How close is too close?

[jigging-matt]

My problem was then he tried to circle his boat to keep me away from him, like he had been there all day.

[AwesomZZ]

I’m assuming by “Too close” as in people coming too close and anchoring next to you, right? When I troll the shore line for bass, sometimes I’ll get too close to others who are anchored and on the path I’m traveling. But its not like I crash into them, or try to cast to where they are casting and invade their area. Usually, we’ll try to give them a good amount of space, go around them and wait until we are out of their fishing zone before we cast again. Everyone in my boat usually gets the idea and takes a break when this happens. Sometimes we’ll talk with them to see if they’re catching anything. I hope by doing so isn’t offending anyone or bugging them. We try not to bug other people out there.

[caseymcq]

Yesterday the old lady ...

[TruthWalleyes]

Was trolling friday on Madison lake, 11' and happened to be making my pass along the narrows. Two mid 50's to early 60's guys troll up behind me 2mph faster than I, minimum. They came directly behind me, thought my line was going into their prop, they scooted 20' to the side of me as they passed. My rod stops bouncing and the line starts following their boat. I just laughed, put my boat in neutral and waited for them to figure it out.

They both ended up snagging my line

That was a first for me.

I didn't say a word. One of them appologized, i really didn't think that at their age they were actually sorry since they should be weathered enough to figure out the situation before it happened. I figured i'd better give these guys 1/2 a lake worth of distance and off i went.

I couldn't believe myself. Figured that would have 'set me off', but i was too relaxed on a friday afternoon to give a hoot about these clowns. Pity them a little bit for being so ignorant at their age.

[gregg52]

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!

thats funny!!!!!!!!

pi$$e$ me off when people pull up on me but kinda depends on how they go bout

usally you can kinda tell if they have fished that spot before or they are just there cuz they saw you there

remember as a general rule no matter how big the lake only about 10% of it actually holds fish

[mww24]

I've had it happen many times and seen it happen to others many more. Just this last saturday morning I was fishing a tiny point on a bay of a northern lake. I have a bass boat so it does seem to attract more people than my old tiller boat did. I was fan casting this point on one side of it. Had a boat with two guys in there 40's pull up to the other side and start casting to it. Maybe 30 feet separated us and they took a lot of my casting angles. I gave them a few minutes thinking maybe it was there starting point and they would move on or around me. They didn't so I moved about 100 yards away to some reeds with rocks mixed in. I knew these rocks usually hold fish. Poor guys had to watch me drag 7 or 8 smallies into the boat while they didn't catch a sing fish on that point. They must have got the point that I didn't want them close to me because they never came over. I finished my morning fish and went in. Came back that evening and low and behold they were fishing the spot. Oh well. I moved across the bay to a similar spot and caught a few and made sure I did the loud yell when I got them in the boat. Never saw them catch one. I don't think they realized I was casting a crankbait into the reeds to catch all my fish. So even though idiots can follow you and steal little honey holes you find doesn't mean they will have the know how to catch them when they get on the spot. I just laugh. Or sometimes If I snag a big bunch of weeds I'll fight that clump of weeds for five minutes. Then release the weeds right on the side of the boat. Sometimes you can hear them talking about I wonder what that big fish he caught was.

[cheddar 86]

Just another example of people way too close on Minnetonka

[Moose-Hunter]

Talk about deja vu.... No, not the gentlemen'c club...

A couple days back, I popped a nice chunky box fish off the base of a flat. My method of the time was using planer boards. As those that have used them know, you can't exactly turn on a dime with boards out. So... I pulled in my one and only line, turned the boat 180* around and started back on my previous course. BANG!! Another fish, this time a bit too big so back she went. During all this, I had two other boats in the area. One was a few hundred yards off, the other a few hundred feet.

With my board on a outside turn, ol' Snoopy decides he needs a closer look. The picture doesn't represent the situation very well scale wise, but this guy in the glitter boat is catching up to me at a very quick pace. I was going roughly 2mph, and he was "hammer down" with a bead on my board!

By the time I had the planer board at the side of the boat, Snoopy was OVER my crankbait that was still 150' in back of my boat! He ended up about where the arrow is in the picture.

This is the second time this very scenario has played out on The Pond. People completely oblivious as to what's in the water in front of them! This can really get on a guy's nerves, ya know?

If you feel the need to be THAT close to the action, either find/catch your own fish OR buy yourself a nice set of binoculars! Seriously... What the (you know what) was this guy thinking??!! Is he also attracted to shiny round objects or bright lights? Bad form Snoopy!! VERY bad form!!

Note: All you nay sayers and crack forensic photo experts can keep your read of my pic to yourself, thank you very much. It's a lousy cell phone pic. You'd have been just as tweaked had this happen to you. No words or gestures were exchanged.... THIS TIME!!

[reinhard1]

that would be something i could not even think of doing. that guy was lazy and certainly does not have a clue on fishing ethics. good luck.

[Down Deep]

As I've read this thread I keep thinking about opening weekend on the St. Louis River. Hundreds of boats and there always seems to be room for one more. It takes "how close is too close" to a new level.

[JosMN]

The question is, did he anchor up where you were getting fish? I have had it happen to me this summer atleast 10 times, 5 of them were the same guy, same boat that basically follows me around till I get on fish. Everytime I have just look at him, reaalllyyy??

[mnviking28]

Have to agree with Mike#1. One trip to Mille Lacs was all it took for me. I have never, ever, been cut off, followed, and moved in on as many times as I was in 3 days on this lake. It was every scenario described here and more. You could be all alone on a flat, a mile from everyone and someone would drive by, see you fishing, make a 90 degree turn and were on you like white on rice. I said no way, I have many more places to fish. I have never been back.

[Kyhl]

That depends on the situation. I've been in situations where weaving in and out of boat traffic is expected, like opener, or a contest.

It is different if you are fishing alone in the middle of nowhere and someone parks right next to you or pulls up behind to run the same path.

To quote a fiend of mine on Vermilion, who likes to jokingly holler, loud enough for other boats to hear, when I pull up for a chat,

Quote:

1,200 miles of shoreline and you have to fish right next to me.

We always have a good laugh about that.

[IcePro]

But it's OK for a Bass Fisherman to cast to my dock when I am sitting on the dock fishing?

You can not get any closer than that.

[Bassburch]

But it's OK for a Bass Fisherman to cast to my dock when I am sitting on the dock fishing?

Eh, that's kind of a douche move imo. Whats the point of casting at your dock if you are ON it?

If I see someone using their dock I go around it, at a cast length if they are fishing.

Next time someone casts at your dock while you are fishing start jumping up and down while making monkey noises and I'm sure they'll leave promptly.

[Hoey]

On the other side of the story, I have gone out and anchored up or starting trolling slowly only to find I am on the drift path of the only other boat in the area. This other boat was a 1/4 mile away when I setup. When they drifted by within 30', they shook their head at me and kept going, and I knew exactly what they were thinking.

Sorry getting in their path was not my intention.

[aanderud]

When they drifted by within 30', they shook their head at me and kept going, and I knew exactly what they were thinking.

Sorry getting in their path was not my intention.

In their defense, 30 feet is really close. That isn't even 2 boat lengths. I think I'd be shaking my head too.

Whether you anticipated it or not when they were 1/4 mile away, it seems to me like the boat under power in that situation should make an attempt to widen the passing margin to at least 100 feet.

[kg2]

In their defense, 30 feet is really close. That isn't even 2 boat lengths. I think I'd be shaking my head too.

Whether you anticipated it or not when they were 1/4 mile away, it seems to me like the boat under power in that situation should make an attempt to widen the passing margin to at least 100 feet.

Agreed, it is easier for the boat under power (electric or gas) to step aside, but just because someone starts a drift shouldn't give them clearance (right-of-way) for the entire length of their drift. 1/4 mile away is a lot!

[aanderud]

Agreed, it is easier for the boat under power (electric or gas) to step aside, but just because someone starts a drift shouldn't give them clearance (right-of-way) for the entire length of their drift. 1/4 mile away is a lot!

I agree. Both folks should be on the move when they're on a near-miss like that. Most of the time when drifting people should expect to maybe have to correct course here and there, and they should have either their electric or their main engine on standby for such an occasion.