How Close Is Too Close

[Grappling Coach]

I was fishing a long run out point on Tablerock with a marker buoy down and had a boat pull up within 30 yards and start fishing. When I picked up my buoy to move up the point a little, they dropped a buoy where mine was. This got me asking myself how close is too close.

With more boats on the lake every year, it keeps getting more crowded and people have to share spots with other anglers. With that in mind, here are a few questions.

• If a boat is fishing a long runout point, is it ok to fish the same point if an angler keeps his distance? I know that I may move up and down the point trying to find fish. If someone else sets up in an area, it limits where I can move.
  
• If a boat is working down a long bank, such as a bluff or long bank in the river, that is your prime fishing area, how do you set up? I generally try to drop in behind the other boat, but sometimes they move so slowly that I catch up quickly and do not want to pass them. At other times, I have started at the other end of the bank and passed by in the middle. This happens a lot in the spring while crappie fishing.
  
• If there are several boat docks on a bank or in a cove and a boat is fishing one of them, does one assume that they are going to fish all of them over time and leave, or just fish a different dock than they are?
  
• Are the rules different in a tournament or for a guide who has people who have paid to catch fish?
  

More boats on the water just means that more people are wanting to enjoy what we already do. Most fishermen at the lake are just wanting to relax and catch some fish.

[Feathers and Fins]

I was fishing a long run out point on Tablerock with a marker buoy down and had a boat pull up within 30 yards and start fishing. When I picked up my buoy to move up the point a little, they dropped a buoy where mine was. This got me asking myself how close is too close.

With more boats on the lake every year, it keeps getting more crowded and people have to share spots with other anglers. With that in mind, here are a few questions.

· If a boat is fishing a long runout point, is it ok to fish the same point if an angler keeps his distance? I know that I may move up and down the point trying to find fish. If someone else sets up in an area, it limits where I can move.

· If a boat is working down a long bank, such as a bluff or long bank in the river, that is your prime fishing area, how do you set up? I generally try to drop in behind the other boat, but sometimes they move so slowly that I catch up quickly and do not want to pass them. At other times, I have started at the other end of the bank and passed by in the middle. This happens a lot in the spring while crappie fishing.

· If there are several boat docks on a bank or in a cove and a boat is fishing one of them, does one assume that they are going to fish all of them over time and leave, or just fish a different dock than they are?

· Are the rules different in a tournament or for a guide who has people who have paid to catch fish?

More boats on the water just means that more people are wanting to enjoy what we already do. Most fishermen at the lake are just wanting to relax and catch some fish.

· If a boat is fishing a long runout point, is it ok to fish the same point if an angler keeps his distance? I know that I may move up and down the point trying to find fish. If someone else sets up in an area, it limits where I can move.

Common Courtesy would dictate the angler first to the point should be allowed to fish it unmolested and interfered with. As the angler fishes the point he may very well move up and down the point and someone else pulling on to the point and starting to fish it is interfering with his fishing and creating frustration.

· If a boat is working down a long bank, such as a bluff or long bank in the river, that is your prime fishing area, how do you set up? I generally try to drop in behind the other boat, but sometimes they move so slowly that I catch up quickly and do not want to pass them. At other times, I have started at the other end of the bank and passed by in the middle. This happens a lot in the spring while crappie fishing.

Bluff lines are a different situation, I have seen many people pull up on them and then start fishing never to move and others that pull up and start working it. I try to watch the boats on bluffs prior to fishing them. If I see an anchored boat then I just do not fish within 100 yards of it. If I see a guy working one direction I try to come in behind him NEVER in front of him as you have effectively pressured and possibly shut-off a bite for him. Bluffs are single dimensional fishing areas unlike a point that can be fished from multiple sides and even over the top of it. Bluffs you are casting at them for simple terms.

· If there are several boat docks on a bank or in a cove and a boat is fishing one of them, does one assume that they are going to fish all of them over time and leave, or just fish a different dock than they are?

NO, I have seen and even I have one or two docks in an area I know produce and others that do not. Fish them if you wish it’s a small fixed area inside a larger area. However if you see 3 or 4 in a row and someone is on one allow him the others.

· Are the rules different in a tournament or for a guide who has people who have paid to catch fish?

Common courtesy and respect should be the determining factors always! Why is a Guide or a Tournament angler any better than you or I? A few minutes watching will tell you what someone is doing as a general rule and can save frustration for you and them. Remember most people are out there to have fun and enjoy the day and hopefully catch a few fish. A Guide is making a living true! But they need to show the same respect to other anglers and they would like shown to them. Same applies to the Tourney angler.

[Jerry Rapp]

for me, it comes down to common sense and would I want someone to do that to me. I was taught to never fish in front of someone going down a bank.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Well it's a public water so I would think it would come down to courtesy. In the scenario you put up, you did have your chance if they moved into water you had vacated.

[Quillback]

Yep, if you pull up your marker buoy and move off, then to me it's an indication you're done with that spot, and it's possible other anglers may see that and move in. It's that time of year when it gets crowded out there, no use in getting upset with people that are "too close". If you're a good angler, not saying that you aren't, you'll still catch your fish even with others close by.

[rps]

I know I will sound like a cranky curmudgeon for saying this: There is no such thing as common courtesy. Courteous behavior is and always has been uncommon. Thank heavens a disproportionate number of you inhabit this board.

To answer the question, I watch the other boat or bank fisher to see where and how they are fishing, then I try to treat them as if were me fishing there and that way. If I read the situation wrong, I sing out an apology and move off.

[Bill Babler]

What Fin Said. Also, if you can either read or see interference from the sonar signal of a guy that is already on a spot, you are to close. Lots of guys gang up on humps and points this time of year. Not a problem. Keep in mind if they are there together, it might be.

Guides and derby fishermen have no more right to anything than you do. Most time they will stay away from you, so in turn stay away from them.

PET PIEVE-- If you see boats working the deep cove mouths and everyone standing up throwing, keep away from them. Most times they are working schooling fish. I have had complete idiots just drive thru the middle of chasing fish. If you can throw it in my boat and you are on plane, you are to close. If I can hit you with a spook and you are driving by, you are to close.

Gooid Luck

[Jerry Rapp]

Bill, too close is too close, period in my opinion. BASS, FLW, Major League Fishing is promoting the close thing. No wonder the young bucks could care less. It is the old BENT ROD pattern. I thought maybe the cure all A Rig would spread folks out some.

[Guest]

Last weekend I took my Dad to Table Rock for the first time.

We were crankbait fishing near the mouth of the Roaring River.

Dad has a new G3 bass boat with base electronics, no GPS.

He likes tossing out buoys so thats exactly what we did.

There was a real nice series of manlake points that stretched 100yards off shore.

We dropped buoys on the ends, no big deal right?

Its a saturday and the expected crowd of boaters is running the lake. No big deal.

Then a large boat rolls right up to our buoy and does a donut.

Its the State Police...

Why are they jacking with our spot? Couldnt tell ya.

After milling about for a couple minutes, they idle over to Dads boat.

"What are those buoys for?" "what are you marking?"State Police

"they're brushpiles" Dad

"make sure you don't leave them out" State Police

"okay, not a big deal" Dad

So, why does the State Police have a problem with buoy markers?

They totally trashed our spot and didnt even bother to check his boat. Why?

They're professional law enforcement officers correct?

WTH is their freaking problem? They should KNOW why those buoys are there.

If the State Police have no respect for your fishing hole, dont expect anybody else to.

It aint right, but it happened....

[Bill Babler]

For one thing, this is not the water patrol anymore. 9 out of 10 of these guys now have not a lick of sense. They know nothing about fishing or ediquite,they are kids for the most part from the Hwy patrol that work the roads in the winter. They just don't understand and really have a lack of much to do.

They will be helpful however if there is an emergency, just got to bear with their ignorance of anything water.

On another point, you get over 100 yrds from your marker, and you are roping off a location. Not good either. If you mark a spot with either fish or structure, fish it. Don't mark it and try to expand your area, using your marker to hold the spot. Not right.

There used to be an old guy up at Shell Knob, 20 yrs. ago that would rope off a football field. He used 4 markers. I saw another local roll in on him one day and he started yelling at this guy from 200 yrds off that he had the area marked and was going to fish it. The other local pulled out his fillet knife and cut the bouy's off two of his furtherst markers and yelled back. "It's not marked now, you fish hogging SO----." You mark it, fish it. It is marked to fish not to claim.

Jerry I could not agree with you more. It has made a problem. Most of the guys fishing locations on tour, know each other and that usually is not a problem. If is when uninvited strangers roll up on a group that gets the blood pumping. Sometimes the guide boats will even tie together on the Rock. We are friends, but if someone else tries to pull in that is going to cause a problem.