Alabama Bass Tournaments Cancelled Due to Fatal MLF Boat Crash

The tragic boating accident at Smith Lake earlier this year continues to impact Alabama's bass fishing community, leading to the cancellation of several tournaments. Tournament organizers have cited liability concerns, while others are seeking guidance on relevant laws and permits governing these events.

The unease stems from the April incident, when MLF angler Flint Davis collided with a striped bass charter, resulting in the deaths of three anglers. This led to a wrongful death lawsuit against Major League Fishing and a separate criminal case, with Davis facing manslaughter charges.

The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that MLF fostered a culture encouraging risky behavior and failed to implement adequate safety measures. These concerns appear to be influencing smaller tournament organizers, who lack the legal and financial resources of a large organization like MLF.

The Guntersville Open Bass Tournament, for example, announced in early November that it would cancel two major events and disband as a club. A YouTuber confirmed that the organization will also remove its social media accounts permanently. According to a Nov. 2 Facebook post, annual Black Friday and New Years Day tournaments on Lake Guntersville will officially end. Organizers cited the Smith Lake accident as the reason, with James Cornelies stating, We have to protect ourselves and do whats right.

Auburn Universitys bass fishing team issued a similar statement on Nov. 20, canceling its upcoming Lake Jordan tournament. The team cited recent events and legal requirements for marine permits as reasons for the cancellation, emphasizing the need to protect the team from potential litigation.

These cancellations have drawn attention from Alabama House Representative Craig Lipscomb, who represents District 30. In response to concerns from bass fishing enthusiasts about liability and permit requirements, he has been consulting with the Alabama Marine Patrol. Lipscomb noted that the permit process, required since 1994 for public events on public waters, could be modernized, such as by moving applications online and clarifying which events require permits based on the number of boats involved.

Lipscomb explained that uncertainty around permitting has previously left smaller tournament organizers unsure about safety, insurance, and liability requirements. With the Smith Lake tragedy still fresh in the community's memory, organizers are taking extra precautions to avoid potential legal issues.

These accidents are still going to happen, Lipscomb said, but if everyone had been following the proper permitting process all along, we wouldnt be in this situation today.

Author: Sophia Brooks