fighting over docks?

BIG FISH 2006 wrote:
Has anyone here ever had a verbal fight with a land owner over fishing
around their dock? The last two times out my partner and I have got into
verbals with landowners, yesterday I thought I was going to have to
fight my way off the lake. What are the laws about fishing distance from
a dock? should I report them to the DNR or Police. I'm in MIchigan






I've been in both shoes on this,, many, many times

Few bass fishermen have, most only look at the law, which in most, if
not all states, is no person can claim ownership of an area of "public"
water, you can fish anywhere from your boat.

Now the dock owner has spent much money and time building fish habitat
for "him" to fish, many of these are C&E fishermen, they really get
upset for all their work to end up in the live well of others, that
strangers line up to catch "their" fish (I know that they have no claim
on the fish, but this is their mindset)

Now what really adds insult is when the boaters, don't even respect you
fishing from your own pier, I have on MANY occasions been fishing from
my pier, and a boater come right up and fish it with me sitting there
with my lines out, and even snagging my lines with their lures, these
same fishermen would never consider fishing that close to another
boater. One time a boater had the balls to hold my handrail to hold his
boat not 3 feet from me fishing for crappie, and tell me my pier was
known as the best crappie hole on the entire lake, I have had others tie
up to my rail right next to me fishing, it's the same feeling if some
guy ties up to your boat, while your fishing, I bet that would make 99%
of the boaters madder than hell

I also like to leave catfish rods set in rod holders, baited and in the
water, these have bells on them I can hear from the house, Many times
these have been snagged by a boater, that could not have missed seeing
these rods fishing.

Here is my rule when boating, it is one of respect, and not being an
A-Hole, that many boaters become when dock fishing

If someone is fishing on a dock, don't fish that dock, PERIOD !
If you see rods in rod holders, don't fish that dock, PERIOD !
If someone is standing, sitting, walking, or even sun bathing on a dock,
don't fish that dock, PERIOD !

(you would never fish right up to another's boat, from your boat, when
they are on their boat, now would you ? give a dock owner the same respect)

If someone starts walking towards their dock while your fishing it, then
leave, if someone yells at you, then leave, it's just not worth the
enemy your making, there are plenty more docks out there that people are
not on, or watching, for you to fish, are there not ?



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