encroachment

[justacanoe]

any advice on handling encroachment on your spot. you know, you spend all week checking bathymetry maps, pick your day, prep gear, get to the lake, motor/paddle to spot, catch a fish (or not). have some dang-gone fool run down the lake with a Ray electric (twice) or a kayaker (once) straight at you until and they sit less than a boat cast away. a few feet in some moronic instances.

ok, you say, just talk to them. so I tried it. one knucklehead - the yakker - told me "its a big lake", gesturing magnaniminously across his chest as if I should leave. The Ray inbreds motor right up to me and just sort of sit there and stare like "are you DONE YET".

usually I'll just yield the spot, but golly gee willackers, a whole box of tackle just fell onto the boat floor. what a racket (so sorry). ooopsee. my boot BANGED like a M-F on the floor too. (sorry). just wait until the anchor comes up, smile. finally, I resolve to return ASAP to fish the cr@p out of that spot (again and again) so that every time they return there are looking at sullen, hammered fish. other than that, it doesn't bother me a bit.

**

how do you guys handle it? a kayaker kumbaya, fistfight, passive resistance ala some canoe fool, Zen indifference.

yaya, "just move on, catch a fish some other spot, develop a new spot" yada yada. sounds nice but some guy just jumped on my woman!

[archeryrob]

I would usually say something in a really nice tone, like I was trying to be friendly, but trying to piss them off. But that's just me.

Greg and I did a float one day from Dam 5 to Williamsport. When we pulled into Wiliamsport for the drop off, I knew we were going to have problems as they were setting up for a bass tourney. We launched at Dam 5 anyways and figured we'll just fish with them. I was not even past the first Islands and a dude in his Jon boat zips up and cuts off my float on the weed bed on the side of the island where I would float into him. I put my foot down in the shallow water to stop and said "No, really, pardon me!" in a very Sarcastic tone. They felt bigger boat they could do what they wanted. Of course they were using white tubes, just like every other jon boat that day, almost. I had two rods with a spinner bait and a fluke. I let them float down and I started in after they caught nothing. I caught a nice 13" and held it and and said, "You missed this one!" Nicely. Then a minute later a 14.25" one "You missed this one too. Here, you want him?" as I dropped him in the water "Sorry, I dropped him." They started the motor and went down stream and I never saw them again the rest of the day.

Polite Sarcasm does wonders for me.

Another one but this is hunting. I was setup in 1' of water. Its barren here, the fish hate it but the geese like it. A guy trolling motors up on my decoys and starts casting through them.

Me "What are you doing, You're going to hook my decoy cords!"
Him "I want to fish this spot"
Me " I have not seen a fish in here all morning."
Him "This is public water, I can fish where ever I want."
Me "You're right! Have at it. I just hope you don't mind me shooting over your head when the geese come."

Not another word said and he started the trolling motor and moved on. They want to be big bullies. The problem is most are not smart enough to handle a couple well placed, sharply witted comments. If it isn't fists, they don't know how to respond.

[whenican]

I often fish solo but sometimes I don't mind the company. If I practically get run down by
someone in full throttle who encroaches the spot I will thank them for spooking the fish
or I'll ask them why they raced over here to sunbathe, a'int nothin biting now... but mostly I think about how the fish must be laughing at us at the things we do to try to catch them. I've shared spots w/other kayakers & boaters & I've met mostly great sportsmen(&women). It's those few who operate w/little regard to safety in mind from whom I prefer to stay away by paddling away & exploring a new spot.

[CB kayak 02]

I had a $50K bass come up on me at on the MAKBF events last year and I just held my ground. They weren't even fishing for bass in they're nice boat, crappie of all things. They anchored, made all kinds of noise and I just let it go. But it was pretty much soon after they came in around me the bite shut down. They went off on their way for a bit and then came back in the afternoon and I was still there. Then I gave them a piece of my mind ("a are you f'n kidding me"). I also had a few other kayakers within auditory distance so they had my back if something went wrong. They went on to threaten me that they would run me over with their boat and that they had been fishing there all week. And I responded sure you were, because I fished here all day yesterday too and a go right ahead it will be my boat if you try that.

1st come first served IMO, but I have no issues fishing close quarters with boats or kayaks, but have the respect to be quiet, don't get within casting distance and overall just be friendly.

[Jaspratt]

I keep close by a sling shot and 1/4" steel shot. And a 10" kabar. Plan on buying a flare gun to keep along because some ppl dont get the point. But before any of that happens i usually stay curtious and i dont mind sharing a spot but if you try to push me out like a dick ill show you how to shoot eyes out with a sling shot.

[Mattybofmd]

I don't recommend any1 do what I do. I'm a lifelong Baltimore resident and I've had a lot of adversity to contend with. If you disrespect me I'll be nice ask you to step out of my bubble. If you don't then ill disrespect you x2. Something like "hey nice $50,000 boat I bet you drive a little red sports car also. Compensating for something much?" Just leave me fish in peace is all I ask

[bignose]

I don't recommend the sling shot approach, after all, it is assault, but I do find it very satisfying to bounce a lure off of the other other guy's hull. Shad darts pinging off of an aluminum hull make a very enjoyable sound. If you are close enough for me to do that, then you are too close.
Since I pour my own darts, I am not opposed to breaking several off on a guys anchor rope. Enjoy pulling that up and then trying to dig them out of the line.

[bgriff]

I haven't had this happen while fishing from a kayak yet, but it's happened plenty of times to me while fishing from the shore under the Kent Narrows bridge for stripers at night. You get there, jockey for position to get the best spot, wait for the tide to get rolling through there just right and here comes a guy in his bass boat or center console and anchors or ties off right where I've been casting. I use to yell out some smart ass comment, but found it much more effective to place my ounce and 1/2 jig head within a few feet of their boat. They usually don't notice at first and you see em get excited like its fish feeding on top. Once they realize what's going on they will say something and I will just put my hand up to my ear like I can't hear what they're saying and shrug my shoulders. This is usually enough to piss em off and they move on. If not than after our lines get crossed a few times and I reel in and cut off their jigs they get the hint and will move out to the next set of pilings.

[Runnin]

Most fisherman I have found to be pretty respectful. Most water is pretty big . I generally don;t fish spots. I try to fish patterns. The times I have run into jerks encroaching, they have been tourney fishers. I have had them expect me to vacate before because they were in a tourney.

They can be quite full of themselves.