[HazyMemory]

Over the past off the water months, I have become pretty good friends with some of you fishing types. I think that's great. I might even go out and buy a rod and reel now and see what all of you peeps are all about. I hear there might be a smokin' hot girls sales woman selling rods and reels at the mall.

Anyway, could you all please stay out of the channels. In addition to it being illegal to fish between red and green bouys, it is unsafe and endlessly agravating for us with not so agile boats. I think I can speak for the blow boaters too on this. You might start to feel a whole lot less animosity towards you if you stay away from the channels.

.....just a friendly message from a member of the other half.

 

[boatnfish]

I think we can work a deal, as long as all the non-fisherman stay only in the channels leaving the rest of the lake to fishing. Not really. I also hate it when you have to play dodge the fisherman in the channels. It is especially bad in the spring. Staying "away from" the channels isn't realistic. But not fishing in the channels is realistic.

 

[GreggM]

fishing the channels is illegal?? I though just anchoring in the channels and fishing was illegal.

Gregg

 

[DRP]

It is illegal to fish, anchor, or even cross a channel or traffic pattern if it impedes traffic that cannot operate outside said channel. Basically, we fisherman are in the wrong, I must admit.

 

[GreggM]

So if we are fishing a channel and a boat has to go outside that channel to avoid me then i am in the wrong and breaking the law. What if i am not impeding traffic? Also is there a reference i can read?

G

 

[Icet]

It' s been a long winter. Too much thinking.

 

[Vic Cerabone]

I don't think that fishing inside a marked channel constitutes impeding traffic. Perhaps if a boat is fishing the channel it mean that you have to take you boat off plane?

 

[djkimmel]

This has been covered before. It is NOT illegal to fish between all red and green buoys. I posted the laws on this last year. Clarify what you mean by "the channels" because if you mean the North, South, Middle, etc. this is a strange expectation although I would consider if you promised to keep all the tuna boats off the lake.

If you mean constricted channels leading into marinas, you should just remind small boaters that they need to make sure they don't cause large craft to have to leave the safe channel to avoid them.

There are smaller channels that can be safely fished from the edges and/or during early and late hours. We can try to keep out of the way better if you could go back to the 'other' side and remind them that there is also a law about being responsible for you wake and it doesn't say you can ignore if it if you think the boat is being stupid. That happens to be relative, of course, to whether you happen to be in the 'little' boat or the 'BIG' boat. That has also been discussed before.

 

[Guest]

Hey Dan, could you post those rules again, or at least a link to them. It seems the threads from last year were lost (I was unable to find that small thread on powerloading the other day

) and I lost a lot of bookmarked sites with a hard drive problem over the winter.

 

[bassslayer]

Thank you but you’re a boat (Vessel) not a ship and fishing is ok in channels unless you’re a TRAWLER a real fishing vessel. But there are far more big boats that break the law by throwing a wake next to a fishing vessel and by law this person operating this is responsible for his wake and any damage done by his wake and is a violation and prosecution can result. So give the little fishing boat a break and slow down. Thank you replying to a friendly suggestion.

 

[No More Mini]

It has been my understanding that you cannot fish between the bouys if you are impeding traffic without being under power. An electric trolling motor is under power (no drifting). Bottom line is if a boat is entering the channel (Clinton River Mouth as an example) the fishing boat must move to allow safe passage.

We all could stand to have a little more respect for our fellow boaters, fisherpeople or not.

Mini

 

[bassslayer]

I agree Mini, Of coarse you can’t anchor and intentionally running in front of a vessel is not to smart either. I understand I also have one of those tuna boats.

 

[No More Mini]

One of the few that can see both sides of the story....

Now can we all get along? lol

Mini

 

[DRP]

ANY ACTIVITY that impedes another vessel in a channel or traffic pattern is a an illegal activity. USCG Rule 9(

A vessel less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.

 

[HazyMemory]

QUOTE(DRP @ May 8 2003, 04:30 AM)ANY ACTIVITY that impedes another vessel in a channel or traffic pattern is a an illegal activity. USCG Rule 9(

A vessel less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.
Thanks DRP, I couldn't find that last night. Thanks also to Mini.

 

[topwater1]

Jon's out there quoting regulations! You weren't that smart when we fished together. LOL

Tim J.

 

[GreggM]

So, after reading the rules of the road etc. The assumption is that if my trolling motor is down, I am "underpower" If I am under power then it IS the responsibility of the approaching vessel to watch his wake and overtake me in a proper safe manner(as described in the rules of the road). I think the key is fishing in the same direction as traffic would normally flow in a channel on busy days.

Gregg

 

[Daytonian]

I was fishing the mouth of the Clinton last year trying to stay in line with the buoy's (to not impede traffic) and was sternly warned by the sherriff's when the rear of my boat drifted inside the buoys. They said they were watching me and didn't say anything until I came inside the buoys. They said I needed to stay at least one boat length away from the bouys to assure I don't accidentally drift in again. They weren't very nice about it.

 

[GreggM]

Patrick!!! they just knew you were from ohio!!!!!!!!

 

[Daytonian]

Thats EXACTLY what I said! They saw my OH numbers in their binoculars and waited to nail me. Thats OK, our guys do it to you too.