Kayak Boat Crowd Fishing Etiquette

[FlyFishinYakr]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Gotta share this fresh experience. Today I was doing the happy pedal in around 10am with a large greenback in tow. About 100 yards outside the reserve the greenback gets picked up and freight trains south and finally into the kelp. There is a boater in gear cruising into the path of the fish. I yell out that I have a fish heading at him, it is obvious, rod bent and moving fast, he just stared back and kept motoring. Around 25 feet away I yell that I am going to run right into him. He yells back all pissed off" Are you serious? I slammed into the side of the boat, fish still pulling drag, I have the rod in the water and am getting pushed around the stern right by that spinning prop thingy. Fish pops off as it rubs on something sharp and finally he tells his chick to take it out of gear. He lets loose with smoke coming out of his ears about me hitting his $50,000 boat and how I should have bjust backed off the drags. I just apologized as I had no intention of hitting his boat. Now if he had been anchored and not under power I would feel really bad. I like to think that I always try to take my share of the responsibility, this guy took none and showed me no courtesy, he could have easily taken the boat out of gear or turned the wheel to the left and I would have easily won Wades YT Derby

Originally Posted by dorado50

You are one person I never would want to be around!. To cause bodily harm to someone over a fishing line is just wrong. You seem to be out of control on the water...please forgive your victims as they may not know what they do!! The taking the "violators to court" thing that you do is a much better process.

You obviously didn't read my statement thoroughly! I never stated I aim for the people, I aim for the largest mass of the boat that I could hit WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY of causing collateral injury (i.e. the bow.). I also should have quantified clearer that I believe my life was in danger And if you've ever been that close to a larger boat while in a float tube or pontoon then you might have a better idea (and I'm talking so close you can reach out and touch the boat!)
Also there is a favorite saying in court...ignorance of the law is "NO EXCUSE".
FFY