Etiquette - Boats coming at each other on same shoreline.

[Junger]

So, I'm fairly new to boat fishing, but this is a situation I've come across now a couple times. I'll be fishing along a shoreline on my boat from one direction, and I'll see another boat on the same shoreline coming toward me about 100 yards away.

 

What do you do? Who has "right of way"? 

 

I have been fishing up to about 30 yards of the other boat before giving way, but what if I'm on an amazing bite and I want to hold course?

[Choporoz]

Vast majority of the time, I will make the move away from shore first to yeild.  There has been a rare occasion where I may already be picking apart a laydown or ledge, so I have simply stopped and graciously thank the other boat as they make the move outside.

[12poundbass]

Good question. I'm curious myself. 

[jbmaine]

I always assume other fisherman are ( like us ) out to have fun and catch some fish. When they are close enough I'll engage them in conversation. Most fisherman are friendly and we'll talk about what a nice day it is, fishing conditions, etc. and I'll let them know I'll go out around them.

 On the rare occasion they are less than friendly I'll stay put and let them make the first move. 

I always try to treat people like I would want to be treated. I've never looked at fishing as " us against them " but as just, we are one of many who enjoy this wonderful thing called fishing.

[Hez]

I always try to spot another angler fishing the same bank as I pull up to a spot and will avoid an already occupied bank, in most instances. 

 

If I do find myself fishing head-on with someone, my actions are usually determined by the specifics of the situation.

 

If I'm fun fishing, and I think they are in a tournament...I will always give them the right of way.  I don't expect them to change their game plan because of me, and I want to have little to no impact on their fishing...out of respect.  

 

On the other hand, if I'm tournament fishing...and this is a spot I scouted and have marked...I'm not giving way.  We can respectfully troll right by each other and keep fishing as far as I'm concerned...but I have a purpose in being there...and I'm staying focused.  

 

[slonezp]

I always give them the right of way and go around unless they do it first

[Scott F]

^^^ This.  This is what I see most people do. 

1 hour ago, Hez said:

On the other hand, if I'm tournament fishing...and this is a spot I scouted and have marked...I'm not giving way.  We can respectfully troll right by each other and keep fishing as far as I'm concerned...but I have a purpose in being there...and I'm staying focused.  

 

This is what gives tournament fishermen a bad reputation.

[ohboyitsrobby]

I suppose it depends. If I'm fishing the bank first and they pull up where they can see that I'm fishing first I'm staying put. Other than that I'll slide out of the way. 

[NHBull]

The first guy on should have the right of way.

On my last tournament we met an opposing boat on a point. We acknowledged each other, both stayed R and passed without incident.

Had I not know them, I would pull out and give the lane to them. Life is to short to squabble about this.  Later in the day, a similar thing happened and the other boat pulled out. Met them at the weight in and had this very discussion 

[tstraub]

I live in Indiana and at least here the law states that if two boats approach head on both boaters bear right.  In the rare event that bearing right would put me closer to the bank I tend to hold course and let the other guy bear right.  But that doesn't happen often because I like to have my rod in my right hand and control the boat with my left hand on the tiller.  So I usually circle the lake clockwise and swing out to the right and give the other guy room.  

[hooah212002]

18 minutes ago, tstraub said:

I live in Indiana and at least here the law states that if two boats approach head on both boaters bear right. 

Same in WI. I'm not sure it's a state by state law, though, is it? That one seems to be pretty universal just like lights.

[tstraub]

2 minutes ago, hooah212002 said:

Same in WI. I'm not sure it's a state by state law, though, is it? That one seems to be pretty universal just like lights.

I assume it's universal but I've never used a boat outside this state so I haven't looked it up.  It just seems odd to me that everyone is worried about the polite way to pass when the law says exactly what to do.  

[hooah212002]

16 minutes ago, tstraub said:

I assume it's universal but I've never used a boat outside this state so I haven't looked it up.  It just seems odd to me that everyone is worried about the polite way to pass when the law says exactly what to do.  

I imagine the thinking is that those laws only apply when your vessel is under power by your big engine and not while fishing.

[Junger]

2 minutes ago, hooah212002 said:

I imagine the thinking is that those laws only apply when your vessel is under power by your big engine and not while fishing.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I understand I should bear right to avoid a collision and even use horns to sound my intention if necessary, but when we're both trolling a bank and have more than ample time to move, I was just curious what other people do.

 

I don't tournament fish, so I'll probably just keep giving up right of way, and I do like to make small talk when passing other boaters.

[tstraub]

You're probably right, I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and and move out of the way to the right and give a friendly nod on my way past.  

[NorcalBassin]

If someone pulls in within 100 yards or so of me and heads directly towards me I'll give them the opportunity to yield first since that's the "right" way for them to handle it, but if we get within casting distance of each other I'll either pull off the shoreline to troll past them or politely motor up at an idle to the spot they first started fishing so I'm not fishing water they just went through. Any other time I'm more than happy to yield to them as we approach the same water.

[Brew City Bass]

I generally wait for them to get within ear shot and I'll ask if they want me to go inside or out. 99% of the time they're like minded and either yield or ask me if I don't mind going around. Never an issue. 

My issue is with pontoons cutting between me and the shore. 

[Jaderose]

This one is simple for me....if I am trolling a bank and meet someone coming towards me and open water is to my right, I give passage.  If shore is to my right, I have right of way.  If I come up on someone working an area (as opposed to just trolling) I give wide berth and I expect the same.  I always give hand signals or just speak to let them know my intention.  I'm not tournament fishing so I have no problem giving way when I need to.  Plenty of lake for all and the lake I mostly fish has no pleasure boating.  Only fisherman and the occasional canoe or yak-er.  No biggie.  I DO expect non fishing yaks to give me room but doesn't always happen.

[Hez]

10 hours ago, Scott F said:

^^^ This.  This is what I see most people do. 

This is what gives tournament fishermen a bad reputation.

Not sure what is so bad about that? 

 

If I have a purpose for being on that spot, then I expect the same MUTUAL respect that I would give someone else.  

 

 

[Scott F]

4 minutes ago, Hez said:

Not sure what is so bad about that? 

 

If I have a purpose for being on that spot, then I expect the same MUTUAL respect that I would give someone else.  

Just the fact that being in a tournament makes a difference on how you would act. You'd be a nice guy if you were fun fishing, but if you were in a tournament, you'd be different. I don't think being in a tournament gives someone the right to be rude. 

[Hez]

4 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Just the fact that being in a tournament makes a difference on how you would act. You'd be a nice guy if you were fun fishing, but if you were in a tournament, you'd be different. I don't think being in a tournament gives someone the right to be rude. 

Who said I would be rude?

 

You're missing the "difference" in my actions in tournament fishing and fun fishing.  In fun fishing...I'm giving up the spot...in tournament fishing...on a spot I've scouted...I'm not giving that spot up for someone coming down the bank. 

 

Who would?  

 

I never said I would be rude.  I would still be humane and respectful...why be rude?  

 

But yes...being in a tournament DOES effect my decision making...not how I treat people.  

[haggard]

As far as recreational fishing goes, if I know they were on the water before I was, I just yield and leapfrog around them, like passing on a dock if you see the owners on site.

 

When in question, just engage in conversation.

 

Tournament fishing is probably different, much more competitive, I have no experience there so can't advise. Last month or so I was fishing from the yak on the home lake and a tournament was going on (4 or 5 bass boats) and I ended up in the vicinity of 2 of their boats. I was fishing ahead of them but they were closing in faster than I was moving; I gave them their space and I ended up moving on. I think we all understood each other and why we were there, without even saying a word, no problems.

 

[fishnkamp]

One thing you can do is just stop your trolling motor and fish your spot. The other boat then is forced to make his move and has no right to be mad at you for stopping and casting toward your shore target. I have done this several times while politely saying hello.  Most anglers will then either reverse their direction or expect to go out and around you.  

If I am the boat faced with making the decision in that scenario. I would ask if they mind I go around them or just turn around and move off. If I am "invited" to go around I usually troll out a good distance before passing them. That too is a courtesy move.  Never go by the other boat too closely. 

[TOXIC]

Don't come to the Potomac where civility is an afterthought.   "Most" of the time it's an easy exchange.  Hold your course until you are within a cast of each other and then one of you will go around the other.  Makes no difference which one.  If you are on a "spot" and not actively working up the bank, hold where you are if the other angler is moving.  They can keep moving right around you.  Had a deal on the Potomac where we were working down a bank.  Came around a point and notices another boat about 100 yards in front of us.  Angler in that boat put his TM on high and ran right towards us.  We gave way and moved to the outside and when we got even with him, he turned the boat and started back down the bank in the same direction as we were going.  Obviously, he was trying to "protect" the entire stretch of bank.  Words were exchanged.  It got heated.  

[Todd2]

The meeting down a bank has never been a problem for me. It works itself out. Sometimes if I see them pitching up close and I'm backed off, I usually swing wide first for example. I never cast until I'm clear of the boat. I don't tournament fish so it's not a big deal. Most folks are cool in this encounter.

 

However.......I've fished the last 4 Friday nights at my local lake. There is a decent size tournament that runs that night. For the first time in years, I've had words with two separate boats on two separate nights of blatant cutting me off.  Fishing a tournament should not be a factor on how you handle a boating encounter. On the flip side, most of the guys are cool. I even had one boat ask if they could fish a point I was on to pick up their last fish. I let them, ate a sandwich, they caught a nice keeper and left. I went back to catching them. It's all how they ask. Being in a tournament gives you no extra rights. Ok, sorry..got derailed there. Off the soapbox now.