chickamauga-would you tow in a fellow angler even if you're fishing a tournament

[decaturbullet]

No question—I would and have! The Karma thing for sure!

 

[elwestb]

Yea, I have done it before!

 

[Jmax]

As long as you were safe I am afraid I would be like the guy who said he would come back after the weigh in. There is another choice, I would take one of you to the wolf while the other trolled to Island Cove boat ramp. You could have gotten out there probably since you were broke down. And yes, get tow boat. emoAngel Jmax

 

[SethColeman]

Yes I would, I have done it several times personally. Me and a partner have done it fishing a tournament before as well. I too have been broken down without assistance during a tournament, took me over 40 mins to troll back to ramp. I also have towboat now, but sometimes it’s quicker having another angler or boater pull you in. Take my number down, and if you’re ever out their again and I’m out there, call me. I’ll do the best I can for you. SETH 423 316 9162

 

[Gator]

When fishing is more important than helping out someone in trouble it’s time to rethink priorities JMO!

 

[SoddyDaddy]

I could understand leaving someone stranded if you were fishing the Bassmasters, but for anything less.....
When I was younger and had a crappy (not crappie) boat, I was pulled in a few times.
One time we got pulled to the nearest dock and had to get a ride back to the ramp to get the trailer. I knew I was in trouble when the driver of the boat taking me back to the trailer put on a crash helmet and said, “Are you afraid to go fast?”.

 

[Rob Lee]

I couldn’t.

 

[half]

It is no fun to be on the lake broken down. We may not be able to tow all the way back to where they put in, but we can get them to nearest safe place. This way they can get help. To many things can go wrong if left on the water. They may not be as an experience boater as some people, low trolling motor battery charge, medical problem just to name a few.

To all of you tournament guys, you would be wanting someone to come to your aid if you had a big bag and broke down right before time to leave for weigh in.

 

[occasionalfisher]

I grew up fishing at Lake Weiss in Alabama, and if you know that lake, you know there is always a chance someone is going to lose a lower unit at anytime. I have towed in multiple people over the years there, never gave it a second thought.
A few years ago my dad and I got stranded while fishing a Tuesday night tourney in Georgia and one of our competitors came by we waved him down and he towed me and the boat to the nearest ramp and another friend took my dad back to the launch ramp to get the truck and trailer.
You might not want to always help, especially if you paid a big entry fee, but you have to help others out on the water. It is the anglers code, you help if you can, you make sure they are safe because you never know when it might be you in the same situation.

 

[porthos33]

TR20bh - 3/4/2018 11:33 AM Yes, I believe tournament anglers should always offer assistance to a distressed boater. Doesn't mean you should always tow them. Brent & I towed a family in a pontoon that broke down during a CBA a few years ago. But I also would not try to pull a grounded boat off a bar last year. I called TowBoat for them, but I've blown an engine trying to get a grounded boat free years back and won't do that again!

This is a great question. I have towed people in many times, but not in a TX. The guys fishing till 2 were probably fishing the big bass splash and we were all fishing for a lot of money and a boat. In that case I would make sure you were ok and asses the situation from there. I would definitely take the other guy to the ramp to come get you.</p>

Now for the guys on sand bars......Man saturday was a tough learning day for a lot of guys this weekend!! I counted 9 boats that beached while on plane!! Never seen so many in my life. Every spot I went there would be another boat stuck. It was just to overwhelming!! To all those guys, please invest in lake master!! Just b/c you see water doesn't mean You can run over it. Most were so far into the shallows that I couldn't even get to them! I would be sick blowing my motor trying to get someone unstuck!!</p>

 

[Volfish]

Amem!

 

[fischnrod]

Get a good trolling motor and always keep the batteries in tip top shape !!!
I broke down at the green buoy just above Soddy creek once and had to troll to Opossum creek ramp where I had launched, That never would have happened if I had weak batteries, I made a call to someone that I was broke down but they never made it to me so needless to say I don't have that insurance anymore.

I'll say this , the OMC trolling motor and Wal-Mart batteries were worth their weight in gold that day !!!!!

 

[jb366]

porthos33 - 3/5/2018 12:33 AM

TR20bh - 3/4/2018 11:33 AM Yes, I believe tournament anglers should always offer assistance to a distressed boater. Doesn't mean you should always tow them. Brent & I towed a family in a pontoon that broke down during a CBA a few years ago. But I also would not try to pull a grounded boat off a bar last year. I called TowBoat for them, but I've blown an engine trying to get a grounded boat free years back and won't do that again!

This is a great question. I have towed people in many times, but not in a TX.  The guys fishing till 2 were probably fishing the big bass splash and we were all fishing for a lot of money and a boat.  In that case I would make sure you were ok and asses the situation from there.  I would definitely take the other guy to the ramp to come get you. </p>

 Now for the guys on sand bars......Man saturday was a tough learning day for a lot of guys this weekend!!  I counted 9 boats that beached while on plane!!  Never seen so many in my life.  Every spot I went there would be another boat stuck.  It was just to overwhelming!!  To all those guys, please invest in lake master!! Just b/c you see water doesn't mean You can run over it. Most were so far into the shallows that I couldn't even get to them! I would be sick blowing my motor trying to get someone unstuck!!</p>

Lakemaster is a life saver this time of year. I was out yesterday and didn't see anyone stuck but I did have a guy run on top of the sand bar I was going to fish when he was attempting to cut me off. He got enough traction with his prop in the mud to get off the bar but if he had gotten stuck I would not have helped him get off of it. That was the 4th boat out of 6 that cut me off while getting on the front deck so I was less than friendly at that point.

 

[FishingwithRusty]

if you do this long enough, you will end up needing to be towed..................
try to help? YES, does it always have to be exactly the way the person wants it.....nope. there are always options
ive been stuck/stranded and the help from another boater is AWESOME!
i would never ask a guy to stop fishing during a tournament to tow me in. if there was no other way then i would ask them to come back for me after weigh in.
i have towed many guys/boats and am VERY cautious about it(for liability reasons mentioned above)

 

[lafae7]

I'll tow anyone in at anytime. However, I'm mad as hell when I have to do it because it just seems every time I tow someone it's because of the lack of due diligence. I've never towed anyone in because of a blown motor or lower unit. It's always small preventative maintenance issues. People's trolling motors are underpowered, batteries are always old, they havn't ran the motor all year, they forgot oil, they ran out of gas, etc. etc... not calling anyone out specifically but if people can't properly prepare then they shouldn't go out on the lake without tow boat insurance.