Tournament Angler Dies in Boat Crash, 3 Others Hospitalized.

[Ski]

There is some tough news coming out of Lake Seminole, a famed bass fishery, after a tragic two-boat accident occurred this past week. The two boats were fishing two separate tournaments; a local derby and a Florida B.A.S.S. Nation Junior/High School Anglers tournament. According to multiple reports, the incident occurred near the Highway 84 bridge on the Flint River, which is very close to the popular Earle May Boat Basin. 

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources states that a 2022 Xpress center console boat and a 2001 Stratos Bass Boat collided in the afternoon. The driver of the Stratos, 43-year-old Jason P. Davis of Bainbridge, Ga. was pronounced dead at the scene while his passenger was taken to a nearby hospital. The occupants of the Xpress boat, 48-year-old Eric Mitchell and a 16-year-old angler, were taken to the hospital as well. This accident is currently under investigation and it’s expected to take a few months to complete. Currently, alcohol is not suspected and an accident reconstruction is being completed.

[GRiver]

I hate to hear about accidents like this, I feel for all those involved and their families.

I wonder how it happened, the boats are getting faster and all it takes is a “ look away” or look down at what is rolling around in the floor. Things happen so fast.

[Deleted account]

Tragic. Please be safe out there.

[Mike L]

Terrible 

Seems like every year something like this happens somewhere. 
The majority of the time, down here at least someone would be running a boat lane wide open through a reed field no wider than the boat itself. 
They lose control going into a curve, or not slowing enough when another approach’s head on and not having enough room to pull to the side, or even running into someone who’s stationary who suddenly appears. 
 

I’ve been in the boat basin area of Seminole a few times and there are boat lanes that criss cross each other all around there as you approach it. 
Reeds will be 4ft above the boat and you can’t see anything. 
 

Of course I’m not saying that’s what happened, just bringing to mind one of the dangers that can cause this. 
 

Don’t ask how I know 

 

 

 

Mike
 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Terrible 

Seems like every year something like this happens somewhere. 
The majority of the time, down here at least someone would be running a boat lane wide open through a reed field no wider than the boat itself. 
They lose control going into a curve, or not slowing enough when another approach’s head on and not having enough room to pull to the side, or even running into someone who’s stationary who suddenly appears. 
 

I’ve been in the boat basin area of Seminole a few times and there are boat lanes that criss cross each other all around there as you approach it. 
Reeds will be 4ft above the boat and you can’t see anything. 
 

Of course I’m not saying that’s what happened, just bringing to mind one of the dangers that can cause this. 
 

Don’t ask how I know 

 

 

 

Mike
 

The pictures kind of look like the scenario you described 

[Mike L]

34 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The pictures kind of look like the scenario you described 

Yeah

That’s what brought it to mind. 
Happens a lot more than people think when being safe takes a back seat to runnin and gunnin. 
 

Very Sad

 

 

 

Mike

[EWREX]

man that's awful. from what it looks like and described above, the reeds played a huge factor. i don't understand why anyone would be flying through those lanes without some sort of clear path and visibility. tragic

[Glenn]

Nobody thinks it will happen to them....until it does.  So it's worth posting this video again:

 

 

[fin]

I saw a post on another forum that said it happened under a bridge, upstream from the lake itself, in a storm, and the driver's view was blocked by part of his clothing blown into his face. Don't know how reliable that report is.

[Bankbeater]

Terrible news.  

[Boomstick]

Sad

[Zcoker]

Always bad news to hear about tragedies like this. But I've witnessed so many times these boats flat out wide open through the most densely populated places without much regard to much of anything, densely populated as in tons of vegetation along with many other boats and kayaks. Headwaters Lake in Fellsmere, Florida is a prime example, very shallow and covered with vegetation. There's hundreds of boats in a rather small area, all running around as if in a drag race. Heck, even on the long bumpy dirt road leading up to the lake which is posted at 25mph, I have to pull over many times to allow these dudes to go by that want to do 60mph! It's only a matter of time at that place, either on the dirt road or on the lake. I sure hope it never happens but nothing seems to be able to stop them. Folks are going to do what they wanna do, period. 

[soflabasser]

Something needs to be done to prevent events like this happening. There should be a speed limit on all bodies of water, this will help decrease tragedies like the one the OP mentioned. Too often I see boaters speeding in places they should not be, including manatee zones. 

[CrashVector]

On 3/25/2022 at 5:08 AM, GRiver said:

I hate to hear about accidents like this, I feel for all those involved and their families.

I wonder how it happened, the boats are getting faster and all it takes is a “ look away” or look down at what is rolling around in the floor. Things happen so fast.

 

Not that it's the cause in this case since we don't know, but I DO shake my head at people with 200+hp outboards that brag about their bass boat hitting 75+mph.

 

Why does anyone need a fishing boat that can nearly hit 100mph?!  Like you said, things happen really fast on the water.  

 

My hydrasports tops out at 63mph.  I very rarely do above 45.

 

I tore my right bicep muscle pulling a guy over the side of my boat bc he hit a sandbar at wide open throttle and we had to go rescue him.

On 3/25/2022 at 8:58 AM, EWREX said:

man that's awful. from what it looks like and described above, the reeds played a huge factor. i don't understand why anyone would be flying through those lanes without some sort of clear path and visibility. tragic

Because not all boaters are responsible.

[ironbjorn]

Hence why running 60+ mph to get to a spot will never be something I'm foolish enough to do.

[slonezp]

On 3/25/2022 at 6:37 AM, Mike L said:

Terrible 

Seems like every year something like this happens somewhere. 
The majority of the time, down here at least someone would be running a boat lane wide open through a reed field no wider than the boat itself. 
They lose control going into a curve, or not slowing enough when another approach’s head on and not having enough room to pull to the side, or even running into someone who’s stationary who suddenly appears. 
 

I’ve been in the boat basin area of Seminole a few times and there are boat lanes that criss cross each other all around there as you approach it. 
Reeds will be 4ft above the boat and you can’t see anything. 
 

Of course I’m not saying that’s what happened, just bringing to mind one of the dangers that can cause this. 
 

Don’t ask how I know 

 

 

 

Mike
 

Last time I was in FL fishing was maybe 10 or so years ago in February. I was on Lake Toho. The reeds were still dead from the previous year but the lanes thru the reeds were very prominent. I could see how serious issues could occur if the reeds were full blown. 

[schplurg]

Delta has a ton of spots like that. I was bank fishing one day imagining I was in my kayak near the reeds across from me. Suddenly a Sheriff boat came blasting out of the reeds and I was kinda freaked out. There was an opening for it, but if I was crossing it there I'd be dead. But the Delta has lots of dangers so...I dunno. I expect it.

[Zcoker]

15 hours ago, soflabasser said:

Something needs to be done to prevent events like this happening. There should be a speed limit on all bodies of water, this will help decrease tragedies like the one the OP mentioned. Too often I see boaters speeding in places they should not be, including manatee zones. 

 

I don't know about ALL bodies of water but most bodies of water where there are boats allowed have some sort of speed limit posted. Headwaters Lake here in Florida has speed limit posted all over the place but most IGNORE what is posted, even on the dirt roads leading up to the lake, they IGNORE them as if they are invisible. I've seen people flying on narrow one lane levees, like over 70mph when posted at 25mph. Some people just don't care, like the bad apple in the batch, there's always one bad one to ruin it for all the rest of the good ones. 

[A-Jay]

NOTHING will ever stop folks from making bad decisions ~

On water and or on the road.

No Law.

No Rule.

No Speed Limit.

Nothing.

All we can do is our best to operate safely & defensively,

while being ultra vigilant to stay out of their way.

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[purpurite]

Laws and rules are not established to remove stupidity completely—just minimize the overall damage to the rest of us.

[soflabasser]

On 3/29/2022 at 11:28 AM, Zcoker said:

 

I don't know about ALL bodies of water but most bodies of water where there are boats allowed have some sort of speed limit posted. Headwaters Lake here in Florida has speed limit posted all over the place but most IGNORE what is posted, even on the dirt roads leading up to the lake, they IGNORE them as if they are invisible. I've seen people flying on narrow one lane levees, like over 70mph when posted at 25mph. Some people just don't care, like the bad apple in the batch, there's always one bad one to ruin it for all the rest of the good ones. 

Speed limits are needed on all bodies of water and there needs to be better enforcement. This will help prevent tragedies like the one the OP mentioned. I have also seen people ignore speed limit signs on the water, these type of people tend to only care about themselves. For example I see lots of boaters speeding in manatee zones, these people do not care about manatees which are endangered species in Florida. It is no surprise events like this happened and will continue to happen. Fishing is supposed to be a peaceful hobby, not a hobby of driving a boat +60 mph in a place you should not even drive over 20 mph. The boaters that speed are not giving a good impression of the fishing community to people that do not fish. 

On 3/28/2022 at 10:32 PM, CrashVector said:

 

Not that it's the cause in this case since we don't know, but I DO shake my head at people with 200+hp outboards that brag about their bass boat hitting 75+mph.

 

Why does anyone need a fishing boat that can nearly hit 100mph?!  Like you said, things happen really fast on the water.  

 

My hydrasports tops out at 63mph.  I very rarely do above 45.

 

I tore my right bicep muscle pulling a guy over the side of my boat bc he hit a sandbar at wide open throttle and we had to go rescue him.

Because not all boaters are responsible.

There is no need for a bass boat to drive +75 mph, that is faster than what you are allowed to drive on a highway in Florida. No wonder so many high speed accidents happen.

[cyclops2]

The self centered people are always in a hurry.  

 

They are the same people as in the song  ...........Transfusion.........

[Bird]

7 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

The self centered people are always in a hurry.  

 

They are the same people as in the song  ...........Transfusion.........

Yes, it's usually selfish irresponsible people creating dangerous scenarios where others get hurt or loss of life......sad none the less.

[geo g]

Speed and stupidity are always a factor in these crashes!  God bless the families of those injured, and passed!  

[fin]

11 hours ago, Bird said:

Yes, it's usually selfish irresponsible people creating dangerous scenarios where others get hurt or loss of life......sad none the less.

And it seems like most times the person responsible for the accident walks (or runs) away unharmed, and the innocent person is killed or maimed for life. I'm not saying that's the case here. I have no idea.