Courtesy on the water

[CrappieJohn]

Oh yes, the open water has arrived with a buzz. Yesterday while fishing my pet puddle, we had the opportunity to "share" the water with some of the dumbest saps I have ever seen...some were jetsetters and some were skiers. We were anchored and literally had both come within 15 feet of us. I guess it will be time for the wrist rocket and some 00buck come along on the next trip. We saw plenty of other boats, but none were as rude as these fools. I was able to get some numbers and will be handing them over to the DNR enforcement division in our area as well as the local sheriffs dept.As co-usres of the waterways with these idiots, I think we need to go a bit further out of our way so we do not look and act like them...it would certainly make this wonderful fishing fraternity look as though the members of it had rectal cranial inversion too.
We did catch some beautiful bull crappies and kept 14 between two of us that were between 11 and 12 inches. Found some rare 55.8 degree water and they were hugging a steep shoreline with 14 feet of water and, with the sun as bright as it was, were down about 4 1/2 feet. Black 1/32 head, pink 1" exude twister under a small float to keep at that depth was the trick bait. Careful out there guys.. Crapster

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Sure life happens- why wait

[Walleye_GFA]

Yea I was out north of Maxwell last week, only boat on the water, till a 24' scarab looking boat feels he has to come within about 40' of me and then use teh bay I was fishing to test out his new ride... sad that on my first trip of the year I am remembered why I dont fish Tonka much...

Walleye_GFA

[CrappieJohn]

I really sucks that these dolts can go out and buy a machine like that and not even have to pass a test on water-use knowlege and common courtesy while boating. Maybe we should write our represntatives for some legislation that would allow fisherpeople to write down violators boat numbers and call them in and have the jerks written up AFTER the fact. Be great, wouldn't it? Crapster

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Sure life happens- why wait

[Deitz Dittrich]

Hip hip horay!

Score some for Exude twister tails!

[Renneberg]

I had that happen once up north. We were the only ones on the lake fishing and this guy on his jet ski seen us. He came running over and started doing figure 8's about 40 feet in front of us. After about 20 mintues of that we pulled up and moved to a different bay. It wasn't more then 10 minutes before he found us and started doing his figure 8's again. What a A$$!

[CrappieJohn]

I log my fish catches as a general rule and carry paper and pencil in the boat with me. You all should as well and record the reg. numbers of the craft that are acting in a careless or disrepectctful manner and report it to the local sheriff and DNR enforcement officer. Write your state representative as well and nag him/her for some changes. Perhaps if all of us made a nuisance of ourselves with complaints against these ditwads something positive would get done. It is not just the issue of feeling like they are harassing you, some body is going to get killed screwing around like they do and then they shut the lake down for a week while the incident is investigated and more than likely it will happen at the height of the crappie run. If these idiots want to push the limits of thier survival, why don't they paint thier rumps red and drop their pants in front of the local holstien bull. Something needs to be done. Crapster

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Sure life happens- why wait

[knucklehead]

I fully agree with ya CrappieTom. Time to cut the dump and get the CO's involved period. I am heading to Zumbro tomorrow for my first time fishing it. Any suggestions of where to even start looking for the crappies? Boat ramps to put in at ect? Thanks

[rockhardinmn]

Wow what memorys this thread brings . i do have the same one of the harrassment by the big boaters of tonka . i did find a way to solve this problem thou . at least it worked for me and a partner a number of years ago . we were fishing and one of those big boaters keppt circleing us ,, well me and my parnter did get fed up and were deciding on to move or not , being on fish was the deciding factor for us .. so I pulled out the largest daredevil i had with me and started casting towards the Dip"s boat doing donuts around us . After hitting his boat a number of times he started threating us with calling sheriffs . we told him feel free to if he wants to but also consider what the sheriff may say to you for harrassing us .. Now i dont believe this is the right way to handle a problem like this . but it did work and we did get to enjoy our fishing again after some heated words .. it also has given a lot of laughs over the years..

[rockhardinmn]

Say tom .. look for a thread on ethics in open water forum also that i wrote . please add your opinion

[Fisher Dave]

I had my father out on xmas lake 2 years ago .. anchored fishing for crappies when a boatload of late teen/early 20's idiots were watersking by doing there best to cut as close as possible to our boat, and the skier would sway over and try to *spray* us ... after the wake of the skier hitting the boat a few times, and rideing the heavy wake of the boat I took it upon myslf to take the hook off a large daredevil, and cast across the path of the skier the next round. Needless to say my cast darted about 10' in front of the skier. He hit the line and got nailed by a daredevil... moments later he had quite a spill thinking he was hooked.

The boatload of kids obviosly had some not so kind words to trade with us, and gave some threats. I said my own words, and explained there are laws (like they cared) while holding a relatively large blunt object in my hand... which on fact at the time I would have used if neccessary as upset as I was.

We have a small boat, my father was on the pedistal on the deck and nearly fell out of the boat on a couple occasions from their boat wakes. My father is elderly, handicapped, and is in very poor health.. laws or no laws, sometimes a person has to stand up.

I never saw that boat or them kids again after that day on xmas. It was not any of the locals on the lake who in fact are some of the most respectful boaters I have ever encountered anywhere.

[Uncle Grump]

We got a dose of that same kind of treatment early last fall over on Beaver Lk in Steele Cty.

It was 6.30pm or so when we hit the water - intending on fishing until dark - we headed for a weed bed - and had put two nice LM in
boat, when the only other boat on the water
blew right thru the weed bed we were fishing - 3 late teen-early 20's males w/ more gonads than brains.

Beaver isn't a huge lake, maybe 80-100 acres, but those ya-hoos had the whole lake to ski on, and they had to blow thru where we were, up in the shallow, narrow end. They passed with-in 30 ft of my boat.

It was almost like they were trying to drive us off the water. And sorry to say - I didn't think to get hull numbers.

UG

[Aquaman01]

My boy doesn't hear me use the effenheimer often, but once was last year on Big Lake in our rowboat. Same thing - waterskier kids too close.
"HEY ASHMOLE! 100 EFFENMEIMERING FEET!" (reg distance from non-motorized craft)
Total disregard, as you an imagine.
Big lake isn't a big town - later that evening it only took 15 minutes of driving the neighborhoods to find the boat in a driveway.

That kid's Dad didn't like that his boat was being used to harass a rowboat-fisherman and his 3-year old son. Didn't see that boat out for quite a while after that.

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[CrappieJohn]

The limit is 200 feet for crafts that are under anchor or drifting or being rowed and I am unsure of how electrics pertain. That last thing I want is a confrontation, but I've had'em. Most of the time you end up trying to deal with some horemone inocculated dink that talks as though he has a paper a*****e, with intellect to match. Getting the craft numbers and turning them into the DNR enforcement office in your area or to the local sheriffs dept. is safer. I get a real bang out of it when they see me with my notebook and pencil writing away while they fly past. I even have an old camera that I will take and act as though I am taking their picture in addition to the writing. You should see how stupid some of them can look. May we need to confront our lawmakers with petitions regarding these issues. Might help...who knows.

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Sure life happens- why wait

[BLACKJACK]

Twice I've had people catch my anchor rope while I've been anchored for crappies and they come trolling by. I just pull in my anchor and cut their line when it gets to me. Then I give them the lecture about getting so **** close! Granted, I had a lot of anchor rope out because I like to 'ease' into the crappies by anchoring and then just letting out a little more rope if needed, but I only have 75 feet of rope, theres no excuse to move in so close.

I feel that its just the crowded society that we live in, people think its ok to tailgate on the highways, they go home to there little house where they can stand in their backyard and see exactly what there 8 closest neighbors are doing, they think crowding is good and that reflects on how they act on the water, especially if its a fisherman crowding you. The jetskis and skiers, its just a 'the only good place to go is where someone can see you mentality'. So even if its a thousand acre lake, what good does it do to do your dipsy doodles if someone can't see you?

[united jigsticker]

I want to try and put something into perspective here, so please bear with me.

Most average folks don't take the time to read regulations, articles on courtesy, or pieces on waterway ethics.

They had barely enough time to sign the loan papers, write the check, and cash the watercraft into the lake, and that was about it. Furthermore, they have probably never had anyone demonstrate examples of "good practice" while on the water.

In other words, they don't realize they are doing wrong. They have a drivers license, and it's common to drive by someone 40 feet away in their front yard while cruising on down the street at 35 mph. They see no difference.

My practice is benefit of the doubt as a first resort.

If they buzz me once..Perhaps they didn't see me til' it was too later. Buzz me twice and I attempt to flag them to stop.

The idea is to politley inform them that the law states no wake within 150 feet and common courtesy is greater then that. Kindly explain that myself, among others are displeased and it would be greatly appreciated, as well as required by state laws, and safety issues, that they slow down, give more distance, etc.

In my experience most have apologized, and adjusted their riding, boating habits quickly. This saves me a phone call to the DNR, moving to a different spot, getting increasingly angry, and the time it would take, if ever, for the DNR to contact them. They are now informed, and everyone has immeditaly benefited.

However, some are just outright @$$holes as we have expressed, and will react in a relating fashion. Swear words, smart remarks, intimidation...Yeah, it happens.

In those instances, you have what could be termed as "water rage". Probably not a healthy situation, and I am sure tempers flare to multiple sizes of egos. But lets not always assume that the people know better, and at least try to do our part to inform and educate.

9 out of 10 times folks have apologized and even thanked for the information. That's plenty enough for me to continue to do it, even though the bad eggs still exist.

People that crowd your spot though...thats a different story for a later time.

Take it easy and be safe on the water.

[icehousebob]

My sons and I like to fish the docks and backwaters on Tonka by canoe, and have run into our share of the rich and braindead. One young bozo was showing his girlfriend how big a waves he could hit us with on Tanenger. My new fishing companions are my cell phone and a disposable camera in a zip lock bag. The Hennepin Co. water patrol phone no. is 952-471-8528. Next time, I call in the report while its happening and get pictures of the boat, hopefully a shot of their boat numbers. Also, if you get action shots of them 40 feet away, its hard for them to argue with the water patrol that they were the legal distance. I figure every law abiding fisherman with a cell phone should be like one more deputy or conservation oficer. If enough of us do it, it will really take the fun out of law breaking. Another number to tape to your tackle box; Turn In Poachers---1-800-652-9093.

[Uncle Grump]

IHBob

Well said - good post. Camera is a great idea for a "repeat" offender.

UG