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