How close is too close?

[pike79]

Next time someone pulls up to close just ask them if they know any show tunes? and if they want to join in a sing-a-long. Then start to sing something you don't know the words to.

If that fails start asking questions about everything like your four years old, repeat the word "why" a lot.

Sing the song mockingbird like Harry and Lloyd sang in Dumb and Dumber.

[CANOPY SAM]

Mock...Yea!...Ing....Yea!...Bird....Yea!....Yea......Yea...!

[BLACKJACK]

Twice I've had people catch my anchor rope with their hooks, I just reeled in my rope, cut their line, and tossed their lure in the water - they got the hint that they were too close.

I go fishing for peace and quiet, when people come in too close - where they're in my casting range - I pull up and leave - but before I do let them know that they're too close, that there is a lot of lake out there to fish without crowding people.

My thinking is that may be they don't realize that not everyone likes bumper boat fishing and that maybe, just maybe, they'll think twice the next time they crowd a fisherman.

[NIBOWMAN]

My 8 year old son and I had a guy pull up to us after we had been fishing for a while and ask us to move because he already had the spot as a way point. Can you believe that. He just showed up and asked us to leave. All I could do was laugh and ask my son to reel up.

[LightningBG]

I'm thinking something along the lines of an auxiliary speaker connected to the stereo (if the boat has one, mine doesn't ), 1 tory amos CD, or maybe Mariah Carey. Crank up the tunes, and point the speaker in the direction of ... the party.

[Stick in Mud]

My 8 year old son and I had a guy pull up to us after we had been fishing for a while and ask us to move because he already had the spot as a way point. Can you believe that. He just showed up and asked us to leave. All I could do was laugh and ask my son to reel up.

LOL.

[Rick G]

I'm thinking something along the lines of an auxiliary speaker connected to the stereo (if the boat has one, mine doesn't ), 1 tory amos CD, or maybe Mariah Carey. Crank up the tunes, and point the speaker in the direction of ... the party.

The BeeGees work great for this too .

[Bassburch]

On most lakes, if someone pulls up way too close to me without saying anything, pretending not to see me, I will land casts right next to their boat and give them the ol' stare-down, maybe even a head shake and 'w t f hands' as I like to call it.

I think hitting their boat is going too far though.

On the flip side, its a completely different story if someone quietly comes near my boat, is friendly, and asks if there's room for more than one person to fish the spot.

Not too many people do this but I have a ton of respect for those who do.

[PurpleFloyd]

I'm thinking something along the lines of an auxiliary speaker connected to the stereo (if the boat has one, mine doesn't ), 1 tory amos CD, or maybe Mariah Carey. Crank up the tunes, and point the speaker in the direction of ... the party.

Make sure you have a good subwoofer in there so all of the fish know you are in the area too.

[FM_Mike]

Make sure you have a good subwoofer in there so all of the fish know you are in the area too.

Thats a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

Mike

[Moose-Hunter]

Okay.... Game on people!! You get too close to me and its....

DANCE PARTY TIME!!!

4.5 watts of throbbing distortion!! Disco city baby!!

Think I won't? LOL!!! Sounds like a blast on Waconia during the spring panfish bite! I may even have to get dancers for my casting decks! Kinda like Soul Train or American Bandstand (wow! does that put a date on me or what?) on the water!

Go crappie!!! Go bluegill!!! Woot!! Woot!!

Seriously though... Casting distance is about as close as I'd like someone to get. Twice that on big water. A little "common" (yes, i know) courtesy goes a long way. I'll never go closer than what I would expect from others.

[fish_eat_sleep]

I have met many of my closest fishing buddies on local lakes, either at the landing or out on the water. it doesn't hurt to have a conversation, and get to know who they are before you try to scare them off and do something or say something you might regret later.

when people troll by for northerns or whatever i could care less how close they come as long as our lines don't tangle up (in the metro anyway). it used to bother me too when someone would try to push me off "my" spot but think about all the other uncharted spots on each lake that hold fish. theres a ton of water out there. an acre of rocks isn't worth a fight. let them snag the rocks!! you can go catch fish somewhere else. of course if its marked on the H-bird chip then everyone else that has one thinks its their "go to spot" also. If you have a larger boat i could see some some inexperienced fishermen follow you, weather the H-bird is locating fish or not. some people are a little slow!

Take an older aluminum tiller boat out there, find a good spot away from crowds and fish for a few hours, a couple days a week even. I doubt anyone would be within casting distance. i would bet a high horsepower engine and an H-bird could lure in some dummies, especially when your sitting on a well known spot.

[LPCrowRiverFisherman]

My favorite way to avoid this is to fish for less desirable species, fish on lakes that are not very popular, and have many spots predetermined.

[Mike #1]

I bought a trailer three years ago on Mille Lacs and this is the worst for inconsiderate fisherman, please don't get mad a me, it's only a few, not the majority. I don't get PO'd just confused because the worst situations have come up when things are not busy and worst yet - when I'm not catching fish. We do alot slip bobbering with a little extra time on our hands we have come up with a some ideas. I started using the music tactic, I am a big Bob Dylan fan and I am very aware that he can turn stomachs, we keep a tape cued up at all times and this will get some to move on, I also put on a dark green ball cap and then the binoculars around my neck ( They think I'm the CO) this can get a few to go on. I have also started shooting a few videos of how close they get and in the future I plan on making a montage and posting them on a popular viewing site.

[Stick in Mud]

I've been following this thread with interest...and a bit of sympathy, as (like most everyone who's fished anywhere at anytime), I've had lots of boats move in "too close," at least by my estimation.

Well, I was out on Mille Lacs tonight fishing waaaaay in the middle of the lake. I could literally see only one other boat fishing on the lake. I was anchored up on the tip of a nameless little flat, and would've swore I had a DNR guy coming out to me because the boat was headed right for me. Guy anchored up within an easy cast of my boat. Happens to all of us, but with the amazing amount of water to fish, I was a bit speechless.

I just reeled up and moved to another spot. I still don't know what the guy was doing...I suppose I was probably on "his" spot, and he was just as mad at me as I was at him. Who knows.

[Moose-Hunter]

Here's what happened to me on a port side turn while trolling the Blue Jug area...

This guy was WAY TOO CLOSE as it took a few seconds to get my phone/camera lit up and ready. He was so close, I saw the sweat on his beer can!!

If these guys had had lines out, I would have snagged them both.

[bgmny]

Domestic or import beer?

[Moose-Hunter]

Import... How Un-American.

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, that's about as close as the guy was to me, though he actually anchored up. In the grand scheme of things, it's not a big issue, but it is supremely annoying, especially when there are, what, 20 flats within two miles?!?

Maybe he had launched off the east side and only had enough gas to get to the Blue Jug before heading back???

[YumYum]

if you can stand in your boat and whizz on (or into) his boat, that's too close

[Eric Wettschreck]

A couple Octobers ago I was fishing on a local SW MN lake, Sarah. I wasn't doing real well but I was in a spot that is no secret. I set up anchor, I was the only feller around. Right around 6 pm another couple boats showed up and wanted to drop anchor right next to me.

Seriously, if I had known these guys or if they would have at least said, "Hi" I wouldn't have cared that much. But, they showed up, dropped anchor and started beatching at me for being in their spot.

This is when I took my pants off and told them, "I can't help it, sometimes I pee red and I have no control over where it goes." After about 2 uncomfortable minutes (For them) looking at a guy with no pants on and wondering when he's gonna let fly, they pulled anchor and moved aboot 50 yards down the shoreline.

I'm no male model but seriously, who wants to look at a naked bald guy and wonder when he's gonna take a #1 in your boat? If you're that close, you're too close.

[paceman]

Man! Eric that is hilarious!

[JBMasterAngler]

If your naked, do you really think it matters to the other person if you have hair on your head or not?

[jigging-matt]

Had it happen to me last night. Out fishing with my daughter last night. Just trolling down the docks so she can catch her fish, guy slowly drives by, sees us atching fish, goes about 30 yards past drops his trolling moter and tries to troll right back at us. I just kept on going, my daughter asked why he did it when they had the whole lake to fish on. Just told her some people don't know any better. He even tried to do a circle to keep me away from him. Just went on past him then stayed away from him the rest of the night. Pretty sad when a 10 year old knows better.

[BoxMN]

Hey jigging, at least he came AT you. I don't mind that at all actually, it is when someone pulls up in front of you while trolling a shoreline, then proceeds to go in the same direction you are going. That is when I will say something. But I have no problem stopping at a dock, then working towards a person and going around them the other way, or when someone does that to me. Good luck.