Boating etiquette 2024
Wurming67 reply :
I live in South Florida been here for 45 years I've noticed lately that the boating etiquette has gotten really bad,I was fishing Loxahatchee federal preserve this past Saturday and this guy literally pulled up in front of me 100 feet away from me so I trolled up to him I was gonna say something to him but decided not to.A few weeks ago i had a guy and his family trolling which isn't very popular in these neck of the woods ???? but he trolled right in front of me a few feet away from me,in general living in South Florida has gotten alot worse the way people treat each other the attiude is me me me just remember when you are out there have some decency because not all guys out there are are as forgiving as me and you could end up having a really bad day if you know what i mean. I was wondering how's boating etiquette from where you are from lately?
MassYak85 reply :
My general rule for distance is to leave room for both me and the other guy to make both our longest casts towards each other and not have the casts overlap. I generally find fisherman around my area pretty good with etiquette. Some guys will get a little close but never enough where I say anything. Usually any time I get annoyed at someone is from pleasure boaters, jet skiis and the like.
Gundog reply :
@Wurming67 I know its frustrating at times but you did the right thing by not saying anything to the boater. Confrontations can these days be very dangerous. Its not worth it to try and teach people a lesson they don't want to learn. Its better to let it go and don't let it ruin your day on the water.
Wurming67 reply :
I just don't get it so much water to fish and you gotta pull right in front of another guy can be dangerous with wrong guy
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 8:38 AM, Wurming67 said:I live in South Florida been here for 45 years I've noticed lately that the boating etiquette has gotten really bad,I was fishing Loxahatchee federal preserve this past Saturday and this guy literally pulled up in front of me 100 feet away from me so I trolled up to him I was gonna say something to him but decided not to.A few weeks ago i had a guy and his family trolling which isn't very popular in these neck of the woods ???? but he trolled right in front of me a few feet away from me,in general living in South Florida has gotten alot worse the way people treat each other the attiude is me me me just remember when you are out there have some decency because not all guys out there are are as forgiving as me and you could end up having a really bad day if you know what i mean. I was wondering how's boating etiquette from where you are from lately?
Lol! What laws have the people you mentioned broken? Forgiving as you? You sound like a hot head and any bad days your referring to would probably only happen by laws being broken. Enjoy fishing
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 9:48 AM, Ben Miller said:Lol! What laws have the people you mentioned broken? Forgiving as you? You sound like a hot head and any bad days your referring to would probably only happen by laws being broken. Enjoy fishing
I'm far from a hot head it's just common courtesy that I was taught growing up in this area you don't pull right in front of someone when they are fishing, when there is 75,000 acres of a federal preserve to fish guess some people just don't have any decency anymore....
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 9:54 AM, Wurming67 said:I'm far from a hot head it's just common courtesy that I was taught growing up in this area you don't pull right in front of someone when they are fishing, when there is 75,000 acres of a federal preserve to fish guess some people just don't have any decency anymore....
I don't do that either but dare someone to come threaten me on my boat while fishing. I consider it way more dangerous for them
sully420 reply :
You didn't read like a hothead to me. That stuff gets really annoying sometimes and it's hard to keep one's cool and keef fishing. I think lots of people just don't get it and don't know better. You did the right thing.
Wurming67 reply :
It's probably a first time buyer owner that just doesn't know any better.
On 4/16/2018 at 9:59 AM, sully420 said:You didn't read like a hothead to me. That stuff gets really annoying sometimes and it's hard to keep one's cool and keef fishing. I think lots of people just don't get it and don't know better. You did the right thing.
Thanks my wife just laughed when I read her previous post and the reason I said that cause I know alot of those guys that fish out there and they don't play that game if u know what I mean becareful out there.
Ben Miller reply :
"I know alot of those guys that fish out there and they don't play that game if u know what I mean becareful out there." This is plain stupidity. Like road rage in a car over a fishing hole!
Dirtyeggroll reply :
I had a guy in an old 17’ Tracker bump me in my little 10’ plastic boat and then proceed to anchor down and fish for crappie right where I had been working a dock. I asked him what the hell his problem was and I asked him if he realized how dangerous it was and he told me it wasn’t my lake and that I should respect my elders. It took everything I had not to tie on a 1 ounce tungsten weight and rocket it at him. He could’ve sunk my boat or knocked me over and I could’ve drown. I was running my GoPro so I got it all on camera and have reported him to the local coast guard authority, but it doesn’t seem like they are gonna take much action.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt or ingorancy, but some things are down right obvious.
Wurming67 reply :
It's not stupidity it's the truth,I would have never threatened him I was gonna say something to him why he did that but decided not to.Like i said before there is 75,000 acres to fish out there and u pull 10 ft next to me come on dude get real
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:00 AM, Wurming67 said:It's probably a first time buyer owner that just doesn't know any better.
Thanks my wife just laughed when I read her previous post and the reason I said that cause I know alot of those guys that fish out there and they don't play that game if u know what I mean becareful out there.
If it's public waters, there is not an invasion of space by law. Boarding someone else's boat however would be and shooting them for boarding would be considered self defense if you had no other safe choice.
On 4/16/2018 at 10:10 AM, Dirtyeggroll said:I had a guy in an old 17’ Tracker bump me in my little 10’ plastic boat and then proceed to anchor down and fish for crappie right where I had been working a dock. I asked him what the hell his problem was and I asked him if he realized how dangerous it was and he told me it wasn’t my lake and that I should respect my elders. It took everything I had not to tie on a 1 ounce tungsten weight and rocket it at him. He could’ve sunk my boat or knocked me over and I could’ve drown. I was running my GoPro so I got it all on camera and have reported him to the local coast guard authority, but it doesn’t seem like they are gonna take much action.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt or ingorancy, but some things are down right obvious.
how serious was the bump?
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:10 AM, Dirtyeggroll said:I had a guy in an old 17’ Tracker bump me in my little 10’ plastic boat and then proceed to anchor down and fish for crappie right where I had been working a dock. I asked him what the hell his problem was and I asked him if he realized how dangerous it was and he told me it wasn’t my lake and that I should respect my elders. It took everything I had not to tie on a 1 ounce tungsten weight and rocket it at him. He could’ve sunk my boat or knocked me over and I could’ve drown. I was running my GoPro so I got it all on camera and have reported him to the local coast guard authority, but it doesn’t seem like they are gonna take much action.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt or ingorancy, but some things are down right obvious.
I think it's just the mentality of society today some people just think of themselves and have no respect for others sorry to hear you had to experience that on water.
OCdockskipper reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 9:57 AM, Ben Miller said:I don't do that either but dare someone to come threaten me on my boat while fishing. I consider it way more dangerous for them
Oh the irony!! You accuse the OP of being a hothead and then you make a statement that is the epitome of hotheadedness.
To answer the OP's question, yes etiquette seems to be slipping especially in more densely populated areas. You get someone who has never spent much time on the water, they make enough money to buy a boat and off they go with no idea of the written & unwritten rules of the waterway. I believe it is the result of ignorance (not stupidity) combined with arrogance.
One other comment to Ben Miller in response to his question of laws being broken. Etiquette is not about laws, rather it is "proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion.". Etiquette is passed down generation to generation as a guide, laws are prescriptions of punishment for doing certain activities that have been deemed to be against the written rules of society. For example, your responses were out of bounds when it comes to etiquette, but most likely didn't break any rules. You are more than welcome to act in the way that you did, but expect to be shunned by others for such words & actions.
Wurming67 reply :
It is public waters you are right and there is no law out there for invasion of space you are right but that's the mentality some people just don't have any common courtesy.
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:10 AM, Dirtyeggroll said:I had a guy in an old 17’ Tracker bump me in my little 10’ plastic boat and then proceed to anchor down and fish for crappie right where I had been working a dock. I asked him what the hell his problem was and I asked him if he realized how dangerous it was and he told me it wasn’t my lake and that I should respect my elders. It took everything I had not to tie on a 1 ounce tungsten weight and rocket it at him. He could’ve sunk my boat or knocked me over and I could’ve drown. I was running my GoPro so I got it all on camera and have reported him to the local coast guard authority, but it doesn’t seem like they are gonna take much action.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt or ingorancy, but some things are down right obvious.
Show the video. I don't understand why if it was so bad that it took everything you had to not throw a weight at him that you didn't call the local law enforcement
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:15 AM, OCdockskipper said:Oh the irony!! You accuse the OP of being a hothead and then you make a statement that is the epitome of hotheadedness.
To answer the OP's question, yes etiquette seems to be slipping especially in more densely populated areas. You get someone who has never spent much time on the water, they make enough money to buy a boat and off they go with no idea of the written & unwritten rules of the waterway. I believe it is the result of ignorance (not stupidity) combined with arrogance.
One other comment to Ben Miller in response to his question of laws being broken. Etiquette is not about laws, rather it is "proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion.". Etiquette is passed down generation to generation as a guide, laws are prescriptions of punishment for doing certain activities that have been deemed to be against the written rules of society. For example, your responses were out of bounds when it comes to etiquette, but most likely didn't break any rules. You are more than welcome to act in the way that you did, but expect to be shunned by others for such words & actions.
Very well said thank you,I would never threaten a guy with my gun while fishing cause he jumped in front of me just was stating boating ettiqutte this Ben Miller guy took it to another level
Funny thing is probably was him ????
Dirtyeggroll reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:11 AM, Ben Miller said:If it's public waters, there is not an invasion of space by law. Boarding someone else's boat however would be and shooting them for boarding would be considered self defense if you had no other safe choice.
how serious was the bump?
Serious enough to have been with the front of the boat, intentional and not in jest.
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:15 AM, OCdockskipper said:Oh the irony!! You accuse the OP of being a hothead and then you make a statement that is the epitome of hotheadedness.
To answer the OP's question, yes etiquette seems to be slipping especially in more densely populated areas. You get someone who has never spent much time on the water, they make enough money to buy a boat and off they go with no idea of the written & unwritten rules of the waterway. I believe it is the result of ignorance (not stupidity) combined with arrogance.
One other comment to Ben Miller in response to his question of laws being broken. Etiquette is not about laws, rather it is "proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion.". Etiquette is passed down generation to generation as a guide, laws are prescriptions of punishment for doing certain activities that have been deemed to be against the written rules of society. For example, your responses were out of bounds when it comes to etiquette, but most likely didn't break any rules. You are more than welcome to act in the way that you did, but expect to be shunned by others for such words & actions.
No, I can't imagine getting so mad at someone while vacationing on the water for something that they and I feel differently about. Boarding my boat to fight me or try to hurt me would be different. My point is: In the very first post this is a quote "not all guys out there are are as forgiving as me and you could end up having a really bad day if you know what i mean" however I would say a lot more are packing out there than most would think. And so they would be suckers!!!
OCdockskipper reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:17 AM, Ben Miller said:Show the video. I don't understand why if it was so bad that it took everything you had to not throw a weight at him that you didn't call the local law enforcement
He did, he stated he reported the local coast guard.
Just because someone stays within the rules of law doesn't mean they aren't acting like a jerk. Having the right to do something doesn't mean that you should do that something.
MassYak85 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:11 AM, Ben Miller said:
how serious was the bump?
I'm not sure it matters, under any circumstance a powerboat hitting a kayak is blatantly negligent or aggressive/rude on the part of the boat driver.
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:18 AM, Wurming67 said:Very well said thank you,I would never threaten a guy with my gun while fishing cause he jumped in front of me just was stating boating ettiqutte this Ben Miller guy took it to another level
Funny thing is probably was him ????
Not me 
Dirtyeggroll reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:17 AM, Ben Miller said:Show the video. I don't understand why if it was so bad that it took everything you had to not throw a weight at him that you didn't call the local law enforcement
Sure, I’ll upload the video. When you see it you will understand. I did contact the local authorities. The guy was a total tool.
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:23 AM, Ben Miller said:No, I can't imagine getting so mad at someone while vacationing on the water for something that they and I feel differently about. Boarding my boat to fight me or try to hurt me would be different. My point is: In the very first post this is a quote "not all guys out there are are as forgiving as me and you could end up having a really bad day if you know what i mean" however I would say a lot more are packing out there than most would think. And so they would be suckers!!!
I carry every where I go especially out there with 16 ft Gators,bobcats,wild boar etc
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:26 AM, Dirtyeggroll said:Sure, I’ll upload the video. When you see it you will understand. I did contact the local authorities. The guy was a total tool.
Cool! And I may be wrong on this whole thread but to me it sounds like people getting mad because someone else doesn't live by the same rules as others and there for they should be warned because there a lot of dangerous "hot head killers on the lake now" Just not how we roll in SC
OCdockskipper reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:23 AM, Ben Miller said:...Boarding my boat to fight me or try to hurt me would be different. My point is: In the very first post this is a quote "not all guys out there are are as forgiving as me and you could end up having a really bad day if you know what i mean" however I would say a lot more are packing out there than most would think. And so they would be suckers!!!
Your writing is a little difficult to read, but from I get of it, I think you may have misunderstood what the OP actually wrote. He was in no way threatening other boaters, rather he was making the observation that there are folks within society who will take a breach of etiquette as an act of war and respond accordingly (and illegally). He did not intimate that he was such a person.
Yes, it is just fishing and people shouldn't get irritated while out doing it. On the same hand, people should be polite when out in society, whether it be fishing, on the freeway or in a grocery store.
Wurming67 reply :
I was just curious what the boating ettiqutte in your area was had no idea this was gonna turn into this.....
On 4/16/2018 at 10:29 AM, Ben Miller said:Cool! And I may be wrong on this whole thread but to me it sounds like people getting mad because someone else doesn't live by the same rules as others and there for they should be warned because there a lot of dangerous "hot head killers on the lake now" Just not how we roll in SC
I wasn't mad it was disappointing to see from a fellow fishermen.
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:31 AM, Wurming67 said:I was just curious what the boating ettiqutte in your area was had no idea this was gonna turn into this.....
I would guess about the same as yours, and I say that respectfully. But it's kinda like driving cars ettiqutte. Some are *****, some just have different opinions, and so on but it shouldn't ever get unlawfully or escalated. Like I would never chase someone down to flip them off because that cut me off.
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:34 AM, Ben Miller said:I would guess about the same as yours, and I say that respectfully. But it's kinda like driving cars ettiqutte. Some are *****, some just have different opinions, and so on but it shouldn't ever get unlawfully or escalated. Like I would never chase someone down to flip them off because that cut me off.
Neither would I too dangerous especially here in South Florida,I would expect that type of behavior at a mall or restaurant in this area that's part of the reason I enjoy going out in the glades getting away from that behavior.
OCdockskipper reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:29 AM, Ben Miller said:...to me it sounds like people getting mad because someone else doesn't live by the same rules as others...
This gets to the gist of your perspective. Everyone is free to act in the legal, lawful manner they choose. However, culture (not legal authority) also creates guidelines as to how people should interact in the presence of others, which is where etiquette comes from. One is not bound to etiquette, but usually the parameters of it make a lot of sense.
For example, if I met you and your daughter, it would not be illegal for me to say "Ben, you better get that girl married off as soon as possible, with a face like that, she is not going to have many suitors". That would be very rude, but perfectly legal for me to state. Now etiquette dictates that your response would be to possibly tell me I'm out of line and to end it at that, but it would not be surprising if you instead popped me in the mouth. In other words, breaches of etiquette can easily and understandably lead to escalation of non-lawful activity.
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:38 AM, Wurming67 said:Neither would I too dangerous especially here in South Florida,I would expect that type of behavior at a mall or restaurant in this area that's part of the reason I enjoy going out in the glades getting away from that behavior.
We have that same problem here in SC. Wish we could get to the one wrong doesn't make a right to escalate into going further.
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:42 AM, Ben Miller said:We have that same problem here in SC. Wish we could get to the one wrong doesn't make a right to escalate into going further.
And that's exactly what I did ,I didn't do what he did I left found more fish 29 to be exact????
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:40 AM, OCdockskipper said:This gets to the gist of your perspective. Everyone is free to act in the legal, lawful manner they choose. However, culture (not legal authority) also creates guidelines as to how people should interact in the presence of others, which is where etiquette comes from. One is not bound to etiquette, but usually the parameters of it make a lot of sense.
For example, if I met you and your daughter, it would not be illegal for me to say "Ben, you better get that girl married off as soon as possible, with a face like that, she is not going to have many suitors". That would be very rude, but perfectly legal for me to state. Now etiquette dictates that your response would be to possibly tell me I'm out of line and to end it at that, but it would not be surprising if you instead popped me in the mouth. In other words, breaches of etiquette can easily and understandably lead to escalation of non-lawful activity.
Very well said! And yes you can say that and no I can not punch you in the mouth without repercussions, because then I broke the law. We see it in the NFL all the time where the second guy who throws a punch or lashes back out gets caught and penalized. In my experience, threats never work and it's the smarter one's that win.
TnRiver46 reply :
A lot of bass rigs will pull right up in front of you on the Tennessee river, especially chickamauga of course. It’s a bit sad and strange but it’s part of Fishing certain places. I do know of several other places close to my house where nobody fishes, and they can be pretty good at times
Ben Miller reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:47 AM, Wurming67 said:And that's exactly what I did ,I didn't do what he did I left found more fish 29 to be exact????
You did and well commended, but you read "sounded" close to me and sorry if I was wrong.
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:50 AM, Ben Miller said:You did and well commended, but you read "sounded" close to me and sorry if I was wrong.
No prob dude it's all good I was just curious if others were experiencing what I did ,I'm not that guy I will defend myself and family if threatened but never over a fishing spot I got too many better ones lol have a good night
frosty reply :
My dad used to tell me, there’s A’holes everywhere, when you meet one, just move on with your life.
ww2farmer reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 8:38 AM, Wurming67 said:and this guy literally pulled up in front of me 100 feet away from me
On our small crowded lakes, 100 feet is sometime generous. I don't like it, I don't do it to anyone, but unless they get right on top of me, there's not much I can do about it. It's just how it goes on an 800 acre lake with 30 boats fishing a tournament on it.
I feel like I get less of this than most guys, because most of the tournaments I fish in....I also run, and it's not wise to tick off the tournament director. But I also have to be on eggshells too, I can't be accused of "doing whatever I want" because I am the tournament director.
My general rule of thumb is...........if I want to fish an area and someone else is in it I:
#1 go to another area, I can catch fish anywhere on the lakes I fish.
#2....if #1 is not an option, I will see what way the other boat is going, and get behind them a respectable distance.
#3 If I get behind them, and they whip the boat around....it's a sign they are keen on keeping me out. So I leave.
#4 if I see a guy working shallow in an area I want to go, I ask permission to fish deep, staying off their stuff, or vise versa, if they are fishing deep, I ask to slip by shallow, and won't bump out to deep water until I am well away from them and the area they are fishing.
99.9% of the time this is how everyone behaves around here, we all get along, we all catch fish, and no fights or arguments break out.
I tend to conduct myself the same way fun fishing too, and most of the time it works out fine. The biggest problem I have, is when I am out on my lake fun fishing, and another tournament that I am not in is there. I try my hardest to stay out of the way. But have had other organizations anglers show ZERO respect for a local or recreational fisherman. That really gets under my skin, as I also do my best when in a tournament to respect the space of the non-tournament anglers on the water as well.
Other fisherman acting like jerks on the water is my biggest pet peeve. They all should know better. I don't get to bent out of shape about the jet skiers, pontoon boating old farts, etc.....most of the time they are just ignorant of what we are doing, and a polite conversation addressing their behavior usually leads to an understanding of how what they are doing is discourtious to other people on the water.
J.Vincent reply :
I think this happens everywhere to a certain extent, even here on the Great Lakes.... But how does one teach the Golden Rule
Wurming67 reply :
I just don't get it,I would never do that to someone, I remember going out on my dad's boat when I was a kid and he would explain to me the unwritten rules of the water,boat ramp ettiqutte get your boat ready before you enter the ramp not on the ramp, ie help someone if they are having boat problems,slow down if someone is fishing don't cause them a wake,even waving to other boaters,how to handle the fish properly and especially don't stop and fish right on top of someone,guess times of have changed unfortunately.
Catt reply :
Above my coffee pot! ????
LxVE Bassin reply :
I fished a tournament on Saturday and a guy pulled up 50 yards in front of us. They wouldn’t even look us in eye so they knew it was dirtball move.
frosty reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 5:20 PM, Catt said:Above my coffee pot! ????
I need to get one of these to put in my wife’s car 
Hez reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:29 AM, Ben Miller said:And I may be wrong on this whole thread
um...I think so buddy
On 4/16/2018 at 4:21 PM, Wurming67 said:I just don't get it,I would never do that to someone, I remember going out on my dad's boat when I was a kid and he would explain to me the unwritten rules of the water,boat ramp ettiqutte get your boat ready before you enter the ramp not on the ramp, ie help someone if they are having boat problems,slow down if someone is fishing don't cause them a wake,even waving to other boaters,how to handle the fish properly and especially don't stop and fish right on top of someone,guess times of have changed unfortunately.
It hasn't completely changed. I still take every opportunity to teach my kids etiquette every chance I get...not just on the boat...but in life....
I do see it all of the time here in Central FL...horrible fishing etiquette. I just usually shake my head and move on.
jbmaine reply :
In my opinion, no matter where you go or what you do, most people are polite, kind, courteous , do the right thing, others not so much.
Unless there is a safety issue I let people do what their going to do. Some one crowds into my fishing spot, pushes at the boat launch, cuts me of in traffic, etc., so be it. Life is to short to let it ruin my day.
TOXIC reply :
Well, this thread just proved the point. Many different opinions. I fish the Potomac River where rude and bad behavior is the norm. As a rule, I choose not to escalate when it happens. The first thing I consider is "intent" did they know what they were doing was wrong? When I was guiding, I've had boats follow me all over the lake just to GPS spots I take clients to. I will say something to those guys if they get close enough or if I see them at the ramp.
Swbass15 reply :
Here it depends on when you can get on the water, week days usually great weekends not so much. But like @TOXIC talked about intent. I had a new boss introduce the idea of looking at everything with positive intent even when I shouldn’t. My reaction to the situations have changed. He challenged us to apply it not just at work but at everything in life. I have a much more positive reaction these days.
Troy85 reply :
I don't have trouble with other fishermen. Where I fish, the air boat tour guides have the worst etiquette.
Choporoz reply :
common courtesy is nearly as uncommon as common sense on some waters
J Francho reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 10:22 PM, Choporoz said:common courtesy is nearly as uncommon as common sense on some waters
And on others it's the norm. Generally speaking, no one really wants to bother someone else. Occasionally you get a jerk or group of jerks doing immature or even unsafe things on the water. That's what a call to sheriff is for. Let them handle it. For the guy that gets too close, say something like, "I was fishing here, thought maybe you didn't see me. Can you give me some room?" Up here, 100' wouldn't faze me on certain lakes, eve in my kayak.
NHBull reply :
I have had more trouble with land owner/ locals than I ever had with with a fisherman, but that may be just the nature of my lake
Gundog reply :
Boat crowding is annoying but nothing to ruin my day over. What concerns me is cursing. I understand the occasional launch of a word or two but when I hear young adults cursing up a storm, with every other word being a cuss word and I look around at the young kids within ear shot, that bothers me the most. Maybe I'm just getting old but I think when you are out in the public, even if its on the water, you should act like you are in public. Not sitting on your sofa, watching a ball game. I'd hate to think of what my dad would think of me if I talked like that in front of him.
J Francho reply :
Sound carries on water. Watch what you say!
boudroux reply :
I run a little campground on the water. We are located on a backwater of a main river and upstream from our camp is very good fishing but you have to go a hair over a mile to get past us. There are many houses with docks, our camp with a dock and it is 5mph/no wake until well past my dock.
I can't begin to describe the bad manors some of the bass fishermen have when going past the houses and us to access the fishing area. It is generally during tournaments that the actions are the worst. We can hear the boats coming from way up the main river long before they make the turn into our channel. It is like a race between the first 5-8 boats coming up the no wake zone.
I've never done it but I've been so tempted to jump in my boat and wake the hell out while they are trying to fish but two wrongs don't make a right.
TOXIC reply :
On 4/16/2018 at 11:53 PM, boudroux said:I run a little campground on the water. We are located on a backwater of a main river and upstream from our camp is very good fishing but you have to go a hair over a mile to get past us. There are many houses with docks, our camp with a dock and it is 5mph/no wake until well past my dock.
I can't begin to describe the bad manors some of the bass fishermen have when going past the houses and us to access the fishing area. It is generally during tournaments that the actions are the worst. We can hear the boats coming from way up the main river long before they make the turn into our channel. It is like a race between the first 5-8 boats coming up the no wake zone.
I've never done it but I've been so tempted to jump in my boat and wake the hell out while they are trying to fish but two wrongs don't make a right.
If they are violating a no wake area, turn them in. There's a big difference between rude and breaking the law.
boudroux reply :
On 4/17/2018 at 12:21 AM, TOXIC said:If they are violating a no wake area, turn them in. There's a big difference between rude and breaking the law.
I've called the local LEO once and have also spoke with the tournament director about it on another occasion and nothing seems to change. In my area there is only one outfit that runs tourny's and he doesn't seem to care what the entrants do once they blast off.
One of these days a homeowner below us is going to flip his lid and it will get ugly.
TOXIC reply :
Bad situation for sure. If it were me I would film the boats and show up at the weigh in with other homeowners/business owners and show the Tournament Director the vid and give them 1 chance to make it stop. The next time, I would go to DNR/Game Wardens and show them the vid. Try to zoom in on boat registration numbers.
WRB reply :
I wouldn't even notice the instances the op posted, a boat pulling 100' in front of me is common everyday accurance, trollers are not as common where I bass fish, but common on trout trout lakes.
Fishing weekends on public SoCal lakes you share the lake with novice recreational boaters, often drinking, without regard or knowledge of boating rules. Being retired There isn't any reason to fish on weekends during the days.
I would like to say it's getting worse as time goes by, but it's not, it's always been the same. I am getting older and have learned getting ticked off only creates more problems to deal with.
Peace,
Tom
J Francho reply :
Yeah, we're done when we get to bragging about vandalism.
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