For my money, bass fishing is an incredible pastime. You get out on the water, relatively alone… it’s calm and peaceful, but at the same time, you’re using your mind to try and break down the lake and find the fish.
And if/when you hook one, you get the rush of trying to land it in the boat and then the joy of holding that beauty before you return it to the lake to grow even bigger. It’s mentally challenging and relaxing, all at once… but for the most part, your concerns about life back on shore just melt away. I love it.
But this might be my biggest fear. As someone who primarily fishes out of a kayak (it seems to be the easiest when I’m by myself), my only real concern out on the lake is getting railroaded by some guy in a bass boat, or even a jet ski.
According to WSOC, a man in a bass boat collided with a smaller boat on North Carolina’s Lake Norman over the past weekend, and luckily, nobody was seriously injured. The bass boat driver’s vision of the water was reportedly impaired, and he smacked into the back of the jon boat, sending one of the passengers into the water. The passenger was taken to the hospital, but released with relatively minor injuries.
A local owner of a tow boat company, Derek DeBord, described how something like this could happen:
“It’s really amazing that nobody passed away during it. A lot of boats don’t ride level and their bows are high and sometimes people have to stand up to see over the front of them. And it’s something boaters just need to be more aware of. “
The man was charged with reckless and/or negligent operation of the boat.
It’s a miracle the passengers of the jon boat were not severely injured, but the story is another reminder of why it’s so important to always wear your life vest (personal flotation device). You just never know when you’re going to be in a situation where it will save your life.
