No respect

[HenryDavid]

Do any of you pontoon guys notice this, it's like I'm not even there sometimes, unless I just ran into some rude boaters today. They act like I"m not even there, came way too close, then were casting in front of me, another boat came within 5 feet behind me, I'm fly fishing damnit, oh well. I know when I pass someone I make a wide girth, give them plenty of room.
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[IrishFloatTube]

When the other anglers are not catching ... you may easily become the most interesting feature on the lake, and then they gravitate towards you.

If you happen to be catching and they're not, the process is acellerated!

The reason I have had camo coloration on my last three tubes is for the anglers, not the fish. A reduced visual impact can increase the catch by virtue of the disturbance the onlookers create.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I don't know what part of the country you fish in, but I have fished all over the U.S. of A. and I can verify that there are slob fishermen everywhere. And, those who fish from shore or even others who fish from tubes or toons can be just as bad.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over the years I have accumulated countless stories of boaters who seemingly went out of their way to make life miserable for me while I fished from a tube. There have been several times when I was the first fisherman on the lake, and heard the first boat coming out. Then, when I look up to the boat, I see it making a beeline for me. On more than one occasion, I have been catching fish, only to have the only boat on the lake pull up and drop anchor right on top of where I was casting.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]What is worse is that these rude and stupid boaters become hostile when you say anything to them. I don't know how many times I have tried to remind unsportsmanlike boaters that they owe me some space and they reply with "You don't own the lake"...as if THEY do.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It all goes back to what I discovered a long time ago. Most people do not look at tubing and tooning as serious fishing. They think we are just playing in the water, even when we outfish them by a wide margin. I just love it when I keep catching fish, even after a stupid boater tries to take over my spot...and they holler "Boy, you sure are lucky." In some cases THEY are lucky I am not armed.[/#0000ff]
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[tubeN2]

I do feel for you my friend. I too do not like rude boaters that intrude on my space when I'm trying to fish.

As TubeDude mentioned, there are a few other flies that you may want to consider adding to your collection.

The Remington Fly, Browning Fly, Glock Fly, Colt Fly.........You can try the tandom rig too. It uses the Smith fly with the Wesson fly.[cool]
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[Dusty_T]

Personally I don't have a lot of rude boater stories from a tube. (So many waters to float on around here with no boat ramps...and limited shore space that I seldom hang out at the "big" lakes.)

From my days as a bank tangler I do have plenty of distain for many boaters though. I mean - I would be at a lake that had like 40 yards of shorline that was accessable for bank tanglers and 100 acres of open water.....and guess where the boaters would always be trolling....Thats right 20 feet in front of the open "beach area"....errrr...
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[macfly55]

they got a new one out now... it is called the .50 cal fly.. they say its knocks em for a loop.. plus I have been told that if used correctly it can give the angler a gentle push backwards as it is "cast".... []

MacFly [cool]
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[flygoddess]

Add to that, the boaters who really don't get the idea of "WAKELESS SPEED" Jordanelle has been the biggest problem on this one and I have noticed a lot of the BIGGER boats launching at Rockcliff area. I thought this was for small vessels. So the potooners and Kayakers have to wait while someone launches there 26' Cutty with the 225 hrsp motor!

I have had boats move in on me a lot. See that bent 9'er. I learned to stay in that spot and with the motor on my toon, I circle their boat. They end up leaving[laugh].......
But I have been know to yell out...."A LITTLE CLOSE" and cast right next to their boat.
I do get a little nervous when I am using an Intermediate line that doesn't sink real fast and have a boat go over it. I lift my rod straight in the air so they can see my line and reel as fast as I can, then tell them THANKS! I didn't like that spot anyway, with the finger pointing to the spot.
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[macfly55]

now all of this would suck.. in a tube or a toon.. it would suck that an ignorant person in a boat would do something stupid like this.. I have seen boaters do some crazy stuff on local waters.. not the least of which is doing a bunch of high speed ovals in the center of the lake.. creating a long series of waves to come in.... but do have one question..

if I remember right, USCG regs require that a tube have at least 120 sq in of safety orange showing above the water line.. is that enough to make sure these idiots see you clearly enough?? I would think being up higher on a toon wold be easier and youd be more visible.. in which case Im guessing the boater is just being ignorant and getting up close to take over your spot..

.. now my last question is.. dont boats have registration numbers on them.. if so.. cant you copy them down and report them to the local and or state fish and game authorities..???

MacFly
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[flygoddess]

Macfly, you could be right about the Orange. I don't have any Orange on either my float tube or Pontoon, but I do try to fish in WAKELESS water or at least that area of the lake.
It is also a rule when water skiing that an ORANGE flag be raise when a skier falls. I have done this at Echo and Pineview to only have a boat go between the boat and the skier (about 75' away with the rope) and cut the rope, just so you get an idea of how close they are. No drivers training for boating (with the cars here, not sure that would help) and I think there really needs to be stricter rules on boating. No problem enfourcing the no alcohol on board! (which I am not against by any means, just pointing out they focus where they want to)
As far as reporting a boat, it is your word against theirs unless there was several reports.
I will go ahead and say that I have called on my cell while on the water to report poaching and the boats have gotten stopped. Can't tell you what happened after that.
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[macfly55]

I do wish the lakes here were wakeless.. but not gonna happen.. the two lakes I fish routinely dont really have a protected inlet so to speak.. but it does make the fishing challenging at times.. but.. I think I have read here on this board that at times the movement like that can stir up food sources and thus make the fish active.. even if for only a little while..

If my questions/comments gave the impression I was either doubting what was being said or trying to defend the boaters neither are true.. I dont doubt what is being said because I have seen some really crazy stuff.. like the racing ovals.. the irony of that is that while they were doing that the locan f & g guy was starting his rounds in his little boat on the far side of the lake.. he never once steered in that direction nor in anyway try to stop the boater... and that pissed me off...

out here in CA the uscg does offer boater safety and training courses but not sure if they get on the water.. and it appears most is for ocean boating.. I do agree that the enforcement of boating laws should be more strictly enforced.. but like you said.. they pick and choose their battles.. and the ones that get the money (drunk boating) are the top priority...

I am not sure how easy it would be but cell phones now do have picture and video capability.. I would think that the video could be used as proof if needed.. but again.. I dont tube or toon yet. .. so not sure how easy that would be or practical for that matter...

MacFly
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[HenryDavid]

Thanks for all the responses, encouraging.

I always stay clear of shore fishing areas, the way I see it, (being a shore fisher myself), water craft can cover the whole lake, why take up water that a shore fisher with limited access can enjoy. It's just like wading a trout stream, my rule is that if you can cast in front of or near another fisherman you are too close.

In my case this week I'm sure it wasn't a matter of being seen, unless these guys are really that unaware of their surroundings, the one huge "bass boat" had 2 guys on it throwing some huge lures on top of the lily pads, right on top, as if the bass could hit the lure through the pads, one or 2 casts and they moved on, I don't know what they were throwing but it was as heavy as a good sized rock and made a similar entrance as it hit the water/pads, they continued quite quickly on their way after disturbing the 2 lily pad areas I was working with my fly rod and popper. After things cooled down I managed to pull 4 bass from those same pads, working them carefully, I don't understand these "bass masters", I see them all the time, maybe they watch too much tv.

I can tell you that when I'm in my pontoon, being closer to the water I can see and hear things that boaters don't seem to notice, sucks and pops coming from the middle of the lily pads, etc. perhaps they're just not paying attention. I can also get a good look at some of the bugs and things on the water and in the pads.

The thing that really bothered me this time was that these bass boat guys who were working the shore, very quickly I might add, drove within 10 feet or so behind me, they must've noticed I was fly fishing and back casting 30 feet or more, I gave them a look, tried some side casting then just quit, they seemed oblivious to the situation, I should have just continued back casting and snagged one of them in the ear.
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[macfly55]

I am not defending these idiots just telling what I seen before.. on several tv shows I have watched bass pros fishing the shallows of the lily pads.. in all cases, they usually used a med wt plug such as a frog.. cast onto the pads..and then.. as if the frog were doing it.. quickly tugged the plug off the pads.. let it settle.. jiggle/jig across water between pads..... let it settle...if it settled on another pad.. they just repeat from pulling it off the pad.. idea.. imitate the frog.. or mouse.. etc.. from pad to pad..in and out of the water.. anyway...point being sounds like these guys watched a lot but had no clue other than that..

.. as tempted as Id be to hook em for getting so close.. out here in ca.. if that happen.. Im in trouble.. I get sued.. I lose everything.. now.. are two idiots like that worth that kind of trouble.. I dont think so...

MacFly
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[HenryDavid]

I'm familiar with bass frogs/plugs, I use an Spro frog the same way, my friend has great success on something he calls a scum frog. Just last week I was on a small pocono lake, all day the bass were taking poppers and flies, I landed 2 over 17-inches (big for Pennsylvania standards) and lost 2 larger ones that had spit the hook after wrestling around for a minute or so, great action. I then decided to try some standard spinning gear, weedless rubber worms, my spro frog, hula popper, jitterbug, NOTHING, not even a look.
The lake was low, I noticed with the bigger baits that as soon as it plopped onto the pads the fish scattered.

I'm getting to the point where I always seem to do better with my fly rod, or at least just as well as with spinning. A little finesse, and a careful presentation, I know bass are not shy but in shallow water if you're not careful approaching them they will scatter, even from a shadow.

The bass boat guys just make me laugh, no offense to anyone here, but I guess their technique is to slap their lures all over the shoreline and maybe get lucky with any very agressive bass. Where I fish most of the water holds fish, not always aggressive ones, but if you can figure them out you can catch them in most of the cover, just takes time, and patience, something I don't see on the bass shows on tv. I also don't like the way they hoist the bass into the boat as if they have to hurry up and quickly catch another one, sometimes slamming the poor bass on the floor of the boat, not very sporting.
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