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Bank Fishing Etiquette
#1
So I recently was fishing in my boat and caught the line attached to a pole that was on the bank. The problem is, the pole was 20 feet up the bank from the water and the person fishing with it was about 100 feet up the hill sitting in the shade of their camp trailer. I never even saw the pole or line. This is the third time this has happened to me and every time they come down yelling at me like I was doing something wrong. My question is, am i wrong?

The Idaho regulation states:

Attendance of Fishing Gear:

You must attend to your fishing
gear while fishing. This means
being able to watch your rod at
all times and be able to react to
a potential strike.

I used to apologize, but now I'm starting to think they are the ones who need to change what they are doing. Any thoughts?
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#2
I was a hard core bankie for the first 40 years of my life until I became a boat owner so I believe I am unbias here.

You did nothing wrong based on the circumstamces you described.

Dude who is leavng his gear unattended is at fault, breaking the law and is obnoxious to get mad at the boat operator for catching his gear.

Every boat operator needs to be cognizent of the bankie, and swing wide of the area the bankie is fishing.

It is hard to spot just a rod on the bank, with out a person standing next to it like they are supposed to.
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#3
That's a tough call. What if they had the rod clear up by their camper. The same thing could have happened. I think it's just part of fishing.

Certainly, if I was fishing in a boat and I saw someone fishing from the bank, I'd try to give them enough room that they wouldn't feel irritated by my presence. In your case, you couldn't even tell someone was fishing there, so how would you know. Why give room to someone who isn't there?

I don't think you were necessarily wrong. However, it is possible that someone could fish in a similar way and still pay close attention to their equipment, you wouldn't know they were even fishing there, and the same thing could happen. What then?

I guess IMO, if it wasn't obvious that someone was fishing there, then you didn't do anything wrong. If you are catching peoples lines when it IS obvious they are fishing there, then I think you need to evaluate your own ettiquette.

I can't say which, since you didn't give the other scenarios. In this case, and with the details given, I don't think you did anything wrong. It would be interesting to hear their side of the same story.
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#4
I know that wade fishermen have the right of way over boats in the river....not sure if bank fishermen have the same privilege...but that's not really the issue here.

I have heard a F&G officer tell someone that as long as the rod is in sight he will not write a ticket. This means as long as the fishermen and his gear are within sight of one another it is legal...but that doesn't make it right!

If you're too lazy to sit by your gear and actually fish then don't leave your gear in the water!
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#5
Well said!!!
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#6
[quote FishingRookie]I know that wade fishermen have the right of way over boats in the river....not sure if bank fishermen have the same privilege...but that's not really the issue here.

I have heard a F&G officer tell someone that as long as the rod is in sight he will not write a ticket. This means as long as the fishermen and his gear are within sight of one another it is legal...but that doesn't make it right!

If you're too lazy to sit by your gear and actually fish then don't leave your gear in the water![/quote]

I like that answer the best....
Matt
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#7
I would tell him to buy an umbrella and tend his pole.
But then, I can be an arse sometimes!

Seriously. I don't fish from a boat. If I left my pole out on it's own, I wouldn't expect anyone to keep an eye out for it. I'd rather you were keeping an eye out for people in the water.
I'd be cranky about it, sure. But I would know it was my own dang fault for leaving my pole out there, and not making it obvious that there was a line in the water, which is best done by doing a fisherman's JOB: attending your pole.
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#8
Can't avoid what you can't see. I fish very close to the bank unless I see bank fishermen and then I give them wide berth. Accidents happen . . .
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#9
My guess of having a boat is freedom? Fish where you want? We have the hole lake. Bank fisherman only have so much space or access? I would love to bank fish with a fishfinder. Is the next thread about water skier's and speed boats. Doing what they do around people fishing in Boats? Come on.

Idaho
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#10
I have been on both sides. If you can not see it, not your fault.
I have been bank fishing sitting in plain sight along with others and had boats come along and snag all our lines, and sometimes multiple times in the same day. I for a long time would fish with 20+lb line just for that reason. When they come buy and snag my line, I would open the bail and let some line out, wait a bit till they passed and then "set the hook". 9 out of 10 times I would break all their lines and reel in their lures as a bonus. Normally they learned and stayed away, others never knew what happened thinking they snagged bottom becaue they were not paying attention in the first place. I also use to keep a rod with 60-80lb line on it and a 4 ounce weight. If the boat comes through multiple times, I chuck this large line out, wait for them keeping it taught and as soon as the prop grabs it, open the bail and let the whole spool go. Once prop fouled, they learn.
Fishing in NC on docks, we had problems with people cruising along the docks fishing where people on the docks were fishing. Well, with 40lb line and 4oz weights bouncing of wind shields, the problem soon became a non issue.

Now this was all before I had my first boat. The one thing I remembered was how much I hated fishermen cruising 15' from the bank when they could fish any where on the lake they wanted. I use one rule and it solves all issues. I stay far enough away from the bank that even if a shore fisherman tried to cast to my boat, they could not do it. I have never snagged a shore line with any of my boats. I also do not loose any lures this way as I do not snag the bottom, yet I still catch plenty of fish. If you wanted to fish any closer to shore, why are you in a boat and not standing on the bank?
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#11
oh my god. that is some funny stuff there. defensive fishing at its best. this is my spot.
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#12
Certain times of the year the fish are pretty much all close to the bank. I've never snagged a bank fisherman's line in all the years I've trolled but I could see how it could accidentally happen. [Image: dumb.gif]
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#13
When i am ln my ice shany i have several rods fishing with bells on and have never had fish and game give any trouble about it. Curt g.[reply][/reply]
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#14
[quote ilovesmallies]oh my god. that is some funny stuff there. defensive fishing at its best. this is my spot.[/quote]

You can call it defensive and I agree. But funny it is not when you loose $5-$25 when a boat snags and takes your lures or possibly drag a $250 rod and reel into the water.
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#15
I agree with prvt. Kinda like fishing the salmon. See a float a hundred yards up. Drift after drift. Fishing, the hole your in. Why not though your lead into it? [Smile]

After all there are many ways to skin a skunk.

+1

Idaho
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#16
When does a bank fisherman have to get out of the way? Several years ago we took the boat to Mackay and launched at the upper ramp where there was a tiny floating dock. The wind came up fast and bad and we came back. An old guy was seated on the dock, fishing straight out into the whitecaps. Here we came, trying to get out of the weather. I had pulled the gas line to run the motor dry and didn't have time to wait on him. He made no effort to reel in and watched us for hundreds of yards head right for him. I yelled that we were coming to the dock. I tried to stop short and the wind took us right into him and bent his rod against the hull. He yanked it out before it was crushed by the dock that we blew hard against. Then he seemed to figure out what was needed and reeled in from under the boat. I didn't feel too bad for him.
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#17
The real question is MADDOGG has a Bass Boat and works for Maniac or with them and should know better. Or, find a bigger pond.
Just my 2 cents.

Idaho
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#18
[quote MMDon]Can't avoid what you can't see. I fish very close to the bank unless I see bank fishermen and then I give them wide berth. Accidents happen . . .[/quote]

Yep![Smile]
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