Some sources are indicating fog was not an issue.

I know jt wasn’t foggy here in HSV, but then again, it can be foggy at my house and not across the street…

These pics underscore the violence of the impact:

 

 

 

18 hours ago, bishoptf said:

Just wanted to say that i went back and watched the latest flint davis youtube tournament video and his seat already had the seat cut on it so that appears not to be from the accident. For whatever reason it almost appears that the nitro logo was cut out of the seat (min 4:40 of the latest video). Just thought I would at least pass that along.

 

Really sad day all the way around. 

That's honestly a relief. It looked a little weathered on second glance but still kind of a chilling sight. Thanks for looking into it

The following is regarding the accident during the NPFL tournament on Lake Norman:

 

Wildlife officers said the bass boat struck another boat while traveling 50-60 mph. The impact knocked both boaters into the water.  It happened shortly after 7 a.m. in the area of Lake Norman State Park in Troutman.

 

Authorities said Jesse Ayers, who caused the crash, was participating in the tournament. The other boat operator was fishing but was not part of the tournament.

 

They were wearing life jackets, and there were boaters nearby who helped.

 

“One boat heard the crash and turned around and went up to go help render aid,” said Wildlife Officer Michael Lott. “And then there was a pontoon boat passing by that saw the aftermath of everything and helped get the other operator out.”

 

Ayers was charged with careless and reckless operation of a boat.

 

The men were hospitalized, and their injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Glenn said:

Authorities said Jesse Ayers, who caused the crash, was participating in the tournament

I’m not surprised. At the end of the day, you’re responsible for your vehicle. Water is different than a paved road.

Very odd that North Carolina was able to determine all the relevant facts in order to charge and assign blame to one party, yet Alabama hasn't released any relevant facts or ruled which party was at fault. 

 

Pretty sure the NPFL angler was charged yesterday as well. 

Local news reported that all three deaths at Smith Lake were passengers/fisherman. One passenger and the captain survived. All three causes of death are being ruled blunt force trauma. 

6 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Very odd that North Carolina was able to determine all the relevant facts in order to charge and assign blame to one party, yet Alabama hasn't released any relevant facts or ruled which party was at fault. 

 

Pretty sure the NPFL angler was charged yesterday as well. 

I'm guessing the investigations are different since survival outcomes, real and potential consequences are all different between the two incidents

Last year when a college angler was killed in a tournament, one of the coaches said, "**** happens".

 

Yesterday, one of the MLF competitors said, "stuff happens"

 

I am astounded that folks deep in major tournament circles seem to accept deadly boat accidents as inevitable.  There's a culture problem that won't be solved by waiting for 'personal responsibility' to take over.

Are Drug and Alcohol Tests Given to Participants Before Competition Begins?

6 hours ago, Smirak said:

All three causes of death are being ruled blunt force trauma. 

That’s interesting, everything I’ve seen said two drowned.

 

I don't know this person and this is the first of his posts I've watched. I found it with google. He was there competing and went by the center console about 20 minutes or so before the wreck. At the 4:35 mark you can see some mist, but no fog. (There is a big smudge on his camera lens that he is aware of.)

At around the 5:00 mark he passes the center console.

 

He doesn't draw any real conclusions. He just posted some of his GoPro recording.

 

If you keep watching he shows charts and tracks of the location.

_________

edited to add a screen shot of his vid taken with my phone. My cursor is pointing to the center console

 

 

The faster you are moving, the less time you have to react. Seems like it's just time to slow down.

2 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

That’s interesting, everything I’ve seen said two drowned.

Here’s my local…

 

https://www.waff.com/2025/04/19/coroner-boaters-failed-follow-safety-regulations-after-smith-lake-crash/

The faster you go the more fishing time you have.  The rules favor those who take risk.  I think the people who make the rules bear some responsibility.  Before B.A.S.S. raised the maximum horsepower limit,  you rarely saw a bass boat with more than 150 HP.  Now 250 HP is common.  This makes tournaments more dangerous but it also makes every day on every lake more dangerous.   That B.A.S.S. change has killed a lot of people. 

10 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

The faster you go the more fishing time you have.  The rules favor those who take risk.  I think the people who make the rules bear some responsibility.  Before B.A.S.S. raised the maximum horsepower limit,  you rarely saw a bass boat with more than 150 HP.  Now 250 HP is common.  This makes tournaments more dangerous but it also makes every day on every lake more dangerous.   That B.A.S.S. change has killed a lot of people. 

I guess for me its a lot like the other issues that we as country has and how you feel like they should be addressed. For me it comes down to personal responsibility, the person driving the boat, car etc..is the only one responsible. Trying to limit things impacts other responsible folks, its really hard to regulate human stupidity. We could place hp limits on all the lakes but we know thats not going to happen.

 

Really a sad day for everyone involved.

8 hours ago, bishoptf said:

I guess for me its a lot like the other issues that we as country has and how you feel like they should be addressed. For me it comes down to personal responsibility, the person driving the boat, car etc..is the only one responsible. Trying to limit things impacts other responsible folks, its really hard to regulate human stupidity.

In the 80s Dominos pizza had a 30 minute delivery guarantee.  If they didn't get it to you in 30 minutes it was free.  They penalized the drivers if the pizza didn't get there on time.  This caused the drivers to take risk.  The risky driving led to accidents.  The accidents led to lawsuits against Dominos.  The lawsuits led to Dominos changing their policy.  No more free pizza.   

 

The stupid boaters get to the spot first in tournaments.  That's not fair to the anglers who act responsible.  It certainly not fair to the others on the lakes who might get hit by the stupid boaters.  We have speed limits on roads.  No reason we can't have them on lakes in tournaments.  Tournament directors can disqualify those who break tournament speed limits.  It's not perfect but it's better than the free for all we have now.

The answer to these tragedies is never kneejerk reactions, and new laws/regulations.  

 

I get that people's first reaction many times is to stifle personal freedoms, but that's almost never the right answer.  

It’s a complex issue to be sure, but it’s gotta be up to the tournament organizers to re-think the rule book. The waterway is busier than it’s ever been and I’d argue the fishermen by and large are younger than they’ve ever been. 3 people died at the hand of a fast boat w a 22 yo operator. Waterways are now full of folks  kayaking .. like I stated earlier, it’s a complex issue but it seems like a couple things could be quickly addressed for the sake of all rec users. 
 

Just my opinion on this. 

"I get that people's first reaction many times is to stifle personal freedoms"

 

Let's say the tournament organizers decide to limit the entrants to 50 mph. Or 35 mph. No personal freedoms have been stifled. The tournament is a business. The entrants are there voluntarily and have to agree in writing to obey the tournament rules. 

They agree to all of the other tournament rules that do not apply to people out fishing for the day for the pure enjoyment of it. You know the other rules: don't fish here, don't fish there, don't use live bait or cut bait, start when we tell you, stop when we tell you, etc. Those rules don't stifle any freedoms. The entrants have the freedom to not enter if they don't like them. 

15 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Very odd that North Carolina was able to determine all the relevant facts in order to charge and assign blame to one party, yet Alabama hasn't released any relevant facts or ruled which party was at fault. 

 

Pretty sure the NPFL angler was charged yesterday as well. 

 

Nobody DIED in the NPFL accident.  When a death is involved in any accident (auto, work related, hiking, biking, whatever) the investigation takes on a whole new level of scrutiny.  Therefore, it takes much longer to determine causes (um...not "blame") and any relevant criminal charges.

 

 

I've typed out a few different responses to this but ultimately I don't feel right being critical until the official details are known.  I do have some pretty strong feelings based on what's currently known though.

 

Having said that, it seems established now that in the MLF incident weather/fog was not a factor and it happened well after and away from the launch site.  The "blame" on the tournament operation, boat speeds, etc seem a bit misplaced to me....Though I will say many of my feelings about this related to the industry as a whole and the environment it's been fostering.  

 

I do hope for the best and send condolences to all families impacted by the incidents..

Why does it seem misplaced? It's normal in any kind of organized group event, races, parades, concerts, etc. The fishing tournament organizers set the launch time, they approved the 250 hp limit, they set the time limit on the fishing, and they have deep pockets and I assume they have lots and lots of insurance. One line of reasoning is that they didn't properly supervise their entrants/participants. Everyone connected is going to be named in the legal actions. Some will be dropped along the way, but they will be paying up and hiring lawyers.

 

www.cbs42.com/news/victims-injured-in-smith-lake-boating-crash-plan-to-file-lawsuit/

 

"BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The families of two men seriously injured in a crash involving two boats on Smith Lake during a Major League Fishing tournament have retained legal counsel.

Friday afternoon we sat down with Ken Riley, of Farris, Riley and Pitt. He said that they plan to file a lawsuit next week on behalf of Gary Holcombe and Luke Morgan. He said both men were seriously injured in Wednesday’s crash on Smith Lake"

15 minutes ago, Johnbt said:

Why does it seem misplaced?

Because the TD didn't send them out in unsafe conditions.  It wasn't an issue with a congested launch.  Tournament rules on motors have been the same for decades and the HP number on the back doesn't force the driver to go fast.  

 

This is just my opinion, you don't have to agree with me.