Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Sad but over the past several years the number of bass fishermen willing to cut off those already fishing a point or stretch of bank has increased. I know that no one “owns” the water but basic etiquette/ courtesy needs to make a comeback. Just an encouragement not an indictment.

That being said. The distance between boat A and B might be X feet. In So Cal X feet might be a mile Vs. what someone from another State/Area thinks as acceptable...That's where the problem lies in some cases and in others it's quite obvious . I like to keep on fishing behind a boat. Don't get mad get even is my mantra and since I'm not fishing for money I just keep doing what I was doing or stop and pick apart something and usually end up alone again... Granted if it's topwater or something of a similar flavor where the water is smoked after 1 cast it sucks but I've never really counted on etiquette. I don't fish for bucks so if there is money on the line I either give whole stretches to folks who need it or fish where there are (no fish) areas not being exploited by something I'm doing that day.

Well, 50 yds seems to be the suggestion of many tourney circuits. I used to fish the Pro-Ams and team circuits bck15 yrs ago and now fish club tourneys only and have always done this, first, don't get mad, second, move and go 50 yrds ahead of the boat that cut me off !! After all, that's the RULE, right !!!

Mitch wrote:Well, 50 yds seems to be the suggestion of many tourney circuits. I used to fish the Pro-Ams and team circuits bck15 yrs ago and now fish club tourneys only and have always done this, first, don't get mad, second, move and go 50 yrds ahead of the boat that cut me off !! After all, that's the RULE, right !!!

Yeh buddy what's fair is fair!

I like it when the cut in front and I catch fish behind them.
That's the ultimate revenge.

Don't get Mad get even.

My names Kelly and I have a confession to make. I too like to catch fish behind the Boat B guys...I have friends that have watched me drive away boats by slaying the bass until they leave. If you can why wouldn't you I got torqued when a guy and his son literally pointed there boat at me at 5 mph only to have them shut it down when they were essentially in my boat. I felt bad for the guy's teenage son I'd heard a local club was fishing the lake that day so I backed off and went out into 45-50 feet . I spooned while they caught 4 fish for maybe 8 pounds total....after about 2 hours wham. Up comes a 7 on the spoon no less . I put it in the livewell and spun the boat to the nearest shallow cut wham! A clone 7 pounder in 3 feet of water in mid January on a senko. Dad fired up the boat and I finally got my spot back It was my best payback in recent memory

Us gen X ers can say what we want about the Millennials most is true. But when it comes to fishing etiquette, It's mostly the old guys doing the Dbag things.

Guys who fish Clear Lake a lot: what's your take on distance/curtesy at some of the popular points, rock piles, and creek mouths? Seems like the rules are different there and, fortunately, the bass can be incredibly dense in these areas so as to not make it as big an issue. I'd like to hear some opinions though.

This is a great post. We've all been cut off. What's the appropriate distance? Just like others have said: its situational dependent. On a tourney day it's the old 50 yards, and then you deal with it. Everyone wants "that spot". But On a random weekday with only a few boats and someone comes right in and dumps the TM on the point you're "50 yards" away from and pointed towards - that's a violation. It comes down to paying attention, experience, and not being a d-ck. Yelling never helps.

Etiquette didnt used to be a problem
Its got way worse over the last 10 years.
At Clearlake if you are fishing community holes expect company.
If you are cutting in front of someone just fishing down a bank you are wrong and should go behind them or find another bank.
I used to be vocal about it. Last time someone cut in front of me and started fishing the same bank as me only a couple of boat lengths away I just put trolling motor on high and went around them and started fishing again,never said a word.

Dave Brabec wrote:Etiquette didnt used to be a problem
Its got way worse over the last 10 years.
At Clearlake if you are fishing community holes expect company.
If you are cutting in front of someone just fishing down a bank you are wrong and should go behind them or find another bank.
I used to be vocal about it. Last time someone cut in front of me and started fishing the same bank as me only a couple of boat lengths away I just put trolling motor on high and went around them and started fishing again,never said a word.

BAZINGA !!!
YUP !!

Your spot, my spot, my spot, your spot... just go fishing and enjoy the day. Be better than them and catch em good. There’s also 10X the amount of bass fisherman now than 10-20 years ago, find new water

It was really bad last spring on the Delta with so many of the lakes closed. I had several boats get within weightless senko casting distance. These winners literally went right overtop the area I was fishing.

JoeLanghans wrote:Your spot, my spot, my spot, your spot... just go fishing and enjoy the day. Be better than them and catch em good. There’s also 10X the amount of bass fisherman now than 10-20 years ago, find new water

I agree, but there is much more to it. I am not ok with somebody running over my line on pad while I'm waiting for my rig to hit bottom.

I doubt we can even pin this problem on the shear volume of "Bassmasters" as I remember quite vividly over 25 years ago hearing a tournament launch only to see 5 boats all pointed at me! Short story was my 35 pound test and my 12 inch trout in a lower unit. I got mad and I got even ...I calmly threw out an anchor and drug it all over the place picked up and burned down the lake and happen to see my favorite local pan/cat/live bait fishermen and sent them them to the spot by telling them the bluegill were on fire . So they anchored up right on it and fished there the whole day. The weeds I chopped up on that edge break must of had something to do with their success as we talked at the end of the day and they had some dinner plate red ear and were all grins. I love a story with a happy ending

The etiquette at clear lake is top notch! Yesterday, a dude in a brand new xpress aluminum boat nonchalantly rolls 50 feet in front of the bow as we are fishing a fence line and damn near puts a hole in his tin can due to the fence that connects the Aurora RV pilings. (Slightly below water level) The Qualified captain then tries using his power poles to stop while moving at a substantial speed. Abandoned fishing that stretch and went offshore. Homeboy was apologetic, but highly doubt this will serve him as a learning experience! Behavior will not change, Just the way it is...

On Clear Lake there is very little if any at all

It's not just bass fishing. I was fly fishing a run on the upper Owens when a jerk walks up and start chunking a glob of worms through the water. No clue. Jerks abound everywhere.
Many times it is just lack common sense. Fishing Shasta I have had ski boat run by at speed not 50 feet away, quite a ride if the wakes hit you sideways.

Got to give it up to the guys on oroville the past month the etiquette has been amazing. Not even been close to being cut off in tournaments or prefishing. Good job guys keep up the good work. On the other hand clear lake last Saturday was as bad as it gets, couldn’t go 30 minutes without getting cut off- Most in the same brand of boat LOL

This has always seemed like a weird concept to me. If you are just fishing down a long stretch of bank and there is a point or isolated piece of structure more than 50 yds or so in front of you, and someone comes and hits that spot, this seems totally fair to me.
If you planned on hitting that spot you should have gone and hit it and not cruised down a half mile long stretch of bank. I realize that there are obvious violators of basic etiquette out there who will come and cast nearly across your line but there are some very old school ideas out there that say you can claim an entire bank including every point or piece of structure on it. Best advice? Know ahead of time the most productive area, fish that area hard and then move on to another area. Etiquette also means not trying to claim 500 yards of bank as “yours”.

Jace, I don't think anyone's saying a half mile long or 500 yards stretch of bank is theirs. And implying that's it's an "old school thing" that guys claim a whole unlimited stretch of shoreline is kind of bs. No ones saying that at all, and I agree with you that past about 50 yards you can't get worked up if someone comes on in. I think there are both old and young guys that blow it and do it right. It's not generally about how long you've been not fishing, but likely rather what environment you've grown up fishing in - i.e., crowded socal lake vs. something not so impacted.

I was fishing Camanche once and this dude cuts in front of me literally like 30' away. I asked him "Really, I guess I'll just turn around and fish back over the water I just fished?" He said a few dick words which brought out the *** hole in me. I threw my jig up on his front deck and tried to rip his rods off into the water, (good thing they were still strapped down). He made a few more dick comments and I asked him if he wanted to go to the shore other wise he could cut my jig off and keep it as a momento.

unfortunately, i see an eventual violent encounter happening one day on the waters with someone drawing a gun (and using it). and even then, nothing will change. my advice, just move and fish on.

I think everyone has a story if you bass fish. I have another one to add to the list. While on Clearlake today with so much water around me I had a well known guide with clients on pad go by me less then 100’ away. The delta I woulda had no problem having that happen, the faster the better actually. Shoulda sent my Osprey across his bow.

scott39 wrote:Us gen X ers can say what we want about the Millennials most is true. But when it comes to fishing etiquette, It's mostly the old guys doing the Dbag things.

Truth.... I’ve seen more D baggery by guys that are 40 +. I just laugh it off and think that this guy catching a few is literally the highlight of his small life and I move on. It’s much like the Instapro’s & Faceplace pro staffers you see now. BTW, the hunting community is still worse IMO. Ethics & Etiquette have gone way out the window for “likes.”

2 tourneys on 1 lake is 1/2 the problem. Ive seen 4 guys crowd one point before. Weekend tournament anglers.. the fish move away from pressure, but some guys bank on high percentage area’s and when there’s a check in it, they dont gaf about anyone else. There are most definitely “best” spots on spot, but i think the big ones are somewhere else and BF pays pretty good sometimes!

Here's one fully trimmed down picking on a little guy/vessel!:
Stay safe, be a sportsman and good luck!