Dock fishing and crazy home owners

[tim_kovar]

One of my favorite things to do is fishing docks for bass, and for some reason this year in particular, I have had quite a few homeowners come out barking at me that I am not allowed to fish by their dock....etc.  Mind you I am very careful and respectful of others' space and if kids are swimming or people are out and about I go completely around that area altogether.  I have had a lot of people this year come out of their lake houses and completely freak out on me (every swear word imaginable) for fishing by their dock.  I am sure there are others that have experienced this as well and I am just wondering if any of you have feedback on the best way to respond/react to these people.  I have for the most part bit my tongue and moved on, but it really bugs me to take this position since they clearly think that they own the water too.  Any advice for a fellow dock fisherman?

[J Francho]

Point out to them, that despite the fact that you're within your rights, you'll back off and move on.  It's not worth an argument with a loonie.  If they are threatening, just dial the police, and move on.

[NHBull]

This happened only once this year as most of my dock time is mid week. In this instance the owner came down and started yell and said they were going to call marine patrol and fish and game. My son was with me and asked if he could help....the home owner replied “ only if your marine patrol. He replied, “Marine patrol is under the department of safe, which is the State Police, then pulled out his badge He I formed him that his father (me) was well within his rights to be here and suggested he stop elevating the situation. 

 

I then hen turned the boat and motored to the next dock. 

 

While this was histarical  , it could have gone sideways real quick and It just isn’t worth it

[Choporoz]

15 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Point out to them, that despite the fact that you're within your rights, you'll back off and move on.  It's not worth an argument with a loonie.  If they are threatening, just dial the police, and move on.

This.  And I try to execute it in exaggerating friendly tones.  Sure, there's plenty of idiot dock owners.  But, I try to remember that some (many?) have been negatively influenced by fishermen before me.  I fish lots of docks and I can't tell you how many times I've seen others slamming lead into hulls, banging lower units, breaking off hooks in lines - and even in canvas seats and tops....leaving hooks in pilings and ladders.   So, I understand that many would prefer that their docks and boats were left alone.  I assume that the loudest 'complainers' are not fishermen, so I do what I can to try to improve the impression they have of all of us.

   Aside.....how come there isn't a law that says waterfront property owners must be fishermen/fisherwomen?   Always seems like such a waste when I meet someone on a beautiful piece of lakefront that doesn't fish...smh

[J Francho]

3 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Aside.....how come there isn't a law that says waterfront property owners must be fishermen/fisherwomen?   Always seems like such a waste when I meet someone on a beautiful piece of lakefront that doesn't fish...smh

Agree!  That really is the issue.  They look at the whole lake, and wonder why, with all that water, are you fishing THEIR dock. 

[NYWayfarer]

4 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

But, I try to remember that some (many?) have been negatively influenced by fishermen before me.  I fish lots of docks and I can't tell you how many times I've seen others slamming lead into hulls, banging lower units, breaking off hooks in lines - and even in canvas seats and tops....leaving hooks in pilings and ladders.   So, I understand that many would prefer that their docks and boats were left alone. 

If there were more people, like you the world would be a better place. People that take the time to think, why is this person really mad?

 

For every decent, respectful of property fisherman/woman there is out there, a dozen or more are on the water that are not. These are the people that give us all a bad reputation.

 

I steer clear of docks for the most part while kayaking. Not worth the fuss and aggravation when I get stereotyped as one of the bad ones.

[WRB]

Put yourself in their place it's their private property and they have put up with all kinds of fisherman bouncing weights off thier boats, snagging hooks into everything, getting on the dock and generally behaving as if they own the dock.

Be polite and acknowledge their rights.

Tom

[N Florida Mike]

I had that happen on my home lake ( that I had been fishing for 35 years or so at the time ) I had taken a friends teenage son fishing and we had found a dock holding some nice bream.

We had caught several nice bream when the owner came out and told us to leave. He said with an attitude that his grandkids fish there and he had a problem with us fishing there. 

At first I was completely shocked, then it turned to intense anger. I knew that if I said what I was thinking and feeling It would get much, much worse. Having my friends son there and being a man of faith I just left. If that had happenned when I was younger it would not have ended well. I was not sure I could handle much more of it, so I left , and him still running his mouth. I had every right to be there,  had been on the lake much longer than him, was not touching his dock or otherwise acting the fool and still got his mouth and attitude. I thought, I have grandkids fishing at my dock too, and it wouldnt bother me if someone came up and fished as long as they werent out there.

Grevious words stir up anger. Knowing myself, and how  I can be , I just left before it got worse.

 

[Gundog]

Remember all the dock owners who didn't complain or have a problem with you, not just the one who did. There are always people going to be angry, upset or ticked off by something or someone. Try not to let it spoil your day. We fish to relax not get aggravated.

[Logan S]

A friend of mine has a house/dock on a popular lake here...The amount of stuff he finds on his docks, boats, covers, ropes, etc is surprising.  I've seen it personally when I stay there.  Baits and hooks in ropes, on the dock, stuck in his boat covers...One slice in his cover with hook holes next to it where an angler decided to just cut their bait out....Of an $800+ fitted cover.  It's sad to think some fellow fisherman are so inconsiderate.  Many of these dock owners have legitimate beefs with bass fisherman.  

 

I am an avid dock fisherman myself and do my best to treat everyone's property with respect...I've actually had to tell some co-anglers on more than one occasion that they should not be throwing near the docks if they can't control their casts.

 

It's rare, but if someone comes out and wants me to leave I say the same thing every time, "I'm sorry to upset you sir/ma'am, I won't fish your dock anymore."  Seems to work well in diffusing the situation.  It's only a small fib if their dock happens to be productive...I just hope they don't recognize me the next time I stop by .  

[jbmaine]

Like many things in life, the few jerks can spoil it for the rest of us. I've seen fishermen casting near where kids are swimming, hooking docks , boats, etc. I can only assume that if I found property damage, got a hook in my foot, things of that nature, I'd be ticked too.

 

My property is posted against hunting, because the first year after I put my house in, I woke up one morning to find a hunter with a high powered rifle leaning up against a tree 50 ft. from my house. Guy was an idiot! I can't tell who might be a safe, respectful person and who isn't, so nobody gets to hunt on my property.

 

I'm guessing it's the same for some of these dock owners. They can't tell who the good guys are so they vent on everybody.

 

 

[Ratherbfishing]

This might make me very unpopular BUT if I had a dock/boat and really wanted to keep fishermen from casting around it, I'd spend a little extra time and money to make it a poor target-(Perhaps chicken wire that descends below the water's surface?).  Anyway,  in my earlier days I've accidentally banged lures off of boat hulls, etc. so I can certainly understand why someone would want others to stay away.  Running out yelling and cursing, however, is not the best way to go about it.  Neither, from a fisherman's standpoint, is dogmatically sticking around and antagonizing a dock owner going to help.

[five-bites]

I have had one bad experience but several positive ones. Several times I’ve heard from the dock owner of a big one he saw or caught. One time an owner pointed out a spawning fish in front of the dock. He was crappie fishing that day though and was getting ready to leave. He wished me luck and went back to the house. Anyway the fish was over 4lbs and I was glad to add it to my bag that day. 

 

Making small talk helps and having a kid with you also makes a difference lol. 

[Choporoz]

35 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

This might make me very unpopular BUT if I had a dock/boat and really wanted to keep fishermen from casting around it, I'd spend a little extra time and money to make it a poor target-(Perhaps chicken wire that descends below the water's surface?). 

I suppose chicken wire isn't as bad as razor wire, but still sorta sneaky.

 

There's a dock on a tidal river here that has wood slats extending to/below the surface that prevent skipping under....MOST of the time - during the lowest of tides combined with a dry spell, that there's sometimes a 'skippable' gap...and I learned after passing it by for years that there are, indeed, good fish under there.  So, I guess, if I was in your hypothetical situation, I'd drop a wood wall to/below the surface, but probably not chicken wire

[J Francho]

I've seen all sorts of contraptions geared toward discouraging fishing near docks.  The absolute worst are the mats that are staked to the bottom to prevent weed growth.  Those things are hook eaters.

[Logan S]

There's a dock I know of on the Potomac where the owners setup a lawn sprinkler on a motion sensor...Get too close and you get sprayed.  It might be intended for birds...But if it's intended to keep fisherman away the joke's on them because nothing feels better on one of those swampy 100+ degree Potomac days than a quick water spray .  

[DINK WHISPERER]

I had this happen to me last year with a lady who very nicely asked us not to fish her dock or right in front of her house. We politely responded, Yes ma'am, and started to pack up to leave the area when she came back out of the house. She apologized and said she was ashamed of what she just did and that we could fish there as much as we wanted as long as we respected her property. They are not all bad I guess.

[RAMBLER]

I read of one guy who was fishing a dock and the owner came busting out of his house and asked the fisherman, "who gave you permission to fish under my dock?'  To which the fisherman answered, "who gave you permission to put a dock where I fish?"  Sort of set the owner back on his heels and the fisherman left with the owner standing there with his mouth hanging open.

 

[TnRiver46]

I just keep fishing no matter what they say, I'm the one behaving legally. There's a law in Tennessee that prevents people from harassing fishermen and hunters. If the idiot homeowner gets mad enough to call the law, they will be the ones holding the citation. I'm also a dock owner. If someone's "dangerous sharp hooks" are left on my dock, I risk certain injury and disease and place the dangerous item into my tackle box. If y'all move on because of an idiot screaming at you, then you have basically convinced the idiot that their strategy is effective and are enabling them to treat other anglers the same way 

[tim_kovar]

18 minutes ago, RAMBLER said:

I read of one guy who was fishing a dock and the owner came busting out of his house and asked the fisherman, "who gave you permission to fish under my dock?'  To which the fisherman answered, "who gave you permission to put a dock where I fish?"  Sort of set the owner back on his heels and the fisherman left with the owner standing there with his mouth hanging open.

 

I will have to keep that one in my back pocket, thanks Rambler!   

[OCdockskipper]

Docks are the cover on my lake & I haven't had a run in with a dock owner in years.  I make sure to give a friendly hello to anyone near the water & I pull my buff down & remove my sunglasses to increase the friendliness of the greeting.  I believe this has a positive effect over time, when I see these folks now, they have a healthy curiosity about how I get a lure in places to catch those dock fish.

 

I also have told others in my boat to not make certain casts because it was too tight of a target.  It is out of respect to the dockowners.

 

In the OPs scenario, I would have suggested to say "OK", stop fishing, introduce yourself and start up a conversation.  Get interested in the other person and you can ask if they have had issues with other fishermen in the past.  If they say yes, agree with them & take their side.  By separating yourself from those who are disrespectful to this dock owners property, you are now in a different group, a group that most dock owners have no issue with.

[IgotWood]

Growing up in a very wealthy coastline area, I always carried a copy of the state regulations in my truck with me. The "mean high tide mark" is free and open to the public for whatever activity they choose. I don't encourage anyone to engage in an argument, but I do believe it is important to TRY to politely explain to a homeowner, and even show them in writing that you are right and they are wrong. You'd be surprised at how many people simply do not know the law, or how to interpret it. Some will read it, some won't.

 

I had a waterfront homeowner call the police on me several times. Only once did they show up, but when they did, I asked them to call a game warden to the scene. Conservation Officers are your friend in these situations. The CO could not come to scene but he did talk to the police officer over the phone, and the police explained the law to the homeowner. He never bothered me again, and ironically, his $2M home was on the market that fall.

[MickD]

I wish that you who think you have the right to risk snagging boat covers, dock, and dock supports would simply find another place to fish.  There is no one who is perfect enough to not, now and then, make a mistake that could result in damage to their property or danger to them and their kids.  This is not world peace.  Just back off.  There is a difference between being right and being considerate.

[FryDog62]

I stopped skipping jigs around docks a few years ago.  Even if you’re really accurate your going to clang off someone’s dock post or pontoon eventually.  Pretty much the only things I skip under docks now are weightless worms and flukes.

 

I’ll still hit the goal post once in awhile but it doesn’t sound like beaning the Tinman in the helmet with a fastball anymore either.  That sound can set an otherwise laid back lakeshore owner off in a hurry.  

[WRB]

walking the shoreline on public easement and fishing around a dock is lawful in most public waterways, trespassing on private property is illegal everywhere. Property owners can't build barriers that prevent easement, but they can if the have title to the property and most private lakes don't have public easements, different scenario then public waterways and coastal waterways. Docks with deeded ownership are private property you must have permission to be on that dock. 

I grew up on a lake where my parents owned a dock on public water and the general public can be extremely rude, take over the dock as if they own it and cause a lot of damage.

I have had people get in my boat, take off the cover, untie the boat., spread out towels and eat lunch, sunbath, steal whatever they can and generally be vandals. Bass fisherman ding the gel coat, crack the windshield, leave treble hook snagged into everything and you wonder why the owner becomes upset when you come along meaning no harm.

I don't fish docks unless I know the owner, to many good areas to fish without upsetting anyone.

Tom