Well, it finally happened. I met a jerk who owns a dock. I was on Wolf Lake last night with my dad, with the sole intention of fishing docks. We work our way around the lake, and end up on the north shore. We are having a good time. I watch a wake boarding boat head to its dock, and get lifted out of the water. It is probably 6 docks away from me. When I get there, the boat is on the far right side, on the left are 3 empty wave runner lifts, and ahead of those, a pontoon lift.
I skip my tube up between the dock and the wave runner lifts. It hops up and over a steel cable. When I try to pull it back over, it wraps around the cable. I go up to it, and my dad is holding the boat for me. I'm on all fours trying to get my tube when my dad says my name 4 times. I look ahead, and all I see is feet heading towards me. I look up, and there is a man yelling at me about fishing his dock, and he is holding a hack saw in his hand. Now, he just got out of his boat, why is he holding a saw? He yells, and tells me to fish the middle of the lake. He asks why "us people" have to fish docks. I told him that unfortunately, that's where fish go. He starts yelling about how he is sick of going in the water bare foot, and stepping on hooks, blah blah blah. As he is saying that, he starts jerking up and down on my line, which is wrapped around a steel cable mind you. So, I nicely told him that if he breaks my line, he will have nobody to blame but himself for the hook he may step on. I told him, that will sink. So, he gets my tube unhooked and continues to yell.
At this point, I am ready to explode. He tells me I can't fish docks, and the lake is his property. I then reminded him that he doesn't own the water, and I am free to fish where I want. I wasn't hurting anything or anybody, and I told him he was free to call anyone he felt necessary. As I move away, after making another cast and catching a fish from under his pontoon, he is still acting like a baby and staring me down as I work my way down the shoreline, fishing docks. After being stared at for 3 or 4 docks, and listening to him moan and groan about me fishing docks, I yelled to him that I wasn't on his dock, so he needed to leave me alone, and worry about himself.
I have a hard time with situations like that. I have a very explosive temper, and it was all I could do not to come unglued on that guy. I think he could have asked me nicely to skip his dock from now on, and I would have been good with it. But now, I think I have my new favorite spot on Wolf Lake.
His neighbors talked to me as I fished around their boats and docks, and one guy even told me I could fish from his dock. Said it makes no difference to him. Others asked how we were doing, and what were we catching. I tried my hardest not to get mad, and I understand his frustration if people are hooking his seats and so forth. I guess I could have handled myself a little better, but him and his saw REALLY p!$$ed me off.
Then, 30 minutes later, a chick on a wave runner runs right between me and the shore I am casting to. We were only 75 feet from shore at most, and she goes through there at wide open throttle. I put my rods away and went home.
I love fishing docks too. Sorry to hear that. Were you fishing Wolf Lake in Lake County? My home lake is Big Bass Lake next to Wolf Lake.
When I was at Wheeler, watching Skeet and David Walker fish, in the middle of a channel on a hump, (the two were separated by maybe 30 yard) a waverunner went right between them. Shortly after that David Walker caught one of his biggest fish. Can be aggravating, but I don't think it really bothers the fish.
Fished that lake a few times... I'm pretty sure I know the dock you are refering to! I weighed in a 5 lb 19 oz fish in a local club tourney that I caught right under the prop of his lifted ski boat!! Biggest bass I ever caught on a Senko! LOL!!!
I love people who think they own the lake they live on. Fact is... they don't own a darn thing past the point where the water meets their beach.
Fish on, have fun, don't sweat the morons.
makes me want to carry a bag of rusty hooks and as soon as they start with the bs- pull out the rusty hooks and donate them to his/her dock area by the hand full until they stop the bs.
The few times this has happened to me, I calmly suggested that they call local law enforcement and informed them of the angler harassment law and that pretty much ended the confrontation. With one guy I offered to make the call myself and he backed down.
I'm curious though how this applies to yacht clubs and "private" canals. I get looks occasionally for fishing around yacht club entrances, but I haven't gone into any clubs. They all have signs posted telling me I can't come in, but I wonder if that's really legal or if it's considered private property since it's a man-made harbor. Not sure on that one. Mostly I just avoid those places because it's often not worth the hassle.
But last year I was in a marina in the North Channel and a lady gave me a bunch of grief asking if we really needed to be fishing there. I just told her that it was a decent fishing spot and that I would be moving out of the area pretty quickly. She didn't like my answer but ended up quieting down. I just try to stay calm and polite if I can. But I know how you felt...it can be infuriating. People can really be idiots with nothing better to do than harass other people. I figure those people need to get lives of their own and something better to do.
Quote from: Revtro on July 26, 2011, 01:58:07 PM
The few times this has happened to me, I calmly suggested that they call local law enforcement and informed them of the angler harassment law and that pretty much ended the confrontation. With one guy I offered to make the call myself and he backed down.
Argue with a fool and they'll bring you to their level and beat you with experience everytime...
Rev has the right answer though every now and then I have run into someone who is beyond reason or facts of any kind. Having spoke at many public meetings in the past, I have heard some riparians who were beyond rationality and normal thought.
It's hard to do sometimes (I really know too being a redhead) but it's a waste of time to argue with them. I've never been threatened with a hack saw before but my friend was shot at by bottle rockets on Lobdell Lake while fishing a dock, and one time another friend of mine and I had a wackjob shoot a shotgun over our heads at Charlevoix long before the angler harassment law was passed. We were just fishing a point though fairly close to shore. A bunch of people came out of the same condos and yelled at the guy saying if he didn't get back in his house THEY were calling the sheriff. He walked very fast back into the house and did not come back out.
Also on Charlevoix, we had a run-in similar to yours by a lovely 'gentleman' who accused of of planning to steal from his crummy boats and he was going to call the sheriff. I was mad, but I just told him to go ahead and call, and went back to fishing. My partner however had to be somewhat restrained because he lost his temper and started ashore... which I guaranty would have gotten us in the end of big trouble.
I actually had a deputy once ask us to leave a canal on Saginaw Bay because 'there were other places to fish and he just wanted to end the complaining and wasting of everyone's time.' We left. Just wasn't worth it. Another time, we had a security guard threaten to have us arrested, and repeatedly put his hand on his gun while fishing an outflow in the northern Great Lakes. I wanted to leave but my partner was adamant that as long was we were on the water, we were in the right. I demure to the gun every time personally...
There is no 100% correct resolution to each issue though safety of yourself, your fishing partners and your equipment should come first. Courtesy helps too. If people are on a dock, I either skip it or ask first depending on what they are doing. If there are people swimming, especially kids, I go around.
On most lakes in Michigan with any public access, or inflowing navigable river, you can legally fish anywhere you can get to by water (I was told once by an MDNR employee that 'theoretically' if you dropped your boat onto a lake by helicopter you could legally fish it but I have not tested that one yet - not sure I will), but the landowners do have riparian rights in that they have certain rights for the bottom-lands of the lake kind of like a pie slice out to the center from their property.
Many riparians falsely believe this means they own the water, the fish and anything on the water too but it does not. (I recall a guy stating at a public meeting in Oakland County that he had the legal right to shoot any deer on his property any time of the year and any duck on the water any time of the year because it was his property - if you don't know by now, some people can be shown the facts, laws, etc and they'll only argue the point even more vehemently. At the same meeting, another 'person' stated that the state broke the law when they let people who don't live on a lake own a boat?!? Yee haa - I love 'the public' sometimes)
Riparian rights mean they can put in a dock on there bottom-land and you can't. Or they can put out a sail boat anchor on their bottom-land, but you can't. Unless, of course local ordinances or other laws passed by the majority say otherwise.
As far as canals and marinas that use our water (in Michigan, I can't speak for other states since I have not studied their laws as much) you usually can legally fish them despite signs and threats to the contrary. You have to decide if it is worth the hassle, if any.
There are cases where (snooty) locals have been able to pass local ordinances that make our water off limits to us such as some of the big boat marinas along the southwestern part of Lake St. Clair. So far, you can be charged with trespassing under that local ordinance if you fish within that marina and are ticketed. Until someone comes along with a big checkbook willing to fight those regulations in court to the finish, the fine will stick.
In addition, some other laws and regulations may apply, such as you cannot block a restricted depth, marked channel such as an entrance in or out of a marina, canal, etc causing a larger craft with limited draft to have to leave the marked channel and risk running aground. If you're fishing a channel or entrance, you must stay alert and get out of the way so that larger craft can safely come in or out. You can be ticketed if an officer feels you were blocking traffic and/or causing a safety hazard. Think the Clinton River mouth for example or a marina entrance.
There may be other local ordinances in regards to safety areas, beaches, etc that you also need to be aware of. Usually, these have to do with boating but sometimes, an officer having a bad day or not liking your attitude can stretch interpretation and still ticket you under some regulation.
I think it always helps in a confrontation to first, avoid it, and second, if the law does get involved, make it easy for the law to see who is being rationale and just enjoying their fishing, verses foaming at the mouth and just generally hating another segment of society.
Wasn't aware of this law, but it's good to know. Link for the fellow uninformed:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364_52261-70417--,00.html
riparian rights in that they have certain rights for the bottom-lands of the lake kind of like a pie slice out to the center from their property.
So would this make anchoring or a power pole trespassing??????
Quote from: stackenem on July 26, 2011, 05:28:37 PM
riparian rights in that they have certain rights for the bottom-lands of the lake kind of like a pie slice out to the center from their property.
So would this make anchoring or a power pole trespassing??????
technically yes. they get people for duck hunting on "private property" because they are wading or have boats or decoys anchored etc... its a very grey law that no one really understands. Its intent is basically give land owners mineral rights but has been construed to meet other agendas.
Mike - next time just get your phone out and video tape the guy. don't say a word, just put the camera in his face. if he shuts up and leaves, fine - if not call the cops. some people need to be put in their place.
Usually anchoring a boat to fish is not going to get you into trouble, unless maybe you anchor it and leave it in front of their house while you go ashore for dinner or overnight or something. Duck hunting brings up other issues with some people so I can see where that could be more of a problem. Maybe print out and keep a copies of the angler and hunter harassment regs. Pass them out to people who are extra twerpy...
As far as taping without saying anything, that could be pretty funny for Youtube (and on here) as long as you stay out of reach of the hack saw and they don't look like they might become completely unhinged and go get a gun or something else crazy. The guy that shot over our heads could have had an extra bad day (life, whatever) and just shot us in a moment of stupider than normal. I have a feeling some people might react similar to lunacy if you tape them. People really can convince themselves of just about anything.
Years ago, I dealt with an angler from Ohio who was rammed by a tuna boat in a canal. Similar deal. The guy was mad he was in there. They had words about laws and harassment. The shore guy jumped in his much bigger boat and rammed the bass boat.
Sure, the guys was nuts and probably needs anger management classes, but it was scary that it went that far and could have done more than just serious damage to equipment.
I don't mean to hijack the thread.
As far as the gun thing goes since it's been mentioned twice in this discussion... If a guy on land were constantly putting his hand on his pistol like it sounded like Dan was describing, that could legally be considered brandishing. If I were fishing around a dock and some land owner started playing with a pistol in any way, I'd immediately call the cops. I carry mine everywhere I go and it's been my understanding that even I pull up my shirt to purposely intimidate someone by showing it to them, it's considered brandishing. So I'm pretty sure some home owner trying to intimidate you with his gun by "putting his hand on it" while he's yelling at you is grounds for calling the po-po. In an instance like that, I agree with Dan. Move away from the situation...then call the cops. Guys like that only give us responsible gun owners a bad name.
Quote from: Revtro on July 26, 2011, 09:01:23 PM
I don't mean to hijack the thread.
As far as the gun thing goes since it's been mentioned twice in this discussion... If a guy on land were constantly putting his hand on his pistol like it sounded like Dan was describing, that could legally be considered brandishing. If I were fishing around a dock and some land owner started playing with a pistol in any way, I'd immediately call the cops. I carry mine everywhere I go and it's been my understanding that even I pull up my shirt to purposely intimidate someone by showing it to them, it's considered brandishing. So I'm pretty sure some home owner trying to intimidate you with his gun by "putting his hand on it" while he's yelling at you is grounds for calling the po-po. In an instance like that, I agree with Dan. Move away from the situation...then call the cops. Guys like that only give us responsible gun owners a bad name.
Tom, I agree with this 100%.
And, you are absolutely correct. Exposing or touching your weapon in a threatening way constitutes "brandishing", and is a chargeable offense.
I wanted to dock fish a last week. Every dock I went to I had a dog follow me. I think he wanted in the boat. I would get one cast in and then here he comes. This happened for about 45 minutes. At first I though it was cute. Then the cuteness wore off. Spayed and neutered threats were used. He finally gave up.
Quote from: Revtro on July 26, 2011, 09:01:23 PM
I don't mean to hijack the thread.
As far as the gun thing goes since it's been mentioned twice in this discussion... If a guy on land were constantly putting his hand on his pistol like it sounded like Dan was describing, that could legally be considered brandishing. If I were fishing around a dock and some land owner started playing with a pistol in any way, I'd immediately call the cops. I carry mine everywhere I go and it's been my understanding that even I pull up my shirt to purposely intimidate someone by showing it to them, it's considered brandishing. So I'm pretty sure some home owner trying to intimidate you with his gun by "putting his hand on it" while he's yelling at you is grounds for calling the po-po. In an instance like that, I agree with Dan. Move away from the situation...then call the cops. Guys like that only give us responsible gun owners a bad name.
You carry a gun fishing? How's that work out in Canada? ???
Isn't it considered attempted assault the second the guy came out with a hack saw?
I would have called the cops immediately.
Quote from: Durand Dan on July 27, 2011, 10:53:51 AM
You carry a gun fishing? How's that work out in Canada? ???
LOL of course not. That wouldn't work out too well. Them Canadians take that stuff pretty seriously, eh.
Guess I should have said "most places I go". ;)
Quote from: matt on July 27, 2011, 10:56:06 AM
Isn't it considered attempted assault the second the guy came out with a hack saw?
I would have called the cops immediately.
Agreed. I would at the very least think that was menacing behavior. I would have called the cops immediately. No need to tolerate that kind of behavior.
I agree with thedude some dock owners need to be put in there place. I tend to get just as aggressive as they get with me. Although I have recently decided unless I am in my own boat I will let the boat owner decide if he wants to escalate the situation or not.
Quote from: TCook on July 27, 2011, 01:05:26 PM
I agree with thedude some dock owners need to be put in there place. I tend to get just as aggressive as they get with me. Although I have recently decided unless I am in my own boat I will let the boat owner decide if he wants to escalate the situation or not.
Right on. I guess I could have called the cops, but it just didn't go through my head that way. I was more worried about him hitting my rod with that saw. I won't go there looking for a confrontation again, but I will fish that dock on my way down the shoreline when I go there. But, he won't get away with that crap again.
Quote from: TCook on July 27, 2011, 01:05:26 PM
I agree with thedude some dock owners need to be put in there place. I tend to get just as aggressive as they get with me. Although I have recently decided unless I am in my own boat I will let the boat owner decide if he wants to escalate the situation or not.
That's a good point. I was the guest of a member on a private lake the last time someone came down and complained about us fishing 'his' area. As tempting as it was to say a thing or two, I left it up to the boater to respond. He apologized and said we were moving on. He has to live with these people all the time.
Quote from: Redbone on July 27, 2011, 09:29:05 AM
I wanted to dock fish a last week. Every dock I went to I had a dog follow me. I think he wanted in the boat. I would get one cast in and then here he comes. This happened for about 45 minutes. At first I though it was cute. Then the cuteness wore off. Spayed and neutered threats were used. He finally gave up.
Possible escalation in the war about fishing rights?? ;D Every now and then I run into a 'lonely' dog like that too. Sometimes though they seem like they might be hungry or something else. Maybe too inquisitive? I've even had a few over the years try to swim to my boat. And I remember a couple German Shepherd / Clydesdale mixes on Wixom Lake that seemed to be trying to figure out a way to run and jump for my boat!! I left that canal. They definitely looked hungry!! All kinds of aggressiveness going on their!
I once caught a Beagle puppy on a trap bait too that did jump into my boat. That was not fun though the owner assured me it was the "dumb" puppy's fault and laughed even after it fell back over the side hanging by the lip from a treble hook!!!! I was scrambling that time!
I've had bird get into my boat. No deer (though I've seen that on video and did once rescue a fawn that fell in the river). A giant Luna Moth on Lake Erie in the middle of nowhere (that was cool). Bats a couple times (not cool). Some wasps (stung five times in Kentucky). That's what I remember.
It helps to be an accurate caster when you have a dog trying to be your friend while fishing close to shore (though I have one dog swim a long way out multiple times to try to get to my boat for some reason - I finally just drove off). But some dogs also go after your cast too. Then it is pretty much time to move.
You have to wonder if a guy who would pick up a saw in the first place isn't already a little over the sanity horizon...?
Quote from: djkimmel on July 27, 2011, 08:33:19 PM
You have to wonder if a guy who would pick up a saw in the first place isn't already a little over the sanity horizon...?
:D LOL Just a little. Plenty of psychos out there.
Mikesmiph - I'll send you a free lure if the next time you fish that dock you wear a beanie cap with a propeller on it?!? And get some wide angle video you can send to me!!! ;D
Quote from: djkimmel on July 27, 2011, 11:47:52 PM
Mikesmiph - I'll send you a free lure if the next time you fish that dock you wear a beanie cap with a propeller on it?!? And get some wide angle video you can send to me!!! ;D
Dan, did you mean mikeszr800? I will fish that dock with a beanie hat and propeller for a free lure! Why not?
We've ran into a few of those. I don't particularly enjoy fishing their dock after that, but if it's a good dock, I will still hit it a time or two. If I see them coming for a confrontation I tend to keep moving like I'm not paying attention to them. I'm not big on confrontation with upset people, because I use to be like that. I know what they expect and what they are probably capable of, and I don't want my boat, me, or my partner to be on the receiving end of anger. It's not worth it. I say pass it by, he may be psyching himself up for the next confrontation as well, and a prepared attack is not what you want to run into.
1jav
Yeah... next time he might bring a table saw...
Quote from: djkimmel on July 28, 2011, 04:32:39 PM
Yeah... next time he might bring a table saw...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! A table saw!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I have run into the agressive dock owner many times over the years and the best course of action is to move on. However I had one owner on big lake in Osceola County that was so bad and so agressive I had to put an end to it. The owner would cuss, swear and would throw things at your boat, he would put lines in the water on his dock and all his nieghbors docks (with no bait on them) just so he could say he was fishing and we had to get away. I got a law enforcment fishing friend to approve via his boss an under cover sting. Ultimatley they wrote the land owner for angler haressment and too many lines in the water. The land owner became very agressive with the law enforcement officer and nearly got arrested.
Speaking of Dogs in the boat --- Last year I had a big black lab come running down a dock and leap into my boat, landing on my front deck and nearly knocked me out of my boat. In a panic I thought the dog wanted to eat me for dinner but it turns out he just loves boats and fishing and just wanted to go. The dog owner appologized heavily. I offered to take the dog fishing with me. The owner had to get his jet ski out and take the dog for a ride just to calm him down.
Once I had a swan get on my rear deck.... I had a heck of a time getting it out of the boat.
You must be attractive to swans?!?
Dan,
I was wearing a white shirt and I think it wanted to mate with me.... LOL
Seriously it was super ticked off about something.
I hear a noise look back and a Swan is on my rear deck. I wave my rod tip at it and it starts flapping his wings and squaking at me like crazy. I grab the net and try to shooo it out of the boat but he was having no part of it. He stood his ground and went nuts. Finally I am able to convince it to get out the boat..
Needless to say a buddy of mine was fishing the same trash and he had a good laugh on it.
was in the water this moring and noticed some line hanging under my pontoon. nice wacky rigged senko and hook were wrapped around my wiring. Not my color so I think i will put a " use Green Pumpkin only please " sign out there.
Quote from: dartag on July 30, 2011, 01:23:45 PM
was in the water this moring and noticed some line hanging under my pontoon. nice wacky rigged senko and hook were wrapped around my wiring. Not my color so I think i will put a " use Green Pumpkin only please " sign out there.
That's good thinking. Make the most of it!
I once had a dock owner give me a hard time. Nothing real bad. Comments like "There aren't any bass within 50 miles of here" etc. I avoid the dock. It's not worth it. Now if I were fishing for money and it was a great dock......... I'd think about it.
The angler harrassment law isn't gonna mean too much if a crazy owner snaps and shoots you !!!
Well, ...... from a man who bats about .200 if I count per dock everytime I got hung, banged a pontoon, wrapped a hoist, caught a fence, or stabbed a dock post ...... here are some things you CAN do to minimize our confrontations:
1) Learn how to stealth cast under docks. If you have a sinker > 1/8 oz ..... you could do damage and pee a home owner off to the point that the next bass boat he sees - he's taking his "dent frustration" out on him not you .... Keep sinkers tights to the bait and no carolina rig skipping.... it doesnt work and it'll get ya hung. Aim at the water right where it needs to enter and snap down to it. Try to be weightless and texas rigged if possible.
2) If you cast over a boat, dont snap it back... you could catch vinyl or a boat cover..... and the next bass boater this owner confronts is gonna get hell shakin at him ......right or wrong and even if the bass boat doesnt make a cast... one of us is gonna receive the ire of your hooking his vinyl or covers....
3) If you get hung up ..... dont just snap off, Stop your fishing and retrieve the lure and hook. If an owner is outside or in the yard, make gentle conversation to have them ensure you dont want to leave a hook for kids and ask to go in and un hook. Its like a land owner and guns .... Even if you arent going to hunt his land, letting him know you have a gun as you walk the boundaries to get to your plot is a courteous thing and it really pays dividends. Heck the ol timer may even tell which corner of his property is the producing weedbed or drop off....
4) After your 3rd time you get hung on something ..... put yourself in "time out". Just get in the penalty box for 2 minutes and dont cast again to a dock until you have the right rod, reel, line, and bait that gives you more control .........
5) Try coming in front the shore side and cast back into like you were on land. For whatever reason, I just never get hung up AND its something different for big fish who seem to be used to senkos splashing in from the deep side of the dock .....
6) If you arent great at it, dont try to skip between a pontoon motor and its toons ..... if you are 50/50 you're gonna bang , chip paint etc ... so just pitch along side to the front, let the bass boat cruise forward and begin to reel once your line is under the boat ... same effect, more courtesy ... less stupid look on your face when you hang a hook on a gas line or motor and have to ask the boater to swing back.....
I think these boat and dock owners have ligitimate frustration, especially when there are 1 - 2 tournaments a week on some lakes and their dock and boat gets pelted by 10 - 15 bass boaters (x2 cause the co angler has to pitch) a week....... I think we as fishermen get yelled at for something someone a few days ago caused so please:
Dont be that guy .............. ;)
Well said.
Quote from: Revtro on July 26, 2011, 01:58:07 PM
The few times this has happened to me, I calmly suggested that they call local law enforcement and informed them of the angler harassment law and that pretty much ended the confrontation. With one guy I offered to make the call myself and he backed down.
I'm curious though how this applies to yacht clubs and "private" canals. I get looks occasionally for fishing around yacht club entrances, but I haven't gone into any clubs. They all have signs posted telling me I can't come in, but I wonder if that's really legal or if it's considered private property since it's a man-made harbor. Not sure on that one. Mostly I just avoid those places because it's often not worth the hassle.
But last year I was in a marina in the North Channel and a lady gave me a bunch of grief asking if we really needed to be fishing there. I just told her that it was a decent fishing spot and that I would be moving out of the area pretty quickly. She didn't like my answer but ended up quieting down. I just try to stay calm and polite if I can. But I know how you felt...it can be infuriating. People can really be idiots with nothing better to do than harass other people. I figure those people need to get lives of their own and something better to do.
Thanks alot, now I feel guilty for not having a more Christ-like attitude when I have encountered this type of thing. I typically prefer to call them out... Keep praying for me Rev. I cannot seem to shake the mean streak.
Something many of us can do better at :)
MOJO, very well said man. I agree on all counts. Sometimes we forget that there might have been some instances with previous fishermen that got the dock owners upset and that their frustration may have built up over some time because of inconsiderate fishermen. That's a very good point to remember. I'm glad you brought that up.
Quote from: mikeszr800 on July 25, 2011, 08:13:38 PM
Well, it finally happened. I met a jerk who owns a dock. I was on Wolf Lake last night with my dad, with the sole intention of fishing docks. We work our way around the lake, and end up on the north shore. We are having a good time. I watch a wake boarding boat head to its dock, and get lifted out of the water. It is probably 6 docks away from me. When I get there, the boat is on the far right side, on the left are 3 empty wave runner lifts, and ahead of those, a pontoon lift.
I skip my tube up between the dock and the wave runner lifts. It hops up and over a steel cable. When I try to pull it back over, it wraps around the cable. I go up to it, and my dad is holding the boat for me. I'm on all fours trying to get my tube when my dad says my name 4 times. I look ahead, and all I see is feet heading towards me. I look up, and there is a man yelling at me about fishing his dock, and he is holding a hack saw in his hand. Now, he just got out of his boat, why is he holding a saw? He yells, and tells me to fish the middle of the lake. He asks why "us people" have to fish docks. I told him that unfortunately, that's where fish go. He starts yelling about how he is sick of going in the water bare foot, and stepping on hooks, blah blah blah. As he is saying that, he starts jerking up and down on my line, which is wrapped around a steel cable mind you. So, I nicely told him that if he breaks my line, he will have nobody to blame but himself for the hook he may step on. I told him, that will sink. So, he gets my tube unhooked and continues to yell.
At this point, I am ready to explode. He tells me I can't fish docks, and the lake is his property. I then reminded him that he doesn't own the water, and I am free to fish where I want. I wasn't hurting anything or anybody, and I told him he was free to call anyone he felt necessary. As I move away, after making another cast and catching a fish from under his pontoon, he is still acting like a baby and staring me down as I work my way down the shoreline, fishing docks. After being stared at for 3 or 4 docks, and listening to him moan and groan about me fishing docks, I yelled to him that I wasn't on his dock, so he needed to leave me alone, and worry about himself.
I have a hard time with situations like that. I have a very explosive temper, and it was all I could do not to come unglued on that guy. I think he could have asked me nicely to skip his dock from now on, and I would have been good with it. But now, I think I have my new favorite spot on Wolf Lake.
His neighbors talked to me as I fished around their boats and docks, and one guy even told me I could fish from his dock. Said it makes no difference to him. Others asked how we were doing, and what were we catching. I tried my hardest not to get mad, and I understand his frustration if people are hooking his seats and so forth. I guess I could have handled myself a little better, but him and his saw REALLY p!$$ed me off.
Then, 30 minutes later, a chick on a wave runner runs right between me and the shore I am casting to. We were only 75 feet from shore at most, and she goes through there at wide open throttle. I put my rods away and went home.
sounds like LSC...on any day during any season :-\' still curious on how hard water is gonna go this year