Once upon a time, there was such a thing as courtesy and etiquette with all people who loved to go fishing. Today those two words do not exist on our area lakes and waterways. Why is that? Is it because people don’t care anymore? Or is it because we have raised a generation of anglers who have never been taught the unwritten rules of the water?
People today, I believe, no longer have patience and think that when they are on the lake, there are no rules. We have become such a “me” society that no one thinks about how their actions might affect others on the lake; and to add to that, they don’t care!
I want to take the high road here and give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to courtesy. But then, you pull up to a boat ramp and watch how people are oblivious as to what is going on around them. They’re in their own little world blocking the entire boat ramp while they get all their junk in the boat.
You would think by now, in 2025, that word would have gotten out about how to manage a boat ramp the proper way. You should load all your gear into the boat AWAY from the ramp, not once you line up to launch your boat.
People talk about road rage and how people have forgotten how to drive. Well, this same rage is now taking place on our area lakes. Boaters with little to no experience are on the water now and have no idea on navigation do’s and don’ts.
Even experienced tournament anglers are doing things they know are not right. The worst and most common thing happening today is one angler cutting off another angler. While I don’t have a problem with sharing a particular stretch of boat docks or a point, there’s an unwritten rule on how you should approach another angler that’s already there.
The rule is if you approach another angler on a stretch of boat docks, you don’t come in on him and start fishing one dock away, especially if his boat is pointing in the direction of the dock you pulled up on. Go down 5 or 6 docks, start there and go away from the angler and fish in the opposite direction … not towards him.
If you pull up on a point with another angler already there, either go to the next point or ask permission to share the point with him. The rule in fishing goes back to what we’ve always heard, “First come, first serve.” You’re always better asking for permission to share a point than to just bulldoze your way in.
So, to all the up-and-coming anglers, listen up! There are two things to always remember. One: Never cut another angler off when he’s fishing a stretch or fishing boat docks. ALWAYS pay attention to the direction the guy is fishing and go the opposite direction!
Two: Never pull up on a point when another angler is already there. If you just insist on trying to fish there, ask the other angler for permission and how he’s going to fish it.
Bottom line, follow the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Good luck, good fishing and hopefully cooler weather is coming soon!