Ok, let's move away from the "they're watching us!!!!!" tangent.  It's dangerously close to the political line, and we've crossed that recently....several times.  So I'm enacting stricter enforcement.

 

Let's get back to the main topic please.

I think everyone can agree we all want to make the sport safer. Everyone that was involved in that accident lost something. I can’t fathom the weight that man will carry the rest of his life knowing he took the life of others.  

Sorry Glenn. Not trying to get political.

 

And would it be too much trouble to request doubling the number of likes? I ran out by 10am! Ran out of laughs too!

It seems the system in place is to race as fast as possible on public waters in order to get to where you want to be as soon as possible, so you can spend the most time possible catching the most fish possible, in order to get the most money possible.

 I know, that is a long convoluted sentence, but as far as I know, racing on public streets is against the law for a reason. Maybe public waters should be treated the same way. 

4 minutes ago, jbmaine said:

Maybe public waters should be treated the same way.

Minnetonka has a speed limit of 40mph - and it's enforced by the County Sheriff's Water Patrol. They don't catch all the speeders - just like on the roads - but when they do the punishment can include impounding of the boat.

An example I've used before in terms of the liability of tournament organizations is Dominos Pizza.  Those of us who are older remember when they had a policy that if you didn't get your pizza delivery in 30 minutes or less it was free.  They penalized the driver if a pizza was not delivered on time.  The drivers took risk and had accidents.  People got hurt.  Who do you think the lawyers sued,  the guy who delivers pizza for a living or the large corporation he worked for?   Dominos lost several lawsuits and eventually changed their policy.  Sure the drivers were primarily responsible  for the accidents but the lawyers go where the money is.  That's why MLF is being sued.  Clearly the tournament rules reward anglers who take risk so I don't like their chances in court.

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Alabama made everyone that boats there get a certification after all their recent boat wrecks, I had to get one when I went there in may. I learned absolutely nothing, might have even unlearned some things from all that jibberish 

Yes but you’re a bit older, more experienced and wiser. My target group are the youth. But I know your point. Drinking and drug use are a contributing factor. 
 

Has anyone ever presented such kind words towards you before? 😂😂😂

@F14A-B, definitely older…… wiser is debatable 

California now has a boater  safety card you must have to operate a power boat that should help to educate boaters about operating the boat safely.

Most California public lakes have a 35 mph rule, it’s rarely enforced but the 5 mph no wake zones are enforced.

When a bass boat takes off the bow is up and you can’t see over it so you need to look before getting on plane. GPS isn’t accurate enough to use a autopilot at this time, that requires radar.

Be aware and drive responsibly is the only way accidents can be avoided. The old saying speed kills is true, slow down when in doubt!
Tom
 

The accident itself is obviously tragic, but the lawsuit is not that complicated...

 

The boat driver's liability insurance is likely relatively low, most are in the low 6-figures.  The suit/settlement is likely seeking 7 or 8 figures.  In order to get there they need to get the deeper pockets and/or additional smaller pockets involved...Thus, MLF and likely half a dozen other organizations were lumped in. I bet the guide service/operator of the boat that was struck is also named (I haven't read it).  I'm sure they used the strongest and most negative language possible as well.  Lawyers doing lawyer things (which is their job).  

 

MLF and other big tournaments cancel, delay, and postpone tournament days all the time.  They have no reason or pressure send boats out in unsafe conditions...There are no refunds to give and they don't lose anything.  All they have to deal with are upset anglers, who are generally upset all the time no matter what anyway.  MLF may end up settling for some amount just because that might be the most risk-averse thing to do, but not because it's their "fault".  

 

My personal take is that since no actual charges were filed against the driver, authorities didn't find it to be reckless or negligent...Or at least not enough to warrant being charged.  So I'm of the opinion that it was indeed a tragic accident.  As such, it doesn't seem right to me to use it as a platform for or against any personal agendas.  

@Logan S I agree.

2 hours ago, F14A-B said:

Drinking and drug use are a contributing factor.

Minnesota has the exact same penalties for boating under the influence as it does for driving under the influence. What we need is more Sheriff's Patrol Boats out on the water....

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Minnesota has the exact same penalties for boating under the influence as it does for driving under the influence. What we need is more Sheriff's Patrol Boats out on the water....

Absolutely. 

I believe whole heartedly that safety on the water is a platform everyone can agree with. Perhaps eventually, others will agree. 

9 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

I hate to sound like Blauket, but I’m in favor of going back to the old 150 H/P rule. Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, et al will never let that happen but I’d be in favor of it. 
 

Many said the big electronics sponsors; humminbird, Garmin; would never let them turn back from livescope.

1 minute ago, MassBass said:

Many said the big electronics sponsors; humminbird, Garmin; would never let them turn back from livescope.

They haven’t “turned back”. Both

B.A.S.S. and mlf have restricted its use in one way or another in their top series only, to my understanding. The lower divisions still use FFS. 

6 hours ago, Logan S said:

The accident itself is obviously tragic, but the lawsuit is not that complicated...

 

The boat driver's liability insurance is likely relatively low, most are in the low 6-figures.  The suit/settlement is likely seeking 7 or 8 figures.  In order to get there they need to get the deeper pockets and/or additional smaller pockets involved...Thus, MLF and likely half a dozen other organizations were lumped in. I bet the guide service/operator of the boat that was struck is also named (I haven't read it).  I'm sure they used the strongest and most negative language possible as well.  Lawyers doing lawyer things (which is their job).  

 

MLF and other big tournaments cancel, delay, and postpone tournament days all the time.  They have no reason or pressure send boats out in unsafe conditions...There are no refunds to give and they don't lose anything.  All they have to deal with are upset anglers, who are generally upset all the time no matter what anyway.  MLF may end up settling for some amount just because that might be the most risk-averse thing to do, but not because it's their "fault".  

 

My personal take is that since no actual charges were filed against the driver, authorities didn't find it to be reckless or negligent...Or at least not enough to warrant being charged.  So I'm of the opinion that it was indeed a tragic accident.  As such, it doesn't seem right to me to use it as a platform for or against any personal agendas.  

So what is the “personal agendas” you are referring to?  Family members seeking  accountability from those who contributed to the death of a loved one, or the voices who are advocating for measures to promote public safety?

5 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

They haven’t “turned back”. Both

B.A.S.S. and mlf have restricted its use in one way or another in their top series only, to my understanding. The lower divisions still use FFS. 

The writings on the wall for these advanced electronics. Last year when I stopped at Bass Pro shops, their center display was all high priced electronic monitors. This year, that same display was all new reels. I didn't even see the electronics. Doesn't matter how influential a sponsor is, if ratings are down and fewer people see plugs for the sponsor, it's worthless.

11 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

The lower divisions still use FFS. 

Well, they just announced half the 2026 opens prohibit FFS.

Glenn I just did a search to find out what changes MLF was going to implement and I found this:

 

In the wake of the incident, MLF announced several rule changes to improve safety. These include: 

 

Reduced electronics: Boats are now limited to two forward-facing or 360-degree sonar transducers in any combination.

 

Limited screen height: Bow-mounted screens cannot extend vertically more than 18 inches, and console screens cannot extend more than 16 inches. These changes are intended to maximize the driver's visibility while the boat is in motion.

 

In response to concerns that excessive speed and high-tech electronics compromise safety, MLF announced the following changes to limit the use of forward-facing sonar (FFS) and 360-degree transducers: 

 

Bass Pro Tour: Anglers are restricted to using FFS for only one of the three periods during a tournament day.

 

Tackle Warehouse Invitationals: FFS is permitted on day one and the final championship day, but it is banned on day two. Anglers must cover their transducers with a high-visibility cap on the non-FFS day.

 

High School Fishing: The use of FFS technology is prohibited entirely during competition.

 

That is all I could find for now. I think a lot of people will be looking to see what changes are coming.

 

I was kind of surprised by some of the lawsuit claims:

 

Key allegations in the lawsuits include:

 

MLF created a culture that encouraged excessive speeds by failing to regulate this "most dangerous and deadliest factor" in its events.

 

MLF did not have adequate safety protocols in place, such as consulting with local marine officials, conducting safety briefings, or verifying that participants had the proper boating licenses.

 

MLF knowingly permitted high-speed boating in conditions of limited visibility, which created a foreseeable and unreasonable risk of death.

 

MLF is vicariously liable for the actions of tournament angler Flint Davis, who is accused of operating his boat at an unsafe speed.

 

 

Failure to verify proper boating licenses. I was not aware this was something MLF was responsible for?

3 hours ago, OldManLure said:

So what is the “personal agendas” you are referring to?  Family members seeking  accountability from those who contributed to the death of a loved one, or the voices who are advocating for measures to promote public safety?

Since no one actually knows what happened, it's pretty much all personal agendas...And manatees too, apparently.  

 

I was simply stating the reason I wasn't going to share mine.  

Makes sense.  The manatee angle hadn't occurred to me. 

While I see an argument to be made for removing the oversized screens blocking the console, a return to the 18’ boat/150hp cap, and other rule changes (I strongly support the first two), there’s too many other variables at play to make a qualified judgement.

 

I’ve heard multiple stories as to where the other boat was positioned - some stated it was in a really bad spot, others say it was in the open. Does anyone know for certain? The “foggy/congested” argument doesn’t hold much water either - these conditions are a regular part of tournaments, without incidents like this taking place.

 

The only “victory” will be for the lawyers involved. They will get their cut and slither off to their next abomination with no regard for the chaos created in their wake. 

It was the livescope’s fault at 70 mph? I don’t know if y’all realize it but all these rule changes and chatter about livescope is darn near worshipping the thing. It’s so wonderful and magical that you’re only allowed to use it a third of the time? That only keeps everyone talking about it for years to come, selling more and more of them. And now it’s even getting blamed for a high speed crash. Hell, come to think of it, livescope stole my wife and kids 

I hope MLF can hold the line and is victorious in this suit. 

TnRiver46 said: "It’s so wonderful and magical that you’re only allowed to use it a third of the time?"

 

I agree. 1/3 of the time? How does this make sense? Its like saying we are 2/3 of the way to a total ban. Almost there.

 

I am glad they are now reducing the screen sizes in front of the driver though. They were really beginning to block more and more forward view. I bet this will play a large role in the lawsuits.

 

There has got to be a better way.

 

 

 

The lawyers and their lawsuits may start looking at boat manufacturers to blame for how the boats are designed that could be considered behind what led to this situation. But MLF did allow it. If they go that route then maybe the brands and manufacturers who made them are also going to be dragged into this before its all over.

 

Clearly change is here and more is to come for sure.