Etiquette - Boats coming at each other on same shoreline.

[Quarry Man]

Why can't you both just go around each other and fish the same banks that the other boat fished? You probably were't throwing the exact same baits, and definitely won't cast to the exact same spots, so you might both be able to catch fish that were missed by the other boat. 

On 7/15/2018 at 10:35 AM, tstraub said:

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.  

The idea of bearing right sounds like a great idea for fishing banks and boating in general; however I too prefer to fish clockwise when i am not skipping or pitching (prefer counterclockwise for that) so I would benefit from a "bear left" rule mores than a "bear right" rule.

[Brad in Texas]

I don't think there is much to debate here, that each boat steers starboard to clear the other. You want as few "if, then, else" decisions as possible and having just one rule makes better sense.

 

Now those danged British bass guys that drive on the wrong side? They are the ones we really have to watch out for.

 

Ha!  Brad

 

P.S. As a kayaker I can say that the most likely "boater" to cut between you and the bank would be a recreational kayaker. They often have no sense at all about the effects of paddling right by you. It'd be maddening if it wasn't so funny.  br

 

 

[TOXIC]

Underway and fishing on the Trolling Motor are 2 different things.  The USCG tells you when underway what to do when you meet head on.  When fishing just be courteous.  Underway doesn't mean on the trolling motor.  

 

Unless otherwise agreed [Inld] When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.

 

  

[DINK WHISPERER]

I used to be the guy that always yielded up until recently. I've had so many bad experiences with people on the lakes I fish that I just don't give a crap anymore I just keep on fishing. It happened to me just this Sunday. I was fishing a big Lily Pad field and encountered another boat coming around the corner. They just proceeded to fish all over me. Maybe 50 feet away all in my spots and around me. It was around noon and HOT. I was throwing a hollow-body frog in the open pockets. I heard one guy chuckle saying he's still throwing a frog. A few minutes after that I popped a couple dinks. Nothing to brag about but the whole time we were there I saw them catch absolutely nothing. 

[Junger]

5 minutes ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

I used to be the guy that always yielded up until recently. I've had so many bad experiences with people on the lakes I fish that I just don't give a crap anymore I just keep on fishing. It happened to me just this Sunday. I was fishing a big Lily Pad field and encountered another boat coming around the corner.

I guess, that's what I'm trying to avoid being "THAT GUY" who fishes all over another person, so I guess I will always yield, unless I am totally stationary and fishing a specific spot, such as structure. I'll also be fishing with my two young boys frequently so I don't ever want to get into any uncivilized situation.

[TOXIC]

Common courtesy isn't so common.  IF I come upon someone fishing a "spot" I don't expect them to give way if I am moving down the bank.  I will hold my rod a cast before and a cast past the angler working a spot.  I expect the same from someone approaching me if I am fishing a spot.  If we are both moving, somebody usually just swings wide.  As long as you don't cross lines, keep right on moving and fishing.  It isn't rocket science and there are no rules.   

[Troy85]

Had this happen a few months back.  Was fishing a canal and had another boat trolling my way on the same bank.  We got withing casting distance and I asked which way he wanted to go.  We chatted a little as we passed, then he turned around and started going the same way as me but on the opposite bank.  We trolled even with each for about 30 minutes and just chatted about fishing and tournaments, turned out he was practicing for a BASS Nation tournament.  He was catching 3 fish to my 1, so he tossed me a bag of what he was throwing. It was an interesting and kind of fun experience.

[J Francho]

On 7/15/2018 at 3:15 AM, Junger said:

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

Well, if you're both under way (moving) Coast Guard rules of navigation say that you are to pass on the right, with the port sides facing each other, irrespective of fishing or not.  When I pass another boat, angler or not, it's lines in as we pass, and then I continue fishing.  If the other boat is moving much slower than I am, I'll swing out deep, and leap frog the slower boat, again lines in, and at least a cast length away.

[Further North]

On 7/15/2018 at 7:46 AM, Scott F said:

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

This is what gives tournament fishermen a bad reputation.

Yep.  I had a tournament fisherman give me static a while back because I was fishing a dock a couple ahead of him as we were moving towards each other...still 100 yards apart.

 

"That should have been MY fish!"

 

I "apologized" then sent the jerk on a snipe hunt for bunch of big bass I made up on the other side of the lake...

 

****************************************************************

 

To answer the original question:

 

1) If I can't see the other boat when I start, and we both become visible to each other was we fish, I'll pul out when we get a couple cast lengths apart.  They can have the last spot.

2) If another fisherman pulls in front of me while I am fishing a shoreline and fished towards me, less than a couple hundred yards, I will fish right through them.  I've gone between them and the bank more than once.  I have zero patience for this and zero patience for people who are so self involved that they think their fishing is more important than someone else's.

3) If I see another fisherman on a piece of shoreline I want to fish, regardless of which way they are going, I never, ever get in their way.  I go go fish someplace else and expect the same from others.  See #2 above.

[Further North]

On 7/15/2018 at 11:25 AM, Brew City Bass said:

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

Oh Jeez...yeah. 

 

Pet peeve there.  I've got a big red and white Daredevle spoon (without hooks) on board for that.  It's hit more than one boat...

 

I am unfailingly polite and respectful...right up until someone starts pushing or bullying.

On 7/15/2018 at 6:02 PM, 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. 

Bingo.

 

...and no "right" to bump other fishermen off a spot, or somehow get right of way.

On 7/15/2018 at 6:07 PM, Hez said:

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.  

That'd be fine...as long as you didn't expect another fisherman to move off a line they were fishing first...

[WRB]

Franko is right "move to your starboard (right) side ".

Tom

[Way2slow]

Depends on who got there first.  If I pull into an area a boat is already in and we end up crossing paths, I give him the right to keep fishing and move out of his way.  If another boat come into an area I was in first, he's gonna be the one to quit and around. 

Now if his boat is wrapped and there a major tournament going, I will give him ample room to keep fishing, but for the club guys and weekend warriors, first one there keeps fishing.  

If there is no way of knowing who got to the area first, follow the same right of way rules that apply by law.  The law applies to boats under power, be it a TM, gas motor or paddle and stipulates a safe distance that must be maintained, and that's a lot more than a few yards.  If in a small area use common sense, and hope both parties have some.

[Hez]

6 hours ago, Further North said:

That'd be fine...as long as you didn't expect another fisherman to move off a line they were fishing first...

As I stated in my first post in the thread: 

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.  

 

You made some very good points above.  The other persons actions always have an effect on the situation...if they are rude and inconsiderate in their actions, they will probably get the same treatment in recourse.  

[Further North]

2 hours ago, Hez said:

As I stated in my first post in the thread: 

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.  

 

You made some very good points above.  The other persons actions always have an effect on the situation...if they are rude and inconsiderate in their actions, they will probably get the same treatment in recourse.  

Yep. We generally get treated as we treat others, one of many reasons I always start out polite. 

 

I have a question: why the deference to tournament fishermen?  I generally avoid lakes with tournaments, because of pressure, but I don't understand why they would get preferential treatment.

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, Further North said:

I generally avoid lakes with tournaments, because of pressure, but I don't understand why they would get preferential treatment.

As a tournament fisherman myself, it's just a courtesy thing, not a rule.  Often times, you know, or are familiar with the guy in the other boat.

[Troy85]

36 minutes ago, Further North said:

 

I have a question: why the deference to tournament fishermen?  I generally avoid lakes with tournaments, because of pressure, but I don't understand why they would get preferential treatment.

A lot of times if I'm fishing a tournament and I'm coming head on with another boat, they will ask if I'm fishing a tournament.  If I say "yes", usually their reply is "do you want me to move so you can fish this area?".  I always tell them no, but sometimes they insist and leave the area anyway(I kind of feel guilty when this happens. haha).  My reasoning is that they are being extra courteous because they know I put down money to enter the tourney while they may be fun fishing?  Not that it gives me any extra rights to fish a specific area.

[Further North]

47 minutes ago, J Francho said:

As a tournament fisherman myself, it's just a courtesy thing, not a rule.  Often times, you know, or are familiar with the guy in the other boat.

Got it, thanks.

7 minutes ago, Troy1985s said:

A lot of times if I'm fishing a tournament and I'm coming head on with another boat, they will ask if I'm fishing a tournament.  If I say "yes", usually their reply is "do you want me to move so you can fish this area?".  I always tell them no, but sometimes they insist and leave the area anyway(I kind of feel guilty when this happens. haha).  My reasoning is that they are being extra courteous because they know I put down money to enter the tourney while they may be fun fishing?  Not that it gives me any extra rights to fish a specific area.

Thanks - you're a class act!

[WRB]

Where I fish the lakes are small  2,000 to 3,000 acre reserviors with anywhere from 75 to 100 tournament anglers competing for maybe 20 areas, the reason I fish weekdays if possible and avoid shoreline areas. Pleasant exchanges are the rule, but heated arguments often occur depending who believes they have the right away. It should be cut and dry that you pass to the right but if both boats are planning to fish where they meet, it's not so easy.

Tom 

[Hez]

4 hours ago, Further North said:

Yep. We generally get treated as we treat others, one of many reasons I always start out polite. 

 

I have a question: why the deference to tournament fishermen?  I generally avoid lakes with tournaments, because of pressure, but I don't understand why they would get preferential treatment.

I just try to respect someone out there with something (money) on the line; especially when I'm just out there to get a line wet.  

 

I think it boils down to treating others how I would want to be treated.  I would appreciate it if someone gave me  space or yielded to me if I were in a tournament, so I make sure I can do the same for someone else.  

 

[Further North]

1 hour ago, Hez said:

I just try to respect someone out there with something (money) on the line; especially when I'm just out there to get a line wet.  

 

I think it boils down to treating others how I would want to be treated.  I would appreciate it if someone gave me  space or yielded to me if I were in a tournament, so I make sure I can do the same for someone else.  

 

Thanks, makes sense.

[sully420]

I just keep to the right if both boats are trolling. If the boat ahead of me is stopped I stop fishing when I get 75 yards away and go around and don't resume fishing until I'm 75 yards away. I don't get fazed by people cutting in front of me or anything like that I just move on and keep fishing. 

[gim]

21 hours ago, Further North said:

I "apologized" then sent the jerk on a snipe hunt for bunch of big bass I made up on the other side of the lake...

 

LOL well played Nordo   

[Maggiesmaster]

I haven’t had this problem often, but a friend of mine is a big bream fisherman who sculls and uses crickets ( catches worlds of bream); he’s had bass fishermen actually cast over his boat into his bream bed, not say anything, and move on—I’ve seen it happen!  Last time it happened, he picked up his scissors, cut the guy’s line and said “oops, sorry about that”!  He’s about 6-4, 250, so he didn’t have any trouble. 

[J Francho]

5 minutes ago, Maggiesmaster said:

Last time it happened, he picked up his scissors, cut the guy’s line and said “oops, sorry about that”!

In spring, we cast from the piers on Lake Ontario for brown trout.  The charter captains will run planer boards shallow as well.  Usually, they stay out of shore bound angler casting range, but once this guy kept getting closer and closer, presumably because the action was really hot close to shore.  He got so close, his planer board was so close, it bumping the pier.  Some older man yells, "get my big knife out of the box, son!"  He snags the planer board line, and cuts it off!  Wraps up the bait spread, and tosses it into the trash.  That was an expensive etiquette mistake for that charter.