Threading The Needle Of Ungrateful Fisherfolk

[perry386]

Amen Brother!!

Unfortunately when people are out there with this kind of attitude (quote from this site):

"My name is ____ and I am unapoligetically a curteous ____ owner that adds weight, surfs huge waves and has a tube on board"

All of watersports may ultimately suffer

I think that is the correct attitude to have towards it. You can be courteous but still enjoy your Super Air Nautique. We obey all laws of the water, are nice to everyone on the water, and keep our distance from those in smaller boats; however, we do add ballast, surf a big wave, and have a tube onboard for the younger kids. What we don't want is people that leave their ballast full and then just cruise around because they are too lazy to drain them or people that drive unreasonably close to boats that they know can't handle a 4ft. surf wave. I say all that to say: Everyone can enjoy their ballast and wakeboarding as long as they are courteous to other boats around them.

On another note...there's no need to bring Golf into this. I love Golf.

[5bison]

I think that is the correct attitude to have towards it. You can be courteous but still enjoy your Super Air Nautique. We obey all laws of the water, are nice to everyone on the water, and keep our distance from those in smaller boats; however, we do add ballast, surf a big wave, and have a tube onboard for the younger kids. What we don't want is people that leave their ballast full and then just cruise around because they are too lazy to drain them or people that drive unreasonably close to boats that they know can't handle a 4ft. surf wave. I say all that to say: Everyone can enjoy their ballast and wakeboarding as long as they are courteous to other boats around them.

On another note...there's no need to bring Golf into this. I love Golf.

I Love golf too… but we have all golfed with “That Guy”… and what if “That Guy” brings his G25 to your lake!

[chris196]

I don't think its necessarily fishermen or golfers. Its just a fact that some people are respectful and some people are jackasses.

I've had problems even with some jackasses and idiots on my own private ski lake. Some people just think they are the center of the universe.

Why do you let idiots and JAs on your own private lake?

I know, but it was funny the way you said it.

[AirTool]

Why do you let idiots and JAs on your own private lake?

I know, but it was funny the way you said it.

I was thinking that after the send. (What's funny - or not funny - ...is the way the property is split up, I actually own more of the lake(s) than any other homeowner. Which is a BAD thing because it makes me pay more tax. I've protested but keep getting !$#)#@$ 'd by the tax board because its obvious I can afford the tax. This year I may take it to the appeals board...not to have the property changed but to convince them my market value isn't higher because I own more of the common use lake than the next guy....for the same or less amount of land.)

Back to the idiots and JA's: This year we put a gate/lock on the boat ramp....I was hoping that was going to keep out the idiots and JA's,....but then I learned, they too, were issued keys.

[Quinner]

Perry Please enlighten me, how on earth do you "courteously" throw a 4ft wake?? Around here on the Great Lakes 4ft waves are referred to as "a small craft advisory".

Even from 100 yds away, that wake is going to rock any anchored/floating boat violently, navigating or skiing through it would be no different. Take your boat out in 6-8 footers and let me know how enjoyable that experience is for ya.

Out on big water far from shore, have at it, up close and personal is where the problem exists.

[lucky7t]

One of my pet peeves our the darn trot lines set out right in the best water. Soooooo........

last weekend we made a game of it
"OK everyone try to make a figure 8 through the floating clorox bottles" I wake skated through these for about 10 minutes until a fisherman came by and asked that we dont mess with his "bobbers" I was nice and said yes sir. I then asked him "Would you mind if we surfed through this area?" he laughed and said "Sure surf away" hahahahaha well we did and he left.

I do agree that we all need to share and be respectful but I dont care much for fisherman that drop 15 trot lines throughout a cove.

[perry386]

Perry Please enlighten me, how on earth do you "courteously" throw a 4ft wake?? Around here on the Great Lakes 4ft waves are referred to as "a small craft advisory".

Even from 100 yds away, that wake is going to rock any anchored/floating boat violently, navigating or skiing through it would be no different. Take your boat out in 6-8 footers and let me know how enjoyable that experience is for ya.

Out on big water far from shore, have at it, up close and personal is where the problem exists.

So what you're telling me is that you believe there is no way to courteously wakesurf?? Granted, 4 feet was an exaggeration but a typical surf wave is probably ~3 feet high. I agree with you in the fact that a 3ft wave will shake any boat out there but as long as you don't get too close to them and they don't get too close to you then you ARE being courteous. I understand that my wakesurf wave is big and probably uncomfortable to those that have to hit it in their boats. And because I understand this, I don't get unreasonably close to other boats. I can't help it if you feel the need to drive right through my wake at 60+ mph in your bass boat while I'm surfing. I also understand that I am responsible for my wake and so I try my best not to disturb others enjoying the river with me or their boat houses.

[swankster]

I do agree that we all need to share and be respectful

I patiently waited for a couple of fishermen to move out of a glass lane. I then started pulling a wakeboarder down the lane, only to have another fisherman pull in and park in the middle of our run. I tried to explan to him that I waited for a couple of his comrades and now it was our turn but he didn't care.

This will be a Hatfield - McCoy issue until we lose. There are more of them than us and 'them' is more than just fishermen.

[ally505]

Wondering how many people actually know the rules of the road for collision avoidance. I grew up sailing so they are second nature, but people can buy a boat, any boat and charge around causing chaos and not being aware of it.

Two Boats approaching head on must both alter course to starboard.
Two boats crossing, the vessel with the other to their starboard side must give way and cross behind.
the standon vessel must maintain course and speed (within reason)

There are loads more rules that we should all know, restricted navigation rights of way etc etc

[TxJole]

Funny I just was talking about this on Texas fishing forums. I have a fishing boat as well and use it regularly. I tried to explain why a wakeboard boat always rode near the shore, when we have the whole lake. Problem is unless you do both we don't understand the other persons sport. And let's face it people are just rude now.


BTW most fisherman that replied griped about music more then wake.

[LakeRats]

Just remember, no matter what you are doing on the water (skiing, wake boarding, surfing, fishing, floating, canoeing, boat bunning, etc etc), you are annoying someone. We have duck hunters that start blasting before sunrise every Saturday during duck season in the winter, just up the lake. We just have to laugh. And yes, I have been restrained by the wife, especially concerning pwcs on lake gaston. Fortunately, we don't boat there any more except on a friends very large pontoon.

[scott resick]

I Love golf too… but we have all golfed with “That Guy”… and what if “That Guy” brings his G25 to your lake!

Woooooooah! I have nothing against gilders. However I would rather watch paint dry than play the game myself, every golfer I know breaks clubs, has a "GAME" ruin their day or constantly complains about how they had a horrible game. I personally just don't get it. Especially since most t times are prime times for the best water. Didn't mean to step on any toes. Swing away fellas, ill tell ya how the water was!

[scott resick]

Golfers not gilders. But on a side note, most fishermen get in their boats and try to cast as close to shore as they can get. This problem would be solved very easily if they all just fished from shore. Then the only problem would be their camp fires being waked out.

[AirTool]

...., every golfer I know breaks clubs, has a "GAME" ruin their day or constantly complains about how they had a horrible game.

That's because they are too worried about their score and should be focused on more important matters like what color thong the girl driving the beverage cart is wearing.

[msbowhunter]

Being both a fisherman and a wakeboarder, I see idiots on both sides of the fence. Be the only one for miles fishing a hump on the main river and here comes a freaking idiot in a Nautique or something right by me. Be wakeboarding and have some dude in a Ranger run right up on my rider causing me to stand up and raise ****. World is full of Stupid! I would venture to say if u had that stretch of calm water and was wakeboarding and some dude pulling a tube came up disturbing it , we would be talking about him.