Dock Fishing Encounters?

[rayburnrat]

Only fish Rayburn now and it does not have docks but have had a few experiences. Once on Watts Bar was fishing 20-30 yards out from the docks as their was a little ditch some were laying in. An old couple, sitting up on the porch just started chunking Zebcos with bobbers and empty hooks at us as we passed their place. With that 3/4 oz c-rig they were in range but I just held us there for awhile and we just went to laughing at them. I figure it was their hobby.

[jc2bg]

As a courtesy I do not cast to docks that have people on them. I take my line out of the water, kick TM on high and go around to the next one. I will give the greeting of the day and be friendly. Often they tell me to go ahead and fish their dock if I want.

I do the same. As you say, it’s just a courtesy thing. People who try to kick us out of an entire marina because they rent a slip there, however, is a different story. I go out of my way to avoid confrontations, but not that far. We’re talking navigable federal water.

[188Musky]

One experience comes to mind, where I almost adopted a dog, or rather, I was almost adopted by a dog.

I was fishing my way down a dock lined shoreline for smallmouth in spring. One dock had a rather large black lab/ Chesapeake looking dog on it, watching me approach.

As I neared, I started talking to the dog in a playful manner. Then I hooked a fish. While fighting, catching, and releasing the fish, the boat drifted near enough to the dock, and the dog boarded my boat enthusiastically. Petting the dog for a minute, I swung back around to the dock, and commanded the dog to get back on the dock.

The dog made a jump back onto the dock, ran to shore, grabbed a stick, then ran back, jumped into the boat again, dropped the stick at my feet, sat down, and looked up at me.

Laughing, I did what I had to do, and fired the stick out into the lake. Off he went, retrieved the stick, back up on shore, out the dock, back into the boat. Again. Three times, absolutely perfect retrieves. Then the homeowner, looking out his window, notices the commotion. As his wife comes down to the dock to get the dog back on shore, he starts yelling that I’m lucky I didn’t get my arm chewed off, but he doesn’t come down to the shoreline.

I kind of scoffed, and said that we are friends, and gave the dog a pat on the back and a scratch on the ears. I could tell by his body language that it wasn’t what the homeowner wanted to hear.

As the wife was attempting to get the dog back onto the dock it became clear that the dog wasn’t interested. He wanted to stay with me, picking up the stick again and placing it at my feet. Finally, I gave her the stick, suggesting that if she had it, and started playing fetch, he might be less interested in staying in my boat.

She threw it in the lake, and I had to convince the dog to get out of my boat and go get it. He made a half hearted retrieve as I moved away, dropping it right at the shoreline. She walked over and threw it again. Nothing doing; he had no interest in doing a retrieve for her, and I could tell that the dog didn’t have much respect for her at all.

As I moved down the shoreline, I could hear the couple arguing a bit about the dog. “I told you we shouldn’t have adopted that dog” I heard her say. Part of me still feels kind of bad about not just taking off with the dog.

[NWStratos]

I've had people get angry and threaten to call the sheriff, I just pull out a piece of paper I have with the local enforcement code that states as long as Im not on their property I can fish public waters and its against the law to hinder such person in the awful pursuit of such fish. If they want get a fine or go to jail then they can call.

[HellaBass]

patriotic, friendly. looks like it went well

No Complaints this time, solid view & all!

[mean_dean]

One experience comes to mind, where I almost adopted a dog, or rather, I was almost adopted by a dog.

I was fishing my way down a dock lined shoreline for smallmouth in spring. One dock had a rather large black lab/ Chesapeake looking dog on it, watching me approach.

As I neared, I started talking to the dog in a playful manner. Then I hooked a fish. While fighting, catching, and releasing the fish, the boat drifted near enough to the dock, and the dog boarded my boat enthusiastically. Petting the dog for a minute, I swung back around to the dock, and commanded the dog to get back on the dock.

The dog made a jump back onto the dock, ran to shore, grabbed a stick, then ran back, jumped into the boat again, dropped the stick at my feet, sat down, and looked up at me.

Laughing, I did what I had to do, and fired the stick out into the lake. Off he went, retrieved the stick, back up on shore, out the dock, back into the boat. Again. Three times, absolutely perfect retrieves. Then the homeowner, looking out his window, notices the commotion. As his wife comes down to the dock to get the dog back on shore, he starts yelling that I’m lucky I didn’t get my arm chewed off, but he doesn’t come down to the shoreline.

I kind of scoffed, and said that we are friends, and gave the dog a pat on the back and a scratch on the ears. I could tell by his body language that it wasn’t what the homeowner wanted to hear.

As the wife was attempting to get the dog back onto the dock it became clear that the dog wasn’t interested. He wanted to stay with me, picking up the stick again and placing it at my feet. Finally, I gave her the stick, suggesting that if she had it, and started playing fetch, he might be less interested in staying in my boat.

She threw it in the lake, and I had to convince the dog to get out of my boat and go get it. He made a half hearted retrieve as I moved away, dropping it right at the shoreline. She walked over and threw it again. Nothing doing; he had no interest in doing a retrieve for her, and I could tell that the dog didn’t have much respect for her at all.

As I moved down the shoreline, I could hear the couple arguing a bit about the dog. “I told you we shouldn’t have adopted that dog” I heard her say. Part of me still feels kind of bad about not just taking off with the dog.

That is great, I would have offered to take the dog off their hands since it was obvious they didn't really want it.

[188Musky]

That is great, I would have offered to take the dog off their hands since it was obvious they didn't really want it.

Looking back, I wish I could have, and would have.

Never saw that dog or the homeowners at that place again that summer. A year later, I did see a little ankle biter type dog at that house. I’d like to think the dog found a better owner, because he sure seemed like a great dog in the fifteen minutes I was his leader.

[LipIt]

Only once. Keystone in OK. Guy saw me and came down from house to confront me. Guy was going to call sheriff. I just continued fishing and avoided getting into an argument. He finally calmed down and walked away. I stayed another 30 min and no sheriff.

I avoid docks with people fishing. Their spotis the way I look at it.

Keystone Lake is the ONLY place I’ve had a bad encounter! Guy came out of his house boat and told us it was against the law to fish those docks. Said he was going to call the game warden. I told him go ahead, he got pissed off and stormed up to his truck and took off only to swing back around and flip us off!

[Roddy]

I have had mostly good experiences with dock owners. A few even told me where they had place brush.

[tcesni]

So I had two opposite dock experiences while fishing Smith Mountain Lake on Sunday afternoon. One was with "that guy" who yells at me for being within 50 feet of his dock as I idled by. I wasn't even fishing and he yelled at me, "no boats within 50 feet of a dock". To which I replied, I think that means no wake within 50 feet of a dock (I was correct). He wanted to argue with me but I just kept going. The second experience was as I was going past a dock with the Minn Kota, not fishing it as there was a guy cleaning his boat on the lift while his wife was sunbathing on a towel. If people are on their dock I don't fish it, plenty of docks so no need. What happened next was unexpected. The wife was laying stomach down with her swim suit top untied. For some reason as I went by, and I'm sure she didn't know I was there, she decided it was time to quickly stand up. And she'd forgotten that her top was not tied so she stood up without it. Oops! I just kept going and I don't know if her husband even noticed. My wife was laying across the bench seat in the boat reading her Kindle and did not see a thing. Best part of the day.

[old373guy]

I have had very few bad encounters with dock owners, if there are people on their dock I go around. One time I did have a very drunk old lady come out with a shotgun yelling at me to stay away from her dock, she never pointed the gun at me but you never know. I kicked the tm on high and got away from her dock, she went back inside to have another drink.

[Tywithay]

Never had an encounter with a dock owner, but did have an encounter with a dock when I was 16.

My cousin and I were at a small lake fishing out of a jon boat. Decided to tie up to an old abandoned dock to sit for a while and have lunch. I was up front, so I grabbed the rope and hopped up on the dock to tie up. Soon as I hit the wood, both legs went straight through it and I was left dangling hip deep in the dock with my feet hanging in the water below. Scraped my legs all to hell and left more than a few splinters in my thighs. My cousin laughed for a solid 6 minutes before even beginning to offer any help. He still likes to bring it up almost 20 years later.

[ken1okie]

I've had mulitple encounters with one lady dock owner in particular........It's always fix this, clean that, move this, hand me that..... I guess that's just what wives do.

[TexomaDan]

I leased a dock on Texoma for several years. Never had any problems with people fishing it. Added some fish attractors to help bring the fish in. But, it did feel kind of funny watching anglers catch fish there. It made me wonder why I did not catch them? They better than me?

[Mick2268]

I also tend to just skip docks that have folks on them at the time, not a shortage here on Grand. I will say that I think many encounters are caused by the inconsiderate guys before you that you may never know about, just get the anger of the dock owner directed at you. Having owned a dock on Grand in the past, I have witnessed some crazy inconsiderate behavior by bass fisherman. Baits in boat carpet/seats, baits broken off and left on dock for kids or pets to get hooked, idling @ 2,000 rpm and considering that no wake. I can see a dock owner getting angry and taking it out on the next poor fella to come by.

[Bradley Lane]

As a courtesy I do not cast to docks that have people on them. I take my line out of the water, kick TM on high and go around to the next one. I will give the greeting of the day and be friendly. Often they tell me to go ahead and fish their dock if I want.

this

[Highcentered]

No Complaints this time, solid view & all!

Pleasantly plump girl in a tankini!

[jrbdad]

I have only had a few people tell me that I cant fish NEAR their dock. I too skip docks with people on them. Dont want to bother other enjoying the day.

Couple years ago trolled past a dock of ladies ( girl weekend kinda thing). They were being very friendly and talkative. After 10-15 min of talking I said enjoy your day ladies and moved on. My son ( 12 at the time) says DAD your married!!! Lol. It was funny. Wife laughed about it.

[Z-91]

I've had mulitple encounters with one lady dock owner in particular........It's always fix this, clean that, move this, hand me that..... I guess that's just what wives do.

Thats right.....

[Chainslinger1959]

I had a man on Kentucky Lake threaten to shoot me because I fished his neighbors dock. It was like 3 docks down from where I was fishing. Never even fished the guys dock. He told me he had a right to protect his property and that he was going to get his gun. He came back with a friend and tried to get me to step onto his dock. I just left. I was fishing a BFL and my coangler couldn't believe what he was seeing. I am also quite sure the guy was in a rental house on the lake, which made the situation weirder.

Should have told him you got friends too.