# Too Close



## easoutdoors (Jun 4, 2004)

How close is Too close for a boat under power at any speed to get to a wadefisherman or an anchored boat with wadefisherman around?


Is 100 or 200 yards too much space to ask for?


A little common courtesy and common sense should not be to much to ask for. There are more and more boats on the water these days and the water has not gotten any bigger. 


To the young man in the white JH I would say running your boat to within 20 yards is WAY too close to be to a wadefisherman.
To the guy in the white el pescador doing a circle at 20 yards around an anchored boat is way to close.


In Both cases there were no other boats in site and both were in open water with miles of water to be able to go around at a safer distance.


Is 100 or 200 yards too much space to ask for?


----------



## Stumpgrinder1 (Jul 18, 2016)

personally, I need 5 miles of clearance


----------



## Bayscout22 (Aug 9, 2007)

This will be interesting. We've never really explored this issue on this site before.


----------



## RedXCross (Aug 7, 2005)

Come on school start!!!!, lol J/k


----------



## DC31 (Sep 16, 2016)

You must have been in their spot on their fish


----------



## loco4fishn (May 17, 2010)

Bayscout22 said:


> This will be interesting. We've never really explored this issue on this site before.


Lmao!!! Ya seems odd... I personally park my truck and trailer in front of the ramp at bluffs landing in corpus to try and keep other boaters off MY water when Iâ€™m fishing. Just makes it a bit tougher to find fish if I canâ€™t pull up next to another boat catching fish. :biggrin:


----------



## bmc4041 (Apr 12, 2006)

Could just be coincidence but I have twice the issues when Iâ€™m down in Rockport than when Iâ€™m in Galveston or Matagorda.

In Rockport earlier this month I had a couple different air boats burn the shoreline I was fishing looking for reds. I was 50 yards from the grass, wading in waist deep water.

Last year in Aransas Bay, this dude came between my boat and buddy wading 100 yards in the distance. Said he was just looking for bait? I guess I should be happy he wasnâ€™t on plane.


----------



## SSMike (Aug 15, 2005)

bmc4041 said:


> Could just be coincidence but I have twice the issues when Iâ€™m down in Rockport than when Iâ€™m in Galveston or Matagorda.
> 
> In Rockport earlier this month I had a couple different air boats burn the shoreline I was fishing looking for reds. I was 50 yards from the grass, wading in waist deep water.
> 
> Last year in Aransas Bay, this dude came between my boat and buddy wading 100 yards in the distance. Said he was just looking for bait? I guess I should be happy he wasnâ€™t on plane.


What an idiot.


----------



## easoutdoors (Jun 4, 2004)

*Has to be a way*

I know everyone on here has been experiencing boaters being way too close. There has to be a way to educate or report the people who are doing this without it becoming a confrontation. The whole entitlement attitude has to change and we will have to learn to give each other space. This is beyond someone being a potlicker, its a safety issue. It would be nice if a Game Warden or Coast Guard would chime in here with some answers as to how to report such a violation.


----------



## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

bmc4041 said:


> Could just be coincidence but I have twice the issues when Iâ€™m down in Rockport than when Iâ€™m in Galveston or Matagorda.
> 
> In Rockport earlier this month I had a couple different air boats burn the shoreline I was fishing looking for reds. I was 50 yards from the grass, wading in waist deep water.
> 
> Last year in Aransas Bay, this dude came between my boat and buddy wading 100 yards in the distance. Said he was just looking for bait? I guess I should be happy he wasnâ€™t on plane.





SSMike said:


> What an idiot.


 In his defense, ( a weak one!) maybe he figured that since you all were wade fishing out of the boat, then going next to the boat was the best option since that is where you didn't want to fish. 

Or maybe he was just trolling for a buttwhoopin?


----------



## H2OhMan (Aug 11, 2013)

My personal rule is; I don't get any closer to another boat or wade fisherman than i would ethically shoot at a deer with a high powered rifle. So my answer is 300 - 400 yards.

I am not going to park within 800 yards of you and i sure as hell wont run between your boat and the shoreline unless you are anchored in the boat lane.

I am the exception, not the rule.

Get used to sharing the water. 

Find a spot off the beaten path and grind out a limit. It is much more peaceful that way.


----------



## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Wading*

100 yards is more than enough space, besides for all the lazy waders anything more than that puts you out of your power pole and trolling motor remote.
If you canâ€™t catch fish within a 100 yards of your boat itâ€™s obvious you stopped in the wrong place. So if you need to wade 300-400 yards to catch fish donâ€™t complain when someone runs between you and your boat.
As far as that picture in the above post, he is not doing anything to screw up the fishing, actually looks pretty courteous idle away.


----------



## Aggieangler (May 28, 2004)

Since this is posted in the fishing reports section, did you catch any fish in spite of this fella?


----------



## cody2422 (Feb 26, 2013)

I think the wade fishermen need to stop taking up so much space. They park their boat and then wade 300 yards away and then ***** when someone gets "too close"

I get ****** at all these wade fishermen getting too close to me when I'm running my boat looking for fish


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## BFI-TX (Nov 26, 2016)

Take your cowling off your motor, as if your needing a tow. Then you'll have it all to yourself.


----------



## boom! (Jul 10, 2004)

You guys just stay out of my surf tomorrow morning, ya hear?


----------



## dennis_99 (Feb 27, 2006)

LOL; best thread I've read in a while. I forgot how many sincere we are when we post. LOL.


----------



## Gizzmo (Oct 24, 2015)

BFI-TX said:


> Take your cowling off your motor, as if your needing a tow. Then you'll have it all to yourself.


This....is awesome!


----------



## lonestargulfcoast (Jun 6, 2018)

I stopped in the middle of West Bay last weekend to fish a tide line in the middle of no where. I had a boat on the horizon drive up within 20 yrds with a swamp wake to look at what I was doing, fishing pole in hand and drift anchor out... SMDH.


----------



## HiggsBoson (Jul 25, 2014)

Not fishing related, but a definite too close for comfort situation. Years ago we were pulling my sister on water skis and some jackwagon decides to pull into our wake and follow us. My mom was about to freak out. This was 30 years ago, it seems that inconsiderate idiots have been on the water for a long time.


----------



## jmcCoastal (Jul 22, 2014)

depends where you are. In SLP the waders stand in the channels. no way but to get 30 yards or closer to them just to get through.


----------



## ol'possum (Jan 20, 2017)

easoutdoors said:


> I know everyone on here has been experiencing boaters being way too close. There has to be a way to educate or report the people who are doing this without it becoming a confrontation. The whole entitlement attitude has to change and we will have to learn to give each other space. This is beyond someone being a potlicker, its a safety issue. It would be nice if a Game Warden or Coast Guard would chime in here with some answers as to how to report such a violation.


theres no violation its just common courtesy, i usually just yell and flip the bird at said boater. 3 more weeks and football practice and school starts, i cant wait for the weekenders to stay home...


----------



## pocjetty (Sep 12, 2014)

A couple of weeks ago, I was on a wade and had a boat run up about 150 yards in front of me, directly on the line I was wading - same depth. They boiled out and started wading right in front of me. I never said a word. These stories are like bad beat stories in poker. Everybody has got one, and there's nothing you can do about them. So it needs to be a really good one before you even bother telling it.

Those guys were jerks. If they're close enough to hit with a thrown rock, they're too close. I always think it's kind of funny that they can do what they do, but if you do anything at all in response, people will say you did something wrong. Not haha funny, but you know what I mean.


----------



## Moochy (Sep 13, 2014)

BFI-TX said:


> Take your cowling off your motor, as if your needing a tow. Then you'll have it all to yourself.


Good one


----------



## lurker (Feb 26, 2015)

bmc4041 said:


> Could just be coincidence but I have twice the issues when Iâ€™m down in Rockport than when Iâ€™m in Galveston or Matagorda.
> 
> In Rockport earlier this month I had a couple different air boats burn the shoreline I was fishing looking for reds. I was 50 yards from the grass, wading in waist deep water.
> 
> Last year in Aransas Bay, this dude came between my boat and buddy wading 100 yards in the distance. Said he was just looking for bait? I guess I should be happy he wasnâ€™t on plane.


Was this last July?

Pretty sure this guy did the same to our group.


----------



## bmc4041 (Apr 12, 2006)

lurker said:


> Was this last July?
> 
> Pretty sure this guy did the same to our group.


Was June 2017. We were at Paul Motts


----------



## redfish bayrat (Feb 17, 2006)

bmc4041 said:


> Could just be coincidence but I have twice the issues when Iâ€™m down in Rockport than when Iâ€™m in Galveston or Matagorda.
> 
> In Rockport earlier this month I had a couple different air boats burn the shoreline I was fishing looking for reds. I was 50 yards from the grass, wading in waist deep water.
> 
> Last year in Aransas Bay, this dude came between my boat and buddy wading 100 yards in the distance. Said he was just looking for bait? I guess I should be happy he wasnâ€™t on plane.


Maybe be coincidence, but Saturday after making two drifts down a shoreline, a boat like this powers up from behind me and runs to cut me off my 3rd drift. Fishing wasn't on fire, but we were picking up a few trout each drift. On my 4th trip down the shore line, he powers up again and comes in 30 yds behind me and starts drifting. I left and went somewhere else and finished out our catch. Had a guy that grew up on Lake Conroe with me and he said he thought that kind of thing only happened there.


----------



## Doppler (Dec 2, 2016)

waders often appear no larger than a pelican. I ran right up to a guy the other day because (7pm light) he was up to his shoulders fishing, and I was actually avoiding the wader 50yds behind him that I saw first. Maybe waders should wear a big diver/in the water/dune buggy flag 12-15 ft high so that they can be seen. Just because someone ran up on you doesn’t mean they even knew you were there. You choose to get in the water to fish where you become a part of the ecosystem, the water serves boat traffic first and the wader’s excursion in to waist deep water for recreational fishing second; you are not in a protected position or location: wade at your own risk.


----------



## WineyFishrman (Aug 5, 2011)

Doppler said:


> waders often appear no larger than a pelican. I ran right up to a guy the other day because (7pm light) he was up to his shoulders fishing, and I was actually avoiding the wader 50yds behind him that I saw first. Maybe waders should wear a big diver/in the water/dune buggy flag 12-15 ft high so that they can be seen. Just because someone ran up on you doesnâ€™t mean they even knew you were there. You choose to get in the water to fish where you become a part of the ecosystem, the water serves boat traffic first and the waderâ€™s excursion in to waist deep water for recreational fishing second; you are not in a protected position or location: wade at your own risk.


That's about the most asinine thing I've ever seen posted...... if you are under power, you are responsible, just like a driver giving right away to pedestrians. A game warden will tell you the same.

Run over someone wading and see who gets the ticket or lawsuit filed,,,,,, you wont fare well my friend....

Btw,, if the wader or parked boat is in a channel it might be different, we are talking flats.....

If you fish and run regularly you will likely know where waders or kayakers might frequent,,, a flats boat running wot is liable.


----------



## bmc4041 (Apr 12, 2006)

Doppler said:


> waders often appear no larger than a pelican. I ran right up to a guy the other day because (7pm light) he was up to his shoulders fishing, and I was actually avoiding the wader 50yds behind him that I saw first. Maybe waders should wear a big diver/in the water/dune buggy flag 12-15 ft high so that they can be seen. Just because someone ran up on you doesnâ€™t mean they even knew you were there. You choose to get in the water to fish where you become a part of the ecosystem, the water serves boat traffic first and the waderâ€™s excursion in to waist deep water for recreational fishing second; you are not in a protected position or location: wade at your own risk.


That is a pretty ridiculous post.

From your post last month on no wake zones. 
â€œThere are also sometimes people swimming in these waters and you could potentially hurt them.â€

I guess my attitude should be - If you are in the water, you are part of the ecosystem. Boat traffic comes first so swim at your own risk.


----------



## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*lmao*



gater said:


> 100 yards is more than enough space, besides for all the lazy waders anything more than that puts you out of your power pole and trolling motor remote.
> If you canâ€™t catch fish within a 100 yards of your boat itâ€™s obvious you stopped in the wrong place. So if you need to wade 300-400 yards to catch fish donâ€™t complain when someone runs between you and your boat.
> As far as that picture in the above post, he is not doing anything to screw up the fishing, actually looks pretty courteous idle away.


ok if you say so. wow. it takes all kinds to make up this world.


----------



## captain sandbar (Dec 9, 2011)

BFI-TX said:


> Take your cowling off your motor, as if your needing a tow. Then you'll have it all to yourself.


Best response of the bunch.... would actually work like a charm.


----------



## Doppler (Dec 2, 2016)

bmc4041 said:


> Doppler said:
> 
> 
> > waders often appear no larger than a pelican. I ran right up to a guy the other day because (7pm light) he was up to his shoulders fishing, and I was actually avoiding the wader 50yds behind him that I saw first. Maybe waders should wear a big diver/in the water/dune buggy flag 12-15 ft high so that they can be seen. Just because someone ran up on you doesn't mean they even knew you were there. You choose to get in the water to fish where you become a part of the ecosystem, the water serves boat traffic first and the wader's excursion in to waist deep water for recreational fishing second; you are not in a protected position or location: wade at your own risk.
> ...


Maybe both of you that disagree with me misunderstand me: my point here is that you may consider the possibility that a wader isn't seen until the boat is too close for comfort. People bank wade around here sometimes and can be 200+ yds off the shore where boaters are moving about. I was also night fishing along the levy a few weeks ago, 0400 a guy wades in darkness and stops in my drift that he watched me do while he was walking out to me; this can go both ways - I guess I'm saying regardless of who's liable for a collision, it ends poorly for the guy wading - be aware that you are hard to see at times, and when there are several waders a boat may be dodging the only one he sees and end up closer or on top of another wader without realizing it.

To the point on swimmers - I was taking the position that caution is due because there may be people swimming in a canal...caution is due because there may be waders as well, but a driver has trouble avoiding you if they can't see you.


----------



## Marker 54 Lures (Dec 28, 2015)

50 yds is tournament rule .. seems to work for the best fishermen out there


----------



## Rockfish2 (Sep 1, 2017)

Marker 54 Lures said:


> 50 yds is tournament rule .. seems to work for the best fishermen out there


Youâ€™re assuming the best fishermen fish tournaments...


----------



## AirbornXpress (Sep 27, 2006)

*How about commercial*

:rybka:


----------

