Surfcasting and boats near shore

[Brian L]

Personally, I never pull my boat into an area where surf guys are catching fish. If I can't find more places to go in the areas I fish, something's wrong. Rarely when the fish are blitzing are they contained in one little area. I've been on the beach side of it enough to know that it sucks to have someone drive in on you when you're fishing.

There is one thing that always gets me riled as a boater. There always has to be the couple of guys, that no matter what tide, what time, what day I drive out, HAVE to cast in front of the boat when I exit Charlestown Breachway. They look over with a frown(as if I'm in their way) and slowly reel in their line, as I slam the boat in reverse. I couldn't care about cutting lines, but it's the possibility of the line getting into my prop and fouling the seal. Gets real interesting when the breachway gets nasty with the waves. Brother Backbeach is right, If I could have jumped out of my boat and on to the rocks the day the guy cast his braid across the bow of my boat, I'd be in prison. Sonova-B put a nice red line across my daughter's neck. A quick move with my fillet knife kept it from getting worse, thank god. I barked at the guy in every concievable foul tongue and drove into the harbor with my kid screaming. Think twice next time you think of casting at or in front of a boat, folks. Someone who doesn't deserve it could end up paying the price for someone else's ignorance.

Another thing I always do when coming back in through the breach is signal to the guys on the rocks that I'm heading in. If it's at night, I'll flash my bow light or a spot light, if it's day, I'll give a wave and circle(if the water's not too rough). I always wait if someone's hooked up. Simple courtesy is the best policy, I'd say. It'd be nice if the guys on the jetty were always as courteous.

[Frankiesurf]

My best interaction with a boater was earlier this year. I was on a sandbar in the early AM. I was getting fish here and there, not steady but still a good bite. I see this 18 ft P.O.S. boat idling towards me in the channel but only about 50 ft away. He cut me off from where the fish were staged so I was a bit peeved. I held my rod and just watched what he was doing so this idiot didn't drift into me. I let him know, without yelling because he was in speaking range, that he was going to run aground. Now within fifteen feet of where I was standing he said back "I know what I am doing, I have been fishing here for twenty years. " As soon as he said "years" the four guys in his boat all jerked eastward in unison.

Now I could have walked over to help push him off but it was so worth seeing him and his buddy in the water up to their waists in early April. THey headed in the direction of the ramp shortly after.

What I am getting at is that it always is those who know nothing about boating or fishing or those who think they know everything and the entire water is theirs because they are the "pros". Real fisherman seem to know what the deal is on shore or from the water.

[RIROCKHOUND]

%$%$%$%$ty situation Brian.
People dont think about that when they are firing a 'warning shot'
Internet tough guys.
How many have actually cast at a boat.
My guess is fewer than talk about doing it.

running the tourboat I was cast at a few times around Fort Adams. I never purposely cut a lineor cut off a cast, like you said, it isnt a good idea for the boat. But squeeze me between a sailboat, and the fort, and I'm going over a line. I'm sure there are lots of cases of boaters encroaching, it sucks. Is it worth hurting someone? is every cast perfect? Next time you fire one 10-20ft away as a warning, think about those muffed casts your had. take a breath.

Again.
fish at night in non-boat traffic areas. you will have zero problems.
If you are fishing the galilee channel, or another breahway, or a 'popular spot in the bay' you have to expect conflict.
Deal with it.
My guess is a lot of these '%$%$%$%$%$%$%$' boaters are in BOAT areas

I have more problems with light happy surf casters than boaters...

[BigFish]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

%$%$%$%$ty situation Brian.
People dont think about that when they are firing a 'warning shot'
Internet tough guys.
How many have actually cast at a boat.
My guess is fewer than talk about doing it.

running the tourboat I was cast at a few times around Fort Adams. I never purposely cut a lineor cut off a cast, like you said, it isnt a good idea for the boat. But squeeze me between a sailboat, and the fort, and I'm going over a line. I'm sure there are lots of cases of boaters encroaching, it sucks. Is it worth hurting someone? is every cast perfect? Next time you fire one 10-20ft away as a warning, think about those muffed casts your had. take a breath.

Again.
fish at night in non-boat traffic areas. you will have zero problems.
If you are fishing the galilee channel, or another breahway, or a 'popular spot in the bay' you have to expect conflict.
Deal with it.
My guess is a lot of these '%$%$%$%$%$%$%$' boaters are in BOAT areas

I have more problems with light happy surf casters than boaters...

Since the stone was cast my way.....folks who have fished with me have seen me toss the warning shot......no "internet tough guy" here. COMMON COURTESY is the key but the problem seems to be there is little of that to be found anywhere.....not just in fishing!