 30mph in fog is way to fast.

[russwilliams]

The majority of them drive like crazy nuts and act like they have to get there now! I fish tournaments and it's getting ridiculous!

[nickcautrell]

I thought it was just the guy driving when i first heard about this and could totally see him staring at a GPS map instead of watching where he's going.
But the fact that there was two of them in there neither one was watching ahead of them should make both of them liable. That's just pathetic.

They need to introduce a GPS monitored speed limit on these boats in tournaments and make the first offense penalty bad enough you don't even think about a second offense.

[SuzetteG]

There were three fatalities on the boat that was hit. What a tragedy.

[troypeterson]

Don't care if there was fog. You drive for the conditions PERIOD.
Make blast-off AFTER visibile conditions and do a staggard blast off.

These "Elite" bass fisherman in their $100, 000 glitter boats think they own the damn lake when they are fishing a tournament or pre-fishing for that matter.
The individual who was driving and struck that boat should be charged with 3 counts of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
Every "Pro" bass fisherman should be required to have a Coast Guard "Cpt's" license as well.
I fish 6 days a week for four months and have had to let a Pro fisherman have my 2 cents before due to their arrogance and lack of respect for others.
All MLB fisherman, during tournaments, should only be allowed to drive 45 - 50 mph max now. Too bad.
Oh, and next year the big outboard manufacturers will probably push for a 350 - 400 hp limit on these 1300 lb boats....

[fishinfool]

Probably has 5 16 inch screens going 90 to catch a stupid bass

[tweedyboy]

If you've ever been caught in fog on a large lake, it's disconcerting and disorienting. You'd barely realize the danger before it's too LATE

[CrazyCranker]

When something like this happens there should be a immediate safety stand-down to raise boat safety awareness.

[shawnewing]

I personally hate fishing when there is a tournament going on a bunch of people driving boats that are way above their skill level and they have no respect for anyone else on the water and are definitely not paying attention or concerned about anybody else on the water

[FranTherion]

Bigger faster boats and bigger higher prize tournaments = more chance for collisions. They should restrict speed and horsepower

[JR-pbdz]

These young kids think they can watch their $1k GPS screen and think they are all good

[craiglaney]

There was actually 3 killed in the Cullman, Alabama incident. Fog was definitely a factor. The names have been released...Kelly Clark, 44 and a good friend of my brother, Jeffrey Little, 62, and Joey Broom, 58. Sad news.

[dbsnyder]

I'm a tournament angler. But there is nothing more important than safety!!! No fish or amount of money is worth the consequences of a bad decision. I too think speed is out of control in our sport. But just because you can go fast. It doesn't mean you have to when the conditions are not favorable.