Disrespectful People

[ThatZX14Fella]

I seen a post on here a week or two ago and have been thinking about it quite a bit. I don't own a boat, nor will I ever have enough money to own one, but the boat fisherman get ticked off if someone doesn't want them skipping jigs at or near their dock. It's their dock, they use it, their boat is in it. If they don't want you casting near it, don't get all ticked off and rant on these forums (I know, I'm doing the same and being hypocritical). The way I see it, is you put your $50K+ bass boat out there and let multiple fisherman of varying skill levels cast all sorts of lures at it and next to it. Sure, some of you may be great at casting, but there are people who will try to do the same as you and not be as accurate and end up pegging the hell out of someone's boat without saying anything. I know you're all probably going to say "it won't hurt the boat," but I don't think you're going to let me throw stuff at your car even if I believe it won't hurt it. Anyways, be respectful to people and their property. If they don't want you fishing near their stuff, then move along.

[SirSnookalot]

Homeowners don't own the water, but I do believe common courtesy should trump the law in some cases.  Rather than being an annoyance to some one I'd move on.

Where I fish the law states a boat must be 500 feet from a pier, but I fish off a jettie and it's legal for boats to pull alongside.  The boaters do get in the way of the jettie fishermen while they are throwing their cast nets, few show little courtesy.  Legally there is nothing that can be done, no question that the boaters do look down upon the bank fishermen.  When I go on my boat I make point of never being within casting range.

[papajoe222]

I think most of the members here would practice common courtesy when dock fishing, but I also believe that if my skill level plays a part in making the decision to fish or not fish docks with the owners boat moored. I don't leave my boat in the water dockside for any length of time, especially during mid-day hours because I know other anglers will attempt to fish there and my boat is aluminum. If I had a boat or dock that I wanted to discourage anglers from casting to, at the very least I would put a sign similar to'; I don't skip rocks under your car, please don't skip lures under my boat. The problem gets intensified when two 'alpha males' (dock owner and fisherman) butt heads over who is right or wrong. A dock with a sign that says 'NO FISING; or a dock with some sort of deterent can be ignored by anglers, or respected. I choose to do the latter.

[slonezp]

If you don't want fishermen pitching your dock, wrap chicken wire around the bottom of it.

[crazyjoeclemens]

This is a common courtesy issue, to me. If I wanna fish a dock, I'm gonna fish it, but I know my casting accuracy ain't that great so I'm not gonna fish all that close to someone's nice shiny boat. On the flip side, if my boat is in the dock, feel free to fish under it. I just ask the same level of courtesy - if you suck at casting as bad as I do, don't throw so close.

When it comes to 'no fishing' signs and anti-fishing devices, I might give a little extra space around them, but not much. However, the one thing I won't do is engage in a confrontation over it. If the boat owner is there and wants to raise a stink about it, I'm just gonna cruise on by. I go fishing to relax and having an argument over a few lousy square feet of water doesn't fit into that program for me, regardless of who's right or wrong.

As for shore fishermen, I give them a wide berth. I fish from shore on occasion, and it was my only option before I had a boat. When I'm boating I have access to many acres of water that they don't, so I see no reason to crowd them whatsoever.

[flyfisher]

I haven't run into any problems fishing docks but that may also be because i am in a kayak and i don't think people feel as intimidated, not sure though.  Common courtesy rules here and if someone is upset you move on and make it easy on everyone.  We used to have people on our street growing up that didn't like us playing stickball in front of their house.  Technically we were allowed to play wherever we wanted but we moved to save the hassle.

[mmrivera86]

I had no idea this was such a huge topic. In my opinion it would def be common courtesy to not fish near someone's boat if your aim isn't that good. Even still, if my aim was pin point, and someone requested that I not fish his docks, I would comply. I'm sure there are other docks to fish, so no point on arguing about one.

[Fishes in trees]

Demonic Forrest - son, according to your profile, you are 19 years old and yet you can see into the future so precisely to know that you will never own a boat.  I wish I had such a clarity of vision when I was 19.  Of course, saying you are never going to own a boat is an easy prophecy to fulfill - all you got to do is never buy one - it really doesn't have anything to do with how much money you might or might not make in the future.

 

So much for the rant - buy it was only one paragraph, on to the topic.  In my opinion, dock owners don't own the water, just that simple, in Missouri anyhow, in the Corps of Engineers lakes, the corps is doing them a favor issuing a permit to let them h ave a dock on the water.  I'm not sure exactly how it works on LOZ, which is basically a power plant lake.  Who knows how many docks there are on LOZ - dozens of thousands, certainly.

 

For the most part, I deal with this issue by fishing on lakes that don't have docks.

[jacktgi@aol.com]

I think you should consider whether the dock might be used for swimming.  Hooks and lures snagged and lost against dock pilings can be a dangerous hazard for swimmers, especially children.

 

Jack

[Nelson Wormefeller]

i have hooked my own boat so many times, i would not feel comfortable casting next to someone elses boat.

[JellyMan]

I don't know... if somebody threw a fit about me fishing their dock, I would mumble under my breath, "*#^$%* &%^!*$@@&$", and say "no problem".

 

Whatever. I would rather be courteous. If I asked somebody the same with my own concerns, I would expect the same back. Get off my dock fool. 

[Nibby]

This subject was deeply discussed just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's necessary to re visit this, all it will do is start a battle of opinions. I don't see a need to discuss my opinion, because I highly doubt anyone is listening to mine or anyone else's opinion on this topic. Even though many let us down, anglers should have the faith in other anglers to make the right decisions, and it should be left at that.

[Skeeter Dan]

Its Called Respect. On land or water respect other peoples property.

[jtharris3]

IBL!

[tomustang]

I seen a post on here a week or two ago and have been thinking about it quite a bit. I don't own a boat, nor will I ever have enough money to own one, but the boat fisherman get ticked off if someone doesn't want them skipping jigs at or near their dock. It's their dock, they use it, their boat is in it. If they don't want you casting near it, don't get all ticked off and rant on these forums (I know, I'm doing the same and being hypocritical). The way I see it, is you put your $50K+ bass boat out there and let multiple fisherman of varying skill levels cast all sorts of lures at it and next to it. Sure, some of you may be great at casting, but there are people who will try to do the same as you and not be as accurate and end up pegging the hell out of someone's boat without saying anything. I know you're all probably going to say "it won't hurt the boat," but I don't think you're going to let me throw stuff at your car even if I believe it won't hurt it. Anyways, be respectful to people and their property. If they don't want you fishing near their stuff, then move along.

 

No one's fishing the dock, they're fishing around it.

 

 

That water their dock is on is public, they don't own it. Just like you don't own a street you park your car on, it may be in front of your house but it still doesn't make it your street. What's next you going to tell others not to park next to your car out in the street?

[JellyMan]

No one's fishing the dock, they're fishing around it.

 

 

That water their dock is on is public, they don't own it. Just like you don't own a street you park your car on, it may be in front of your house but it still doesn't make it your street. What's next you going to tell others not to park next to your car out in the street?

 

Is it cool if I go in the street outside your house and chip golf balls toward and around your property and every once in awhile make contact with your property? I know we are playing semantics here but you have to be respectful. We all know that that one guy that didn't want you fishing up in his dock ruined your chances of your lifetime PB, he is a jerk, it's not against the law, blah blah. Just move on. It's not the end of the world, folks. Lets be adults.

 

I'll tell you right now, if I had lake front property, saw somebody fishing my dock and heard all the banging, clanking impact from weights on my dock and boat, I would say something for sure. I wouldn't mind people fishing my dock but I have seen the majority of people that snoop around docks. They smack everything and that is enough to tick the owner off to where nobody has special dock privileges. They get fed up. Wear a shoe on the other foot.

[ThatZX14Fella]

No one's fishing the dock, they're fishing around it.

 

 

That water their dock is on is public, they don't own it. Just like you don't own a street you park your car on, it may be in front of your house but it still doesn't make it your street. What's next you going to tell others not to park next to your car out in the street?

 

Alright, you want to play that game? I can throw a baseball probably over 70mph, but inaccurately. If I see your car on the streets that you don't own, I'll get a bucket of them and throw them as hard as I can underneath your car. If I hit it, oh well, I wasn't aiming at the car. I was aiming at the street that you do not own.

[tomustang]

Is it cool if I go in the street outside your house and chip golf balls toward and around your property and every once in awhile make contact with your property? I know we are playing semantics here but you have to be respectful. We all know that that one guy that didn't want you fishing up in his dock ruined your chances of your lifetime PB, he is a jerk, it's not against the law, blah blah. Just move on. It's not the end of the world, folks. Lets be adults.

 

I'll tell you right now, if I had lake front property, saw somebody fishing my dock and heard all the banging, clanking impact from weights on my dock and boat, I would say something for sure. I wouldn't mind people fishing my dock but I have seen the majority of people that snoop around docks. They smack everything and that is enough to tick the owner off to where nobody has special dock privileges. They get fed up. Wear a shoe on the other foot.

 

If it's legal why not, unless your city has an ordinance about it. I can't stop it since it's PUBLIC. I'm not going to cry on the internet about how folks should or shouldn't fish, being hypocritical as even stated by the OP. What's there to be adult about it? Coming to the realization that baits smacking up against someones boat when their fishing a dock on public water is going to be an issue you cant stop, it's a fact and you have to deal with it.

 

Alright, you want to play that game?

 

What's that, the trolling game??

[ThatZX14Fella]

What's that, the trolling game??

 

Trolling is a dying fad for teens and kids. That makes me believe you're immature.

[tomustang]

But you are a teen. Guess you trolled me.

[ThatZX14Fella]

Apparently this teen is more mature then you.

[Sam]

May I suggest everyone contact their respective state game and fisheries department for their input on fishing private docks.

 

There are legal actions regarding water rights all over the country with different rulings and outcomes.

 

In Virginia you can legally fish any dock, pier or boathouse, etc.  However, you cannot throw a wake if you are within 50-feet of any dock, pier or boathouse.

 

I personally have encountered only one individual who did not want anyone fishing in front of his house. This is on the hot side of One Fish Anna. The guy releases his two labs and then throws sticks to them in the water, having them dive in to get and retrieve the sticks.  He does this all year long and it is fun to float past his house and watch him run out with the dogs.

 

What he does not understand is that no one has ever caught a fish off his breakfront so it is a few minutes of entertainment for us.

 

I have had a friend threatened with a shotgun on Lake Gaston by a landowner.  The local sheriff went to the guy's house and had a heart-to-heart talk with him and so far no more problems.

 

We speak with people on their docks as we fish around them and have not found any jerks so far. We have also not encountered any topless ladies but we are still hopeful our luck will change one day.

[Lund Explorer]

In the State of Michigan, the lakefront property owner has legal possession of the land.  This includes the dry shoreline and the bottom of the lake.  They also have the sole right to ownership of any dock, swim platform, or pier attached to that land, wet or dry.  The State of Michigan(and by extension all of it's residents) owns the water and the fish that swim in it.  Any boater or fisherman has the right to navigate (or fish) anywhere on the water itself, but they have no right to access the private property of the lakefront owner.

 

Whether anyone likes it or not, boaters or fisherman do not have any right to use that property. 

 

When it comes to disrespectful people, its a large club and there are members from all the different users.  To join that group, a person simply needs to think that their rights outweigh those that others have.

[Driftb]

Occasionally when I am fishing a lake and in a search pattern, I will fish docks. To be honest, I usually am pretty embarrassed to do it and I feel like when I have to stoop to dock fishing, I must be out of ideas.  I'd much rather be fishing a spot that is free of the  human touch.

[senile1]

"Treat others as you would want to be treated."  That is just simple common sense.  

 

In my state I am allowed to fish docks so I just make sure I don't hit someone's boat.  If I am an inaccurate caster that means I don't cast near the boat at all.  If the dock owner tells me he or she doesn't allow anyone to fish his dock, I respectfully move along.  Ethical actions and the law often do not walk hand in hand.  Just because the law states that I am allowed to do it, doesn't mean I should do it.

 

Just be nice to people and try to see things from their perspective.  If you really strive to do this, you may find out that some of your most strongly held convictions are not as accurate as you thought.