This was a single vessel crash involving two (2) occupants in the vessel.  The vessel was a 17' Tidecraft powered by 150 Evinrude motor that was controlled by rermote steering, vessel # LA 2611 EC.  The occupants were fishing on Bayou Nezpique north of Hwy 97.  The operator was seated at the helm located on the starboard side aft of the beam.  The passenger was seated on the port side seat just forward of the beam.  The operator had anchored out from the starboard side at the beam.  The operator started making way without pulling up his anchor.  The operator began dragging his anchor as he slowly went on plane.  The operator raised his hands up to block the anchor line from hitting his face.  The vessel veered towards the port side when the operator took his hands off the controls to block the anchor line from hitting him.  The vessel then impacted a tree within the bayou and continued to travel until it hit a second tree where the vessel was grounded and came to rest.   Wearable PFD's were aboard the vessel but were not being worn at the time of this crash.  The vessel received severe damage from the bow to the beam on the starboard side, moderate damage on the port side gunwale aft of the beam, scratches on the port side and underneath the vessel, and a cracked transom.  There was no evidence that suggested that alcohol or drugs were used.    Citation D 540240 was issued to operator for Careless Operation.
Jennings                      