Fatal Accident On Table Rock Lake

[CaptainJoe]

Last Friday night, Dick Herringer and his wife Sue were pre-fishing for a Branson Bass Club night tournament to take place the next night. Dick hit the tree on One-Tree Island and was killed instantly. His body was found the next day by MO State Water Patrol.

Both Dick and Sue worked at the Branson Landing Bass Pro Shops. They moved here from NE and loved fishing. They were tournament directors in NE. They joined the Branson Bass Club last Summer and Dick and Sue were outstanding additions to our Club. Dick was recently nominated for an officer position in the Club. The memorial service and funeral will be in NE and Sue maybe moving back to NE to be close to family. They will both be missed.

In my opinion, I believe that the tree at One-Tree Island needs to be removed and a lighted bouy placed there to indicate an underwater obstruction. I have heard that the Army Corps does not want to place a lighted bouy on the island because it may confuse boaters because the other islands do not have lighted bouys.

First of all, the island is not and island at normal pool. It is underwater, making it an underwater obstruction. It is the only underwater, mid-lake obstruction and placing a lighted bouy there would not confuse anyone. I have recommended to the Branson Bass Club to pursue this and fund the lighted bouy so we can also put a memorial to Dick on the bouy.

Dick and Sue, if she leaves the area, will be sorely missed. They were a great team and superb people and I mean superb people. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dick, Sue, and her family.

[Wesley]

Where is one tree island?

[Tom Spence]

A great idea Joe. Hopefully the corps will see it that way and do something. If you think more calls to the corps would help I'll get on board and enlist other people to do the same.

[mclothier1]

RIP

One Tree Island is just north of the 86 bridge.

And Yes at normal pool it is definetly an underwater hazard, all you see is a tree trunk sticking up out of the water... which would be VERY hard if not impossible to see at night. I also agree that a lighted buoy would be a very good idea.

[CaptainJoe]

Tom,

We have a person within the Branson Bass Club working with the Army Corps and I do not know the latest update. I am sure that any calls to the Corps would help move any action forward.

Dick was a very experienced angler and boater and if it happened to him, others may follow. We need to do something before someone else gets killed.

Thanks, Tom, in advance, for any assistance.

[skeeter]

I am nowhere near that part of the Lake and never go there or I would do it but how about this suggestion....... Maybe your Bass club members could get some reflective tape from Lowe's or Home Depot or where ever you can find it and strap it or staple it or nail it to that exposed tree trunk...... ? Surely, after the tragic loss of a life even the Corps wouldn't object to that ? Other submerged islands have buoy's like at the mouth of the James or Goat Island so what is their problem with this location ?

We used to mark underwater, barely submerged, tree trunks in the back of Big Indian with empty gallon milk jugs tied to the trees with short pieces of trot line twine and they would show up pretty good at night and would float up with higher water and then simply hang by the handes when the water levels went down. People thought they were jug fishermen's abandoned sets but they were for safety and saved countless lower units.

[zzjonze]

My Heart really goes out to this family too.

I also think the corp should put solar power lights on EVERY Buoy and point marker on the lake from the launch fees they collect.

Again it is sad for the family to loose a loved one...

[KCRIVERRAT]

I am not a regular in the area this tragedy took place. Heard about it while vacationing in Arkansas. I hope that the people on this forum who are familiar with this hazard speak their mind... not here, but with the darn authorities responsible for saving lives in cases like this.

[ozarkgunner]

I am not a regular in the area this tragedy took place. Heard about it while vacationing in Arkansas. I hope that the people on this forum who are familiar with this hazard speak their mind... not here, but with the darn authorities responsible for saving lives in cases like this.

Sometimes what is right is not always legal and what is legal is not always right. I hope nobody goes out there with a chainsaw and cuts it down. That would violate a lot of COE regulations..... it would just break my heart.

[focused fishing]

Sometimes what is right is not always legal and what is legal is not always right. I hope nobody goes out there with a chainsaw and cuts it down. That would violate a lot of COE regulations..... it would just break my heart.

Problem isn't the tree it's the little Island it sits on if the tree is gone everyone will hit it. The corps does need to do something here, a bouy, lighthouse, something.