Re: Know What Reall Burns My Grits!!!
at my favorite boat ramp we deal with this all the time. the land has been given back to cherokee nation so state police have no jurisdiction and the cherokee marshals have stopped coming out. people use the park at will........
the day use shelters have become campsites for tents and rvs alike, for months at a time.
people use the low spots as a place to go mudding with trucks and atvs.
people use the dock for diving and swimming.
someone tore down the "no swimming around dock" and the "no simming on ramp" signs.
at one time there was a "no swimming" sign. when i asked the marshal about it he said you where only allowed to wade in the water to your chest because of all the holes and debris......... but it has been gone for over a year now.
there are broken beer bottles everywhere.
half of the concrete picnic tables have been broken or stolen.
the bathrooms got trashed too many times so the doors have been welded shut.
and i have complained to cherokee nation and they say there isnt any funds for patrolling and the local authorities dont patrol it because it belongs to cherokee nation........... they will show up on a call but they dont patrol it or follow up on any info you give about destruction.
and as if all this aint enough, like this gripe is about, half of the people wont move or are real slow about it............ and of course you have the dirty looks. i have only ever had one guy have something to say........ i offered to change his perspective, but he wanted none of it. the wife wasnt happy about my reaction but at the time there where signs still posted all over the place. i wont be cursed at and talked to like a dog, especially when im the one obeying the law..... except for when i really mess up and the wife is all over me
now as far as bank fisherman go i can see both sides of this.
until 4 years ago i only fished from the bank.
that being said i have had people in boats set up and fish my spot because they see me catching fish .................... of course we invited them to the bank and they would have none of it, and when i decided to wade out to their boat they tossed out a few profanities and took off ................. i know the frustration bank fisherman have.
i am courteous and will give way but i wont get up at 4 am only to have a boat park on my hole 2 hours after i got there.
i feel their pain and will do everything i can ,short of damaging my boat, to give them their space and try not to spook their fish. just last week i scooted over too far and caught a rock with my prop trying to give swimmers and fishermen room................ in the lower illinois river trout fishermen and swimmers are often in close proximity (bank fishermen that is ).
the way i see it i have access to the whole lake and they have access to small portions. i can give them room to fish.
now on the other side i now have 4 boats
i have had just about the same amount of problems with boats being in the way as i have bank fishers. the lake i fish is man made so the river and creek channels are the safest place to travel. you can always tell when either someone doesnt know the lake or doesnt have a fshfinder, because they will be anchored out in the navigable channel. i got buzzed a few times and wasnt too happy about it. then i got a map fo the lake, a gps, and a fishfinder. now i know why those big boats where waking my lil tinnies when they had the whole cove to go around me............... a lot of the lake is 3'-6' deep so you have to be very careful when you are in a cove or away from the barge route.
now in the case where the fisherman can cast across the channel thats their bad luck, they need to find another place to fish or give boats the right of way....................... you cant stand at the side of the road and throw rocks at cars because they are spooking the deer in your front yard
