Big time accident on Bull Shoals

Heard on the news this morning that two boat collided in the dark on Bull Shoals Saturday night about 2300. Killed one guy on the speed boat and put the two guys on the bass boat in the hospital. There were 7 people on both boats, 5 on a speed boat and 2 on the bass boat. The bass guys were fishing a tournement out of Bull Shoals Boat Dock, the speed boat folks were on vacation and staying in Theodosisa, MO. They were up around Marker 12 at Pontiac and in about 140 feet of water. The still haven't found the body of the one guy on the speed boat. No clear cause of the collision was cited, but I bet speed, dark and driver inattention were a big part.

Bottom line, be safe out there, watch out for the other guy, cause he may not be watching out for you. Tight lines.

Found out first hand this weekend why its so important to have a seperate hand held light on the boat at night. Following the fireworks show at Brady Mt some folks were returning to North Shores on Ouachita and missed there turn. They were going up a arm we were nightstalking in and heading right for us. I started flashing them whent they got about 50 yards away and they shut it down. The guy told me he wouldnt have hit me as he thought we were campers on a point and he was just going around the point. Keep in mind we had 2 tiki torches burning, 4 brinkman starfires and a 1 mantle lantern on a shepards hook that was about 15 feet over the water. Hard liquor and horsepower dont mix sometimes.

Hey Gooch,

I guess he thought that there are quite a few Las Vegas Casinos located on points on Ouachita??????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gooch

....... Hard liquor and horsepower dont mix sometimes.

---

Man that's the truth. I've been in one bad boating collision, late one Summer night in '79, up past Twin Creeks on Ouachita...... with the others being "chemically impaired operators", IMO. We had running lights and a hand held light waving but still were T-boned and almost cut in half. Come dark, my boat's lit like a Christmas tree if on any travelled waters!

I feel for all families invoved.

Tommy

The bad news is another of the guys in the boating accident died this morning at a Springfield, MO hospital. He was 63 and fishing a bass tournement with his son out of Bull Shoals Marina. The still haven't located the body of the driver of the speed boat. From what Game and Fish is saying the accident investigation is now focusing on the lighting of the boats. But, even with great lighting, if you ain't paying attention it don't matter. Be safe, tight lines.

The boating accident news is certainly sad to hear and sounds as though it could have / should have been prevented. I will be thinking about the families and my own boating safety habits.

Dude what boating safety do we have other than fish from a boat thats lit up so bright the National Guard heilocoper training missions divert to see what the heck we are?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DeepThoughts

The boating accident news is certainly sad to hear and sounds as though it could have / should have been prevented. I will be thinking about the families and my own boating safety habits.

---

That's very sad to hear. I hope that everyone reading this takes warning, as it just may save someone's life...I know that I am taking that warning. Everyone be safe out on the water at night this summer...

As much time as I spend on the water I know I still haven't seen it all. Heck, there are apparently enough people who can't safely operate a boat and don't see other boaters (me in particular when I'm fishing getting waked all the time) during the daytime let alone at night.

I haven't been able to fish in a couple of months because my wife's mom is living with us again. Her cancer came back so we are doing our best to take care of granny. We only have one truck so if I go to the lake there is no transportation here for them if they need to go somewhere. But the fish aren't going anywhere and will be there when I get back out. Since my boat has been sitting for two months, do you guys reccomend I put the hose to the motor and run it some, just to keep the seals and stuff working? I have no idea when I'll get back on the water. Tight lines.

They finally located the body of the ski boat operator yesterday in 140' of water using sonar and side scan radar. So that brings the toal to 2 dead and 5 wounded, and two boats destroyed.