06-28-2018, 09:00 AM
Friday night with Jeremy Davis and the first night tournament of the CFF group turned into an experience that we have the chance to pass along to everyone who travels on the waterway of our country. <br />I can get excited at times, a bit nervous too, but what we survived Friday night needs to be shared because it may save your life and some other IDIOT who does not know boating etiquette and safety!!<br />We had been back in Wolftever creek and decided to head back to Chester Frost to fish the last hour of the tournament at 1 am. Made the turn on the main river for the final run to the park entrance. Another boater is driving down the river with his night lights on. Maybe a MILLION candle power...lol. Problem arises right away. This guy is running with his lights on non stop,<br />The Proper way for night travel around other boats is to turn on the lights just long enough to see the water is clear of obstructions and turn them off so you DO NOT BLIND everyone else on the water. Needless to say this boater did not follow this rule.<br />Jeremy was running about 35 mph in a boat that will do 60mph. It&#39;s dark and vision is very limited so slower driving is called for. With his lights in our faces from 2 miles away we see NOTHING but WHITE LIGHT!!! Jeremy eases back on the throttle and we are both looking for the main river navigation buoys. We flash our lights at the other boat to turn off their lights to no avail. Jeremy scans his gps on the boat for the buoy location and we CENTER the buoy!!!<br />Crestliner Boats make one of the best aluminum bass boats I have ever ridden in. This boat is a tank and we are very happy for that reason. If it were a fiberglass boat the entire nose would have been torn off of it. Luckily he had slowed enough to keep the boat from flipping over. The impact was hard enough that the trolling motor flew past my head by inches. Minn Kota Ultrex and a new Hummingbird flat screen gone. A couple rods not lucky either. <br />After a good 10 minutes floating in the river we both got our spinter muscles to relax enough to let go of the seats and assess the damage.<br />Driving a car takes training. Operating a boat does too!!! Just because you can afford the payments and you can drive a motor vehicle does NOT make you a boat operator. <br />Tournament fishing has created an entire new class of ASSHATS of a few that give no quarter of yielding right of way or safety to others. By All Means People sign up and take the Boaters Safety Course offered by TWRA!!! Yes those born after Feb 1st, 1989 are required by law to take this course to operate a motorized watercraft. Everyone should take this course no matter how long you have been operating a boat.<br />Please Be Careful Out There!!!!!<br />Ok after that rant we did weigh a limit. Had 3 fish in the first hour and only 2 slicks after that when the moon went down. Flipping docks with ugly bugs and spinnerbaits. Texas rig worms got some actions too. There were some very nice sacs and big fish brought to the scales. Great job by all...<br />