Got to read this!

[MagikSmallie]

FROM ANOTHER BOARD, BUT A GOOD READ FOR ALL BOATERS
(I almost always keep an extra rod and 6 oz sinker at bay for any one/thing that gets to close!)

The Tennessean.com
Class preaches etiquette for all lake users
Boats, Jet Skis learn to share area waters
12:01 AM, May. 19, 2011

At some point during his boating safety classes, when he talks about personal watercraft operators getting along with fishermen in boats, Mike Majka tells the same chilling stories.

Never mind if the stories are true. Majka is determined to get his point across to those who operate Jet Skis, Ski-Doos, Waverunners and other personal watercraft.

?One of the biggest things I push is boating etiquette ? it?s OK to do this and it?s just not cool to do that,? Majka said. ?I tell horror stories I?ve heard about personal watercraft operators buzzing into areas where fisherman are fishing and the fishermen casting lures into their neck or their arm.

?These are probably just wives? tales, but I pass them along just to get the point across that we need to be the better boater.?

Saturday is the start of National Safe Boating Week, when the National Safe Boating Council partners with state fish and game agencies to promote safe practices.

No matter how large the river or lake, there seldom seems to be ample space for pleasure boaters, anglers and personal watercraft operators to all get along.

The rift has existed since jet skiing became popular in the late 1970s, yet Majka is sure all the groups are capable of co-existing.

?I don?t look at it as a fisherman has more rights here than a pleasure boater or jet skier,? he said. ?I think we?re all equal. And the one thing we must all keep in mind is it?s a give-and-take thing. It?s a matter of treating others how you want to be treated on the water.?

We are all ALMOST equal on the water. However there remains a distinct difference between fisherman and "pleasure boaters". The fisherman just want to run to the next spot and fish without having a jetski or ski boat run back and forth back and forth back and forth close enough to cause wake not to mention the annoyance of just having something compared to a mosquito buzzing around your ear. Pleasure boaters should just stick to main lake and swing wide of fisherman and not push the issue as I've had some do to me by running over the same patch of water 500 times!!! If you're within in casting distance of me, YOUR TOO CLOSE and had better back off! No hard feelings for pleasure boaters just don't get too close to me and don't run back and forth over the same stretch of water behind me! of course in the summer time I like to run way up the lake to stay away from em!

[Astrobass]

I was fishing a main lake bluff wall one morning at Green. When a pleasure boater unloaded at Ramp 1. Then proceeded to move my way, stop within 100' of me, drop his wakeboarder off, then take off. Needless to say that I was getting beat and pushed closer to the wall. Then to make matters worse as soon as I got corrected and away from the wall, low and behold, here comes mr. wakeboarder back by, along the same track about 100' away. Once again, I had to move hard to get away from the bank to keep from becoming part of it. I cranked up and headed home.

Moral of the story. There are good and bad in all boaters, be them pleasure boaters or fishermen.

[roadrunner]

We are all ALMOST equal on the water. However there remains a distinct difference between fisherman and "pleasure boaters". The fisherman just want to run to the next spot and fish without having a jetski or ski boat run back and forth back and forth back and forth close enough to cause wake not to mention the annoyance of just having something compared to a mosquito buzzing around your ear. Pleasure boaters should just stick to main lake and swing wide of fisherman and not push the issue as I've had some do to me by running over the same patch of water 500 times!!! If you're within in casting distance of me, YOUR TOO CLOSE and had better back off! No hard feelings for pleasure boaters just don't get too close to me and don't run back and forth over the same stretch of water behind me! of course in the summer time I like to run way up the lake to stay away from em!

On the other hand I have seen and have done it and that is fish the break in the secondary channel you are going to have to put up with pleasure baoters giving you big wakes. If you can't take it you need to move don't expect them to come off plane when your in the channel.

[Carter1]

As much as I can't stand the rude pleasure boaters I can't stand the rude fishermen either. We've all seen them. One time while fishing Guist Creek, an idiot in a pontoon came ripping by me and way too close. I should have taken down his boat number but it was too late when I thought of it. I was fishing near the bank in the ski zone. It is a wide area. And he was running along the bank at full speed like I was not even there. As I've stated before, I don't mind you "running" past me when the area is wide enough but not when it is narrow or if you get too close. This guy was just a butt.

[creeker]

Gentlemen,
I'm sure this is going to stir a storm that I don't intend, but you need to go back and re-read the comments already posted. Most of these postings come off as very arrogant:

"I was fishing near the bank in the ski zone." Would it have been better if he was towing a skier?

"No hard feelings for pleasure boaters just don't get too close to me and don't run back and forth over the same stretch of water behind me!" So if its behind you, you own it?

[FlyLie]

Gentlemen,
I'm sure this is going to stir a storm that I don't intend, but you need to go back and re-read the comments already posted. Most of these postings come off as very arrogant:

"I was fishing near the bank in the ski zone." Would it have been better if he was towing a skier?

"No hard feelings for pleasure boaters just don't get too close to me and don't run back and forth over the same stretch of water behind me!" So if its behind you, you own it?

Point made and understood. Point is we must all share the water and give RESPECT to others on the water. No to difficult to understand, but sometimes maybe we forget.