Marshal thrown from boat....Biffle and Jones penalized

[5bass]

Over the weekend, the Elite Series fished the Mississippi River in Iowa. Coming out of the lock, Marty Stone lost control of his boat and threw his marshal overboard.

Marty Stone filed a complaint with BASS against Tommy Biffle and Alton Jones because they didnt stop to help the marshal get back to Marty's boat. BASS penalized Biffle and Jones one hour fishing time on the final day.

Biffle claims that when he came upon the accident, there were already 5 or 6 other boats there helping out, so instead of stopping and further clogging the area, he kept going. Same thing with Jones. Biffle claims that the one hour penalty probably cost him the tournament....he started the final day in 2nd place. Biffle is mad.

[jimmieO]

didn't hear about this one. just heard about the one being thrown over on the first day.....

That river is a baaaaaaaaaaaad momma

[skeetermike]

The driver of the boat that lost it is reaching :'( bc he couldn't control his boat!!!  Afterall, those of us that have fell outa a bass boat know that the aid of another boat isn't going to help much.  I always boarded mine from the back cause you can use the motor to get in.  I'm sure the Marshal knew that.  Is there a penalty for whining!  

[bmadd]

I don't really know what to think about this one. After reading about what happened when the marshal Derek Remitiz's boat and then from Marty Stone's boat it seems as if there was a huge difference in opinion on what to do. I don't think they should have been penalized but I can't imagine just passing the scene of an accident where you don't know if someone is alright or not to go on and fish for $100,000. Just mpo. I know they say that it was congested but they could have just as easily moved over to see how he was. They said 50 something boats stopped on day 1  :-/

[chitown]

I missed this post and started one not as good.

My concern is always safety . I have never been thrown from a boat.

What worries me if I were I hope I would not get run over. and if I

were driving I hope I am alert and act fast enough to avoid any further mishaps.  It is hard to believe 2 incidents in day one with Marshals.  Some times we do not hear all the facts or

circumstances only what they post or tell us.

I have never heard of a camera man thrown from boat. let us hope

that this is a eyeopener for safety concerns.

 

[Stephen Mick]

Here's what I know, through my friends who fish the Elites

1. The two incidents were very different. Derek hit a log/stump that nobody saw until it was too late. Remitz knows how to handle his boat, but with three inches of rain, stuff gets flushed into the river, and sometimes these things happen. From what I hear, Marty's boat hit the wake of a competitor and his marshal wasn't holding on. He just got bounced, plain an simple.

2. If you come upon an accident of any kind, you should stop. As one of them told me, there could be ten guys already on the scene, but if you're the one guy who has cell phone service out there, and someone is seriously injured, you could save a life. Even if you see the marshal swimming, you still can't tell how badly he may be hurt.

I've heard stories of what can happen on the water. When I'm in the boat, and we're running, I turn my camera off and I hold on.

--SM

[bmadd]

#2 is exactly the point I was trying to make. And I'm sure Biffle is mad about his penalty and I don't know his character but I hope he realizes what could have happened to that marshal.

[fishfordollars]

Just goes to show you it can happen to anyone at any time. Wear those PFDs.

[skeetermike]

Bounced out while going over another boats waves huh.  Thats why I drive a well built, great handling boat.  I don't push it and I usually wear my pfd but I know it will take care of me.  I've been scared to death before in other boats, Tidecraft, older Rangers, Nitros, ect.  As far as the logs.  I've seen way too many lakes that need logs sawed off during late sumer months.  The idiots leave them right out in the middle of the boat lanes!!!  I've seen rebar sticking up at the last min.  Those are obstacles that can be elimiated, accidents waiting to happen!  Now the rivers are a very different, and dangerous type of water to navigate on.  Sandbars mysteriously appear up outa the middl of nowhere, trees get washed in ect.  In my opinion Skeeter makes one of the best boats out there.  My buddy almost had a head on the other day by a Skeeter with a 250 and a Ranger with a 250 right on his tail.  It was take off from a tourn. and they met at a bad curve in the main lake.  My buddy drives a Trition but said he's never seen anything like what the Skeeter did to avoid an accident.  The boat made a sharp cut at 70+ mph.  I told him my boat will probably do that.... i've never had to find out though.  

[cart7t]

...... My buddy drives a Trition but said he's never seen anything like what the Skeeter did to avoid an accident. The boat made a sharp cut at 70+ mph. I told him my boat will probably do that.... i've never had to find out though.

you mean something like this?

[Tin]

I find this hard to believe that both just drove by unless the situation was in hand with Jones being the Christian that he is and I know and have fished with Tommy Biffle several times.

[flechero]

I find this hard to believe that both just drove by unless the situation was in hand with Jones being the Christian that he is and I know and have fished with Tommy Biffle several times.

Kind of what I was thinking.  Christian or not, he's a good guy and I doubt he'd go by unless the situation was well under control.

With so many witnesses, I find it curious that we have so few facts.

[Stephen Mick]

Why would you have "facts?" Nobody involved has any interest in talking about these incidents. Not BASS. Not the anglers involved. Nobody.

I think the only "fact" one needs to know is that Jones and Biffle were penalized for their actions (or non-actions). BASS would not take that step without multiple eyewitness accounts from other anglers and marshals.

[Tin]

I can definatley see Biffle going back to the FLW after this year. First he spoke out about BASS cutting the event short on (....can't remember) and not letting 50 fish, only 12. And now this. I hope he pulls a Luke Clausen. ;D

[Mottfia]

Why did Luke Clausen go straight FLW?

Mottfia

[Tin]

Why did Luke Clausen go straight FLW?

Mottfia

Don't know, but I would love to see Biffle win his first Classic and then walk away from BASS.

[Tyde one]

I think the penalty is bs. When did bass fishermen turn into a bunch of wimps. Everybody needs to man up and quit whining. This country is so demasculated these days. Biffle has every right to be mad. I would be kicking a little whiny butt if it was my tourney. Jeez guys grow up.

[skjstein]

Have been fishin and not on site for awhile.  I was a marshall riding with Skeet that day and saw it all happen.  Probably around 25 boats shooting out of the lock like a shotgun.  Skeet was smart and was well to the side of the pack.  There was a bit of rain coming down and with everyone going 70mph when one guy cut across Marty there was no time for him react when his boat hit the big wake.  He shot directly to the right and the marshall got thrown.  He admitted he wasn't holding on but was still shaken by the even.  When we saw it happen there was no question we were stopping to help along with all the boats that saw it.  We came from quite a distance to help.  Tommy and Alton didn't stop and they should have they were directly behind the accident, I was afraid they were going to hit the marshall.    I was also with Evers the first day when Remitz hit the log.  It wasn't there the day before.  Everyone stopped to help and stopped fishing.  While we were waiting for the paramedics we prayed for the hurt marshall and Gerald Swindle, a really cool guy, reiterated that "man these guys just want to watch us fish, this guy is more important than any fish or winning a tournament."  All the guys agreed and waited together.  These guys are all gentleman and care about their marshalls.  I don't think Biffle or Jones didn't care, I'm guessing they were surprised and didn't really consider what happened.   Running with a pack at 70mph or through a shoot on a river at 70mph is dangerous. You all didn't hear about another boat that ran ashore coming around a hairpin turn when another boat was coming from the blind side.  Honestly speed is the issue.  I hate to say it but I think they need to slow down when they are taking off and when they are in skinny areas.  I don't want anyone getting killed.  

[flechero]

There was a bit of rain coming down and with everyone going 70mph..... We came from quite a distance to help. Tommy and Alton didn't stop and they should have they were directly behind the accident, I was afraid they were going to hit the marshall.

Between rain, rooster tails, 70 mph, "quite a distance" and all those other boats, you sure paid good attention to the 3 or 4 boats involved... like you were psycic or something. :

If they were going 70 as you say then it's probably a good bet they couldn't have stopped from "right behind" the incident... not actually hitting the marshall, or another boat in the chaos seems like helping out to me.

You and the umpteen other boats that were further away had ample time to safely stop and render aid, without CAUSING further danger to the situation.

Nope, I wasn't there but I haven't seen or heard any good info suggesting those two were "wrong", beyond the stop and render rule... but at what point do too many helpers cause more danger than the intent of the rule. That rule (which is law in most states) is on the books to keep people from being stranded out there without help, not to penalize a couple guys who in your own words were right behind it and lucky not to be involved.

[Tin]

I'm with flechero on this one. My stopping they would have caused more boats for those behind them to dodge.

[Glenn]

Side note:  At ICAST, I met the marshal who was injured.  He's a heck of a guy, and a member here.  His shoulder was messed up in the incident, but he's healing well.  It could have been much, much worse.

Just thankful everything worked out well in the end.

Glenn

[I Love BassResource]

I read this post and it pretty much put the whole incident in perspective for me.  I'm not going to assume I know what happened, and make "virtual" judgments based on what I "think" may have happened.  As much as people here may dislike the folks at BASS, Weldon's, crew reviewed the incident, and took the action they deemed necessary.

The facts will not come out on this one. There are issues involved that would offend quality individuals. The matters and comments which lead to the penalties were filmed by ESPN cameras and thus the penalty. Trip had reason to be upset and issue the penalties, and that is what matters.

One of the parties involved in the incident let their emotions overshoot their actions and the resulting post was an indirect result of that. There are innocent people involved who do not deserve to be mentioned and made only a minor mistake, which lead to the situation that developed.

We also respect Marty Stone for not commenting. He is taking a rashing over this, and could come away clean on the incident and penalties. Though it would effect the feelings of those spoken about above.

He's taking the high road and sacrificing for protection of others.

[Clark Stewart]

I've been to smaller tourneys where Marty Stone was at - he's known to cry a little. It's for reasons like this and Aaron Martens that I prefer FLW to BASS. With FLW you still have big names but they can just as easily get spanked by my wife's uncle who's a mechanic 5 days a week!

As for helping get back in a boat I'd freak if I fell overboard and another boat tried to help me get on my boat. That's what they put the motor switch on the motor itself. I don't know. I just get a visual of my head getting crushed between two boats. And for some reason Travis Tritt is singing in the background about not loving anymore or something