another fisherman story

How would you guys handle this? This morning a friend and I got out on the water to get in a couple of sets. The wind was tough today so we headed into a fairly narrow yet clearly navigable cove to be shielded and to find some rideable water. Off of this main channel, I noticed that there was a bass fisherman in the back of this cove probably 100yds from the main channel that we were setting up in. So we fill up set up and I make a couple of runs with a few falls. At one point he used his troller to position his boat sort of near the midpoint of the cove and then worked his way back to the shore. Well, I fell within ear shot of the guy and he yells over, "Ya'll need to take that sh@@ out to the big water." I heard him, but asked him to repeat. In an agitated voice that he was trying to fish a tournament and "make a dollar." I calmly explained that it was too rough for us to ride in the "big" water and that we were doing nothing wrong. I then told him I hoped he caught a lot of fish. Well, he made a few more casts and then peeled out kicking a huge redneck rooster tail.
We were not in a no wake zone and although the cove was somewhat narrow, I read the boating laws for my state and the read that skiers must stay a "reasonable" distance from other property and boats. Also, my boat doesn't yet have a stereo so other than engine noise we were quiet. In my mind, I did nothing wrong and this guy was just like most of these fisherman thinking that they own whatever part of the lake they want to fish at that time. I'm all for being respectful and sharing the lake, but what would you have done here. It's not that this guy wanted to take turns or anything and how could you anyway. He wanted us out of there plain and simple.

Think about how you would feel if you were already in a cove boarding and couple of jetskis pulling tubers came in and started cutting a lot of S turns back and forth. You would be pissed at them I'm sure. I personally would have tried a different cove if it was small and he was already there trying to fish but if that was the only cove on the lake I would have tried keep as far away from him as possible and enjoyed the morning.

A) Jetskis and tubers would pull in right away without a care, it's glass of course
B) He probably wasn't catching anything, he had the cove to himself and wanted to keep it that way. You running your boat doesn't effect his catching fish at all, it effects his mind set and concentration. If he is really trying to "make a buck", he should be able to block all distractions and get the job done. I'm all for respecting others, and fishermen deserve it, but here where I am half the lake is no wake, so they are more than accommodated. I probably would have said the wrong thing and told him to go to the rough water.

Side note: Have you ever watched a fishing comp? The backwoods one's here are crazy. It's a crazy race start, they all fly around, and then basically either follow one another, or if they're being followed they try and ditch the followers. If he was really in a tournament, I'm surprised there were no other competitors being it was one of few if not the only smooth areas.

I think you did right. Some will never want to share the water - he sounds like one of those.

Dustin, if jet skiers pulled in and started doing s turns on a cove that i had to myself I wouldn't like it, but if they are being safe and obeying the law they are every bit as entitled to ride that water as I am. Sure it would be nice if they didn't do S turns in there, but if it was too rough to tube (whitecapping etc.) in the big water, then they are going to want to ride the water I'm on and for the same reasons. I would've loved to have gone to another cove, but this is a 45K acre lake. The next closest cove that I thought would have rideable water would be a 30minute ride. So if i get there and another fisherman is in there do I just keep on keeping on until i find a cove that's empty? I'm bothered by this, because I don't know if I'm in the right here. I understand the whole respect thing, I just rarely see any fisherman giving a damn about whether or not he's messing up my water. One thing I do know is that said fisherman was in the wrong with his opening statement and although I didn't get out of line with him, there are many, many people who would've.

If the guy fishing was in the cove first, then I would have found a different part of the lake to ride on.

I remember we were once fishing in the river....when a poker run of about 30 boats (power boats) or so went by. We were bobbin up and down like mad for about 5 minutes or so and catching smallmouth bass like crazy. The fish didn't care...it was just challenging to stay in the boat!

Being a fisherman myself....we never stay in one spot......you keep moving...if you know what your doing!

In any event as long as you keep the respectfull distance.....all is good imo!

If it isn't obvious, I'm kind of fired up about this topic. I think everyone would have to agree that no matter what your home lake situation is, there is more fishable water than rideable water yes? My lake is full of no wake zones and hundreds or more small shallow no wake coves with lots of fish.

...your right on steve...def. more fishable water.

fishermen who slowly troll right into our path repeatedly happens all the time. Just run toward them in a nice straight line, quite a ways away from them you just do a little hook around them. It only takes once and they usually get the idea that that wasn't a good plan and leave or move back toward shore.

My cousins are avid fishermen. They deal with total A-Hole wakeboarders and skiers on a regular basis. The kind that get into verbal arguements and spray them and try to drown them. They've been in the boat with us a lot of times to see the other side of things. We do our best to avoid the fishermen but sometimes it's the only smooth water. They do love our kink methods. You aren't near them but when they place themselves in the middle of your channel, just drive around them. Not close, not in a circle, just a quick U kink.

I watched someone pull in one of the biggest large mouth bass I have ever seen while tied up at party cove on Table Rock Lake during the 4th of July weekend. There were hundreds of people there, swimming, stereos cranked, etc. We laughed at his attempt, until I saw his pole bend over.

Steve I agree that you were probably in the right. We try to respect them as much as possible, but in the end we all have to share the lake. Where were you? We got out for the 1st time last weekend and Whitney did real well... We got 2 hours in on Sat and 3 on Sunday... we are gone the next couple of weekends, but will have to try and catch up with you later...

I always feel bad when we rock by a fishing boat on those quiet mornings. The lake or river is a place for everyone but the difference in what we're doing is huge. I can see why they get irritated but fair game is fair game. Sounds like you handled it as well as you could have!

Steve I think you atleast went about it the proper way without being an a$$ to the guy.

There are two different mentalities between the fisherman and the wakeboarders. Most fishermen are out for a quiet relaxing day of fishing, just trolling around whereas most of us wakeboarders are a little more roudy. We usually all have music going, people cheering/screaming, engine noise, big wakes.

They're just two completely different scenes. It's never going to go away.

no one owns the water

somebody owns everything

I own everything just drop me a line on when and where you want to ride and I'll be sure and clear the cove for you.
PS don't forget to send in the $20 reservation fee
Thanks

Similar thing happened to us a few weeks back. We were riding at our spot when a jet skier comes around busting s turns and what not. I've read a few of these posts and wanted to handle the situation the best I know how without busting some heads, or getting mine busted for that matter. Anyway we called the guy over and told him he can keep that part of the lake and we were going to the opposite end to ride. We added that we appreciate him not coming over and tearing up the water. He nodded a "yeah, whatever" and rode off.

I'm fairly new to the game (wakeboarding) and don't ever want to get into a situation where shiat gets out of hand. All you can do is try and be cordial, which you were. Last thing anyone wants is to give wakeboarding a bad name. Nothing good can come of that... oh yeah, one more thing, you never know how much influence that individual has ie, mayor, judge, etc. So be nice out on the water no matter who u may encounter. The end.

^^what antonio said.

....everyone who does't wakeboard doesn't understand our needs, i.e smooth water no ripples no other boat wakes etc...they are completely oblivious to it. I have even seen beginner wakeboard families not have a clue to what they need to have a good ride...ie. they go in circles or out in the middle of the lake or crossing the whole lake etc.

So I guess its probably unrealistic for anyone else to really understand our needs. We basically find a way to get what we need. If we cant find it we do something else or wait for a better time.

"God owns the... It's God's water!"