Birge Back on Track After Boat Fire

Oklahoma pro loses just half a day of practice after overnight boat fire

Major League Fishing pro Zack Birge is back on the water for day two of practice for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament on Lake Chickamauga after scrambling overnight to deal with a boat fire.

Birge, who’s staying with Jordan Osborne, Jared McMillan and Brandon McMillan this week, was awoken by Jared late Saturday night after neighbors saw the fire and set off their truck alarm to get the anglers’ attention.

“Jared heard it and looked out the window and saw a fire,” says Birge. “It must have been a charger or something that started it – we don’t know. It started in the back (of the boat).”

Birge and his Pro Circuit roommates scrambled to pull the boat into the middle of the road and unhook it to keep the house, vehicles and other boats safe from the flames. The fire department showed up promptly and put out the fire.

Birge was able to salvage most of his gear and rods, and as of late Sunday morning had picked up a loaner Bass Cat with an assist from “fellow Bass Cat guys” Bill Mayo and Allan Glasgow, who Birge says went above and beyond to get him back on the water in short order. 

“All is good, other than losing half day today, so no big deal,” Birge says. “We’re good.”