New limit regs/Boating etiquette

[tippet7]

Yes Moose they are going to have a dock and test drives available. I dont know the exact regs they will have to comply with (maybe phil knows) but i for one dont like the idea of an already crowded and narrow waterway being further crowded by someone who wants to see how fast a boat with a 225 hp engine can go, or how sharply it will be able to turn. from what i understand there is going to be a dock where regular boaters can tie off and go eat lunch or walkaround the landing. there is going to an awful amount of boat traffic on the lower end and someone is going to end up getting rammed.

As far as the guide that tries to swamp wading fishermen, i have said something to him one time and he told me "mind your own F&*^&^#% business. I will get my clients to the fish as fast as possible" I just called him an A-hole and hung up the phone.

[moose50]

last august on table rock we were skiing and doin some recreational boating on my parents 28ft ski boat. anyway pullin my buddy on skis he falls off we go back swing the rope around to him getting ready to take off and outta nowhere this bass boat had to have been from the bps resort we were close to. flies by topend about 15 ft away from my buddy. cpl idiots. we had a lil island we made base at and my parents and my wife and 2 yr old son were in the water swimming and the same 2 idiots swang back around doin all kinds of crazy sh@# if i had a gun i woulda shot em really that pissed me off lil kid out in the water and they are goin balls to the wall within 30 ft couldnt keep up with em either hard to do when a boat half the weight has around the same horses pushin it and no didnt get the boat number either. just a bad deal and lucky no one was killed by theese clowns

not being arrogant by saying 28 ft ski boat my point of that wich i forgot to say is its not hard to see something that big and red. we had a ski flag up too

[peegee12]

It seems to me that a horsepower-limit like is used on the Ozark Scenic Riverways might work on Taneycome ... for instance, nothing above 25 hp from Fall Creek to the Dam, 50 hp limit from Hwy 65 bridge to Fall Creek, unlimited from Hwy 65 bridge downstream. Narrow channels and big bass boats driven too fast are a potentially lethal mix ... this would keep the new BPS marina "test drivers" downstream, and put folks back in boats that are more appropriate for the waterway.

[moose50]

thats an idea peegee i have a 25 horse now but i wouldnt mind getting one of those bass trackers with the jet drive on it i think that rates at 175 not sure though. how bout keepeing the test drives between the last resort at branson and rockaway that way it doesnt bother the people on the docks downstream of the lake front as much or the trophy waters at all and from what i remember there is a decent amount of water down that way with not much on the shoreline a lil past janet dailys old place

[loo10]

"BPS (Bass Pro Shop) having a boat test facility on Taney"

is a disappointing thought.

But so is that Vegas-style eyesore they've turned the

Branson Lakefront into.

I love fishing Taney.

And depending on the circumstances, I fish it all different ways.

Boat - wade- flyfishing - artificials - bait.

Sometime I catch-n-release...sometimes I keep some to eat.

So I truly understand all angles being expressed in this post.

My vote is for anything that improves the fishing resource.

If that's outlawing tournaments - I'm for it.

If it's improved minimum flow - I'm for it.

If it's broader length slots - I'm for it.

If it's anti-business but good for the fishing - I'm for that too.

[Rick F]

What this comes down to is courtesy towards other fishermen or fisherwomen. I have only fished your area 3 times as I am from upper midwest. I love fishing down there and the scenery is to die for. However, my first complaint was too many people don't know how to operate a boat or to fish from a boat. I passed 5 people fishing anchored in the channel. I saw one boat buzz two other boats within 15 feet. I believe people who are in a hurry believe in fishing quantity over quality. The more casts I make the more fish I catch. If you know how to fish you can be courteous, take your time and still catch fish. You can always do what I've seen people up here do. Have a spare rod with 5 oz of lead weight on the end, you see a buzzer coming by, fling that weight right in front and have him drive through 20 lb test line. Line won't break and the weight eventually hits him in the arm or head after you set the bail or leaves a nice dent on the side of the boat. Now I would never do this, I just make sure they know I think they are number 1 in my book.

[NJ John]

i heard that B.P.S. is goin to have a boat test facility on the taney lakefront. if so what do you think this will do to lake traffic. it doesnt sound like a good idea to me, the lake isnt that big as it is

Hopefully they will test downstream toward Rockaway beach where it is deeper and easier on propellers.

[Mike B]

Just thought I would add my two cents worth on this. I run a fairly big bass boat on Taneycomo and depending on the time of year I may fish it once a month or 8 times a month. I try to respect the distance I come within another boat when running on plane and off plane. I personally would rather have a boat go by me on plane than to shut half way down and throw a big wake at me. I used to have a smaller aluminum bass boat and when someone went by at about half plane it would really rock me. I always motioned them to come on past at full power rather than shut it down.

I think the problem usually occurs at certain places on the lake especially where the channel narrows when the water is not running. We all know the places, just below the mouth of short creek, around fall creek dock, and at the top of the island across from fall creek. These places seem to have the most bottlenecks and wade/bank fishermen when the water is not running. If I have room, I will usually fly by at about 1/2 to 3/4 speed. I try to not come too close to any other boat especially on the side which they are fishing on.

If I am right, I believe the law says that if a boat is anchored you cannot be on plane within 100 feet of that boat, so I watch for the boats that are anchored when running up the lake.

As for shutting down to go by a boat, if we had to do this on a busy weekend, it would take us an hour to get from the boat ramp at Cooper to the trophy area. And if you think about it, when was the last time you went down the lake at 60 miles per hour and passed within 10 feet of another boat going 60 the other way?

But we do that all the time on the highway.

My input would be to

1. respect other boaters, ( I have shut down and apologized to a guy that shook his fist at me when I was going by. I wanted him to know that I certainly wanted to respect his space.)

2. For those of us that fish on the lake all the time, come up with some signal to motion to another boat approaching that you do not mind them going past you on plane. I usually wave my arm motioning them past if I think there is plenty of room.

[fish hunter]

What about those close calls during spring white bass? Have seen some real whoppers. I can think of 1 river in particular.

[Wayne SW/MO]

"Hopefully they will test downstream toward Rockaway beach where it is deeper and easier on propellers."

Well the props are BPS's loss. Rockaway really doesn't want them test driving there. If they want to sell them in Branson, perhaps the should test them there.