getting flack from homeowners while fishing out from their docks

[Rob G.]

Oh yeah, and if you are taking a whiz or loafing in the lake off my waterfront, I just want you to know I have a water balloon launcher and 300 feet of range........

E[/quote]

OH my goodness Gisteppo, you are good! Ok, this is gonna piss some people off and make others cry....from laughter.

Last year I rented a Bayliner for a couple of weekends. One particular weekend was mother's day (this is important to the story). I told my wife "surprise....I just rented a boat for mother's day, let's go for a cruise on Lk. WA" So she's all exited, we packed the kids in the boat with a cooler and..........of course my poles! Now she's hot, so she fires off "you just rented that boat to fish". I scoff at her that I have a boat and that I can use that boat to fish whenever I want....so after a few rounds I convince her that it's going to be a 90% cruise time and 10% fishing.....he he:money:

So we get out on the water, and I remember seeing a couple of guys the year before pulling in huge LMB right in front of a particular home, so I promptly "cruise" on over there. I start casting at these docks and she starts in on me..."why are we so close to these docks, aren'nt people going to get mad at us" I tell her that people do this all the time and to just sit back and enjoy my accuracy, cuz I was tossin' this lure righ under the docks with ease.......that was until I threw at a dock and my lure got stuck! So I probably should have cut the line and called it a day right? Nope, being the genius that I am.....I pull the boat up to the dock to try to retrieve it.......[-x so now the waves are pushing us into the dock, luckily the home owner isn't there, or just didn't want the confrontation...and I'm leaning off of this 18ft boat trying to grab a $5 lure!:rambo:

So I got it.....and at this point I should be giving up right? Wrong again......I tied it back up, got up the shore a little ways and was at it again. Now my wife is boiling hot. It's mother's day, and I'm fishing of all things....and we almost ruined the boat and I'm at it again. I'm going on about how this wont happen again...and in the mean time the home owner let's their dog out to bark me away from the dock. Too bad this was a shaggy dog, or now that I think about it, maybe it was a blessing cuz I tossed my lure at the dock......and you guesed it.....hooked the dog! The people are looking at me from their deck, but ingnoring me....I'm trying to get their attention to tell them what happened, my wife has turned 3 shades of red by now, 2 of my kids are crying and the other 2 are laughing. I finally cut the line, and pull up closer to get their attention one more time but they kept ignoring me....=d>

About 5 minutes after we left my wife just burst out in laughter......if she ever catches me bragging about being a good angler she pulls this story out of her back pocket...but she tells it better.....(that's why I married her)


So there it is.....you don't have to worry about me trying to invade your dock space, I've learned my lesson

[Dave]

Great topic. I agree that respecting someone’s dock is mandatory. Respecting their presence in their yard or on their dock is also mandatory. If someone comes out of their residence to tell me to leave the area or stay off their dock when I am not on it and I’m in my boat, they can pound sand! The waters we fish are public unless it’s a private lake which usually means there is no boat launch or public access. A property owner who is yelling at a fisherperson, and using profanities towards that person while the fisherperson is in his/her boat out on the water, is committing the crime of disorderly conduct which is a misdemeanor. That fine property owner could be arrested if the victim fisherperson elected to dial 911. So courtesy is something that should be practiced by both sides and in my opinion property owners should refrain from confrontation until the fisherperson crosses the line by trespassing or causing damage.

If I may add a twist to this topic. When in a boat on Puget Sound, (I know that this is a fresh water post) I have on many occasions been yelled at and questioned by folks who live on “private beaches.” They love to tell me that their private property runs all the way to the LOWEST tide line. I always reply back informing them that their private beach property line is located at the HIGHEST tide line and that anyone may enter a private beach during any form of low tide. I also tell them that I know this as first hand information which I have received by a long time WDFW buddy of mine who has been with the WDFW for over 20 years, and knows the law. I believe that many of these private beach members know this but hope that you do not and will leave. One Fine home owner high up on a bluff (Pratt’s bluff on Whidbey Island to be exact) where I crab, yelled at me telling me to get off his beach or he would call the police. I yelled (only because he was quite a ways away from me) back telling him to feel free to call the police. He continued to swear at me for about 10 minutes threatening to come down to the beach to “remove me” and my buddy who was with me at which time I reminded him that I knew where he lived and to go away. He went back inside his house and that was the end of his rant. The Deputies never came. Although I would never act on the statement that I knew where he lived, he realized he was standing in his own yard being a AH to a stranger and that his actions could cost him. Like I have said in other posts, you never know who you are dealing with. He was an idiot! So for those of you who have wondered if you can enter a private beach by boat on a low tide, the answer is YES! By the way, I have never revealed my work identity to any of these upstanding property owners and I always try to be nice and respectful back when ever possible. Happy fishing all.

[Gisteppo]

disorderly conduct which is a misdemeanor

Close....

If he talks, rants, swears, or otherwise is obnoxious to you on the water, yes he can be cited. If he does so from his personal, private property, he is not violating a law. If he in any way comes in contact with the water during the event, he is then able to be cited. Private property law is something that is held sacred in the US, and the ability to do and say anything you chose on your own land. This is the law that allows you to detain people on your property without false imprisonment if they are committing a crime, etc etc.

As people have more beefs with homeowners (ive had a few myself), do keep in mind that they are also providing some of the most accessible, fishable, and effective habitat during the spawn in their docks.

E

[A9]

If I may add a twist to this topic. When in a boat on Puget Sound, (I know that this is a fresh water post) I have on many occasions been yelled at and questioned by folks who live on “private beaches.” They love to tell me that their private property runs all the way to the LOWEST tide line. I always reply back informing them that their private beach property line is located at the HIGHEST tide line and that anyone may enter a private beach during any form of low tide.

I'm pretty sure one can purchase the tidelands out in front of their house on the beach...Maybe I'm wrong....

[bassmasterderek]

I have ran into a few homeowners that were rude. If I don't see anyone in their yard or in the window (like gisteppo)i will fish the dock. If i am throwing a plastic I almost always intentionally cast on their dock and slide the plastic on the water. Have had people say something to me before. So i just say okay I wont do it again, but now I fish the entire dock without touching the dock. I live on a lake and it don't bother me none seeing people fish around my dock. But this last year someone decided to cut the lock on one of my lockers down there and steal an anchor, 3 vests, rope, net, and my pee bottle! They also took it upon thereselves to cut the lock on my 12 ft alum. and take it out for a spin. I do have to say at least they brought the boat back!

[leahcim_dahc]

This time, I was stark ass naked. Hope that made his day peachy.

I can see it now...

Me: "Hey, babe...watch this. That dude over in that house gets butt naked if you fish too close to his dock!"

Wife: "I really don't want to see that, honestly."

Later that day...

Me: "See! What did I tell you!!"

Wife: "I'm not looking! Oh, my! He must have the air conditioner just crankin' or...."

Me: "Alright already...that reminds me, I'm getting kinda hungry...did you pack the vienna's and crackers?"

[Gisteppo]

Hah. Sometimes I do the helicopter as a party trick...

E

[clam man]

Gisteppo,

great! Nice "display" of your displeasure.

and someone one here got a "pee bottle" stolen? Can you steal garbage?

[The Quadfather]

This has been a great thread if I don't say so myself.... man, you are a funny bunch of folks. LOL

[Gisteppo]

I dont mind people fishing around my dock a bit, but if you are going to stare at me through my own window, into my own living room, insinuating that Im interrupting your fishing day, expect some odd behavior.

E

[dilbert]

Dilbert and I were fishing this little cove on Lake TAPPS. We had our two boats in a little cove we call Gilligan's island. It turns out Gilligan is a flaming A-hole (like the morning after you have too much hot sauce). While we were in the cove he drove his tractor out to the end of the point took off his shirt and dove in the water. He swam across the opening and grabbed some logs from the other shore and swam back closing off the opening except for a few feet in the middle. We weren’t sure if there was a rope across the middle or not, so I asked the guy if it was boatable so we could leave (he had trapped us!). The guy snapped back "it will be when I'm finished!” He had a hatchet that he was using to nail stuff to the log boom he was building. He then proceed to tell us that he had lived there since 1950-whenever (even though there was only a trailer on the property) and we can fish here but don't act like we own it and hang around too long. Just catch one or two and get out. I think he said something about not hurting his fish too. Nice guy really, just a little misunderstood (like most serial killers).

plagerism!

[kevinb]

The only time I've chased off a boater...he was drunk and swearing about how the *****'n bass took his bait and all this other crap.I had my wife and son(6months old at the time)So basically,I got pissed...long story short. He's not a problem anymore. This is a good reminder.I wanted to start a thread "How to anchor a body":-"

[Rob G.]

The only time I've chased off a boater...he was drunk and swearing about how the *****'n bass took his bait and all this other crap.I had my wife and son(6months old at the time)So basically,I got pissed...long story short. He's not a problem anymore. This is a good reminder.I wanted to start a thread "How to anchor a body":-"

This is not a problem at China Lake.......this behavior is actually encouraged. Next time just drop him off over there and he'll fit right in...

[kevinb]

The only time I've chased off a boater...he was drunk and swearing about how the *****'n bass took his bait and all this other crap.I had my wife and son(6months old at the time)So basically,I got pissed...long story short. He's not a problem anymore. This is a good reminder.I wanted to start a thread "How to anchor a body":-"

This is not a problem at China Lake.......this behavior is actually encouraged. Next time just drop him off over there and he'll fit right in...

I should've went there but the last time I was there. A man eating carp robbed me at gun point.

[Palmer]

WhereI fish at Island Lake there is this old man who shoots at the geese with his pellet gun almost winging me and the float tube a few times.At first I just thought that he was trying to get rid of the geese.But he only does this when Im by his dock.I have seen him later on in the day feeding the geese.So I have came to the conclusion he isn't after the geese just people who get to close to his dock.Not just me I have seen and talked to others this has happened to.Guess I'm just gonna have to get a flair gun so he will know where Im at on the lake before he shoots.No not really.I just think he is senial.Wich I can't wait until Im his age and can be senile as well.:geek:

You know that this man is putting his life in jeopardy. If a crazy, honory, gun toting fisherman gets hit by a pellet and wounded, or even fears for his life, he can legelly shoot back with lethal force. I'd say the old man is definitely senial and should use better judgemen before he gets himself hurt. I've seen fisherman with guns on board their boats. Some fisherman have even told me stories of drawing their guns on others over fishing rights. You should really call the police or local sherif if you see this sort of thing before someone gets seriously injured.