Pleasure Boat Traffic

[00SKEETER]

I've never seen the pleasure boat traffic at Rough as bad as it was this weekend. I thought the $4.00 gas would slow them down. I was fishing points most of the day about 50-60 yards from the bank. I had one pleasure boat cut in between me and the bank and two pontoons pulling tubes do the same thing. They go a mouth full when they went by. Why would they want to go through a gap of 50 yards when they have the whole lake behind me. And even when they do go by you on the correct side it's like they want to see how close they can get to you. I've never seen anything like it. The funny thing is when you give them a mouth full of some choice words they look at you like they don't know what they did wrong.

[Stonewall2002]

I've never seen the pleasure boat traffic at Rough as bad as it was this weekend. I thought the $4.00 gas would slow them down. I was fishing points most of the day about 50-60 yards from the bank. I had one pleasure boat cut in between me and the bank and two pontoons pulling tubes do the same thing. They go a mouth full when they went by. Why would they want to go through a gap of 50 yards when they have the whole lake behind me. And even when they do go by you on the correct side it's like they want to see how close they can get to you. I've never seen anything like it. The funny thing is when you give them a mouth full of some choice words they look at you like they don't know what they did wrong.

I was down there weekend before last and had the same problem. I was mostly fishing the North Fork and those idiots don't give a darn about anyone who is fishing... just blast right past you, as if they are tying to throw you out of the boat with their wake. I haven't seen as many jet skis this year, but man, the large deep-draft cruisers are everywhere. I can handle the jet skiers, but I cant stand when you can hear the onboard CD player blasting rap a quarter mile before you see the cruiser turn the corner and head straight for you throwing 4' rollers. I was down there a few weeks ago and off in the distance I heard herd someone blasting "Funky Cold Medina" about 5 minutes before a 25' pontoon with a load of drunken fellas darn near scraped down the side of my boat without even looking in my direction. Swear I could have filled up my coke can with the water jet coming out of his outboard. Wish they would section off certain areas of the lake for fishing only, especially in some of the more narrower portions of Tules Creek and the North Fork.... But that will never happen, to much money to be made off of fuel and taxes on those things.

I too would have thought that the price of gas would have kept the red-neck navy in port, or at least trimmed their numbers a bit, but I guess they all have relatives in the oil business.


Keep on chuckin'

[Ranger_07]

My friend was down there this weekend and he said it was way too crowded to be fun. And he was one of the Jet Skis. HA. I can't imagine trying to fish.

[bassnyde]

Had the same experience there this weekend. First time on the lake. We were fishing a point and had several pontoons go between us and shore. After putting our hands up and giving one of them a "don't you see us fishin here?" look, the guy yells "you got the whole lake buddy, you got the whole lake." Clueless.

[rme hunter]

I fish Rough River almost every weekend and I experience the same problems as the rest of you. However, they have as much right to the water as we do and I am sure that on their discussion boards they are complaining about us. So I usually just wave and go on. I can't expect them to slow down every time they go by a bass boat.

[00SKEETER]

I agree they have the right to use the lake just like we do, but some not all seem to lack common since when operating a boat.

[smuckey41]

i found out that the best way to dill with it is to go early in the mourning and late after noon or fish dearing the week when the waters are more calm. and when they come between you and the bank make a cast and snag the driver that mite work.

chuck

[Bobby Headrick]

The pleasure boaters do not have the practice or skills that us fisherpeople do as they do not get enough practice learning teh rules and common sense needed when on the water. What kills me is the one's who wait until they have backed to the ramp and then they began unloading the tow vehicle and then load the boat with people pets coolers etc, do these people know what the ready lane is for, I can be in the water and have boat launched in about 5 to 10 mins depending how far I have to walk to park truck and that is by myself, with a partner less than 1 min. But they have a right to yse the lakes also but they need to respect the rules more, nothing more thrilling than sitting on a ledge or flat and have a 40ft cabin cruser burn by you at 40 and within 50ft of you.

[Stonewall2002]

I agree they have the right to use the lake just like we do, but some not all seem to lack common since when operating a boat.

Thats all that I ask. Common sense with a dash of common courtesy. Saddly most lack both.

Keep on chuckin'

[PROANGLER746]

What I worry about is which one of those people are so intoxicated they are just not going to see you. Fished a tourney other night and heard 4 or 5 on a boat arguing and which one was going to drown if they didnt put a life jacket on and several times..."pass me a beer". I enjoy my beer at the right places and times. operating a large boat at night on a lake is not it.

[junkfisher]

The pleasure boaters do not have the practice or skills that us fisherpeople do as they do not get enough practice learning teh rules and common sense needed when on the water. What kills me is the one's who wait until they have backed to the ramp and then they began unloading the tow vehicle and then load the boat with people pets coolers etc, do these people know what the ready lane is for, I can be in the water and have boat launched in about 5 to 10 mins depending how far I have to walk to park truck and that is by myself, with a partner less than 1 min. But they have a right to yse the lakes also but they need to respect the rules more, nothing more thrilling than sitting on a ledge or flat and have a 40ft cabin cruser burn by you at 40 and within 50ft of you.

Boat ramp circus thats what i like, nothing is more funny, or aggrevating guess it depends on the day but usually in a hurry to go fish.

[mkmsports41]

I beleive that the high fuel have made people cancel the long distance summer vactions and everyone is staying local. Which in turn is over crowding the lakes. All lakes seem to be very crowded. I was at Barren last weekend. It was terrible. I had a pontoon with a small child on a tube cut right in front of me. I had to make an immediate turn. If I would have kept straight I would have deffinetly caught the wrope.