Common Courtesy Fishing/Boating

[Gerry Zagorski]

Some people think they own the water and others don't know any better but the result is the same... You ruin the fishing for yourself and everyone around you.

This time of year the common offense is running full speed through a fleet of anchored or drifting boats or getting too close, even at no wake speeds.

If you see a bunch of boats in a certain area you can bet they are actively fishing....

1) Slow down to no wake speed
2) Even at no wake speeds give other boats a wide birth and if you see they are anchored avoid running off their stern.

You want to slow down to no wake speeds for 2 reasons:
1) You don't want to create a wake and rock the other boat
2) Running at speed though the areas others are fishing will scatter the fish.

As far as passing by the stern of an anchored boat, this is practically a criminal offense in my book...People invest a lot of time, money and bait creating a chum slick behind their boats. If you run behind their stern you've basically ruined their chum slick. Some people think 50 yards is enough of a buffer but it's not.... That Chum slicks extends way back behind the boat so you should avoid crossing their stern at all.

Best thing to do when you approach an area with a lot of boats actively fishing is to give them a very wide birth. Once in the general area determine if they are anchored or drifting and which way the current is going to take your boat.

If you are going to anchor then it's common courtesy to anchor up current of them rather then try and slide in behind them.

If you and others are drifting then start your drift up current from them.

If you see someone breaking these rules then you should approach them giving them the benefit of the doubt and let them know the err of their ways....

If they decide to continue to do it then you might want to make a few tight circles around their boat

It's a big ocean everyone, certainly big enough to give people their space.