Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

[Pontoon24]

I live in Florida on a canal. Often there will be fishing lines across the canal, sometimes tended, often not. When I approach a tended line in my boat there are different reactions. Some reel in to let me pass, some others do but grudgingly, some don't and I suppose expect you to go over, under or around the line. Often an untended line cannot be seen and I will accidentally snap the line or at worst, pull the pole and all right off the bank.
It is my opinion that someone fishing should not obstruct navigable waters and an untended pole obstructing a navigable waterway takes what it gets.
What do you think?

 

[dave11]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I agree. I see it all the time. Usually not a problem around here.

 

[viper1]

I always do my best to avoid them when possible. If i can't then I can't. But I see guys in boats who think they own the water. That's not right either.



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[5150abf]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I fish and would never do that, if you throw a line across a channel you should know before you do it that someone is going to drive over it, as long as you do what you can to avoid it you are fine.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

Any bone head, that leaves an unattended line in the water, where boats pass by, is just that, a Bone Head. I will try and avoid all fishing lines, and give them as much room as I can.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

We have a similar situation at our main dock . . . lots of folks fish off there during the day. The main purpose of the dock is for boat access. For the most part the fishers pull their lines in . . . once in a while they don't or a line is left unattended.

Standard protocol is that the boaters do what they need to do in order to navigate, and you don't loose any sleep over cutting a line or two. (never seem it happen)

There are other areas, like jetties, where the fishers would prevail as those areas are not intended for boats.

so, my take would be if the area is primarily intended for boat navigation, then the etiquette/protocol favors the boaters. However, there are always those who 'just don't get it'.

 

[Pontoon24]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

Of course I always try to avoid them, I hate fishing line in my hub, but there are so many traditional ways of doing things with boating that I often question whats expected. In retrospect when I looked back several years to the time I saw a pole being yanked off the bank as my prop fouled on an unseen line I could have tried to find the pole and throw it back up on the bank but it was really a job to get all that line from around my prop and by the time I finished I no longer cared.

Thanks for the input.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I could so see not caring about someone's pole after they put me through all that.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

We don't have problems with rod and reel lines here, it's the jugs and trot lines randomly laid about. When I jug fish I use a gallon milk jug that I spray paint blaze orange on the inside, properly label with jugs with my information as required by law and I only lay jugs in coves that aren't popular with swimmers. It bugs the crap out of me when someone lays a line in the channel and uses a brown board for a float. I dodged one last year and hit another. The one I hit was a dark colored chunk of wood, no info on it, in the midst of everything and only about a quarter inch sticking out of the water. I dragged it to shore and threw it in a tree. Man I was pissed...getting mad just typing about it!

 

[Philster]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

Line in the water and unmarked channel: Line has 'rights'. Although if the line is tended (and it should be) then the individual tending to the line should make an effort to remove it as necessary (boat strays off course, etc.). Safety would come first -- not rights.

Line in the water and it is a marked channel: Captain should make safe effort to avoid the line if the captain can not request the line to be moved or if this is refused. If the safest option is to run through the line, then this is acceptable (If the person tending the line can't be contacted or won't move the line).

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

Can't speak for anyone but myself. I try to respect everyones right to use a waterway and it upsets me when I run into people who do not. I can speak from both sides of this issue as a bank fisherman and a boater. I find it rude and selfish for someone to lay a line across a channel and then leave it unattended. Same as I find when people are bank fishing and boaters that instead of moving away and giving room come slowly cruising past and waving while then asking "how they biting!" Wouldn't kill these people to steer out an extra 50' when passing. I do it when I come across this situation. I'm not inconvenienced by doing this. Yet I witness it all the time were a boater passes by never changing course when they see someone fishing from a pier or bank. Sorry but to me that behavior is just rude and as selfish as the unattended line.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I've sucked up a line or two in my days, every single one was from people fishing off the courtesy dock at the boat ramp! Didn't even feel the slightest bit of remorse. I've had people start to get a little mouthy, 'didn't you see I had a line out?' Usually the conversation ends when I point out that they tied up their bait bucket to the no-fishing sign...

 

[mommicked]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

Only an idiot would cast a line accross a navigable canal or narrow nearshore channel and leave their gear unattended. I think some bankfishers think if you have a boat you can go elsewhere and don't understand you may actually need to ride past their fishing hole to get somewhere. I've had fishermen and women just stand and stare, holding their rods as I approach the short docks at a local ramp tryng to avoid their lines. My father almost knocked 2 guys into the water as he stepped off the bow one day onto the narrow dock because the guys just stared at us as we approached and would not move back from the end of the dock. It was funny because Dad said "HELLO" kinda loudly as he stepped up and bumped into both of the clueless guys fishing there, they both almost fell in !. There are signs, and a designated fishing area away from the ramps, but folks are always rudely fishing there and crowding both docks on busy days I hear not so friendly exchanges there when it's crowded and watched a guy w a nice big Bassboat tilt and gun his motor to spray the folks fishing in the way of the loading launching one day as he left the dock, that was pretty funny!!:facepalm:

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I don't care about the xxxxx's that throw their lines across navigable water, knowing full well that boats will come and go. They don't give a Pfffft about anyone but themselves. Cut their lines....tough luck.

Mark

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I don't care about the xxxxx's that throw their lines across navigable water, knowing full well that boats will come and go. Mark

Gee Mark does that include folks fishing from private piers in open lake areas?

 

[nlain]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I live on a small creek, I fish off of my dock, I sometimes cast across the channel to the mouth of a little marsh creek to see what might be there, if a boat comes I reel in, I would expect the same from others if I was in the boat. If I have room to clear their line I do not have a problem with doing just that. We have the Crab Trap problem here, they are in the small creeks and of course in the channel, at low tide you have to be real careful to not wrap one around your prop, fishing line is much easier to remove than Crab Trap. Everyone has the right to the water but everyone does not show respect for his fellow man. The simple things, boat anchored to the side of the stream fishing, I slow down to no wake speed, I would stay away from people fishing from the bank or docks if I have enough room, no need to run the fish or cross their lines. It all boils down to respect for others on all sides.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I really surprised that none of the boaters talking about this issue haven't mentioned the ruined seals that fishing line causes almost every time you get line caught on your prop!! This has happened to me and several of my boating friends and it's the biggest problem I see with pier fishing and boaters who share the area. Anytime a line gets wrapped it will almost always damage this seal, and if you don't have chocolate milk in your lower unit today , you will very soon. Any they aren't cheap to replace.
Unattended lines are illegal in Michigan, thank god, so when this happens (and it does all the time) the owner of the line is there, he/she just feels entitled to this waterway, which is also illegal. One would think sharing is possible, but reality paints a really ugly (and selfish) dilemma. I don't run these lines over, I cut them before they cause damage to my prop seals. Many land guys have no idea how much damage they cause boaters, and from the looks of this thread, many boaters aren't too smart about the damage either.

 

[Bill3434]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I try being nice to everyone. If I throw a line in a water way, I reel it in for a boat to pass and I try to do it so the boater doesn't have to slow down, unless it's one of those idiots that like flying by fishermen at warp speed; I can't reel that fast. That's the way I was taught by my dad. Hardly ever get nice in return though; been out fishing (even in a cluster boats) and have had large boats going full throttle right next to boats fishing with a half a lake of space to steer clear. Jet skier's are the worse, haven't seen many of those with common sense or manners in my life time. Just wish one day I could put a high powered rifle round in their engine blocks ; but don't care about living in a jail cell.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

I really surprised that none of the boaters talking about this issue haven't mentioned the ruined seals that fishing line causes almost every time you get line caught on your prop!!

Unattended lines are illegal in Michigan, thank god, so when this happens (and it does all the time) the owner of the line is there, he/she just feels entitled to this waterway, which is also illegal.

As a boater and fisherperson I do know what the costs are. Now show me where what you state is illegal. And just by your comments on this you yourself seems to be one of those boaters that will not change course to avoid someone fishing. So tell me who feels entitled.

 

[Bill3434]

Re: Boat vs Fish line etiquette?

As a boater and fisherperson I do know what the costs are. Now show me where what you state is illegal. And just by your comments on this you yourself seems to be one of those boaters that will not change course to avoid someone fishing. So tell me who feels entitled.

Good observation bonz-d. I try to avoid fisherman like the plaque when out on the water, just wish some boater would avoid me when I'm the fisherman.