catfish170, the Chick, CFF #8, 06/15/2018, Jeremy Davis

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catfish170

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
222
Location
Sparta, TN
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.
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!!
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,
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.
Jeremy was running about 35 mph in a boat that will do 60mph. It'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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Please Be Careful Out There!!!!!
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...
 
Hate to hear that guys. Glad both of you made it out safe. Very scary situation. I've been looking into crestliner myself. What boat are you running?
 
Glad you guys are okay. Sorry to hear about this. Driving at night on the waterways is dangerous. I have learned the number one rule outside of the lights is to slow down.
 
can't remember what model # but its barely a year old and the 18 ft model. If it's affordable enough my recommendation is the new 20 ft model. Lots of ROOM!!!
 
Yes I know! That thing has a dance floor up front! That's the one I've been eyeing but I just have no baseline or knowledge of newer aluminum boats that size. The good old question of aluminum or fiberglass? That pt20 is enticing tho
 
Lights of all sorts are somewhat dangerous. As Terry & I were coming into CF, I slowed way off plane and was in a trail of a pontoon, (not visiable) rear light was mounted on the hardtop real close to surface & was not visiable from back from our view. I got close enough to literally have to jerk my tub too right to avoid rear ending them....could smell STINKY from my tub as well as theirs...closer than I want...slow was better......... emoGeezer emoUSA
 
I saw the same boat with his spotlights on full blast as we were heading back into cfp from downstream about 1:00-1:15 Am. I flashed my spotlight at him multiple times but it didnt faze him. Lucky we didnt hit something too. Glad you guys are ok.
 
when in doubt, let out. If I cant see, Im not in the throttle. Ive drilled a buoy before and had several near misses at night. I was out Friday night as well and there were some real idiots running the river for sure. glad no one was hurt!
 
Happy to hear both of you are alright. Bummer damaging the boat. Maybe Tennessee should follow New Hampshire, no grandfather rule on completing the boating safety course. Everyone has to be certified, in state and visitors. Ruins a night when you had fish.
 
Man, glad you guys are alright. That’s scary. I’m not sure if it was the same boat, but we saw a bowfishing boat that was blinding everyone down around pinky’s....
 
Creekrunner6 - 6/18/2018 2:41 PM

I saw the same boat with his spotlights on full blast as we were heading back into cfp from downstream about 1:00-1:15 Am. I flashed my spotlight at him multiple times but it didnt faze him. Lucky we didnt hit something too. Glad you guys are ok.

White boat with dual headlights and black lights bow and stern Creekrunner? If so that was him. He was coming down river headed toward The yacht club/pinkies point around 1230 am and his lights are way to bright. Whited out my vision and by the time I could see enough to check my GPS BAM!!!! And yes guys slow down at night. That's why I was only running about half throttle and started slowing down more when I got blinded but you cant just stop your boat either because that puts you at the mercy of the on coming boat because you have no momentum to get out of the way I need be
 
Good report. I think I have seen that boat around wolftever and they dont care about blinding people. Lit the bank all up where I was fishing
 

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