Dock fishing and crazy home owners

[looking45]

you guys have it made. Here on  the CA delta, several of my friends have had homeowners come down to their docks with shotguns, telling them to leave. Needless to say, they don't hang around. And yes, the sheriff has been called but my friends have been told that unless they actually threatened you with the gun, they have not committed a crime. No one has had a gun pointed at them, but the homeowner has the shotgun in his hand when he tells them not to fish his dock. 

[soflabasser]

Interesting subject. There is always 2 sides to every story and I am sure both fishermen and dock owners cause problems to each other. I would say that the bass fishermen are most likely more problematic since they destroy property (bumping boat to dock, lines tangled in dock or other private property, lines tangled underwater, messing up the paint of the dock,hooks leaving holes in boat covers, leaving a mess, hooks embedded into ropes,leaving lures with lead in the water,etc).

[FryDog62]

28 minutes ago, WRB said:

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 biuld 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 most 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 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, until the boat., spread out towels and eat lunch, sunbath, steal water 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 they become 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  

Tom, I don’t disagree with you and I know some fishermen that go way too far... but where I struggle is if I skip under a dock and get snagged on a rope or cross bar... and I know if I get out on the dock and reach under to unhook I will have a much better outcome than if I dangle off the end of the bow trying to unhook from an awkward angle... and end up snapping off the line/hook in the process creating a hazard to the dock owner.  The question is, what’s within reason?  Enter the dock under no circumstances, or walk on in an effort to fix?

[OCdockskipper]

3 hours ago, MickD said:

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 a difference between being right and being considerate.

The mistake in your thinking is that the two (being right & being considerate) are not mutually exclusive.  There is risk in causing damage when driving on the freeway, but it would be absurd to tell people to only drive side roads.

 

Docks can be fished with consideration, in a manner that leaves no evidence that you were ever there.  One example has already been given, use weightless lures instead of jigs.  Don't try & make casts that are beyond your skill level or that current conditions allow.  Basic consideration of another person's property.

 

Ironically, the only time I ever really get hung up near most docks is when a dock owner is inconsiderate, leaving dock lines or extension cords in the water.  That is unsafe for everyone.

[WRB]

The difference between fishing on a private lake and public lake is like comparing night and day. Private lakes everyone knows each other and usually behave politely to each other. Public lakes people behave very differently, some respect dock owners and some feel the dock is theirs to fish, a few believe the dock owners can afford to repair whatever they damage and Private Dock and No Trespassing signs don't apply to them. When the owner complains the angler get upset disturbing their right to fish the dock. When someone complains move on and stay off the dock it's not your property.

Tom

 

[Stephen B]

With the amount of retired and active duty military in my town from Fort Benning, I don't think that homeowner would be pulling any weapons out on my home lake. I always suggest moving on for safety, but I also don't recommend engaging with a weapon as someone out there won't back down which I know a good bit of ?

[TOXIC]

When I was guiding and the dock bite was on, the first thing I did with clients is to assess their casting skill/ability.  If they were not very skilled, then I always positioned the boat where their max cast was just short of the dock.  I had a reputation to be mindful of and "if" a client ever hung up on a dock, I would take the rod and free the lure or I would tie off to the dock and go get it myself.  I, nor my clients,  have EVER snagged a boat seat or cover.  If they ever did I would have surely left a note with my name and phone number so that I could pay for any repairs.  If an owner ever came out while I was on their dock, I would explain that I was removing a lure/hook because I didn't want them or their kids/guests to get stuck.  All that said, I have had some pretty rude dock owner experiences.  One guy decided to throw a retrieving float for his lab when I wasn't even near his dock.  I had one throw large rocks off the dock (not at me).  I had one kid come out and do circles around me in the boat with his jetski.  I had a dock owner come out and slap the water with a yak paddle all the while mouthing off.  Did I ever lose my cool?  A couple of times.  I always avoided docks where there were people on them or in their yard.  I always struck up conversations with dock owners that were on their dock not fishing.  Many times I asked permission to fish a dock.  Because I was on the water so much, many dock owners knew who I was and what I was doing.  I actually had a bunch of dock owners as clients.  My partner in the guide service actually had someone shoot at and hit his boat.  The law was called and the guy claimed he was shooting at squirrels on his birdfeeder.   

[J Francho]

I grew up on the water, with a break wall and a large dock with a covered boat hoist. Who are all these fisherman tearing up upholstery, leaving hooks in pylons, and doing all this trespassing and mayhem? I don't really recall any of this going on.  You might find a hook stuck in the wood decking, but for all we knew, it was from one of us dozen or so kids, or even an adult.  In pretty much all cases, exchanges with fisherman - rec and tourney guys alike - was pleasant.  Water skiers, jet skis, and recreational boaters was a toss up.

[geo g]

As a fisherman I leave a dock if the home owner gets upset, just showing respect for their property.    From the Home Owner perspective, if you are constantly pulling line from your dock, line and hooks tangled in your boat prop and upholstery, and if you swim off your dock, hooks in the wood supports, I can see why they get ticked off.  Not all of us are perfect at lure placement, and skipping under docks and boats. But even the novice think their on the tour without the skills.  I may have the right to fish a dock, but an overwhelming respect for the home owners.

[sully420]

I love skipping docks and use a 1/2oz jig 90 percent of the time. I have never had a negative experience with an owner. Most of the time my interactions involve me giving a 10 min seminar on skipping jigs or owners telling me where the fish are or how nice of a day it is ect. I don't know how you could actually damage a dock or pontoon boat by hitting with a jig. If you are casting that hard you probably should not fish docks. As long as you use some common sense and don't cast to inflatables and make sure you retrieve any snagged gear I don't see the problem. I also don't fish docks when people are using them. It's important to respect people's property it is also important for owners to respect the fact that there property is on public water. Maby it's a Minnesota thing but people are just happy it's not freezing out and there not at work.

[WRB]

Skipping lures under docks wasn't popular even 5 years ago, it's something that done more often today. Back in the day anglers simple cast next to the dock and around the edges, maybe into the slip if the dock had them and that is where most lures get guns up on tie downs and bumpers, then some anglers get on the dock to retreive the lure. All those things are minor and most dock owners understand. Getting onto someone's dock always gets the attention of the owner if they are home because you don't know why they are around your boat. Use common sense.

Tom

[Logan S]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

Skipping lures under docks wasn't popular even 5 years ago, it's something that done more often today.

This is not true...

 

Its been a popular technique for a long time, longer than I've been fishing.  It was one of my first primary patterns when I started tournament fishing over 15 years ago.  As long as I've been fishing it's been a universally known technique.  I remember it being shown/highlighted on old Bassmaster shows back in the 90's.  

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

I grew up on the water, with a break wall and a large dock with a covered boat hoist. Who are all these fisherman tearing up upholstery, leaving hooks in pylons, and doing all this trespassing and mayhem? I don't really recall any of this going on.  You might find a hook stuck in the wood decking, but for all we knew, it was from one of us dozen or so kids, or even an adult.  In pretty much all cases, exchanges with fisherman - rec and tourney guys alike - was pleasant.  Water skiers, jet skis, and recreational boaters was a toss up.

I was wondering the same thing. I've fished a whole bunch my entire life and never caught upholstery, not even in the boats I was fishing from. There's a few things that can damage a boat tied up to my dock and a bass fisherman is not one of them. 99 percent of the damage I have incurred is from boat waves , mostly wakeboarders. Do I yell and scream obscenely at the wakeboarders? Heck no I adjust what I do to keep my boat from slamming the dock. People these days...........

[WRB]

59 minutes ago, Logan S said:

This is not true...

 

Its been a popular technique for a long time, longer than I've been fishing.  It was one of my first primary patterns when I started tournament fishing over 15 years ago.  As long as I've been fishing it's been a universally known technique.  I remember it being shown/highlighted on old Bassmaster shows back in the 90's.  

It may have been a technique performed by a few skilled bass anglers 15-25 years ago where you all fish, it wasn't out west where I fished and owned docks. Today every boater that comes by a dock tries to skip a jig or worm under the dock and most weekend anglers miss badly.

Tom

 

[Catt]

The law down here states the property owners boundary line ends at the waters edge. You lose property during high tide & you gain property during low tide.

 

The property owners own the wharfs, docks, & boat houses; they do not own the water under them or the fish.

 

Property owners act like that down here they're facing criminal charges.

 

The angler can not step foot on the any "structure" & is responsible for any damage they might cause. 

[WRB]

California the coastal laws are different then lake laws regarding public access, all ocean coastal shorelines are open to the public from the water line and easements must be provided to the public access the shoreline. Inland lakes and rivers the property line ends at the high water line regardless where the current water line may be located and public waters have 5' easement along the shoreline regardless where the water line maybe located. So public lakes people can walk across your property as long as they stay within the 5' easement. Private lakes have their own individual deeded land that is stated in the deed, like dock rights etc.

The property owners don't own the water or the fish, they do own thier property including the docks and the liability* that goes with it,  usually have the right to move the docks to the current water line when the lake is low, common issue in California lakes.

Common sense and being courteous goes a long way when fishing someone else's dock, you all would be shocked how the public treats others property. When we owned a dock at Big Bear lake I have had people pry planks up for firewood, can't remember how many boat lines, boat covers and bumpers I have replaced that were stolen. At lake Sherwood a private lake no issues occurred, never should have sold the Sherwood property.

Tom

* you get on someone's dock and injure yourself the property owner is liable.

 

[J Francho]

45 minutes ago, WRB said:

It may have been a technique performed by a few skilled bass anglers 15-25 years ago where you all fish, it wasn't out west where I fished and owned docks. Today every boater that comes by a dock tries to skip a jig or worm under the dock and most weekend anglers miss badly.

Tom

I started to really notice people skipping docks when the Slug-go went viral, back in the 80s.  It was easy for anyone with a modicum of skill with a spinning rod to get a bait under the dock.  It also coincided with many dock owners up here removing the old crib style dock, favoring the pylon supported style.

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

99 percent of the damage I have incurred is from boat waves , mostly wakeboarders. Do I yell and scream obscenely at the wakeboarders? Heck no I adjust what I do to keep my boat from slamming the dock. People these days...........

Yep.  What amazes me is that most of the people that boat on the bays off Lake Ontario are property owners themselves.  You'd think they'd know better.

[RichF]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

I grew up on the water, with a break wall and a large dock with a covered boat hoist. Who are all these fisherman tearing up upholstery, leaving hooks in pylons, and doing all this trespassing and mayhem? I don't really recall any of this going on.  You might find a hook stuck in the wood decking, but for all we knew, it was from one of us dozen or so kids, or even an adult.  In pretty much all cases, exchanges with fisherman - rec and tourney guys alike - was pleasant.  Water skiers, jet skis, and recreational boaters was a toss up.

Must be a NY thing haha.  I fish docks a lot, especially on the Finger Lakes (and around that general area of NY) and have only had a couple owners yell at me (Cayuga and Cross).  Most people are either nice or they just ignore you and enjoy the fact that they live on a lake!

 

Oh, and how will my jig damage a metal or wooden dock?  Weightless plastics are way worse.  That 8lb line breaks a heck of a lot easier than my 20lb fluoro. If I was a dock owner, I'd be way more ticked by all the senkos attached to my property than jigs.  At least I might actually use those!

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, RichF said:

I fish docks a lot, especially on the Finger Lakes (and around that general area of NY) and have only had a couple owners yell at me (Cayuga and Cross).

Ever run into the old dude a few docks from the launch on Conesus?  That guy is straight up nuts.  There's a woman on Eagle Island in Sodus that is nuts too.  I've seen her throwing seaweed at angler that get "too close" to her dock.

[RichF]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Ever run into the old dude a few docks from the launch on Conesus?  That guy is straight up nuts.  There's a woman on Eagle Island in Sodus that is nuts too.  I've seen her throwing seaweed at angler that get "too close" to her dock.

I've actually never been to Conesus. Definitely haven't met the Eagle Island lady either.  The guy at Cross has a giant, beautiful house pushed way back from the water's edge.  I think he sits inside and keeps an eye on his dock all day.  Yelled at me when I approached during practice then again during the tournament.  I never even saw him, haha.

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, RichF said:

I've actually never been to Conesus.

Dock fishing heaven.  Place is a bass factory.  If you don't come in with 20#, don't bother.

[Fishin Dad]

I feel very fortunate.   I have not had anyone blow up on me ever.  I have actually had a lot of great conversations with people when fishing by their docks.  I have had bad casts and hit docks and felt bad.  I have just been lucky.   Minnesota nice I guess

[Krux5506]

I keep my boat at my family's cottage on a hoist, we have a nice dock that a lot of people fish and typically if I'm out there I just strike up conversation. Usually people will cast a few times and move onto the next dock, so no big deal. We don't have anything near ours to really get hung up on. I will say my Dad keeps a very nice Chris Craft on his hoist that, if a half oz jig got bounced off of, would probably provoke a slight meltdown from either him or I. But it's never happened so no sense in getting worked up or the "what if's."

 

When I fish docks, I skip over the ones where people are out sitting on, or swimming off or fishing or whatever. Also I try not to be the creepy fisherman type who slowly fishes by sun bathing women on the end of their docks. I'll give them their space too, lol. 

[Hog Basser]

1 hour ago, Krux5506 said:

I keep my boat at my family's cottage on a hoist, we have a nice dock that a lot of people fish and typically if I'm out there I just strike up conversation. Usually people will cast a few times and move onto the next dock, so no big deal. We don't have anything near ours to really get hung up on. I will say my Dad keeps a very nice Chris Craft on his hoist that, if a half oz jig got bounced off of, would probably provoke a slight meltdown from either him or I. But it's never happened so no sense in getting worked up or the "what if's."

 

When I fish docks, I skip over the ones where people are out sitting on, or swimming off or fishing or whatever. Also I try not to be the creepy fisherman type who slowly fishes by sun bathing women on the end of their docks. I'll give them their space too, lol. 

Ha! We get the creepers at our dock when the ladies are out.  I generally start talking to them nicely and asking a bunch of questions (they don't spot me at first usually) and they move on.  This is my only problem, when people come by and fish close while we are actually on the dock and/or swimming.  Jokes on them though, there are absolutely ZERO bass under my dock, it is a barren wasteland down there.  All we have are tiny bluegill for the kids.  

[tim_kovar]

1 hour ago, Krux5506 said:

I keep my boat at my family's cottage on a hoist, we have a nice dock that a lot of people fish and typically if I'm out there I just strike up conversation. Usually people will cast a few times and move onto the next dock, so no big deal. We don't have anything near ours to really get hung up on. I will say my Dad keeps a very nice Chris Craft on his hoist that, if a half oz jig got bounced off of, would probably provoke a slight meltdown from either him or I. But it's never happened so no sense in getting worked up or the "what if's."

 

When I fish docks, I skip over the ones where people are out sitting on, or swimming off or fishing or whatever. Also I try not to be the creepy fisherman type who slowly fishes by sun bathing women on the end of their docks. I'll give them their space too, lol. 

That is what I do as well out of respect for those who are outside or especially those using their docks.  I would be a lot more apt to just quietly move on if I was asked politely to not fish there then to have some guy came flying out of his house screaming and cussing me out.