| Throughout my past years of tournament bass | | | | equipped on your boat when you purchase it) |
| fishing, teaching students and charter | | | | |
| clients, I have witnessed many boating | | | | 2. A "Hot-Foot" (normally an option in most |
| accidents, close calls, and have seen many | | | | bass boats,) which is a accelerator pedal |
| inexperienced anglers just waiting for | | | | that is connected to the floor and works just |
| accidents to happen the way they operate and | | | | like a gas pedal in an automobile. I have had |
| handle their boats. There are several tips a | | | | a "Hot-Foot" installed in all my boat(s) ever |
| boater should learn before he or she launches | | | | since they were introduced on the market |
| their boat when spending time on the water. I | | | | because I personally feel that this is one of |
| share these boating "safety" tips with all of | | | | the best safety features you can have when |
| my students while attending my 3-day bass | | | | operating a boat, especially in rough water |
| fishing school as well as my bass charter | | | | conditions. This pedal allows a boat driver |
| clients because I hope that I can help to | | | | to keep "Both" hands on the steering wheel |
| eliminate some of these incidents that do | | | | especially when the water gets rough (for |
| happen unexpectantly (kinda like preventative | | | | maximum boat control), and it will slow your |
| maintenance on the water.) | | | | boat down real quick when you let your foot |
| | | | off the gas pedal. The only problem that I |
| One of the first and probably the most | | | | have found with a "Hot-Foot" is that some of |
| important tip would be to ALWAYS KNOW YOUR | | | | the boat dealerships I have visited claim |
| WEATHER FORECAST!.... I’m sure that I | | | | that it voids ones warranty if they had one |
| can speak for most of the tournament anglers | | | | installed in their new boat, so please check |
| as well as the serious bass anglers who spend | | | | with your dealership and make sure of your |
| a good amount of time on the water when I say | | | | boat warranty before installing or having one |
| "Always expect the unexpected." It seems like | | | | installed. |
| at least 80 percent of the time (especially | | | | |
| during tournament days) you will find bad | | | | Now, let’s start back to the boat |
| weather conditions. Weather can play a very | | | | launch..... The best way I found when |
| important role to a angler and can very | | | | encountering big waves or choppy water is to |
| easily ruin a good day on the water unless | | | | slow the boat down and keep the nose (or bow) |
| one is prepared for it. For example | | | | of the boat trimmed down as much as possible. |
| let’s say that I was going to fish on | | | | If you have a side of the lake or body of |
| Lake Champlain, Kentucky Lake, or Lake | | | | water that may have calmer conditions, ease |
| Ontario. All three of these different lakes | | | | over to the calmer side by driving the boat |
| are very big bodies of water and when you get | | | | in-between or parallel with the waves. If |
| a good wind come up, these lakes can become | | | | conditions get really unsafe such as small |
| very dangerous if you: | | | | craft warnings on a body of water and if |
| | | | there isn’t a close place to go to |
| A. Have a boat that don’t handle well | | | | instead of the launch, sometimes a "Zigzag" |
| in rough water. | | | | pattern will help. As mentioned above as far |
| | | | as keeping the nose (or bow) trimmed down as |
| B. Don’t have enough boating | | | | much as possible angel the boat about a 15% |
| experience to handle your boat in rough | | | | angle and zigzag back and forth to each side |
| conditions. | | | | if the waves are coming straight against you |
| | | | on your way back to the launch. A larger boat |
| C. Don’t have the right size of boat | | | | will of course handle better than a smaller |
| that can handle rough conditions (what I mean | | | | one in rough conditions, but when you get |
| by this is to have a big enough boat to | | | | 2’ to 4’ waves coming against |
| safely get to where you want to go on a | | | | you even the 20’ boats will have a |
| certain body of water. For example, if you | | | | rough wet ride. The worst thing you can do in |
| fish a river that has protection from the | | | | rough weather is panic!, just take your time |
| wind you would not need to have as big of a | | | | and be a smart (not a rookie scatterbrain |
| boat as you would need if you fished big open | | | | speed freak) driver always keeping safety in |
| areas of water that can get rough in a | | | | mind and you’ll get wet, but |
| hurry.) | | | | you’ll make it back safely. I have |
| | | | been in these situations many, many, times |
| Secondly, anglers need to know how to operate | | | | through my years as a bass pro and I may get |
| their boats in most any kind of conditions | | | | nervous sometimes, but I always managed to |
| that may arise. Let’s say that we | | | | get back safely without injury to anyone on |
| launched our boat early in the morning when | | | | board my boat. |
| the weather was nice, clear, and calm, and | | | | |
| the forecast for the day was light winds of 5 | | | | I would like to give you a few tips on |
| to 10 miles per hour (yeah right! how many | | | | boating that I have had to learn the hard way |
| times has your local forecaster ever got the | | | | over the years. Hopefully these tips can make |
| weather right?) and we went to some of our | | | | a difference for you one day and not ruin a |
| favorite fishing spots and nothing was | | | | good day of bass fishing. |
| biting, and then we went a little further and | | | | |
| further and as the day went on before we | | | | Tip-1... Always have either a spare battery |
| realized it we were about 10 miles from where | | | | (charged-up) or a heavy duty set of jumper |
| we launched our boat. Now, all of a sudden | | | | cables on board. The reason for this is |
| the wind starts to blow a little harder and | | | | because I’ve been in 2, 3, and 4 day |
| harder more like 25 to 35 miles per hour | | | | tournaments or have been with clients or |
| instead of what was forecasted and the waves | | | | students and not running the main gas engine |
| start showing white caps and grew to 2 and 3 | | | | very much (which usually charges the main |
| feet high and we only have a 16’ to a | | | | battery) while running my livewells and |
| 18’ bass boat (ugh-oh). The first | | | | electronics all day long (which usually run |
| thing we want to do is make sure that all | | | | off of your main battery), not realizing this |
| passengers on board are wearing life jackets, | | | | at the time I go to start my boat up and |
| especially the driver of the boat making sure | | | | there isn’t enough juice in the |
| that his or her life jacket is connected to | | | | battery to turn my main gas motor over to |
| the safety cord that fastens to the kill | | | | start. Believe me! it happens to many |
| switch. Next, make sure that everything is | | | | anglers.......... |
| secured to the boat deck (boxes, rods, baits, | | | | |
| etc.) or they are put securely in | | | | Tip-2... Always let someone know where you |
| compartments to keep them from flying back | | | | are going and an approximate time for your |
| and hitting anyone in the boat while in | | | | return. Situations in the past that I have |
| motion. | | | | encountered were anglers that didn’t |
| | | | know how to handle their boats in rough |
| Before we get started for a rough trip back | | | | water, or they broke down (stranded without |
| to where we launched out of, I would strongly | | | | communication), or for what ever the reason |
| recommend two very important items you should | | | | didn’t make it back to where they |
| have on your boat which are: | | | | launched out of at their designated time. Try |
| | | | to carry a 2-way radio, cell phone, flares, |
| 1. A electric trim (or tilt) switch for the | | | | and emergency flag in your boat and always |
| outboard gas motor (which usually comes | | | | expect the unexpected! |