Bad etiquette unwritten rules on the water.......

[wolf]

As i said on the reports post some things are getting out of hand out there in sooke here is a few unwritten rules that should be applied lets try and amke athis season an enjoyable one with as less stress on everyone I think we have that already fishing is supposed to relieve all of that.....

1 . No its not ok to roar through all the boats fishing go to the outside and st up and toll in... if you want to pass through go AROUND THE FLEET its not that hard if its a gas issue and you dont want to burn extra come see me at the dock and ill toss to 6 bucks close to a gallon of gas ok....

2. RIGHT rod to shore this especially applies to sooke the boat travelling west (most time) in a flood tide gets the inside pass ill use otter for instance once a system is set up you go up on the inside which will take about 45 mins in a flood go way out on the outside (less then 10mins) get back in line and do it all over again so its in a counterclockwise rotation REALLY not that hard

3. SLOW wake zone in front of marinas im just common courtesy its not fun while fueling up your boat bouncing 3 ft in the air.


THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THEM THIS IS PLAIN OLD COMMON SENSE IM THINKING COMMON SENSE ISNT A SUPER POWER


Im sure people will add more and hope you doi will later....


Wolf

 

[the fog ducker]

if its a gas issue and you dont want to burn extra come see me at the dock and ill toss to 6 bucks close to a gallon of gas ok....

Brilliant , made my mornin ,,,totally hear ya Wolfy...
guys cutting through a fleet fishin are crying for attention ,UR WAY TO COOL !!

fd

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Rule #2 is your best IMHO, right rods (starboard side) always to the shore. There is nothing worse then
people trying to get the honey hole both ways. .................BB

 

[profisher]

This is a thread where it is hard to gauge if the wining is warranted or not..as it is one persons interpretation of what is bad etiquette. Everyone has had someone speed by them way too close at one time or another so when someone writes about this you imagine that worse case scenario. I've had fish chopped off before by boats speeding by...so if I wasn't there and reading this, my mind thinks of that and I would find it easy to agree with the person complaining. The truth may be totally different. I have a Gopro up on the mast and just to let you guys know I'll have it on and pointed forward as I pass or join the fleet, or run down the beach (no I'm not going to stop doing it) then if needed everyone can watch and SEE for themselves. Wolf I agree about the wakes from boats coming from the Prestige or Jock's not waiting until they clear the marina docks to jump on step. There are people sleeping on the outer boats at times and I've seen them dancing up and down as the idiots power up. I used to get annoyed by the people coming down the driveway at the resort at 5am yelling back and forth and out on the outer dock where people were sleeping on the bigger boats. I often had to tell my customers to keep their voices down and remind them that people were sleeping. Another one..smoking up on the docks!!!!! Out on the water who cares but when I have to walk customers down the dock, often with kids and that is wafting around and I get the look from the parents, it bugs me. Like you can't wait until you leave the marina. I also blame the marina staff for not enforcing some kind of policy.

 

[Doug]

The wake issue at Jocks docks and the Sooke Harbour Marina is a major problem this year. My boat is near the outside section of the dock and I see butt holes daily not controlling their wake. It's so bad this year my boat's bottom paint is worn off from my bumpers banging the boat and dock. It's almost at the point of someone from our dock going over and talking to some of them.

Since the boat launch was install at the Prestige Inn there are allot of inexperience people that launch their boats get 50 feet way from the dock and then hit the throttle with a massive wake trailing behind or they come back to the dock at full speed until they come 50 feet from the boat launch. It's not just the boat launch people who are the problem, I've seen all kind of people and even a few local guides performing in the same manor.

Sometimes I wonder if people can read the 4'X4' sign on the pilings which says" SLOW".

In regards to Otter Point and cutting the corner, most locals that fish the waters allot know that when the tide is ebbing hard the tide rip is not close to the point so the wave action in none existent in the first 100 feet from shore so that is why they cut the corner tight. The corner to the point is also almost un fishable due to the shallow reef (-20' deep) Only people I see fishing there are usually snagged on bottom trying to get their gear back.

Speeding past people fishing by under 150 feet of clearance is not unacceptable. So the next time you're out there flying past everyone and a person in another boat is standing up and giving you the finger clue in there is a problem. It's not hard to remember the boat and boat's name. The same thing goes for controlling your wake going past or into a marina.

Most fisherman (the guys on the form) etiquette is good and the few that are the problem are probably willing to do the correct thing but don't know any better, so until someone brings it to their attention they don't really know they are doing anything wrong.

So the best things to do is give people the finger and yell at them and get their attention the next time they are to close or not controlling their wake. It just might help them clue in they are doing something wrong..

 

[profisher]

Hey Doug, I was sitting in your wake following you through the Otter area when this issue was brought up. We bad!

 

[Sitkaspruce]

A few

- Right to the beach
- Don't fish long lines either off your DR or on top while fishing a small area with lots of boats.
- big boats (30+') need to respect smaller boats and fish along with the crowd. Nothing worse than a big boat cruising at 3-4kts and riding right up your a$$ and forcing you out of the way.
- stay on top of your fish, don't kick it out of gear right away and expect everyone to move away as your fish runs a 100 y of line out.
- Pay attention to what is going around you, too many times people only focus on their rods and not what is beside and in front of them.

As Wolf said, common sense goes a long way to all having a relaxing day on the water.

Cheers

SS

 

[Doug]

Profisher
On that day in question there were only 5 boats in the general area so I'm sure we gave everyone more than adequate space. I also didn't see anyone yelling at us or giving us the finger LOL.

I will only cut the OP corner on ebb tides and early in the morning when not many boats are around. On my return trip I usually cut to the outside of OP to avoid the fleet of boats but I don't go around all the boats because there are usually a couple stragglers fishing way way way out from OP stuck in the flood tide, but I give everyone as much space as possible (150'+).

 

[profisher]

I agree Doug, you cut between the only 2 boats between us and the next spot and you went half way between both of them which was plenty of room. I followed right on your butt and stayed inside your wake. The only other boats were up towards 2nd and 3rd rocks, we were well outside of them.

 

[yammy5]

In my opinion it is dangerous to travel inside the boats at OP. If everyone did that it would be a mess. Imagine multiple boats travelling in opposite directions in that tight corridor while trying to avoid each other with a fleet of boats to one side and shore to the other. Thankfully most guys see the common sense in travelling outside the boats.

 

[spring time]

guides you can't steer, run rods, and talk to clients all at the same time. you can think that because you are a guide you have right of way ( bamfield not you wolf ) they need to follow the same rule.

 

[fogged in]

I find the guides to be the very best at following the rules of the area I fish in Sooke.
I am talking while trolling.
(I really don`t care if someone goes between me and the shore while running to the fishing grounds as long as they have a small wake and don`t come so close as to foul my lines.)
As far as etiquette while trolling...Yes...we all from time to time find ourselves distracted but generally catch the tiller in time to correct our course, with a wave or a sorry to the poor guy you are about to run down..... wether it be the Trap, Possession, Otter or other areas, there is generally a course you should follow and not cut in or force someone off their route when they are follow the correct course.
There are bullies everywhere who take a different attitude, but generally I find everyone pretty good, probably better than they were 20 or 30 years ago when the Sooke regulars figured any outsider should bugger off.

 

[the fog ducker]

guides you can't steer, run rods, and talk to clients all at the same time. you can think that because you are a guide you have right of way ( bamfield not you wolf ) they need to follow the same rule.

cant quite put ur comment together there , have a bad experience with a Bamfield Guide ??
care to elaborate ??


fd

 

[wolf]

Thanks Yammy thats exaclly what im talking there is enough clutter if you will notice i dont do it to anyone as I hate being buzzed!!! My friend yesterday was tossed out of his seat because a local guide came about 40 ft from us when I was right at the tip of otter he was like WTF is that idiot doing (thought i was the only one thinking that) but apperentlly not. we all know where this topic went a few years back and WE DONT need to revisit it but cmon just simply go around its not that hard.....

(trust me im going to have a chat with that fellow as hes has done this to me 2 times now it WONT be a 3rd time) as hes in our marina.

Another one to bring up which I saw today is when someone has a fish on simply turn around or give a WIDE berth its hard enough to get a fish on let get it in with clients that are having a hard time all the fish are not under a given boat move for whoever it is trust me its much appreciated. today was out and guy gets a nice fish on i move from 90 ft of water all the way out to 250 ft to avoid him away from where I can see the fish going intowards the beach, but not this guy coming up from behind me he continues on the guy who has fish is now screaming like hell finally he moves and trust me he had over 100yds to respond to moving he didnt care.

just saying ....

wolf

 

[Big Green Machine]

guides you can't steer, run rods, and talk to clients all at the same time. you can think that because you are a guide you have right of way ( bamfield not you wolf ) they need to follow the same rule.

????......?.??

 

[Sharphooks]

All good points. But if common sense isn't a superpower, why do so many people come flying in to the boat launches at o'dark thirty and leave their headlights on all through the removal of the trailer straps, the launching of the boat, and the parking of the trailer? You can throw your arm up over your eyes once they blind you and they still don't get it.

 

[Dave S]

X2 not cool at all

 

[abl]

All good points. But if common sense isn't a superpower, why do so many people come flying in to the boat launches at o'dark thirty and leave their headlights on all through the removal of the trailer straps, the launching of the boat, and the parking of the trailer? You can throw your arm up over your eyes once they blind you and they still don't get it.

i know what your talking about, but most new trucks have automatic headlights. they won't go off until you set the emergency brake. I've been yelled at a few times at the ramp while moving and backing down

 

[wolf]

OK have to say something again as people seem to not know whats going on.

1 if you see someone playing a fish give them LOTS of room and or better still turn your boat around do a complete circle and then resume the 4 mins it takes to do that manuver the guy infront of you should have it under control and trust me is much appreciated you would want the same in return if you had a fish on ....nothing is more sterss full when you have a fish on and you have to YELL move your boat repeatly over and over all the while trying to position your boat and guide your clients/friend

2 please dont trolll right up on someones butt again simply do a big circle and just plain and simple give room to each other on the water its REALLY easy to do trust me.
The other day I decide to give muir a try HUGE mistake had a guy come over from my port side in the 150 200 ft mark and kept pushing me in more and more finaly i say hey buddy and further in ill be on the mud!!!! (was at 90 ft ) he said he wanted to go in closer...??? ok slow i slow down only to watch this clown drag all his gear and cannon balls up on 35 ft shelf (we all have done it)watching him scramble guess what next!!!!???? oh now hes coming back out from the shallows!!!!! wtf really I then said look how everyone goes up to up in a line west to east direction and right rod to shore on the way up......
To my amaziment he sort of got it and stayed clear sort of...

Sorry for the long rant but lets try and let people get the fish they have worked so HARD to get...

thanks Wolf

 

[salmonboy]

all those big waves from other guys passing to close help wash the blood off the sides of my boat! Fishing the trap shack on a saturday morning is my favorite!
Rollie should do a seminar on "how to drive a boat"...i guess i take "common sense" for granted, some of us have it! some of us learn it! some are helmuts!
anyway, lets all try to respect each other and bonk 3 wild coho, and 1 hatchery, thats the limit right?