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A boat isn't considered a "fixture", such as a dock, or swimming raft that is placed in public water.
Neither is a fish-house. The liscence you buy for a fish house makes it "yours".
Keep in mind this is refering to trespassing. You still can't damage someones property if it's on public property.
Legally, you can walk around a lake if you stay in the water. If you step on someones dock, they can't charge you with trespassing.
JS
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Posts: 52
| When someone buzzes you that way or attempts to ram you I say it is assault with a deadly weapon. Same as a car. I believe if they are threatening you in that manner you are obligated to get the cops out there. |
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Posts: 431
| I am not familiar with the law of MN, but seems to me that if you step on a dock, you are stepping on private property. In Missouri it is trespassing to step on docks. |
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Posts: 1184
Location: Iowa Great Lakes | Here in Iowa docks are public property owned and maintained by a private party. I can by law tie up to any dock I want on the lake. I cannot however walk across your property to fish that same dock unless I have your permission. |
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| You are stepping on someone's personal possesion, that they have on public property.
A dock is not property, it's a possesion.
It it were property, than your property taxes should reflect your dock size.
JS |
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Posts: 552
Location: WI | Not being in the situation yet, I would have to say I would just ignore the guy, some idiot on shore yelling at me about fishing by his land doesn't really warrant a response. I understand a guy works hard for their cabin on the lake, I myself would love to own one some day(and I would love to see people catching giant muskies by it), but sorry, the $80,000 you paid for that half acre of LAND stops at the shoreline. If the guy becomes threatening or starts coming at you w/ his boat, then it's time to jot some numbers down and get the authorities involved b/c that's just ridiculous. As much fun as it would be to tell the guy what you truly feel about him and owning the lake, it's better to have one guy looking like the jacka** than both. |
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Location: Sun Prairie, WI | I think I'd laugh out loud at the guy for a few minutes, then tell him politely it's not his lake. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Hoop,
Now THAT is funny. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I like this "or (my personal favoritie) you can scan in a map and mark the location of you new friend and encourage everyone on the boards to fish this area." Just to make a pass to piss him off.
I would ignore him at first and keep fishing.
If it got dangerous, I would honestly getting closer to shore so he could not get so close and if he stopped we could settle it on our feet in the water. No ones land. A few lumps on his head might knock some sense into him. Everyone has a boiling point. Disregard for safety is mine.
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I don't know everyone...sketchy at best what to do in a pinch, but in MN, I would be on the phone with details to the DNR. Get the DNR out there to witness the act somehow, or if you are like many, video tape it for evidence. It's called harrassment and it is against the law.
I think overall I would continue to fish it just to get a rise out of the owner, but that's just me... Let him call me names and such and I would just say thank you... smile and say have a wonderful day and continue fishing. Honestly, they hate that more because they are not getting the confrontation they are looking to get...
Steve |
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| I fish Lotw most of the year. I would like to know where this event happened so I could avoid the area or not. Do you have GPS coordinates. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | On Lake Melissa in Minnesota, I had two different situations come up while we were bass fishing. And it was handled two different ways....
First, we came up to one dock and caught a bass on it. This lady came down and asked us how we were doing. After that she said that those bass were "pets" and they feed them. I told her that we weren't keeping any of the fish and that we would return any fish we caught right back into the water. She was happy with that and told us good luck and walked away.
Second dock, just down the lake. We are bass fishing again. Lady comes out and tells us *first* politely to not fish there because those were "HER" fish and that their grandchildren fish for the panfish under the dock. I explained that we were bass fishing first and that we were not keeping any fish we caught. She continued to threaten us by telling us she was going to call the Sheriff and that , that, was her water. I calmly explained that she could more than happily call the Sheriff and that she did not own the water. She then marched down to the dock, walked out on the dock and jumped up and down and thus scaring all the fish away. My buddy and me had to hold it in from laughing at the spectical of watching this. Given that there are about a thousand docks on this lake, we certainly didn't care and could move on.
Now, when I dock fish, I have much respect for that dock. I don't cast up onto boats or lifts and I don't get too close. I am also very quiet and if someone is on the dock or a family around the dock or land, I don't fish it. BUT, this lady that got me riled up.....
The next day, we came back and we both got our limits of bluegills. I paid my license, those were my fish first. |
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Posts: 7
| We've had guests harassed by ignorant/arrogant property owners and even had a couple of guests threatened by one particularly ornery property owner. After speaking with an OPP officer, I was encourage to report these incidents in any case where any threats were made and then followed by aggressive action. Certainly the video link showed a perfect example of when the authorities should be contacted. If for no other reason than to establish a pattern of behavior by this property owner. Do you best to get boat registration numbers in any other circumstances like these happen out on the water where you can't point to a cabin or something else to connect to the boat to an owner.
I try not to fish in front of cabins when people are at their property unless I know them. It does irritate me a little when people from other parts of the lake come and and cast around our resort docks. But that is more a case of having people coming and going and it creating a bit of a safety issue or disrupting our guests trying to come and go as they please. |
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Posts: 53
Location: Tomahawk, WI | I've never had anything like that happen and hope I never do. If it does, most likely I'll just ignore and keep fishing, if I'm feeling hornry, I'll wave and ask if they've had any luck. When someone goes past my dock fishing I just watch to see if they catch anything. If I'm on the dock or doing something in my boat it's just the usual BS between fisherman. They stop casting when they get close and don't cast until they get a few feet past so that there isn't any chance of splashing me, the normal courtesy, and sometimes info is traded. Just the same as if we were on the water and had to pass one another. |
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Posts: 250
Location: Pittsburgh, PA | I'm not used to fishing on lakes and have never been in a situaiton like that before but if it did happen id probaly be pretty mad and tell the guy ill fish anywhere i want but id probaly say it in a different tone |
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | I haven't read all of everyones else responses but I do have to say since I have my family (3 young kids) in the boat most of the time I don't take things like that lightly. I know this isn't the right thing or the best thing to do but if the opportunity presented itself (such as landing at the same time) I would have to confront them. I'm a respectful, reasonable, and considerate person (so all it would take is someone just talking to me about my intrusion) and those who know me know that it takes a lot to provoke me but put my families health at risk and I will take yours. I avoid situations like that and conflicts but some people just don't now when enough is enough. I'm sure some don't agree with me but it's how I feel. But in most situations I would just report them if it seems that is the end of it but if our paths crossed I probably couldn't help myself.
Edited by Targa01 3/15/2008 7:31 PM
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| in a situation like this i try to remember to ask myself: is my response going to make this situation better or worse? i have an uncanny ability to say just the right thing to make things worse in situations like this, so i try to remember to defuse things instead. i'm not always successful... 
no spot on any lake is worth the stress. if someone wants to get belligerent, i can move on and at the end of the day it doesn't really mean anything to me. that's the best way to keep myself, my boat, and my family safe.
i'm not one who tolerates bullying, and having seen enough to know, i'm not one who backs down to those who believe they're tough. but over something like a fishing spot? smile, move on, and enjoy my day on the water.
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Posts: 76
| Throw out an anchor, set up shop, and enjoy the show. I have never had something like this happen but I imagine it would be quite amusing.
How could you not mess with a person this dumb. Shoot em the moon. You'd have to do a little antagonizing. |
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | Lambeau said it much better than I did and I don't know if he was responding to my response about being a 'tough guy' but that's not my point. Point being there is a line where it goes beyond what the situation ever calls for, example being a guy playing chicken with my boat and family in it. I don't look at it as bulling when provoked by putting ones family in harms way. Wrong or right it's a natural response.
Your right now spot is worth it and if I can get out then I do but there are times that it doesn't stop at that. |
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Posts: 335
Location: Minnesota | I agree that the law is on your side in all of these situations and should be called in as soon as possible.
I also agree that the laws in MN do allow someone to go onto a dock that is on public waters just the same as a deer stand on public land. No - you can't go into their boat and "take it for a spin". It is a licensed motorized vehicle and would be treated the same way as your vehicle parked at the public access on public land.
I have had a similar situation where a property owner came down screaming at us to get away from his docks and quit fishing so close. We just waved and said good morning and kept on fishing our way down the shoreline and that was the end of it. I hope that everyone would do the same and not provoke these idiots. That is what they are looking for so why play their game? |
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| Never have I been subjected to that. I would have called the poilce & pressed charges for assault with a deadly weapon after seeing the video.
Last year I had a lady come out with a tray of cookies for us. We were fishing the shorline in front of thier beautiful cabin & this sweet old lady came out with homemade cookies for us. She was so nice & told us stories about her sons catching fish off their pier. We talked for an hour at least...
I'll never forget that & if I see anyone fishing by our pier this summer. I will remember that.
Can I get in trouble if I give a guys beers on the boat? We close on a cabin on lake Nokomis in Tomahawk WI on the 30th of this month & I hope to see people fishing our pier. If I see something go in the livewell, I will be very nice & remind them about the catch & release efforts all the local clubs work on.
First thing that goes up is a big sign that say's support catch & release programs on a tree that is close to our pier. |
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| well if you are going to be giving free beer out from your pier, I'd suggest being aware that you might have a lot of people fishing by your dock..once the word gets out |
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| As an ex-bass fisherman (hehe) I got that alot. I actualy had guy threaten to tip my canoe when I was 12 years old. Guys like that dont care about anything that you would try to tell them. So all you can do is move on.
Tommy Boley |
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