Darn party boaters.... 2024
ApacheGuns515 reply :
Small rant....
Today was about the 10th time this season that I've been swamped by inconsiderate boaters....
I fish from a kayak, and perhaps this is simply a bias I on my part as an avid fisherman but there is a huge difference between folks fishing on boat and folks conducting "outdoor recreation" on boats.
I go out all the time, the main place I go isn't super busy but there are usually a handful of boats who will pass by me during any given outing. All of the fishing boats tend to be respectful, as soon as they see me they slow down to a troll or cut the engine completely and just drift on by until they are a decent distance away and then continue on. All tend to wave just to be friendly and to acknowledge that they see me which I certainly appreciate and return.
Boaters who are not fishing on the other hand.....Terrible.
They just buzz by, not even looking half the time and even if they see me they act like it doesn't matter and just keep on going full speed. The other day I saw a boat coming up pretty fast so I began waving my hands in the air to ensure he saw me, he did, and just kept on buzzing my at full speed and even waved at me on his way past. The wake was so bad that even turning my kayak into the waves I was taking on massive amount of water. The jet ski folks are the same way and it happens often. I can understand simply not seeing me, a kayak is much smaller than a boat obviously, but when you see me and still just buzz on by and swamp me I consider that pretty distasteful.
Today I headed out to a new lake that I found and the same thing happened. A couple gentlemen in a bass tracker came by and right when they saw me they cut the engine, waved, asked if I had any luck, and moved on. A few mins later a blue speed boat comes screaming by without even caring. Then about a half hour later a speed boat full of young folks pulling a tube came by. Not only did they see me and acknowledge me, they proceeded to do their tubing thing right near me...The lake is huge, yet they chose that particular spot to just do circles for like 30 mins even after I threw my hands up in the "what?" gesture.
It's just irritating. I understand fishermen likely see me all the time because they are constantly looking around the banks and whatnot where I usually anchor. Plus they respect the sport and understand that gunning your 200hp Mercury near a kayak probably isn't good for the kayak guy trying to fish also. But the sport boaters just don't seem to care at all. I don't know if it's just plain ignorance or just a lack of respect for others on the water but it happens so often with these party boat folks that I can no longer view it as simple coincidence.
Rant off...
Glaucus reply :
The water isn't just for anglers. People boat recreationally. Recreational boaters who dont fish almost certainly dont realize they're interfering with your fishing. We aren't a superior species of people who get to claim territory.
Mikeltee reply :
As a party boat owner and partier for more than a decade I'll admit that I never gave consideration to people fishing. That is because I did not know it was inconsiderate. I never had kayaks near me and of course I would give caution to them, but the amount of wake my 30' pontoon and 18' runabouts put up, I never imagined that the wake would interfere especially given that I give all boats at least 100 yards clearance.
The day I went out in my buddies wakeboard boat fully loaded is when I saw the power of wake. We would be 200 yards off shore and send 5' rollers up the stone walls. Then and there is when I realized how much of an ass I have been all these years to the bass boats hugging the shore and docks. Even a little wake sucks.
It's not the partiers fault. They just don't know better which is why they wave back when they are guilty. A sign at the ramp and the docks leading to the slips would go a long way. Stick it right next to the .05 BAC limit on the water sign and it will get noticed.
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:07 AM, Glaucus said:The water isn't just for anglers. People boat recreationally. Recreational boaters who dont fish almost certainly dont realize they're interfering with your fishing. We aren't a superior species of people who get to claim territory.
It's not the fishing that worries me, boat wakes subside after a few minutes, it's the near white cap waves that these folks create when they go screaming by 20 feet in front of me.
It's basic common courtesy and well, logic...Boats create waves, huge waves are not good for small boats. I've almost capsized my kayak that is one of the most stable on the market due to situations like this.
It's also something that is taught in a basic water/boater safety class, watch out for paddlers and an overall understanding of share the water. As you said, water isn't just for anglers but it's not just for speedboats either. All should be respectful of one another.
It would be rude if I were to paddle up to an anchored pontoon boat and just start fishing right next to them.
I'm not saying folks shouldn't be out having fun on a boat, but I mean does it really even require a class to tell somebody that gunning by a guy in a kayak at full speed is probably not very safe or respectful?
looking45 reply :
In most states, boaters are responsible for any damage caused by their wake. Next time this happens, try to get the CF number of the boat and call it in. They might at least get a call and a warning.
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:10 AM, Mikeltee said:As a party boat owner and partier for more than a decade I'll admit that I never gave consideration to people fishing. That is because I did not know it was inconsiderate. I never had kayaks near me and of course I would give caution to them, but the amount of wake my 30' pontoon and 18' runabouts put up, I never imagined that the wake would interfere especially given that I give all boats at least 100 yards clearance.
The day I went out in my buddies wakeboard boat fully loaded is when I saw the power of wake. We would be 200 yards off shore and send 5' rollers up the stone walls. Then and there is when I realized how much of an ass I have been all these years to the bass boats hugging the shore and docks. Even a little wake sucks.
It's not the partiers fault. They just don't know better which is why they wave back when they are guilty. A sign at the ramp and the docks leading to the slips would go a long way. Stick it right next to the .05 BAC limit on the water sign and it will get noticed.
I understand that wake is inevitable. I've be rocked by wake near the shore by a speedboat about halfway on the other side of the lake. Such things are just a part of life on the water which I certainly understand. I am by no means saying nobody should be out zipping around just in case there's some people fishing or anything like that. But I mean if you are in what could be considered reasonable range of somebody in a paddle craft then it's nice for them if you slow down a bit while you pass by.
I figured just based on experiences over the years that it was likely that party boaters just didn't realize what they were doing or didn't think about it. I found it hard to convince myself that every one of them were just rude people who were doing it on purpose.
This isn't just some grumpy guy complaining about folks on the lake or anything lol. When I've been swamped it's by folks zipping by like 10-20 feet in front of me. That's the sort of thing that irritates me.
Catching wake from a boat on a lake is fine. Catching wake from a boat who zipped by you 10 feet in front of you and waved at you the whole time is not fine...
NHBull reply :
Kayakers I know tell me that as long as the boat is 150' away, they prefer them to stay on plane as the rollers being thrown forward are harder to navigate. They also say, that if a boat doesn't drop to head-to-toe speed, it is worse
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:22 AM, looking45 said:In most states, boaters are responsible for any damage caused by their wake. Next time this happens, try to get the CF number of the boat and call it in. They might at least get a call and a warning.
I've tried to do that a few times, problem is that I'm usually too busy fighting to not capsize and/or steer the kayak into the wake to read a number.
I guess perhaps I just tend to meet a bunch of random rude people lol. I did manage to catch up with one at the boat launch and I brought it to his attention about how I wasn't waving "to" him I was waving "at" him.
His response was "Well the water is public, get a real boat" lol.....
I'm sure he was an anomaly, I highly doubt that most boaters are rude like that guy was I'm pretty sure the majority of it is based on just simply not understanding or not realizing what they are doing. I think most of them think I'm just waving to be friendly which is why they wave back and don't realize I'm waving my arms to say slow down please before I flip over.
looking45 reply :
wave at them with one finger. I don't think too many people will thank that is a "friendly" wave. LOL
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:33 AM, NHBull said:Kayakers I know tell me that as long as the boat is 150' away, they prefer them to stay on plane as the rollers being thrown forward are harder to navigate. They also say, that if a boat doesn't drop to head-to-toe speed, it is worse
Wake from that far away is no biggie, I deal with that during almost every outing and I usually just say whatever direction I'm already facing because I know I won't capsize due to something like that.
The situations I'm talking about are of wake so bad that I am literally bouncing out on my seat and my bow dips so low that I take on massive amounts of water and I know that if I let the bow drift even a little bit I'm flipping over.
Brew City Bass reply :
I saved a fellow in a canoe last spring when a wake board boat swamped him. We drove over to that boat and this guy gave him a piece of his mind. All that the guy in the boat that swamped him could say was "Maybe you should be in a bigger boat". Dude just about jumped out of my boat to rip that guys head off.
We took pictures of his hull numbers and I vouched for him when we called DNR. Not sure if anything came of it, but I feel your pain and I hate seeing this happen.
Quite a few pleasure boats have gotten dinged by my 1oz sinker when they got too close.
Glaucus reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:20 AM, ApacheGuns515 said:It's not the fishing that worries me, boat wakes subside after a few minutes, it's the near white cap waves that these folks create when they go screaming by 20 feet in front of me.
It's basic common courtesy and well, logic...Boats create waves, huge waves are not good for small boats. I've almost capsized my kayak that is one of the most stable on the market due to situations like this.
It's also something that is taught in a basic water/boater safety class, watch out for paddlers and an overall understanding of share the water. As you said, water isn't just for anglers but it's not just for speedboats either. All should be respectful of one another.
It would be rude if I were to paddle up to an anchored pontoon boat and just start fishing right next to them.
I'm not saying folks shouldn't be out having fun on a boat, but I mean does it really even require a class to tell somebody that gunning by a guy in a kayak at full speed is probably not very safe or respectful?
Apologies if I came off as rude. So often will people complain about recreational boating as if the water is for anglers only. I do understand common courtesy. I also understand that not everyone is really aware of what they're doing. Of course you learn of wakes and boating etiquette in courses. I look at it like driving. We all learn how to drive, but we all break the technical rules in one way or another without realizing how it could impact others. And as for fishing, although that isn't your complaint, people who don't fish just don't understand. I get irritated as much as anyone else, but I also must maintain my rationale and head. Most of the time, people aren't just jerks trying to screw me over. I offer forgiveness and move on.
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:51 AM, Glaucus said:Apologies if I came off as rude. So often will people complain about recreational boating as if the water is for anglers only. I do understand common courtesy. I also understand that not everyone is really aware of what they're doing. Of course you learn of wakes and boating etiquette in courses. I look at it like driving. We all learn how to drive, but we all break the technical rules in one way or another without realizing how it could impact others. And as for fishing, although that isn't your complaint, people who don't fish just don't understand. I get irritated as much as anyone else, but I also must maintain my rationale and head. Most of the time, people aren't just jerks trying to screw me over. I offer forgiveness and move on.
No apologies necessary, I understood your point.
I too consider myself to be a fairly rational and understand guy which is why I am complaining here to you folks rather than yelling at people on the water or at the boat launch lol.
As I said I'm pretty sure most of it is due to ignorance, not a bad word but likely true. A lot of people likely just aren't paying attention or aren't even thinking about the effects of their boat wake on me as they cruise by and wave.
I've never owned an actual boat, always tiny plastic boats powered by a trolling motor or a kayak, so I obviously notice these sort of things more than someone who doesn't operate the smaller craft.
Being out on the water in general is a blast. I certainly don't fault recreational boaters for not being anglers or anything like that. I've rented my fair share of pontoon boats with friends and just went out for the day to enjoy the experience.
I just ask that all those operating on the water keep your head on a swivel and be courteous to one another. I've heard plenty of horror stories of boaters running right over folks in kayaks or canoes having simply not seen them. And more stories that I can count, mine included, of boaters swamping folks in smaller craft.
And with the amount of recent experiences I've had I needed to vent to somebody lol.
Scott F reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:33 AM, NHBull said:....,.They also say, that if a boat doesn't drop to head-to-toe speed, it is worse
I’ve been boating a long time but I’ve never heard the term “head-to-toe” speed. What does that mean?
NHBull reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 7:11 AM, Scott F said:I’ve been boating a long time but I’ve never heard the term “head-to-toe” speed. What does that mean?
Darn auto correct. "head-way-speed". Sorry????
38 Super Fan reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:51 AM, Glaucus said:Apologies if I came off as rude. So often will people complain about recreational boating as if the water is for anglers only. I do understand common courtesy. I also understand that not everyone is really aware of what they're doing. Of course you learn of wakes and boating etiquette in courses. I look at it like driving. We all learn how to drive, but we all break the technical rules in one way or another without realizing how it could impact others. And as for fishing, although that isn't your complaint, people who don't fish just don't understand. I get irritated as much as anyone else, but I also must maintain my rationale and head. Most of the time, people aren't just jerks trying to screw me over. I offer forgiveness and move on.
I don't see the difference between someone being rude on purpose, and being blissfully ignorant. The guy in the kayak is swamped either way. I'm impressed with your ability to offer forgiveness though...I sure wouldn't.
MassYak85 reply :
Before I say anything I primarily fish from a kayak, but also sometimes a boat or a bank.
My issue with people is usually distance no matter who it is, what they're operating, or how fast they are going. Last weekend me and my dad were fishing a point in our boat that sticks out into a channel that is probably 300-400 feet wide. I understand that people need to get by in the channel....but again, it's plenty wide and there's no reason people can't go by on the other side. Instead we had people buzzing by within 50 feet of us, some much closer. One guy got so close that that if I wasn't using an 8 speed reel to burn back my lure I'm pretty sure he would have been digging 40lb braid out of his prop. It's ridiculous how little etiquette some people have on the water.
Now from a kayakers perspective and relating to your situation. I personally don't care about waves (I fish from a 10ft sit-in kayak btw). I understand that I am sharing the water with power boats and there will be waves. If someone wants to slow down I will give them a friendly wave to acknowledge the kind gesture but I don't expect them to. My issue again is distance. Someone fishing too close I consider rude, someone blowing by 25ft feet from me in a boat I consider dangerous.
And as for waves, I'd prefer someone be going 30mph (assuming they see me) than slow down to 5-6mph. If a boat is on plane very little of it is in the water and it creates a (usually) small wake. It's when they slow down at the last second and the entire boat sinks back into the water that they displace enough water to make big waves.
BaitFinesse reply :
I don't drink beer and drive my car around harassing people trying to get to work so don't drink and drive your party barge in circles around my bass boat or kayak. Same d**n thing.
flyfisher reply :
Being a kayaker myself i'd rather see a guy stay on plane near me because they inevitably drop off too close and create more of a wake that way. I haven't had any issues with wakes though as i am pretty comfortable in my kayak and being a SOT any water on top is just going to drain out anyways.
lo n slo reply :
most wake boaters and skiers, in general, could care less. the best thing to do is avoid them altogether. go out early, during the week (not weekends), or waters where they’re not allowed, if that is at all possible. i live 5 minutes from the largest lake in my state and it’s a mad house after Memorial Day. i know alot of people who live on the lake and wish they’d outlaw the wake boats altogether due to bank erosion and dock/boat damage concerns. it’s a bad deal for all of us.
Mikeltee reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:31 AM, ApacheGuns515 said:I understand that wake is inevitable. I've be rocked by wake near the shore by a speedboat about halfway on the other side of the lake. Such things are just a part of life on the water which I certainly understand. I am by no means saying nobody should be out zipping around just in case there's some people fishing or anything like that. But I mean if you are in what could be considered reasonable range of somebody in a paddle craft then it's nice for them if you slow down a bit while you pass by.
I figured just based on experiences over the years that it was likely that party boaters just didn't realize what they were doing or didn't think about it. I found it hard to convince myself that every one of them were just rude people who were doing it on purpose.
This isn't just some grumpy guy complaining about folks on the lake or anything lol. When I've been swamped it's by folks zipping by like 10-20 feet in front of me. That's the sort of thing that irritates me.
Catching wake from a boat on a lake is fine. Catching wake from a boat who zipped by you 10 feet in front of you and waved at you the whole time is not fine...
No it's not right for them to be that close. I no longer have a boat and will get a fishing kayak as soon as my kids are old enough to tag along. You better believe I wont be paddling in any waters that have rec boats flying around. I don't care how good the fishing is ( isnt that good anyway in central Indiana) There are plenty of spots to go to that are no wake or cant have a boat on it.
As for the fishing next to the party barges is concerned... well if you ain't catchin' you can at least enjoy the scenery. Our party coves were always filled with Rangers. Lol
diversity210 reply :
Anglers of all sorts tend to have a certain superiority complex. Whether you are fishing from a bass boat, kayak, jon boat, or simply fishing off the bank. We serious anglers have a superiority complex in which we find ourselves acting as if we own the water. I have to stop myself from doing it sometime.
I was fishing an inlet to a cove couple weeks. I set my boat side ways right in the middle of the inlet and was working some smallies in that cove for a good 30 min. I turn around to see one of the lake rental pontoons heading right for me. Im thinking to myself there is no way they are going to come through here. So I turn back around and go back to fishing. The sound of the engine is getting louder as they are about 100 yards away from me and Im still thinking there is no way they would have the audacity to come through here. Well they did. They idled right by me in this narrow inlet and pulled right up to the shore of the cove with about 6 people on board. I was ticked. I mean my head was about to explode. Pulled up my trolling motor so hard I almost broke the cord. Was about to go over there and give them a piece of my mind, but then I thought to myself they had every right to idle pass me into that cove. They are out here enjoying the water just as I am. Just enjoying it in a different way. I was ticked but I had no right to confront them over it as they may have broken the fishermans unwritten rules, but they werent fisherman and I dont own the water.
Yes all of us anglers hate jetskis, waterskiers, and kids throwing huge boulders in the water 30 yards away from you while you are fishing haha, but there is nothing that says kids cant throw rocks in the water. It is why this time of year I fish early mornings during the week. This way i dont have to deal with a lot of recreational boating and we have to realize that we really dont own the water and just because there is fisherman's and boating etiquette does not mean its law and everyone has to abide by it. Best thing as anglers we can do is know the waters we like to frequent and the visitor activity on those waters and plan our fishing trip accordingly to avoid most of the ruckus
Mikeltee reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 9:25 AM, diversity210 said:Anglers of all sorts tend to have a certain superiority complex. Whether you are fishing from a bass boat, kayak, jon boat, or simply fishing off the bank. We serious anglers have a superiority complex in which we find ourselves acting as if we own the water. I have to stop myself from doing it sometime.
I was fishing an inlet to a cove couple weeks. I set my boat side ways right in the middle of the inlet and was working some smallies in that cove for a good 30 min. I turn around to see one of the lake rental pontoons heading right for me. Im thinking to myself there is no way they are going to come through here. So I turn back around and go back to fishing. The sound of the engine is getting louder as they are about 100 yards away from me and Im still thinking there is no way they would have the audacity to come through here. Well they did. They idled right by me in this narrow inlet and pulled right up to the shore of the cove with about 6 people on board. I was ticked. I mean my head was about to explode. Pulled up my trolling motor so hard I almost broke the cord. Was about to go over there and give them a piece of my mind, but then I thought to myself they had every right to idle pass me into that cove. They are out here enjoying the water just as I am. Just enjoying it in a different way. I was ticked but I had no right to confront them over it as they may have broken the fishermans unwritten rules, but they werent fisherman and I dont own the water.
Yes all of us anglers hate jetskis, waterskiers, and kids throwing huge boulders in the water 30 yards away from you while you are fishing haha, but there is nothing that says kids cant throw rocks in the water. It is why this time of year I fish early mornings during the week. This way i dont have to deal with a lot of recreational boating and we have to realize that we really dont own the water and just because there is fisherman's and boating etiquette does not mean its law and everyone has to abide by it. Best thing as anglers we can do is know the waters we like to frequent and the visitor activity on those waters and plan our fishing trip accordingly to avoid most of the ruckus
Funny thing is that they thought you were rude for blocking the inlet to the cove and Danny Boy posted on his forum that he about gave you a piece of his mind.
diversity210 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 9:33 AM, Mikeltee said:Funny thing is that they thought you were rude for blocking the inlet to the cove and Danny Boy posted on his forum that he about gave you a piece of his mind.
well Im very sorry if Danny Boy, "who ever that is" thought I was rude. The point is that we all do our thing on the water. Specific Etiquette on the water is usually relative to what you out out there doing. The same way i can understand that some might see it as rude of me to sit in the middle of the inlet. Other anglers would recognize "oh yeah, hes on the bite" and give me my space. "To each is own". As long as its lawful. Then who am I or anyone else to throw shade at someone for it.
Tim Kelly reply :
Kayaks are great and allow people access to the water who wouldn't otherwise be able to. They are small boats though, and just as you would be cautious of taking a 14ft boat out on a big water, you need to be realistic about the conditions you're likely to face in a kayak. While it's obviously wrong for people to blast past you 10ft from your yak, it's hard to see how you'd be in a situation where that could happen. Unless you were fishing down a little channel which is regularly navigated through, in which case you put yourself in a position where you were likely to meet challenging and potentially dangerous conditions.
While other water users can be pretty dumb, you have to take sensible precautions to keep yourself safe as you're the vulnerable one, rather like cyclists in cities. Car drivers should be more considerate, but you're better off expecting them not to be and staying safe than moaning about how they nearly killed you when you allowed yourself to be in a vulnerable position.
Slade House reply :
Lake Casitas California. No water skiing allowed, no body contact with the lake. OMG paradise
Griff Estes reply :
How bout you kayakers stay out of the channel. I lost a lower unit because 5 of tall decided the channel was the perfect place to talk and you need lights on your yak as you call them if your gonna go sit on a spot at 4 in the morning..I respect everyone on the water but if you wanna get on the water then expect what I do as well. Dont cry just fish
NHBull reply :
.......just a side note.
I like seeing all types of fishing.....from bank to kayak.
That said, experienced kayakers on my lake have started putting bike flags on their sterns and are fully lit at night. I wish all did. I also wished they followed the rules when fishing in the chanels. Casting in front of moving boats is never a good idea, especially when that boat could swamp you in a second. If everyone followed the Golden Rule, we wouldn't have this problem. If you can't follow the GR, follow the law.
........I really get nervous for guys in yaks
jbmaine reply :
As long as public water is open to the public, then there will be days that make you mutter not so nice things at times. I look at it as waves, wakes, noise, etc. as a fact of life. Even with common courtesy from everyone there are inconveniences you have to put up with. What annoys me is when a few ( insert swear words here ) feel their right to use the water supersedes everyone else's. If you are fishing a cove and there are , say, jet skiers running circles on the main lake you will get noise, waves, that's just the way it is. But if those same jet skiers race into the cove and decide to use you as a pylon for their race, well, that's just wrong. At that point I'll just move ,and take down their numbers to call the marine patrol. Really, what else are you going to do.
Same with everyone else.
As in all of life's situations, most people will try to do the right thing, but the few that don't, there's only so much that you can do. Yes, it ticks you off, but if you let their actions ruin your day, then you've let them win, in more ways than one.
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 1:33 PM, Tim Kelly said:Kayaks are great and allow people access to the water who wouldn't otherwise be able to. They are small boats though, and just as you would be cautious of taking a 14ft boat out on a big water, you need to be realistic about the conditions you're likely to face in a kayak. While it's obviously wrong for people to blast past you 10ft from your yak, it's hard to see how you'd be in a situation where that could happen. Unless you were fishing down a little channel which is regularly navigated through, in which case you put yourself in a position where you were likely to meet challenging and potentially dangerous conditions.
While other water users can be pretty dumb, you have to take sensible precautions to keep yourself safe as you're the vulnerable one, rather like cyclists in cities. Car drivers should be more considerate, but you're better off expecting them not to be and staying safe than moaning about how they nearly killed you when you allowed yourself to be in a vulnerable position.
See that was my main reason for going on the rant. I don't purposefully paddle in high traffic areas or anything. I stick to the shore lines for the most part. When I'm on the river near my house I just paddle along the shore to get where I want to go because for one the current is usually weaker closer to shore and two to make sure I'm out of the way of other folks in boats.
On lakes it's the same, unless I'm crossing the lake to the other side I stick to the shore lines because that's where I'm usually fishing anyway.
These folks for some reason are just buzzing around close to the shore and close to me which is why I was starting to believe this was being done on purpose.
There is little else I can do to stay out of the way. The disrespect is on the boater, not on me. I stick to the shallows, and out of the way as best I can. It takes a speed boat mere seconds to simply turn and give me a wide berth. I can't exactly paddle fast enough to get out of THEIR way.
Folks in boats need to understand that bit of common sense and overall shared respect on the water. If you see a person in a paddle craft then YOU need to avoid THEM because they can't exactly move fast enough to get out of your way. The fastest I can even paddle in my kayak is like 5 or 6kts tops. What exactly am I supposed to do when a boat is coming close to me except hunker down and wait?
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 2:07 PM, Griff Estes said:How bout you kayakers stay out of the channel. I lost a lower unit because 5 of tall decided the channel was the perfect place to talk and you need lights on your yak as you call them if your gonna go sit on a spot at 4 in the morning..I respect everyone on the water but if you wanna get on the water then expect what I do as well. Dont cry just fish
Yeah there are plenty of kayakers out there who believe that their kayaks count as boats and try to use them as such in areas with real boats. I've seen it myself plenty of times. There are huge catfish in the big commercial channel up here and a lot of kayakers love going out there and pulling in blue cats from their yaks. Problem is that this is a real channel with commercial barges and whatnot coming through hourly. That to me is a bit too dangerous and extreme, I don't do anything like that.
I use my kayak as a kayak and understand what it is and is not. I only use car top or hand launch sites, never real boat ramps because I don't want to be in the way of real boats nor do I particularly like sharing the launch area with huge boats for obvious reasons.
I'm not a guy sitting near the boat launch complaining about being swamped by boats. I'm a guy sitting on the side of a river inlet 1/2 mile or so from the hand boat launch ramp wondering where the hell this huge speed boat came from because they aren't supposed to be there anyway. Take your jet boat or your jet skis to a real boat ramp and go play out there with the other boats, what are they doing launching speedboats from a site designed to launch jon boats pulled from a truck bed?
LadiMopar reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:37 AM, ApacheGuns515 said:I've tried to do that a few times, problem is that I'm usually too busy fighting to not capsize and/or steer the kayak into the wake to read a number.
And this is why I have video rolling when the water skiers are out...they are the biggest "problem" I usually encounter.
If you're fighting the wake, as we all do in kayaks, you have a much better chance at catching those registration numbers with the video. Just be sure to have some Dramamine to watch the replay! ????
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
I see a trend here, everyone thinks they have the "RIGHT". Kayakers think I'm in small boat but I have a right to use the lake same as big boat, thus all boaters have to give them right, stay away or lower speed in another word "take of your hat and bow to me"
Big boat especially water ski boat also think they have right to use the lake (if lake allow), so they think why the hell I have to lower my speed and drop my water-skier just for that idiot kayakers.
Have anyone ever think about to be considerate instead of owning their right? Just a thought.
I like @NHBullidea to not go out when there are a lot of traffic.
I do it too, I don't fish on holidays or Sunday afternoon when I know all those water ski would come out.
If I'm gonna fish I would stay in cove or channel with 5MPH zone.
Chance_Taker4 reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:07 AM, Glaucus said:The water isn't just for anglers. People boat recreationally. Recreational boaters who dont fish almost certainly dont realize they're interfering with your fishing. We aren't a superior species of people who get to claim territory.
First I want to say I understand what the OP is stating and to stay on topic. The rec boaters in question need to be more considerate.
Second, I agree with this quoted post fully. I constantly see posts and videos from anglers complaining about being "bothered" or "harassed" by rec boaters when all the rec people are doing is enjoying the water. Another issue that grinds me is the confrontations regarding docks. I saw a video last night of a boater flipping a dock where there were kids swimming just a few feet away. The dad came out asking the boat to move away from the dock and his kids and it turned ugly because of the angler's "I'm superior" mentality it got ugly and everyone defended the angler. Another personal situation I was a coangler and my boater was skipping docks. We get to one were there are people on it and it was low to the water. My boater was having issues skipping under it and was making big splashes, putting on the dock, hit the pontoons just making a tons of noise and the owners asked us to move because of his recklessness with his stuff. He to made this enormous confrontation with them.
I apologize for getting off topic. Now to bring it back I think rec and fishing boaters both need to be more considerate of their surroundings. As I don't know the entire situation I can tell you that on the lake I fish quite a bit if a boater were to give everyone 150-200' there would be no movement. too much traffic and not a wide enough waterway.
Harold Scoggins reply :
I guess I'm fortunate to have access to several lakes that don't allow motor boats.
Angry John reply :
This is a common sense and safety discussion. A yak is like a bicycle. They are smaller but still have all the same rights and considerations. There are rude people on the road and on the water. In the end I dont want to be dead so I plan to limit my exposure to risk. If I get in a bad situation I try to smartly exit that situation. Been in a small pond with a wake boat and just had to leave because he owned a house there and truthfully was his water. I did flag him down and ask he give me a chance to leave. He took 20 and I was gone.
LonnieP reply :
I fish a 3100 acre lake with a 10 foot pond prowler. It's not just the recreational boaters that are rude, its also a big majority of bass anglers. I've had countless bass boats blast by me within casting distance on a 100 yard wide stretch of water. Now a few will be polite and slow down but the majority dont. That's why i only fish the back creek from spring until fall.
Steve1357 reply :
Growing up in Arkansas, all small game and fish lakes had a ten horsepower limit. Somewhere along the line they dropped it.
It is funny to see high powered bass boats running flat out in a WMA lake (flooded swamp really) suddenly not running flat out anymore. Sometimes I have to get in the vehicle so they can't hear me laughing....
WRB reply :
Number #1 rule is think the other boater can't see you and doesn't have a clue about boating laws and rules. You must be on top of your game and not in others boats path.
In California we are just now requiring boaters cards, to operate a boat you must pass a test, but this is being phased in slowly by age with younger age groups Ist.
In a kayak you are very difficult to see sitting low to the water and if the sun is in the other boater eyes nearly impossible. Don't put yourself in harms way.
Tom
ApacheGuns515 reply :
So just to clarify my overall meaning I'll discuss the outing that I had today.
I went out with a friend of mine and we launched at an actual boat ramp and paddled a good 2 miles or so through a channel to get to where we were going (fishing for channel cats). I rarely ever go to places like this anyway but he insisted we go so I agreed.
It's Saturday, boats are everywhere, and they all obviously have to use the channel to get out into the lake. While paddling out we'd both constantly be looking behind us and whenever we'd see boats approaching we'd move towards the shore and out of their way. Everybody was courteous, we're in kayaks, we aren't going to hold up the traffic of real boats, we simply moved out of the way and continued on whenever the passed. They respect that and we respect that. Perfectly friendly atmosphere.
We head out to the mouth of the lake and anchor down there, that's where the cats are. We're off to the side out of the way but this is the end of the go slow area for boats (there is no no wake area just a general don't go gunning through the channel).
The wake was absolutely terrible with a lot of these huge boats coupled with the wind creating white caps. But I wasn't upset with it. I sat there and maneuvered into the waves whenever the boats would pass by and just continued on fishing.
Why? Because I'm in THEIR area at this point. I'm not in some calm back water area that only I can get to nor am I in a paddle only lake or a 10hp limit lake. I'm on a channel in the mouth of Lake Ontario, there is no size limit for boats out there so I'm not going to get upset that a huge 50ft yacht comes cruising by 20 ft from me and dumps water all over my kayak. I'm the one choosing to sit in my little 12ft kayak at the mouth of a Great Lake.
That's sort of the point I was making. I'm not upset that I get swamped by boats if I'm in a high traffic area in a little kayak. I get upset when I get swamped by boats on a calm river or lake that has huge amounts of space to maneuver yet folks are so inconsiderate that they will cruise right by me 20 ft in front of me instead of simply turning the wheel and going around me when they have ample opportunity and time and space to do so.
Getting swamped while sitting in a channel full of 30ft boats is fine. Getting swamped sitting near the shore trying to fish on a 1000 acre lake with somebody choosing to come screaming by me instead of just going around is not fine.
Squarebill79 reply :
I fish on a regular basis on both my kayak and my bass boat. I only take my kayak out on no-wake lakes around here. If I want to fish the big lake I'll get out the boat but the kayak stays on the no-wake 4mph lakes. Its just not worth the extra saftey risk to me, I dont trust drunken idiots running 40 mph all over the place on the big lakes.
Russ E reply :
On 8/5/2018 at 4:50 AM, WRB said:Number #1 rule is think the other boater can't see you and doesn't have a clue about boating laws and rules. You must be on top of your game and not in others boats path.
In California we are just now requiring boaters cards, to operate a boat you must pass a test, but this is being phased in slowly by age with younger age groups Ist.
In a kayak you are very difficult to see sitting low to the water and if the sun is in the other boater eyes nearly impossible. Don't put yourself in harms way.
Tom
^^^. this
if you are in a kayak I suggest you wear bright clothing.
last fall I was cutting across a local tree filled reservoir at about 45 mph.
it was a mild chop and I was driving into the sun.
as I came around a corner there was a duck hunter all decked in camo, laying in a low free board camo kayak, in the middle of the channel.
when I first spotted him, I was 20 yards away. I thought it was a log floating in the water.
Luckily I avoided him. I don't know who was more shaken up.
I turned around and apologized for nearly hitting him.
he admitted that where he setup to hunt, was probably not the safest place.
A-Jay reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 1:33 PM, Tim Kelly said:Kayaks are great and allow people access to the water who wouldn't otherwise be able to. They are small boats though, and just as you would be cautious of taking a 14ft boat out on a big water, you need to be realistic about the conditions you're likely to face in a kayak. While it's obviously wrong for people to blast past you 10ft from your yak, it's hard to see how you'd be in a situation where that could happen. Unless you were fishing down a little channel which is regularly navigated through, in which case you put yourself in a position where you were likely to meet challenging and potentially dangerous conditions.
While other water users can be pretty dumb, you have to take sensible precautions to keep yourself safe as you're the vulnerable one, rather like cyclists in cities. Car drivers should be more considerate, but you're better off expecting them not to be and staying safe than moaning about how they nearly killed you when you allowed yourself to be in a vulnerable position.
Solid Advice Right Here ^^^^^^^^.
I was a professional mariner for a long time. I've seen bad things.
I fish from a 18 ft power boat most often now but did fish from a canoe for a long time.
A career of on the water Search & Rescue / Law Enforcement has indicated that for me - I need to have a mind set Regardless of the rules, the laws or whatever mind set we each have, that EVERY BOATER is trying to run me down - every one.
I make it my responsibility to do everything I can to prevent that. And I do. To sit and watch and hope that another boater will see you, avoid you, be courteous to you ???- is IMO un-wise. Like I said. I've seen what happens when this occurs - not good.
(btw - it is my experience that an alarming number of boaters (especially on inland lakes, rivers & reservoirs) are mostly unfamiliar with boating safety, and navigational rules; especially in locals where 'the boating season' is 12 weeks long (summer basically).
Stay Safe.
A-Jay
WRB reply :
As a young teen through college I worked at what we called boat landings, today called marinas. Working with the general public renting boats for day use and renting mourning space to residents and vacationers, you run across all types of people; the good, the bad and the ugly! I could write a book on boating stupidity based on those early years. Never, never , never think a boater knows what they are doing, it could be fatal!
Just because someone can afford big expensive yatchs or power boats this also applies to them, some are good skippers and some are bone heads. My experience with weekend bass anglers isn't any different except most believe they own the lake and everyone else is in the way.
All this may sound negative, believe me it's earned!
Be your own advocate for safety, look out for yourself and boating companions all the time.
Be safe!
Tom
FishDewd reply :
That's certainly rude and dumb for them to do to you, I've been on boats quite a few times and I've never intentionally thrown waves like that at a smaller boat. In my youth my parents had jet skis and we often drove them down smaller canals and whatnot... one day dad and I experienced the bad side of a larger boat and I'll never forget it when I was about 10 years old.
We were in Clear Lake, riding down a popular waterway doing about 50, not top speed but cruising good and having fun. A boat pulled up next to us going quite a bit faster and didn't give us room to move away from shore.... the wake wasn't the issue, the problem was that were close to the bank and the boat did not give us clearance. The boater ran us up too close to land and we were unable to steer out of it. There was this overhanging branch that stuck about 20' out from the shore. Tbh I was day dreaming about something else, I was just a kid... dad was not able to steer us out of it in time. Next thing I know I got whopped in the head and I'm flying through the air doing many flips. When I came to dad was holding me up in the water, my water shoes were gone, and the jet ski was on the land in the sticks. Apparently I hit the log head first. The jetski hull was cracked, my head was bleeding, and I was seeing stars of all sorts of colors. Somehow, by some miracle, the jetski got us back to dock without sinking. Some guy on the ramp said to me while dad was getting the truck and I sat on the ski, "did ya'll have fun?" I don't think he saw the damage to the ski at that point. I responded, crying "we got crashed!" and pointed to the huge crack on the opposite side of the ski. The guy walked around to dock side and looked and he seemed ticked after I told him what happened.
We got the jetski repaired but it wasn't the same after that. Mom was always super nervous anytime we went out and it pretty much ruined out jetski'ing days. Wasn;t long after that we sold the jetskis, the kawisaki we were riding, as well as the seadoo mom had which had reverse. I really miss that kawi to this day... it was so fast and fun for it's day. But I also realize how close we came to being killed by an inconsiderate boater who ran us up too close to land. I take nothing for granted anymore, and that's a bad memory I forever have to live with.
Safety on the water people. Please.
buzzbaiter83 reply :
I fish from a kayak, bassboat & pontoon. I’ve wakeboarded & tubed all over the lake. I stay off of high traffic lakes during summer with my kayak just because I know how ignorant folks are. I’m sure some are just inconsiderate but most probably have no clue. Unless they’ve been in a kayak with waves coming at them then they have no idea what they’re doing to you. At least it usually calms back down after Labor Day and a lot will be done for the season.
I keep my kayak in small “no wake” lakes or rivers in the summer. If I do go to a big lake in Summer I go early at daylight and leave before the party crowd starts getting out to play. Stay safe out there
slonezp reply :
God
Grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
The wisdom to know the difference
You will never ever be able to change the behaviors of other folks. You can, however, take steps to make improvements in your situation.
My home water is the busiest freshwater inland waterway per acre, in the United States. I have a 20' boat with a 225hp on the back. During the summer, I fish from 5am until 11am, just about the time the pleasure boaters erupt from their cocoons.
My advice to you is, alter your habits and/or change bodies of water.
kenmitch reply :
On 8/5/2018 at 11:35 AM, FishDewd said:That's certainly rude and dumb for them to do to you, I've been on boats quite a few times and I've never intentionally thrown waves like that at a smaller boat. In my youth my parents had jet skis and we often drove them down smaller canals and whatnot... one day dad and I experienced the bad side of a larger boat and I'll never forget it when I was about 10 years old.
We were in Clear Lake, riding down a popular waterway doing about 50, not top speed but cruising good and having fun. A boat pulled up next to us going quite a bit faster and didn't give us room to move away from shore.... the wake wasn't the issue, the problem was that were close to the bank and the boat did not give us clearance. The boater ran us up too close to land and we were unable to steer out of it. There was this overhanging branch that stuck about 20' out from the shore. Tbh I was day dreaming about something else, I was just a kid... dad was not able to steer us out of it in time. Next thing I know I got whopped in the head and I'm flying through the air doing many flips. When I came to dad was holding me up in the water, my water shoes were gone, and the jet ski was on the land in the sticks. Apparently I hit the log head first. The jetski hull was cracked, my head was bleeding, and I was seeing stars of all sorts of colors. Somehow, by some miracle, the jetski got us back to dock without sinking. Some guy on the ramp said to me while dad was getting the truck and I sat on the ski, "did ya'll have fun?" I don't think he saw the damage to the ski at that point. I responded, crying "we got crashed!" and pointed to the huge crack on the opposite side of the ski. The guy walked around to dock side and looked and he seemed ticked after I told him what happened.
We got the jetski repaired but it wasn't the same after that. Mom was always super nervous anytime we went out and it pretty much ruined out jetski'ing days. Wasn;t long after that we sold the jetskis, the kawisaki we were riding, as well as the seadoo mom had which had reverse. I really miss that kawi to this day... it was so fast and fun for it's day. But I also realize how close we came to being killed by an inconsiderate boater who ran us up too close to land. I take nothing for granted anymore, and that's a bad memory I forever have to live with.
Safety on the water people. Please.
That's an unfortunate event that could have been avoided entirely. Your lucky you or your dad weren't killed or seriously injured for life. Why your dad chose racing the boat while pinned to shore with both your lives at stake is the real question. The sensible person would have just let off the throttle and chosen safety 1st rather than playing chicken with the shore and the boat. The boater was inconsiderate I'll give you that, but your dad was also at fault. As for you mom she was just doing her job putting your safety 1st. Your lucky she even let you guys go out at all after that.
I'm not trash talking your dad so don't get upset over the statement. Most likely he just got caught up in the moment and machismo kicked in instead of common sense.
FishDewd reply :
On 8/5/2018 at 11:47 PM, kenmitch said:That's an unfortunate event that could have been avoided entirely. Your lucky you or your dad weren't killed or seriously injured for life. Why your dad chose racing the boat while pinned to shore with both your lives at stake is the real question. The sensible person would have just let off the throttle and chosen safety 1st rather than playing chicken with the shore and the boat. The boater was inconsiderate I'll give you that, but your dad was also at fault. As for you mom she was just doing her job putting your safety 1st. Your lucky she even let you guys go out at all after that.
I'm not trash talking your dad so don't get upset over the statement. Most likely he just got caught up in the moment and machismo kicked in instead of common sense.
Where did I say we were racing? We were cruising along and boater came up from behind us and pinned us. 100% his fault. Wasn't avoidable really. Iirc we went around a bend making sure we werent going to get run over and didnt see the limb until it was right there. Obviously we were throttling off to get room but was distracted by the idiot boater who almost ran us over and didn't see the limb before it was too late.
I wrote that late at night so sorry if I wasn't clear enough. This also happened nearly 20 years ago so some specifics are a tab fuzzy. Or maybe its cause i hit my face on a limb and flew like a drunken acrobate through the air. Either/or.
OCdockskipper reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 6:07 AM, Glaucus said:... Recreational boaters who dont fish almost certainly dont realize they're interfering with your fishing...
Ignorance is not a defense for lack of etiquette. If ones' focus is solely on themselves, then one will never realize they are interfering or disturbing others. In a word, it is selfishness.
Let's put the shoe on the other foot. If people are swimming by a dock and some fisherman drives up, anchors, starts chumming with some stinky stuff to attract catfish and casts right in among the swimmers, he is an ignorant jerk. He has every right to do what he is doing, he can fish where he wants to, but the swimmers were there first and he is out of line by forcing his activity upon them.
Fishermen do not own the water, but proper etiquette is to allow any person pursuing outdoor recreation the space to do so if they were there prior to you. Those who fish from boats often tend to follow etiquette more than the jet skier or pleasure boater who goes out 3 times in the summer for the simple reason that they are more invested in the activity. It is not unlike the difference on how a car or home owner will treat their property compared to a renter of the same thing.
OCdockskipper reply :
On 8/4/2018 at 9:25 AM, diversity210 said:Anglers of all sorts tend to have a certain superiority complex...
I disagree. Being courteous to other boaters & water users is not a superiority complex, it is manners. Expecting others to know etiquette and show manners themselves is the underpinning of a civil society.
Also, there are anglers who are just as discourteous to other anglers as well as pleasure boaters. Those folks have no complex, they are just selfish.
On 8/4/2018 at 2:07 PM, Griff Estes said:How bout you kayakers stay out of the channel...
You are correct about this, albeit this was not the situation with the OP. Part of etiquette for all boaters, including fishermen, is to not clog up areas that are used for high speed navigation.
There is a kayaker (non fisherman) on my lake who will paddle his kayak between me & docks that I am fishing even when I am skipping docks. In those situations, there is nearly no room for him to squeeze past, yet he does so, even having bumped my boat in the past. He is a cranky old man & in his mind, he is going to paddle right next to the line of docks in every cove and if that affects anyone else (fishermen, docksitters, etc), that is their problem, not his.
OCdockskipper reply :
On 8/5/2018 at 9:58 AM, A-Jay said:(btw - it is my experience that an alarming number of boaters (especially on inland lakes, rivers & reservoirs) are mostly unfamiliar with boating safety, and navigational rules; especially in locals where 'the boating season' is 12 weeks long (summer basically).
Bingo!!
soflabasser reply :
Reading this thread makes me appreciate more some of the places I fish since they are places boaters are not allowed to fish.
gimruis reply :
The ones that seem to bother me the most lately are those wake surfing boats. They create MASSIVE wakes and the waves are not only coming over my transom, but they are seriously damaging the shoreline with erosion. Its only a matter of time before the DNR has to step in on this one.
As for the rest of the recreational riff raff, the best thing you can do is just avoid them. I used to get worked up over these idiotic pontoons, jet skis, skiers, tubers, etc but its pretty obvious when most of them are going to be out: bright, sunny, and warm. So that's when I don't go. If rain is in the forecast, that's when I try to go. Plus rain means low pressure and that often means better fishing anyways. What I can't quite understand is when I see these guys barreling through an area that is clearly marked with shallow water. One of these days they're gonna rip off a prop or lower unit and I'll be there watching (and laughing).
WRB reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 8:36 AM, gimruis said:The ones that seem to bother me the most lately are those wake surfing boats. They create MASSIVE wakes and the waves are not only coming over my transom, but they are seriously damaging the shoreline with erosion. Its only a matter of time before the DNR has to step in on this one.
As for the rest of the recreational riff raff, the best thing you can do is just avoid them. I used to get worked up over these idiotic pontoons, jet skis, skiers, tubers, etc but its pretty obvious when most of them are going to be out: bright, sunny, and warm. So that's when I don't go. If rain is in the forecast, that's when I try to go. Plus rain means low pressure and that often means better fishing anyways. What I can't quite understand is when I see these guys barreling through an area that is clearly marked with shallow water. One of these days they're gonna rip off a prop or lower unit and I'll be there watching (and laughing).
I hoped you also attemp to aid in a rescue if the crazy boaters are in the water or disabled, it's the law!
Tom
OCdockskipper reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 8:58 AM, WRB said:I hoped you also attemp to aid in a rescue if the crazy boaters are in the water or disabled, it's the law!
Tom
Does casting a Zara Spook to try to snag a person thrashing in the water count as aid?
????
WRB reply :
Don't think that would fall under Good Samaritan laws or coast gaurd laws rendering aid to a disabled mariner.
Tom
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 8:36 AM, gimruis said:The ones that seem to bother me the most lately are those wake surfing boats. They create MASSIVE wakes and the waves are not only coming over my transom, but they are seriously damaging the shoreline with erosion. Its only a matter of time before the DNR has to step in on this one.
I almost got flip on my 14' Jonboat with one of those wave rider once. I don't usually go on main Lake since there are too many water skier run back and forth. Ever since I moved to Canyon Lake, I only fish this main Lake only a handful of time and stay close to NO WAKE ZONE.
I'd fish on smaller lake(north ski lake) instead, but still can't avoid those water skier especially in this lake (no control and no "no wake zone") there are those with "wave enchantment device". When I saw that guy again at launch lamp, all he said was sorry I almost flip your boat, nothing else no slow down and run super close to shoreline up and down a few time.
This is what I'm trying to say and seem like only us small boat always be the one who ask for courtesies, bigger boat not so much but both have "RIGHT" to use water.
I'd say avoid them is the best way, Main Lake got a whole lot of big bass and a lot of structure but I still choose smaller lake, tougher to fish and not as many big bass, all this for my safety.
Tim Kelly reply :
If you accept that people are idiots and not considerate, you have to think about whether you're being foolish taking a small boat to a place where it is likely to be inadequate for the conditions. No different to me trying to take my 12ft tin boat across the atlantic. I might make it, but it wouldn't be the right boat for the conditions! My little boat is perfect for where I do take it though.
Tlauz reply :
I spend 80% of the time in my boat fishing. The other 20% of the time I am pulling tubers and skiers. The lake I mainly fish is about 800 acres and can get busy on the weekends. I usually try to stay away from people fishing but one thing that does irritate me is on a Saturday at 2 pm when it is 95 degrees you have to expect a lake to be busy. One weekend there were two different boats sitting on points that were basically in the middle of the lake. Recreational boats were being respectful, but there was a constant barrage of waves. Where they were positioned you had to go by them. I realize everyone has a right to the water, but I usually try to pick good times and lakes that aren't so busy. I try to fish early and late. When it is hot and sunny and calm I know it is recreation time.
TOXIC reply :
I am heading out Friday to Wisconsin and a chain of lakes that have "ski" lakes and "no-wake" lakes. Best of both worlds. Of course, the ski lakes are some of the better fishing lakes but they can't start until 10:30am. That gives me time to fish my spots before they get started and then either brave the wakes or move to a no-wake lake. I do like that set-up.
J Francho reply :
On 8/5/2018 at 9:58 AM, A-Jay said:While it's obviously wrong for people to blast past you 10ft from your yak, it's hard to see how you'd be in a situation where that could happen.
I've run into a few where it was intentional. Get their boat reg, and call the sheriff.
Krux5506 reply :
To the OP, we must be pretty close to each other location wise, and I gotta say fishing the mouth of any of the channels on Lake O during busy boating hours is pretty ballsy in a kayak.
There's no doubt I share your frustration with pleasure boaters while I'm out fishing, but I've gotten so used to it that I just come to expect it. Sometimes fellow fishermen can be even worse. This is why I really try to start early and end early, and rarely am I fishing during mid afternoon when all the traffic is out unless I'm out in the lake. Where our cottage is, I notice the traffic dies down significantly around 6-7pm. Then another wave of traffic comes out to try and catch the lake O sunset.
I think if I were you, I'd stick to the start early end early rule during peak boating season.
J Francho reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 11:22 PM, Krux5506 said:I gotta say fishing the mouth of any of the channels on Lake O during busy boating hours is pretty ballsy in a kayak.
Agree. I don't even like being in the outlets during peak hours, let alone fishing.
A-Jay reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 10:35 PM, J Francho said:I've run into a few where it was intentional. Get their boat reg, and call the sheriff.
If it makes you feel any better J - the situations that fell into this category where I was in a position to prosecute the case, almost always ended in Termination and nice Fat Fine.
I would like to mention that I always did it with a smile.
No Boating for you . . . .
A-Jay
Jaderose reply :
Meh......Do what I do......fish lakes that look like this. A pleasure boat would be sunk in 5 minutes on this lake. All those trees in the fog are IN the water. And where there is still a tree standing, there are 5 stumps around it that you may or may not be able to see. No gas motors allowed...not that you'd want to use one anyway.
LadiMopar reply :
@Jaderose that is one mighty beautiful place. The next time I roll West to SoDak would you mind if stopped by there just to admire it? Geez I miss being on the other side of the Old Mississippi, and the Missouri and....????
soflabasser reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 6:28 PM, Tim Kelly said:If you accept that people are idiots and not considerate, you have to think about whether you're being foolish taking a small boat to a place where it is likely to be inadequate for the conditions.
Good advice. A long time ago I came to the conclusion that many people that drive fast in no wake zones are idiots with no compassion for others so I try my best to avoid times when these pleasure boaters,jet skiers,etc are most likely on the water. I am also very picky who I decide to fish with and I will not fish with someone who likes to drive their boat recklessly fast.
slonezp reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 8:54 PM, TOXIC said:I am heading out Friday to Wisconsin and a chain of lakes that have "ski" lakes and "no-wake" lakes. Best of both worlds. Of course, the ski lakes are some of the better fishing lakes but they can't start until 10:30am. That gives me time to fish my spots before they get started and then either brave the wakes or move to a no-wake lake. I do like that set-up.
Wherabouts?
TOXIC reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 10:08 AM, slonezp said:Wherabouts?
Waupaca, King Chain of lakes. Been going for 22 years. Rent a cottage on Sunset Lake. Have rented on McCrossen and Dake through the years. Mostly pontoon lakes and used to have AWSOME fishing but they decided to spray the grass and the fishing tanked. There are some Lake Trout in there but I have never caught one. I have caught Largies, Smallies and all of the different panfish as well as a Tiger Musky, regular Musky and Pike. It has come back in the last few years but nothing like it used to be. I always find them but it's been much more of a challenge. That's ok though, I've got a week to figure them out. I used to fish Winniconnie and the Fox River every year up there as well but the gentleman I used to take out sadly passed away last year so I'll just stay on the chain.
Jaderose reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 8:39 AM, LadiMopar said:@Jaderose that is one mighty beautiful place. The next time I roll West to SoDak would you mind if stopped by there just to admire it? Geez I miss being on the other side of the Old Mississippi, and the Missouri and....????
All are welcome, Brother. It ain't a big lake but it's my happy place. In my info down at the bottom it says Happy Holler....out in the boonies. This is the place. About 100 acres.....has stumps, flats, shallows, creeks, points, cover, structure, etc. It's got it all, including some nice bass. I've been going here almost exclusively for about 10 years now and am still not tired of it. It's not a big numbers lake but it has some NICE bass in it. Best part is it's out in the middle of nowhere so not a lot a of pressure. I'd say at least 65% of the time I am there, I am alone. The rest of the time there might be another boat or 2 on the lake and it's almost always just another one of the regulars that all respect and like each other. It's my little paradise on earth.
LadiMopar reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 8:36 PM, Jaderose said:All are welcome, Brother. It ain't a big lake but it's my happy place. In my info down at the bottom it says Happy Holler....out in the boonies. This is the place. About 100 acres.....has stumps, flats, shallows, creeks, points, cover, structure, etc. It's got it all, including some nice bass. I've been going here almost exclusively for about 10 years now and am still not tired of it. It's not a big numbers lake but it has some NICE bass in it. Best part is it's out in the middle of nowhere so not a lot a of pressure. I'd say at least 65% of the time I am there, I am alone. The rest of the time there might be another boat or 2 on the lake and it's almost always just another one of the regulars that all respect and like each other. It's my little paradise on earth.
Thanks for the offer of a visit should I get that way again, it sounds like paradise for sure...you're a lucky guy to have a place like that almost completely to yourself...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tad jealous. ????
So as not to get anyone's feathers in a fluff, does it matter that I'm a Sister and not a Brother? ???????????? Just checking! LOL!
Jaderose reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 11:14 PM, LadiMopar said:
So as not to get anyone's feathers in a fluff, does it matter that I'm a Sister and not a Brother? ???????????? Just checking! LOL!
Lol...My apologies. I simply did not notice, either your picture or your name. And it doesn't matter a single bit to me. Still welcome. Always room in my boat for ANY fisherperson.
LadiMopar reply :
On 8/8/2018 at 2:13 AM, Jaderose said:Lol...My apologies. I simply did not notice, either your picture or your name. And it doesn't matter a single bit to me. Still welcome. Always room in my boat for ANY fisherperson.
No apologies needed...I thought it was pretty darn funny, but was thinking maybe I need to grow my hair longer (already waist length) 
everythingthatswims reply :
My "home lake" at school is worse than anywhere I've been before in terms of pleasure boats. Even weekdays are bad. It's not a big lake, and our proximity to Pittsburg means that a lot more people than there is room for have boats there. I think the fish are used to it, I watch boats drive over top of the stuff I am fishing constantly. If it happens every day, the fish may adjust accordingly, but it probably doesn't shut them off.
You can't get upset with them though, they don't know they're doing anything wrong and probably think that fishing consists of a bobber and worm.
What baffles me is how pleasure boaters stay away from large, open areas on all lakes, and prefer to drive circles around each other in the tiniest necked-down areas of the lakes, or back in creeks.
ApacheGuns515 reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 11:22 PM, Krux5506 said:To the OP, we must be pretty close to each other location wise, and I gotta say fishing the mouth of any of the channels on Lake O during busy boating hours is pretty ballsy in a kayak.
There's no doubt I share your frustration with pleasure boaters while I'm out fishing, but I've gotten so used to it that I just come to expect it. Sometimes fellow fishermen can be even worse. This is why I really try to start early and end early, and rarely am I fishing during mid afternoon when all the traffic is out unless I'm out in the lake. Where our cottage is, I notice the traffic dies down significantly around 6-7pm. Then another wave of traffic comes out to try and catch the lake O sunset.
I think if I were you, I'd stick to the start early end early rule during peak boating season.
Oh trust me I know. I almost never go to high traffic areas in my kayak. The only reason I fished the mouth of Lake O last weekend was because a buddy of mine insisted and he's a family guy who rarely gets time to go out and I agreed to go where he wanted to go. It wasn't a pleasant experience and after about an hour we both decided to paddle back inland and and on the opposite side of the boat launch to much calmer water with no traffic. He had his mind set on pulling a channel cat out with his kayak.
That sort of thing is not the norm for me. I stick to calm waters and rivers away from boat traffic. It's no fun having to maneuver my kayak into the waves every minute or so as yacht after yacht cruises by.
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