Angry people while pitching docks?

[Dye99]

Is it me or have people gotten more and more angry when you get near their docks lately?

Fished for many years and never had any issues. I always stand off a ways, never pitch if there's boats parked or people there. Basically mind my own business.

This year alone Ive been yelled out more times than all the years combined. People will go out of their way to yell out to me that its private property before I even get close with my boat.

Yesterday my kayak fishing partner got yelled out by people saying this part of a bridge was private property, while they were putting up American flags. America land of the free, but you must stay 50ft from someones private property?

Laughable at best. I just smile and ignore them but this year has been a ramp up in dock Karens like Ive never seen, ever.

Are people seeing this elsewhere? How do you deal with it?

[OkobojiEagle]

Smile broadly, wave cheerfully and shout back "congratulations".

[A-Jay]

Some of my favorite meaningless responses to utter foolishness are:

"Hope you win the lottery"

"What time is dinner ?"

"I like Pizza"

"Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it so that the other half may reach you.”

A-Jay

[looking45]

I go fishing to relax and take my mind off things. There are a lot of docks on one of the lakes I fish. If someone asks me to notnfish their dock, I just move on. No need to get upset or start an argument. YMMV

[MediumMouthBass]

Dock owners worry your $2 lure weighing in at half an ounce might hit their dock that they have slammed their couple hundred or couple thousand pound boat into hundreds of times a year.

I dont like casting near a dock that has people or boats on it either, i try to cast to empty docks or ones that have been abandoned, but the lakes ive been fishing this year are very shallow and dont seem to be holding much fish.

[Bird]

Fished a public lake this past Thursday where the dock owner actually placed bouys 50 yards out from their dock that read NO BOATS.

By the condition of the bouys, they've been there quite a while.

 

[Susky River Rat]

What really gets them is when you say hold on a second and put ear plugs in.

[optimator]

Come on up and hunt the river with us this year. You’ll quickly learn how many riverfront home owners have no idea what the high water mark laws are. But then there’s the good ones that want us to shoot as many geese as we can. 

[Dye99]

3 minutes ago, optimator said:

Come on up and hunt the river with us this year. You’ll quickly learn how many riverfront home owners have no idea what the high water mark laws are. But then there’s the good ones that want us to shoot as many geese as we can. 

Those good ones used to be the norm...

Even last year I was fishing a public lake and a homeowner came running out to to tell me the smallies have nests underneath his dock in a sandy area, actually watched me pitch bait underneath it and waited until I caught one.

All smiles.

Now I get yelled out before I even get close.

Im always respectful, I dont argue or insult but it just blows my mind how rude people can be, having no knowledge who their are even talking to.

Social media has made many people very brave and hiding behind a screen as well as hiding behind 50ft of water tends to make everyone heroes I guess.

 

[gim]

I personally do not fish docks that have people on them, in the yard, etc.  If there is someone present, I avoid that specific one.  I figure if there's no one around, the chance of a confrontation or argument is far less, especially if I happen to get hung up (which is rare, but does happen).

 

I've resorted to using only weightless plastics around docks these days.  No lead, no hard baits.  That way if my lure does bump into a post, piling, etc, the sound is minimal.

[r83srock]

38 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I personally do not fish docks that have people on them, in the yard, etc.  If there is someone present, I avoid that specific one.  I figure if there's no one around, the chance of a confrontation or argument is far less, especially if I happen to get hung up (which is rare, but does happen).

 

I've resorted to using only weightless plastics around docks these days.  No lead, no hard baits.  That way if my lure does bump into a post, piling, etc, the sound is minimal.

This is how I approach docks too. I absolutely do not want to damage someone’s property in any way, or give the impression I am. There’s some Karen’s, but there are plenty of nasty fishermen who won’t think twice about snagging someone’s boat cover. Gives the rest of us a bad look

[Woody B]

I don't fish docks much this time of year.  They get fished to death.   I will skip a really low hard to skip dock occasionally.  Last week I skipped a worm in the area between the floats on a floating dock.   About the time I hooked a bass a guy came walking out on the dock.   I landed the bass and said "I believe I caught your pet bass".  He said "I've never touched a bass before, can I touch it?"    I went over to the dock with my trolling motor.  He rubbed the bass and said "Kinda slimy ain't it".  I told him I usually release everything I catch did he want it.  He said "I wouldn't eat anything out of this lake".   I agree with him.  It's full of PCB's and heavy metals.  

 

I don't fish docks with people on them.   Most of the people I run across are friendly though.   

[rangerjockey]

I've  never had any problems with folks but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen.

I pulled up to a dock while the BFL was going on . A ol' Boy was cleaning his boat and I asked him how many boats have been here?  he replied " your about number 27 "  but he was fine with it.

Table Rock has so many Bass fisherman most people know the rules..

 

[jbmaine]

I don't fish docks if there is anyone around them, too many other places to fish, why take a chance on bad feelings. Generally, it seems like people have a shorter fuse these days. Sign of the times I guess. I will say though, not too long ago I had a dock owner ask me to not fish around his dock. He said his grandson got a hook in his foot from a busted off bait. Trip to the ER, tetanus shot and all. I have grand kids, would have tee'd me off too.

[Glenn]

Yup, I've ran into a few folks like that...

 

 

[optimator]

7 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Yup, I've ran into a few folks like that...

 

 

At least you can answer with...

 

[OkobojiEagle]

Quite often the same people who need to run their cocktail cruise between you and where you are casting to... they usually wave and ask if you're catching any.

 

My usual response is "I was".

[MickD]

Why would anyone be angry when someone of unknown skill comes up near his dock and throws a lure with a fishing hook attached near his expensive boat/dock cover/boat cover/dock and bathing area?  What is the world coming to?  

[MGF]

If it were my dock I guess I'd be worried about having line and hooks wrapped around everything. I see an awful lot of mess left by fishermen lately.

[12poundbass]

Maybe I don’t fish enough docks, maybe everyone is nice, or maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve yet to come across a dock owner that was upset with me fishing their dock.

[Alex from GA]

Like most of you I avoid docks with people on or near them.  I've talked to people on them and never  had a bad conversation.  

[Bankc]

That's not generally a problem around here.  Most of the lakes I fish don't have many or even any docks.  And the docks they do have are the floating variety that are hard to fish anyway.  And they almost always have "no fishing" or "no boats within 500 feet" (if it's a fishing pier) signs posted.  

 

I tend to be pretty non-confrontational these days, especially with strangers.  There can be value in sticking up for yourself, but rarely when it's to someone you've never seen before and will likely never see again.  Though I would probably call the authorities and turn them in.  It's illegal to claim ownership of public property and impede its use, and they're starting to crack down on it as it's becoming a more common problem.  Just make sure to use the non-emergency number.  

[BustedSwimbait]

I don't mind if there is someone at the dock/outside, I'll still fish the dock as long as it has no boats on it. As I approach/drift by I'll wave and usually get a wave back and I'm on my way. People are usually nice or don't say anything

[Darth-Baiter]

not sure why a person yelling at me from a dock is called a "Karen".  i think we have exhausted this word.  

 

the original of "karen" is ....ahh..nevermind.  a total B, isnt a Karen.

[gim]

15 hours ago, MGF said:

If it were my dock I guess I'd be worried about having line and hooks wrapped around everything. I see an awful lot of mess left by fishermen lately.

I'm relatively up tight about my own property that is not on water front, so its fairly likely I'd be upset about lines and hooks stuck in my docks too.  Getting snagged is almost inevitable as a bass angler but as a homeowner I could definitely see why some of them would lose their cool.

 

Rarely do the lakeshore owners bass fish, and rarely do bass fisherman own lakeshore property.  I believe that @TnRiver46 may be one of the few on here that is familiar with both.

3 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

not sure why a person yelling at me from a dock is called a "Karen".  i think we have exhausted this word.  

 

the original of "karen" is ....ahh..nevermind.  a total B, isnt a Karen.

Doesn't matter what we refer to them as.  Its just semantics.  The point is that you have every right to fish water around and under docks, you just can't damage property or go on their dock because damage to stuff is vandalism and stepping on their dock is trespassing.  If you are minding your own business just fishing around the dock, someone that comes marching out and swearing at you is definitely in the category of a karen.  There's worse names I can think of to call them but I'll refrain.