Dealing with Fishermen??

[thekubiaks]

I've been boating for thirty years but I've only had my Mastercraft for two years (great boats btw). I have noticed an interesting trend and am just checking to see if anyone else has these issues. Maybe it is me but it seems that Fishermen are getting unusually hostile towards "fancy" ski/wakebaord boats in my area.

I've been on three different lakes and had them go out of there way to make close passes while we had swimmers close to the boat. One actually hit my ski rope while kids were swimming behind the boat, words were exchanged after I chased him into the no wake zone. Several instances at the boat dock claiming that I tied off at the dock too long to go get my car??..two minutes, seriously.. I called the law enforcement office for the area but by the way he responded, I think he fishes with the same group.

Anyway, I haven't done anything different since owning a Mastercraft, I give them plenty of room, I haven't been impolite, and am not rude but seriously, W TF?? Is there a memo I didn't get??

I'd appreciate any insights or thoughts...

[mzimme]

The fishermen on the lake I run on feel that they own the lake. They sit in the calm water fishing, then just stare me down as we run sets back and forth by the section theyre fishing in. I don't really care. I'm not being unsafe in my distances, and generally I was there first... so they can just fish and get hit with a wake here and there. Our lake is divided basically in half. South of a certain bridge you're able to ski all you want. North of the bridge is like a "habitat reserve" thing, with lots of down trees and that sort of thing. Skiing isn't allowed, so the fisherman have about 3500 acres of lake where they can go be happy.

I haven't seen anyone load or unload their boat faster than I can now that I got the hang of it. I'm usually being pulled out of the water by the time the fishermen are wading in the water to start winching their boat on.

If you're not being disrespectful, then screw 'em. Let them have a bad day, but don't let it ruin yours. (I'd chase down a guy running over a rope with swimmers though, for sure.)

[Specter]

Have you noticed this trend for the entire 2 years you've owned the boat or just this season? I've only owned my MC for 3 days so I can't comment on how they react to it but all last season was hit or miss with those guys in my Chaparral 216.

I'm courteous to all boaters, regardless of boat type or make, and sometimes it's reciprocated, sometimes it's not. Last season I would estimate that 1 out of every 20 fisherman I encountered were nasty by making close passes, cutting me off, etc. Hopefully you're catching fisherman on their "day off" and it will only last a short while longer.

I agree with chasing someone down that ran over a rope. That's simply uncalled for at any level.

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Having been into skiing and fishing for longer than I care to calculate, I see a trend towards both fishermen and other ski boats getting closer to me than I like. I think it's worse now that I have had my MC for a few years. My boat seems to attract deckboats and glastrons pulling skiers with the worst form from across the lake to ski as close to me as possible. I suppose they are just there to check out the boat, but they do mess up the water I work hard at keeping clean. As far as the fishermen, ski and wakeboard boats put out larger wakes than most other boats so that may be their complaint. There is plenty of water for everyone......should be a simple thing. But, then again, so is loading a boat and some people make a project out of that too.

[broncotw]

On the lake I have been skiing on there have been a significant amount of fishing boats and I can honestly say that thus far I have not had any issues.... The fishing boats tend to congregate towards the shoreline, lillypads, and structure (stumps), where I really have no interest in getting close to...
As for someone getting too close and running over my ski rope -- I would have a problem with this and I would definitely confront anyone who did this to me....

[haroldbrogers]

I don't have a problem with fishermen at all (they seem to be the only ones with any manners), its every other idiot on the lake that cause a problem for us. We wakeboard in the same area every Sat and Sunday morning, running straight lines with tight turns at each end. There is not a day that goes by without some jack@#$ in a pontoon or runabout that has to drive right at us, pass way to close or cut infront. And don't get me started about the jet skiers that want to jump the wake.

[gatorguy]

I've had fiishermen fishing from the shore yell at me before!?! I can't believe that my skiing could possible mess with someone fishing from the shore. But then again I don't fish, however I was also far from the shoreline.

It's the tubers that tick me off. Saturday I was pulling a friend surfing when a tube cut right in front of us and stopped. I had to cut hard to miss them. I couldn't believe it. I guess that guy had one to any kids, and he was trying to off a couple of them.

[madcityskier]

Originally Posted by gatorguy

I've had fiishermen fishing from the shore yell at me before!?! I can't believe that my skiing could possible mess with someone fishing from the shore. But then again I don't fish, however I was also far from the shoreline.

It's the tubers that tick me off. Saturday I was pulling a friend surfing when a tube cut right in front of us and stopped. I had to cut hard to miss them. I couldn't believe it. I guess that guy had one to any kids, and he was trying to off a couple of them.

When you're traveling at surfing speeds of course you're hard to avoid. Luckily the bassboats all go 80 so they can hurry to shut down right in front of you. Happens here too. We generally try to wave and keep moving if possible. Almost always have kids in the boat and I've been the bad example, try not to do that anymore.

[whirli]

Funny thing is, i wave at almost everyone i pass, in my boat alot of the fisherman will just stare at me and not wave, if i'm out on my dad's Crestliner a half hour later, i'll drive by the same guys and they will wave at me..... Funny observation.

[russlars]

We have the same problem with the fishermen at our lake feeling like they own the lake. Despite my efforts to give them plenty of room despite them anchoring right in the middle of the smooth water they routinely flip us off. I have even had them yell at us from their dock. I have found that the best way to deal with them is to just ignore them. It is a public lake and I have just as much right to be on it as them (I figure more so since I own property on the lake and they are mostly drop in for the day types). I just act like they don't exist and if I don't see "the bird" it doesn't bug me and it probably disappoints them that they are not getting a reaction to their rude, redneck behavior.