Boater Etiquette

**trout_farm** · 11-17-2009, 04:08 PM

Just a lurker here but I came across this discussion from another striper board and am wondering what the consensus is from the guys here.

Link: Keep Your Distance

It's been observed that encroachment/spot poaching while you're working an area is on the uptick. Are you guys experiencing this as well? Do you get followed or have guys pull right up to you or get cut off from the direction you're fishing? Is the lack of civility and common courtesy just to be expected in these wonderful times we live in?

**nightgoat** · 11-17-2009, 05:44 PM

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Four times on Sunday around Frank's I had boats blatantly cut in on my drift. This is in about 2 hours of fishing. Split evenly between fly guys and gear guys. Now, granted, there were a zillion boats out there but why cut in front? I promise I'm not gonna catch every fish in the area on 1 drift. Just drop in behind and be polite! I finally gave up and went to a different area entirely.

OK Rant Over. Sorry.

I should add that there were several boats that DID THE RIGHT THING and moved in behind to make the same drift. I hope all those people had great days!

**Darian** · 11-17-2009, 06:20 PM

This subject has come up on this BB for waders and other boards involving boaters.... Almost universally the posters are upset when someone commits a perceived infraction. Sometimes these things are confrontational.

I've only been fishing the Delta from my own boat during the last 5 years and have not had one instance where another boater cut me off or attempt to take over my spot while I was there. Having said that, I haven't been out on days when there's a lot of boats out. So maybe I've been lucky.

When wading, I've had people wade in below me (like most everyone has) and start to fish an area. If they wade in downstream a ways, I don't really care. It just means I have to wait a bit for things to calm down and continue to fish down (or up).

IMHO, Etiquette cuts both ways. You can be an offender by wading in closely below another or by taking up too much water by swinging a bubble or a fly/lure. Other offenses can be committed by drift boaters working an area to the disadvantage of bankies or other drifters....

Seems to me that whether we like it or not, times and the number of people out in "the wild" are crowding each other. The natural reaction is to try to define a very large perimeter to keep others out. Newcomers feel that they are cut-off from access by this behavior. Neither party to one of these confrontations is likely to agree that they could be the problem. There's no use in complaining about it. Unless we're all gonna go to some really remote areas, it just isn't likely that we're going to have places like the Delta to ourselves. My solution is to just get up and move elsewhere or wait until others have fished on.

In the words of the immortal Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"

**Tony Buzolich** · 11-17-2009, 06:48 PM

Okey, I'm all for good manners but, How far ahead or away Is okey? 100yds? 1/4 mile?

It seems to be worse in tight quarters and on the Sac river during the spring striper run there are LOTS of boats in VERY close proximity to each other. Some drift faster than others, some troll with the currant, etc. etc. Out and around the tract there are lots of boats every day of the week and I can't imagine how there are on weekends. Ugh!

I try not to fish on weekends if I can.
TONY

**Dabalone** · 11-17-2009, 07:49 PM

Very subjective. Places, conditions, situations vary, not everyone sees things the same way.

**IronMtn** · 11-18-2009, 11:01 AM

I don't usually chime-in on topics like these, but felt compelled for some reason (famous last words)...

The way I look at it: When someone floats their boat over your fly line or encroaches on your water, why not crack a smile and be a nice guy? Besides - when you make your way back to the launch or the take-out, what would you rather have the guy give you, a black eye or one of the beers out of his cooler?

**malbers** · 11-18-2009, 04:29 PM

Use your brain is all I have to say. If I can land my fly in your boat, you stopped in the wrong place. THat happened on the American recently to me. FIshing above B-80 at cal-expo, some guy drives up to 20 feet below me as I am drifting down river, cuts the engine and starts fishing from there down. I almost angled up my jet and told him what I thought of that, but decided to fish elsewere and not make enemies.

**Scott V** · 11-18-2009, 04:47 PM

As much as I wold like to just punch someone in the face for being rude, I would just leave the area and not deal with the situation. Too many people out there with badd attitudes that are looking for a fight. I say start the motor and putt away and live to fish another day.

**Flys4b8** · 11-20-2009, 07:57 AM

I fish the Delta regularly...was out on Sunday in my new rig. I have not experienced anyone 'poaching' my water, except on a rare occasion.

What I have an issue w/is the guys, often in their bass boats w/200 + HP off the back, going past me while I'm fishing/drifting, at 40 mph+ .... often within 15 feet!

There's usually several hundred feet of width in the channel, but for some reason they zip by me within 30'

One of these days I am going to get so complacent with this happening all the time, that I'll be back casting and really 'hook up'

**andanb** · 11-20-2009, 12:09 PM

I do prefer when boats go past they do so up on plane which creates much less of a wake. The question is how close is too close. 15ft is way too close. I try to go out of the way and give as much room is possible/reasonable.

I also wonder how close is too close to start fishing... Sometimes I'll start a drift 100ish yds in front of someone else because when its crowded out there there is not much choice... I also don't mind if someone else does the same to me. If its not crowded however the more space the better.

MY BIG PET PEEVE IS THE GUYS THAT MOVE IN IN FRONT OF YOU WITH THEIR BIG MOTOR. THEY DRIVE AROUND TRYING TO MARK FISH THEN WONDER WHY THE FISH THEY JUST MARKED WON'T TAKE (DUH!!!)...IF YOU MOVE IN DO IT WITH THE TROLLING MOTOR SO YOU DON'T SPOOK THE FISH!!!!

In close quarters if everyone sneaks up on the fish or the areas they are going to fish then it doesn't matter if someone else is nearby. At times I've called over other fishermen to an area that I've had a school to fish next to me. (once one of the guys on the board...Mike Churchill) We had a good time catching some fish.