SCLakes.com

Isnt there some law against this, like a 50 yard rule or something. Its really getting out of hand the way boaters pay run within casting distance of a anchor boat/fisherman. Ive had people cut right across the point im fishing so many times i cant count, and they act like they dont know what the hell is the matter. now im sure some idiot pleasure boaters dont know, but fisherman do know better. and its getting to be a big problem, you can hardly fish a hump without someone running right by you. Boaters really need to pay more attention to where they are goin and the boats around them. its frickin ludacris the way some of these poontooners come so close. anyone else having more problems with this than before?

my question is whats the law on the situation and if there is one, why isnt it enforced?



i think you should be required to pocess a boat driving license to operate a boat, maybe it would keep people with more money than sense off the lake.

JMHO

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Fish naked - show off your pole!
Dont eat bass - eat spots!
www.foothillsbassmasters.com

Yes, it is a problem. Not just boats but PWC also. I don't think there is a law regulating this kind of thing but there should be. I once caught a PWCter with a Zara Spook on Lake Hickory when I lived in Hickory in the early 80's and I was more fit!!!!!. Jerked him off the PWC. The reason I threw it was that he got me wet when he turned on me. It was the 2nd pass that I threw it. Lost a good Zara!!!!!!!

I probably could have reported him for recless endangerment but it would have been his word against mine.

He just got in the way of my cast. :D :D :D

Remember that when someone comes flying between you and the point. You are fishing top water aren't you

I agree about licensing. And I don't think anyone under 21 should ba able to drive a PWC. Good luck with that one, right.

Good meeting you last Monday will surely see ya on the lake again. Jim and I are planning to donate another $20 to the Martins

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The ONLY thing we have to fear is--------EVERYTHING!!!!

Something needs to be done. I've had my share of dumb ARSES cutting in front of me and a point while I'm casting a huge TW, blade, or CR. All I know is if it ever hit anybody that's going to leave an ugly scar.

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88

Maybe you were on thier brush pile.............

Actually Minnow I agree we need to start licensing and ticketing boaters. Maybe throw in some laws about reasonable sized wakes....

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JoJo’s [strike]best (and only) [/strike] , [strike]orphaned[/strike], [strike]estranged [/strike] , reinstated NC fishing buddy

SS hope this helps, if it happens again just get the boat numbers and call it in, they want like the fine. The lwa you are asking about is 50 feet and it's just like going through one of the "NO WAKE ZONES". Any information is on the DNR web site under the boating page.

It's the Law: On the Water
In addition to the laws mentioned previously, here are some other South Carolina regulations that apply when boat and PWC operators are on the water.

Negligent, Reckless, and Other Illegal Operation
The failure to exercise the care necessary to protect the safety of persons or property is illegal. Examples of negligent, reckless, and other illegal operation are:

Weaving your boat or PWC through congested traffic.
Crossing the path or wake of another boat unnecessarily close to the other boat or when visibility around the other boat is restricted.
Causing your boat or PWC to leave the water completely while crossing the wake within 200 feet of the other boat.
Swerving at the last moment to avoid a collision.
Boating in restricted areas without regard for other boaters or persons, posted speeds and wake restrictions, diver-down flags, etc.
Failure to maintain a proper lookout for other boats or persons.
Towing a person on water skis, a surfboard, or similar device behind your boat or PWC in such a way that it causes the towed person to collide with another person or object or to pass through a swimming area.
Allowing passengers to ride on the bow, gunwale, transom, seat backs, seats on raised decks, or any other place where there may be a chance of falling overboard.
Allowing passengers to swim within 50 feet of a public boat landing or ramp.
Chasing, harassing, or disturbing wildlife.
Speed Regulations
Failure to regulate speed is defined as operating a boat or PWC at speeds that may cause danger, injury, damage, or unnecessary inconvenience.
You may not operate a boat or PWC in excess of idle speed within 50 feet of:
A moored or anchored boat
A wharf, pier or dock
A person in the water
Operating in excess of idle speed within 100 yards of the Atlantic coastline is prohibited.
Maintain idle speed when in the vicinity of a boat flashing a blue light.
Boat operators are also responsible for any damage caused by their wake.
"Idle Speed" or "No Wake, Idle Speed"
When you see these buoys or signs they indicate a restricted boating area established to protect the safety of the public and property. In these areas a boat cannot proceed at a speed greater than that speed necessary to maintain steerage way.

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Joey

Keep It Wet! Take One Make One! Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs! In God We Trust! Happy Trails To You Until we Meet Again!

Who was the pro who got thrown out for almost hitting a camera boat and some spectators I think it was last year? Not even sure what Tx it was, maybe the BassMasters? People need to use some sense. RM

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God Bless America, Land that I love

It's only a gambling problem if you lose

good to meet you too bob, and im sure that spook smarted on the way out but man i hate to lose a good TW - i keep a jiggin spoon on for the same reason, plus it makes an amazing echo bouncing off a pontoon.

thanks boog, i thought there was some kind of law about it, reckon if i start writing all these boat numbers down and call them in, will something actually get done about it? can they really do anything about a complaint without evidence?

are there any RANGERS that read on this site? if so what is your take on the problem? im very interested in knowin

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Fish naked - show off your pole!
Dont eat bass - eat spots!
www.foothillsbassmasters.com

I suspect every state has rules like those. Good to know. Speed??? Are some of these bass boats TOO fast for the law?

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Release the fighter! Gators rule the SEC!!!!! Seminoles ruled the ACC!!!!! (now past tense)

Laws are only as good as the people that enforce them and if the laws in SC are actually there but there is no one out there to enforce them then why bother writing them. We have laws here pretty much the same as those Booger posted. Some of our laws are even stricter. But where are the cops that are suppose to enforce them? I have been fishing in Tennessee for the last 25 years and have yet to have a TWRA/DNR boat drive up to me and ask me for a fishing license/ safety check because except on Holiday weekends they don't patrol the lakes and then they are trying to catch drunk drivers not checking for anything else. It has been left up to the boaters to partol themselves and that is like trusting convicts in prison to remain there if there is a whole in the wall that is suppose to keep them in. I am truly surprised that there are not more shootings and killings on the lakes. I know I have gone through the point fishing problem till I almost quit fishing points to prevent a killing. As far as PWC's I don't have half as many problems with young people driving them as I do when you see a gray haired old man about 70 years old out on one doing 50 or 60 mph cause he is positive that he owns the entire lake and he will drive within 20 feet or less of you every chance he gets. If a kid runs close to you and you look hard at them they won't look at you cause they know they did wrong. That old man will look you right in the eyes like he is daring you to say something so most times I just give them the finger and continue fishing.
There is only one law I would like to see written and enforced and that is the CHANNEL LAW. If they would write one law that would restrict all pleasure boats to remain in between the channel markers in the Rivers and Creeks unless going to an area to drop anchor and spend at least 3 hours or more that would help tremendously. That would put a stop to Pontoons, PWC's, Ski boats and Cabin Cruisers from going between you and the points unless the channel is between you and the point, but again the law would not work if you don't have Law Enforcement on the water to enforce it.
Another thing that has been debated here many times is the Anchor law. Bass anglers have argued it for years about boats running right up on them and then waking them and not giving them the 50 feet rule and our DNR/TWRA says that it does not apply to bass boats because you are not anchored if you are using your trolling motor. You are under power. Anchored is defined and having a weight on the bottom of the lake holding the boat in it's position.
Now if we look at what we have in out states is: we have the laws written, we don't have the Law Enforcement doing the job of enforcing them. There in is where the problem lies.

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

Some good points Coontie and Softy. The education programs for young people on PWC has helped. The older PWC drivers and some of our bretheren in bass/ fishing boats are as reckkless as anybody out there anymore. The states aren't going to invest a lot more in enfoirceent, but based on teh PWC it appears there is some benfit to education. If you required education to get a boating license regardless ofage that might help. Administer it through the DMV

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JoJo’s [strike]best (and only) [/strike] , [strike]orphaned[/strike], [strike]estranged [/strike] , reinstated NC fishing buddy

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this or not but it seems like when I am fishin and the skiers are out, they always tend to fall off the skis near my boat for some odd reason. They get back on ski down the lake 3 or 4 miles get up beside my boat and fall off again. Talking about some HUGE wakes. Its almost like riding a bull.

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Was that you?

Yea shot, That seems to happen to me alot also. It seems like the guy can stay up on the skies for 15 miles but when they get close to you they just seem to loose control and fall. You don't think they would do that on purpose do ya?

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!

We need a bag/creel limit on them, that would help out a great deal.

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Thomas Constant, Jr.
Loyalty before all else exept Honor.
Its all fun and games until they open the trunk.

I was fishing a point in a creek last evening about an hour before dark when two guys came around the corner in a bath tub with a trolling motor and a motor that looked like in might have been a Scott Atwater made about 1950 tiller steer. I am setting on the end of the point about 15 yards from land in 10 foot of water throwing up in two feet of water. They drove right between me at the land. I refrained from saying any thing. I just looked at them kinda hard. They went around the point a about five minutes later here they came back around the point with all intention of going back between me and the land again. I reached down and came up with my gun and made it quit clear for them to see and all of a sudden their boat changed direction and they decided to fish someplace else. Now mind you I had an entire creek about 300 yards wide behind my boat for them to go around behind my boat and they wanted to go between me and the point of land , not once but twice. I bet they remember my Skeeter next time they are out on the water and they will probaly shoot me...........

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Life Jackets and Kill switch's save lives! Soft baits catch fish softer baits catch more fish!
I carry a gun cause a cop is to heavy and when seconds count the police are only minutes away!!