Gas Theft On Table Rock

[walleyeman]

As a full time dock owner for 11 years I have never been ripped off. I am sure that is partly luck, but it's not so bad here that you can't leave your boat overnight. Maybe you will lose your stuff but I think the odds are in your favor.

[Chris Tetrick]

Thiefs hitting boat docks blow big donkey go-nads! My fist boat I got when I was 15 was an ugly lookin' blue Bass Cat phelix model. Kept it tied up in my dad's boat slip a few nights and got tired of taking everything out, every night. Decided putting the tub back on the trailer was a lot easier and had a lot more security knowing it would be by where I was.

Dock thiefs are going to be everywhere, any part of the lake, of any lake. Table Rock, Grand, even Lake X if there is one. Sad but true. Like Babler said even a long time ago people would steal from his resort dock and had to take eveything out of every boat or have it swipped. Now-a-days I couldn't imagine myself or any of you fishin' partners leaving anything left alone at night docked left for a these night prowlers. I know it'd be nice to leave the boat all tied up in your dock to wake up to in the morning to go fizzin' but we'd all better protect our babies and trailer them.

[soggyfeet]

Hey Skeeter just a thought. I dont know how the rules of night fishing or boating are for sure but I would think that honest night fisherman would still have their running lights on and wouldnt be getting on docks and looking to snoop around in boats. Your neighborhood watch is a great idea but instead of getting yourself or one of you neighbors in trouble why dont you have the waterpatrol and police on speed dial and call if you or anyone else sees a boat crusing around without lights on or you see someone getting into boats and lockers. I can see if a fisherman has a bad cast and needs to get close to a dock to get unsnagged but I dont see anyreason they need to get onto or even within 5 or 10 yards of a dock. Thats the reason we have casting rods these days instead of the old cane poles.

[Whack'emGood]

Thats a bad idea soggyfeet. If people did this, they would be harrassing honest night fisherman. You are wrong to think that "honest" night fisherman would leave their running lights on while fishing. I always (sorry water patrol) turn my running lights off while I am fishing, as do most every other serious night fisherman I know. If you've night fished much at all, you will notice that most everybody turns their lights off while fishing. When you approach someone, they will turn their lights on (blink them on and off a couple of times usually) to let you know they are on or near the spot that you are passing thru or getting ready to fish. Some guys use those neon night fishing lights, so they can see their lines, but they will turn their running lights off. Of course, we all (I hope) use our running lights while running-- but not fishing. Sorry water patrol, but I have never had, heard of, or seen, a problem with this.

You are correct that nobody needs to get within 5-10 feet of somebody's dock though. Nobody needs to get on anyones dock. If I were to accidentally cast a lure onto someones dock, and I can't drag it off of there or reach it with my rod tip when I get close to the dock, I just break it off and leave it. A lure is not worth giving someone the wrong idea about you-- if you're honest, the last thing you want is for someone to get the wrong idea and think you are a theif.

Whack'em

[fishingjim]

I lived on a pretty good bass lake in FL a few years ago. Nobody left their boats at their docks. Slips or lifts, it didn't matter. Most of the time they stole the boat!!! It would be found later stripped. The crooks usually used a chain saw to cut the motor from the stern. It's a shame, but that's just the way ii is.

[denjac]

I may be wrong but thought there was some kind of nautical or maritime law that said you could use a dock for emergeinces or dangerous situations. I used one Saturday to escape the storm that came in. I almost got a ticket years ago on Stockton for fishing without my lights on. And I was fishing under a light up by the Dam. He said as a curtesy they let the fisherman shut them off, but that we were supposed to have them on. He was being a jerk and really tried making an issue of it.

[Trav]

Denjac,

Your right, it should be the courteous thing to allow people to take shelter on your dock but times have changed. You cant trust anyone these days. Get on my dock and my dog will bite! I suggest you go over to Rockaway side of the river for shelter. much more accessible anyway. No offense but private property is private property and the owner has the right to refuse.

[soggyfeet]

As you might be able to tell I am not a boater yet. I am wondering what the advantages of turning you running lights off when fishing at night. I relize there is a speed limit at night but also there are the drunk boaters out there and maybe the lights wont help but I think I would want any kind of visiable thing I could get so other boaters could see you. I wouldnt think the red and green lights would alarm the fish being the rumor is they cant see these colors anyway and the white one on the back should only be visable after you pass the fish. I can understand the lights being turned off if its a battery wear down thing but other than that I dont get it. Dont take it the wrong way I just havent fished from a boat at night.

And even if it cause a little harrasment just to let the baoter know there is someone watching would detour a thief. If a dock or home owner were to say hows it going to let there know they are there isnt too much harrasment.

[Trav]

State Law requires that a boat has running lights on after dark if not anchored ,moored, or tied up.

[soggyfeet]

So a boater can be anchored up in the middle of the lake and not have lights on?