# A near miss on the MO



## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

Last night as I was approaching the Thornapple landing on the Mo in my jet sled there was a fly fisherman in the middle of the river. It was for all intents , dark. I was creeping along and moved to the side to avoid disrupting his fishing. At that time a sled came from upstream going at least 40 MPH. This Jackass had his head lights on but was still going WAY to fast for the situation. The fisherman started to make his way toward my side. He waved his arms to no avail. The boat flew by him, missing him by about 6 feet. He was not sure if the driver swerved or not. At the speed the jerk was traveling, it would have killed the guy wading. The wake alone almost tipped the fisherman into the drink. Needless to say he was upset. I am 99% sure of who the boat operator is. I gave the guy (wader) his name and told him he should report it. With all the bad blood between waders and boaters on the river, we do NOT need this kind of crap! The driver is well known to many of you I am sure. He is (with NO name mentioned) a wanna be guide and a wanna be pro bass fisherman that lives just down stream a mile or so from the landing. He just got this over powered sled a short time ago. (Maybe some of you guides should talk to him??,, long story but I can't stand being in the same room by this spoiled brat) 

There were 2 mistakes made last night. 1. the boat operator was going way to fast and 2. the wader did not have a light on. He had 1 on his head but had yet to turn it on. I think he panic'd when the boat flew by the landing and headed right for him. I guess we should use this as a wake up call for all of us. This time of year there are people on the river at ALL times. Heck I have seen tubing party's go by at 1:00 AM! The river belongs to all of us, it is not there for some spoiled rich kid (almost 30) to use as his personal race track. Enough said, you get my point. Let's all be careful out there and enjoy this wonderful resource wisely! Dutch

Disclaimer! Like I said, I am 99% sure of who the operator was but, that wouldn't stand up in a court of law.


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## Fishbone (Oct 10, 2008)

Someone will have to either be killed or seriously mangled up before anything is done with the jet boat fiasco down below. 

It is to the point where I will start bringing down the video recording device & filming these 100ft rule violators, start writing down boat license numbers & submitting videos to the proper authorities.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Just curious but what are the speed limits under the condititions that you described, minus the fisherman of course.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

I am pretty sure it is no wake within 100 ft of any shoreline. So that pretty much makes all rivers no wake, unless it is WIDE


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## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

GIDEON said:


> Just curious but what are the speed limits under the condititions that you described, minus the fisherman of course.


good question! If the driver was using common sense he would have been at a speed where he had just enough power to steer.


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

The boat driver was at fault based on what you shared with us, but I would not be in the middle of a river fishing after dark w/o lights, near a boat launch either. Seems like he was inviting an accident even though he has every right to be there. 
Sounds like this boater has a reputation for this kind of reckless activity. How wide is the river at this point? Seems like no wake would be in effect for the boat after dark anyway. on plane after dark anywhere is risky business, I wont do it.
Hope it wont take an accident to fix this problem.


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## muskegonriverguide (Feb 28, 2007)

Dutchman said:


> The driver is well known to many of you I am sure. He is (with NO name mentioned) a wanna be guide and a wanna be pro bass fisherman that lives just down stream a mile or so from the landing. He just got this over powered sled a short time ago. (Maybe some of you guides should talk to him??,, long story but I can't stand being in the same room by this spoiled brat)


There is no talking to him, I've had words with him on a couple of occasions and it goes in one ear and out the other. As for identifying who it was, that 150 Mercury has a very distinct sound and he may have the only one like it on the river.


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## mechanical head (Jan 18, 2000)

I'm not sure he's ever wanted to be a guide, if that was the case he could be one with his schedule or lack of. Being a guide has to many responsibility's at times, like waking up in the morning might be to much to ask this guy some days........ If daddy's well ever dried up then you might see him on the river trying to make extra cash...


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## BassPro (Jun 24, 2009)

This is the kid you all are complaining about right now. Last night there was a boat in the chute we drive threw so I went over the shallow flat where you have to run. The guy in the middle of the river showed up in my headlights i swerved to miss him alomost threw my buddie out of the boat. If your in the middle of the river at night you need to have a signal light to let other people on the river to know your there. Sorry about that I made a mistake for not slowing down. But dont forget you made one to were all human. I had the cops here a few min ago and I didn't break any laws neather did you. Let us all learn for things like this I know two people who did. Other than that if you have anything else to say to me email me at [email protected] 


Sorry for last night 

Nate Wellman


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## orion (Apr 8, 2002)

Now I am not on this part of the forum much. I am familiar with that section of river. I have read all the posts in this thread, have no opinion either way, and I wasnt there. I have met Dutchman before and he is a good man. I do not know Mr. Wellman at all. With all that said-

I commend Mr. Wellman for posting up on here in an honorable way and accepting resoponsibility for his actions. 

That alone shows integrity and remorse. Coming onto this forum and virtually throwing himself under the bus. 

I am glad no one was hurt. 

Just thought I had to relate my thoughts.


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## Flyfisher (Oct 1, 2002)

BassPro said:


> This is the kid you all are complaining about right now. Last night there was a boat in the chute we drive threw so I went over the shallow flat where you have to run. The guy in the middle of the river showed up in my headlights i swerved to miss him alomost threw my buddie out of the boat. If your in the middle of the river at night you need to have a signal light to let other people on the river to know your there. Sorry about that I made a mistake for not slowing down. But dont forget you made one to were all human. I had the cops here a few min ago and I didn't break any laws neather did you. Let us all learn for things like this I know two people who did. Other than that if you have anything else to say to me email me at [email protected]
> 
> 
> Sorry for last night
> ...


Bottom line is people need to slow down in reduced visibility and around other people. And yes, I am aware that jet boats need to run on plane in shallow water, but after dark one is better to trim the motor and go slowly upriver than risk life and limb in haste. It may take longer but everyone is alright at the end of the night. Its apparent you feel regret over this incident but its NOT the responsibility of the guy standing in the middle of the river to alert you of his presence, its the BOATER'S responsibility to maintain a safe speed and avoid obstacles, human or otherwise. For the sake of people wading and floating peacefully on the Muskegon, hopefully jet-boaters will heed this as a lesson before someone ends up losing their life to a "mistake".


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## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

I just hope we ALL learned something here. Time will tell.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Flyfisher said:


> Bottom line is people need to slow down in reduced visibility and around other people. And yes, I am aware that jet boats need to run on plane in shallow water, but after dark one is better to trim the motor and go slowly upriver than risk life and limb in haste. It may take longer but everyone is alright at the end of the night. Its apparent you feel regret over this incident but its NOT the responsibility of the guy standing in the middle of the river to alert you of his presence, its the BOATER'S responsibility to maintain a safe speed and avoid obstacles, human or otherwise. For the sake of people wading and floating peacefully on the Muskegon, hopefully jet-boaters will heed this as a lesson before someone ends up losing their life to a "mistake".


Rick, I agree with a lot of what you said, and coming up stream from Thornapple, there is really no reason to not putz going up there since there are no real obstacles.

I will point out though that there are other areas such as down stream from Pine and other sections of river, where when people pick the only deep water to stand or anchor, you are forced into water you would rather not be in and need to be on step or you will beach the boat. It is always a judgement call and as a good friend stated once, "you quickly analyze the situation and make your move, either way someone will always be pissed at your choice". Now if someone has a prop motor, the choice quite often is made for them, they must take the deep water and idle within feet of the other boat or angler. With the jet you have more options. Note, the only hit's I've ever taken in the boat have been from me trying to do right by someone else that is anchored right in the middle of a slot you need to take. 

I just want people to note that it ultimatly the responsibility of the boat driver, but waders and people anchoring boats should always keep in mind that other boats will still need to be able to get through. If you block the only safe route to motor, you force people to make decisions.

Now I'm not condoning being on step in the dark, but there have been occassions where I have had the need to do it.


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## Flyfisher (Oct 1, 2002)

TSS Caddis said:


> Rick, I agree with a lot of what you said, and coming up stream from Thornapple, there is really no reason to not putz going up there since there are no real obstacles.
> 
> I will point out though that there are other areas such as down stream from Pine and other sections of river, where when people pick the only deep water to stand or anchor, you are forced into water you would rather not be in and need to be on step or you will beach the boat. It is always a judgement call and as a good friend stated once, "you quickly analyze the situation and make your move, either way someone will always be pissed at your choice". Now if someone has a prop motor, the choice quite often is made for them, they must take the deep water and idle within feet of the other boat or angler. With the jet you have more options. Note, the only hit's I've ever taken in the boat have been from me trying to do right by someone else that is anchored right in the middle of a slot you need to take.
> 
> ...


Gene, I don't disagree with what you said, particularly up near Pine. If I didn't make myself clear, I was mostly referring to boating after dark. And on a side-note, I have noticed a distinct lack of required navigational lighting on boats after dark up there as well.

The river is up a bit from its normally low summer flows and I find it difficult that someone wouldn't be able to safely navigate a jet just about anywhere near Thornapple right now, assuming the boater was remotely familiar with the river. 

Guys just have to slow down after dark. Truth is, during the day, I would much rather have a boat pass me on plane as they get by faster and generally throw less wake, assuming they are in control of their vessel.


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## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

Flyfisher said:


> Truth is, during the day, I would much rather have a boat pass me on plane as they get by faster and generally throw less wake


TRUE DAT!!! Now if we could get everyone to feel that way.

1 adjustment to the story, the boat in question was going DOWN stream, not heading up.


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## bobo21 (Jan 7, 2009)

good job on comming clean nate and letting others know of this issue


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Fishbone said:


> Someone will have to either be killed or seriously mangled up before anything is done with the jet boat fiasco down below.
> 
> It is to the point where I will start bringing down the video recording device & filming these 100ft rule violators, start writing down boat license numbers & submitting videos to the proper authorities.


What jet boat fiasco? There's 10 miles of boat water for every 100 yards of wading water. What are they supposed to do, say "no boats" because a few waders might get pissed off every now and then? The incident described in this thread is unfortunate and most of us try to avoid situations like that--doesn't take a BassPro to figure out that you throttle down around the access sites. If you want to know who I think are the most inconsiderate guys on that river--it's the drift boat fishermen. At least the other guys with the jets have the common courtesy to go behind my boat instead of over water I'm fishing. Not only do the drift boat clowns go right over the water, but they keep freakin' casting while they're doing it.


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## Fishbone (Oct 10, 2008)

thousandcasts said:


> What jet boat fiasco?




http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2746023&postcount=1


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Fishbone said:


> http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2746023&postcount=1


You said the "jet boat fiasco down below"--that implies more than just the incident mentioned in this thread.


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## Fishbone (Oct 10, 2008)

thousandcasts said:


> You said the "jet boat fiasco down below"--that implies more than just the incident mentioned in this thread.


This thread is a prime example of many cases which occur down below Croton Dam.


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