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Posts: 757
| Last year in September my cousin and I were casting a shoreline point that I knew we would see some musky action on. The drift was perfect along with the weather,clouds with a south wind blowing. I had my cousin throwing a Mepps Giant Killer on the inside while I was working the outside edge with my Manta. The intensity level in my boat was high with anticipation of some action. All of a sudden out of nowhere an aluminum bass looking boat roars in just ahead, maybe a cast length cutting off our perfect drift in my crestliner. I was stunned! Two other musky fisherman? Nope, I observed spinning tackle with bobbers on the line! Realizing their mistake, the boats driver shouted out with a gesture "this sure is a good spot", "Are you guys having any luck?" I did respond but was wondering what all the rest of you would of said? Kdawg |
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Posts: 136
| I would respond by making lazer cast with my weagle two inches from his boat |
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Posts: 32885
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | 'Realizing their mistake, the boats driver shouted out with a gesture "this sure is a good spot", "Are you guys having any luck?"'
There it is. If it was a mistake, it was a mistake. Fish around the block and move on. Same thing for me with an intentional cut-off, there's lots of water out there. IF, however, I'm fishing League, and someone is trying to move me off a spot While I'm working a fish, I point the bow at them and move forward some, they quickly see my intent and back off. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Steve the enforcer of the waters!
Tough subject here. It happens to all of us, well not to me since I dont have a boat, but I've been in situations where it has happened. Very frustrating, especially in a tournament. Brian Swenson and I were fishing a tournament in St. Germain, working around a well known island, probably about a cast distance from the shore. Some guy and what looked to be his granddaughter came flying past between us and the shore in a small little dingy of a boat. I was outraged, I could have casted over the top of their boat, thats how close they came. I was ready to just chew the guy out since he stopped on the beach a few yards down past us, but I held back because of the young one in the boat with him. I gave him an inaudible piece of my mind and that satisfied my frustration. |
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Posts: 6
Location: McFarland, WI | I had the same thing happen with a pontoon boat and they proceeded to hook the Musky using a boober, hook, and minnow. Very entertaining as we were rooting for the Musky all the way. They did almost get it in their snoopy net. Sadly, these people usually don't know any better. Either take the time to politely educate them or move on. When possible use the opportunity to educate the kids in your boat. I too would expect more from a fellow Musky fisherman and deal with that accordingly. Boy, have I mellowed with age.
Larry Strelow
"My SUV creates but a fly speck on Al Gore's carbon footprint" |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | It happens, I don't get to bent out of shape about it. It kind of makes me go out of my way to not do it to anyone else. It was very satisftying once though, catching a fish about 25' behind the guy's boat that cut me off...
S. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I can recall a very certain instance one evening in league where I had just caught a fish and was going back to continue working the area. However, another league fisherman decided that he needed to move in where I was and proceeded to move his boat along in a faster pace than what he was originally moving along just to cut me off. Not only did he do so, he then proceeded to tell me how I was in the wrong doing when I had started there to begin with. I don't have an issue about sharing spots but if people want to think they own a public lake, then my choice of words or actions may be different in that instance. I feel what Steve said about pointing the bow toward them and if that other person doesnt budge then so be it, I will just make sure I will take off first with the motor just happening to be raised up a bit higher than normal. hehe! But all seriousness, the one who can get over it and move along is the true sportsman! Were all out there to have fun, not worth getting all riled up so bad to where it ruins your day on the water. |
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| My favorite is the people that are near by and see you boat a fish, then while you are unhooking and taking photo's your boat drifts off course with the wind and after you've shook the slime off your hands you realize some %$%@#$ slid right into the spot you were working. I usually jump back on the trolling motor or big motor and pick up right where I left off. The looks on their faces are priceless.
Mr Musky
PS There should be an article written about the famous cut offs!! |
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Posts: 193
Location: Mayer, MN | I fish Tonka, nuff said... oh yeah and Waconia.
I just expect "things" to happen out on Tonka. Drifts cut off, 25'+ boats pulling skiers @ 9 a.m. back and forth, back and forth, you wanna talk wakes, Wayzata Bay kiddy yacht races within 15' of your boat.
If it can happen while in a boat while requiring the least amount of courtesy and "my wallet is bigger then your wallet mentality" Tonka is the place.
But during non peak hours and seasons it can be absolutely peaceful and beautiful.
Anymore I think I will just keep quiet, unless provoked. You're not going to ruin my day of fishing. |
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Posts: 313
Location: On your favorite spot | Sometimes I keep it to myself hoping for good musky Karma.
Sometimes I shout and make gestures.
Sometimes I drive circles around them with the outboard trimmed up. Depends on what spot I'm on and how intense the fishing is. I respect other people's spots and expect them to do the same.
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Posts: 136
| The best on Tonka is when a guy cuts you off between your boat and the shore/island you are fishing.
Once I was on White Bear. And some punks in their dads 30 foot cruiser decided they where going to cut me off. The only problem is they thought they could clear the Ordway Bar near shore. They got a big surprise when their boat siddenly came to a grinding stop. It's took them like 45 minutes to get it free. We had a good laugh. |
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| I had thoughts of keeping a paintball gun on the front deck for such cut offs or those jet skiiers and water skiiers that get too close..but CPainter was telling me about a much cheaper option he got for his son...some sort of fully automatic spring loaded gun you can get at Farm and Fleet that shoots small plastic balls fairly far and fast...
I think I might pick one up and unleash it on whoever gets too close ..can I get a ticket for that? 
watch out pontoners on the Madison chain! |
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Posts: 227
Location: Southeast Wisconsin | I heard of a guy in Indiana who actually hooked a jet skier and got into SERIOUS trouble.
Personally, I keep a tailess Mag Dawg with all the hooks cut off rigged up for the jet skiers/ski boats. Ive hit a few boats (3 time offenders) and dumped a few jet skiers, but havent hit anyone...YET LOL
I did have one "gentelmen" cut right in front of me while I was approaching the launch and had to slam the motor in reverse to avoid hitting him, causing about 10 gallons of water to gush in from the back, which soaked me and numerous other water sensitive items. I promptly grabbed a five gallon bucket from my truck and returned the favor.
As for other anglers cutting me off, I could tell stories for DAYS. Funny thing though, not once has someone who cut me off caught a fish in front of me. |
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Posts: 327
| Mike and I had a guy cut us off last year on a SW Wisconsin lake , except we weren't casting , we were trolling !!! Anybody who fished out of a 30k bass boat shopuld be able to see the planer boards right ?? Wrong , he came screaming in right in front of us and dropped the trolling motor , in the midst of trying to avoid him 1 of our lines wrapped the bouy and the other lines all messed up !! I usually just let it go but I had to chew this guy !!! I wanted to give him a " fly by " but Mike talked me out of it !!! |
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Posts: 202
Location: Rhinelander | One panfisherman has it coming in my neck of the woods. He knows he is cutting us off and has done it on more than one occasion. What would the best retaliation be????? |
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Posts: 32885
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | There is no legal 'retaliation' that I know of. It's courtesy not to fish in front of another boat, not law, so one needs to be careful not to break any REAL laws in retaliation. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Walski - 2/28/2007 11:41 AM
they proceeded to hook the Musky using a boober, hook, and minnow.
Larry Strelow
"My SUV creates but a fly speck on Al Gore's carbon footprint"
Where was the hype surrounding the musky boober? I thought for sure I would have heard about that one! Too funny, couldnt resist! |
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Posts: 8776
| Seen a couple boobers in my day
Edited by esoxaddict 2/28/2007 3:45 PM
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I have seen all kinds. The only ones that bother me anymore are the ones that are done by people that should know better, those really frost me. Otherwise I just go about my business. If I am not on a hot fish I generally motor away letting the other boat have their way. There are lots of spots on the water, obviously those that cut you off don't know very many. |
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Posts: 999
| I agree with Norm and I have the courtesy to let someone have their space if there working a weedline or a piece of structure but what do you do when you pull up and the guy has his bow pointing straight into the break/weedline? You dont know which direction their going to work so ya pick a side give'em plenty of room and they still look at you like hey im going that way now why did you have to be #$@@# that cut me off. I ran into this situation a few times, I picked a side gave plenty of room and once on the very first cast I nailed fish and the other boat was furious, they both slammed their rods on the bottom of the boat and stormed out of there. |
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| I don't suffer fools lightly. Hooked a wind surfer that kept running the area I was shore fishing. Lucky for him Rapala long cast minnow hooks can't go past the barb on a dry suit. Ran 250 yards of 20# Power Pro in a guys prop when he turned to run over my salmon rig fishing off a breakwall. He spent 30 minutes cutting line after his motor stopped. Cast a spinner bait into the trolling motor of a guy that was fishing a local tournament and felt he had more rights to the lake than anybody else ( we had words before about on water courtesy). |
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Posts: 2378
| Ben Kueng - 2/28/2007 2:27 PM
I heard of a guy in Indiana who actually hooked a jet skier and got into SERIOUS trouble.
I've heard of the same thing with opposite results...the fisherman went on his merry way after his lure was returned.
If that jet ski is close enough that you can hook him, he is breaking the law. |
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Posts: 6
Location: McFarland, WI | Boobers can be the good part of a pontoon boat cut off. My fingers just translate what my mind is thinking.
Larry |
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Posts: 5874
| I usually just give the "What's up with this" arms out, palmes up gesture. Sometimes they realize what they did, other times they don't. I don't get too excited about it, usually.
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| As bad as the cut-off, is the "motor over".
You know what I mean, you're working a weed edge, you see another boat coming and he's aiming to pass you across your bow and not your stern, which is proper navigation as written in the navigation regs. So you look at him and lob a huge bait out away from your bow along the weed egde so he can see it, and instead of passing you behind the area that you just fished, he motors right over the edge, a cast length in front of you. He's got all of the room in the world to pass behind you as he should, but he motors right in front of you. That really ticks me off.
No matter what we do, no matter how big the body of water, we are going to run into people who just have no common sense. We can't help it, and throwing stuff at them will just get you in trouble. Besides, throwing lures at them really doesn't mean anything to them in the first place, because they are too stupid to realize what you are doing.
It happens everywhere to everyone. I fish The Mississippi River a lot. There are certain areas that are regularly frequented by shore anglers, and we in boats, give them enough room to cast their jigs or cranks or whatever. But I have seen fishermen, in nice new Rangers, motor right up the bank and take every bobber and line and even some rods right along with them and then complain to the shore fishermen that they should reel in their lines when they see a boat coming.
There are idiots everywhere. We have to put up with them. Just make sure that you don't become one of them. Because stupidity is contagious when tempers flare, or sometimes it just comes on all by itself.
I've caught myself doing a 'motor over' as I looked over some structure on unfamiliar waters. When I realized what I did I motored up to them from behind and apologized. After explaining what I did, the guys were pretty nice, especially when I explained to them who I was and asked them if they ever visited muskiefirst. "I always wanted to meet you Slamr!", the one guy said, and then I did a hole shot and blew right out of there.
Keep a cool head, take a deep breath, and remember....they are everywhere. So appreciate all of the days when it doesn't happen and lead by example. |
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Posts: 484
Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON | RUMBLEFISH - 2/28/2007 2:38 PM
Mike and I had a guy cut us off last year on a SW Wisconsin lake , except we weren't casting , we were trolling !!! Anybody who fished out of a 30k bass boat shopuld be able to see the planer boards right ??
A number of years ago, my 14 year old son and I were returning to camp in the evening. A large houseboat was coming through Crooked Foot channel on LOTW. It was running close to the reef buoy heading west. As we approached, all the men on the houseboat were on the South side looking toward the shore. It appeared there was an animal swimming along the weedline. Only at the last instant did I see the mono leader material used to tie a planer board to the top rung of the rail. The sunlight caught the leader and I instantly grabbed my son's collar and dragged him down to the floor. The line hit his neck twice and burned through my shirt leaving scars that are there to this day seventeen years later. There was no waving us down, no bits of yarn on the line so you could see it....nothing. I had a vision of my son's head being cut off. They had completely closed off a marked channel by dragging their planer board 75 feet off their port bow. I completely lost it. I went over to the boat, described their idiotic behavior in language my son had never heard from my lips and offered to beat the crap out of them one at a time or all together...it didn't matter. I should have cut their planer board off and took it in with me. When I got back in, treated our injuries and told the camp owner what had happened, he called the OPP and reported it. There was an incident report, investigation and fines levied.
Before anyone says, " Oh, you should have slowed down," it was impossible to see the line to the planer board. This is a regular traffic channel and no one could anticipate that a HOUSEBOAT would be dragging a planer board in a marked channel cutting off all access to that channel. I still get hot under the collar when I think about it. It could have killed my son.
Edited by rpieske 3/1/2007 10:14 AM
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Blocking off channels is bad news. I was in a backwater of the Mississippi...going 25 mph and hit a commercial fishing net that was all the way across the channel. The boat suddenly stopped and my prop got pretty chewed up.
When boats cut me off I usually first ask why they did it. If that does nothing I can within a couple feet of their boat...then they usually get the point. |
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