also for running the boat lanes, and meeting head to head the generally accepted method is to pass port to port. so if the bouys are the centerline your boat should be on the right side. and when running a curve in the lane your navigational lightrs and right of way position will change to an on coming boat depending on position you are within the curve.

Amen brother Ben!! Just like driving on the highway. If you come up on another boat and want to pass then move to the left and go around if there is no oncoming traffic. What I hate is seeing people cut corners and traveling on the wrong side. If you are the only one on the water then okay but if there are a 1000 boats on the water then you had better drive correctly or you may become a statistic.

There are 3 deep spots that are in the boatlane...people run by me wide open....I know what I signed up for fishing in the middle of the interstate...

The boat running fast has the same amount of responsibility to avoid collision as the slow boat does. Idling in a boat lane does NOT mean they are stupid or "I have rights" attitude. As stated, spun hub, broken throttle cable, etc is a valid & legal reason. Maybe the courtesy door SHOULD swing both ways.
Personally if I DID have to idle back in a boat lane , I AM going to be on the outer edge & watching very carefully for boats overtaking me to pass. That's the common sense side of it. Try to stay out of harms way because of mechanical problems. If I'm running fast & approaching a boat from behind I'm giving wide birth. Common sense also. I'll also look to see if they flag me down for help. Sometimes people need the benefit of the doubt given. Stay safe out there.

I know these aren't the old days but in the early 70's when I was young and my uncle was a guide on Toledo, we'd run for miles to a creek (about the size of Wolf) and see ONE boat in it and he'd turn and go somewhere else. I realize we are more crowded now but it'd be nice if someone in this "me" world would show some common courtesy and decency.

Unfortunately none of us would recognize if when it happens. 5 guys could see you and decide to go elsewhere and one pulls in with you. Who are you going to notice?

I routinely skip coves I want to fish to avoid crowding someone else and also because I like a little solitude myself. But no one would ever notice this unless they were in my boat and heard me comment.

Joe Todd, actually if it is clear you should give 1 short horn blast and pass on the right side of the boat you are overtaking. If they are not passable on the right, you should give 2 short horn blast and pass on the left cautiously.




The boat running up from behind the fastest is the give-way boat and totally responsible to avoid the collision.

Originally Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES
I fished Fork and Toledo Bend before they had " boat lanes " and didn't have the issues with people fishing in the " boat lanes " because there weren't any " boat lanes ." If folks were fishing in open water you either slowed down or go around them. Now there are buoys there and you ain't cool if you're fishing or going slow where the buoys are. I have yet to see a buoy that had " boat lane " on it. Having said that, I have close to 2 million other places I'd rather fish so you won't see me with the trolling motor down anywhere near one of those buoys. If you're fishing near one of them I'll either slow down or go around. Just tryin to get along.


there have always been "boat lanes" on FORK........ before there were buoys in the middle marking the lanes, there were tall trees with leaves on them on either side of the boat lane. Stay in between the trees and you were in the "lane". Lots of folks fished in those "lanes" back then. You just had to be nice both driving and fishing. "NICE".....something a lot of people are not any longer.


What a great new concept Flukeman! Be NICE!!! Seems like such a paradox to use the words Lake Fork and etiquette in the same sentence . I have never fished anywhere that brings out the worst in men, than at Fork. I always attributed it to a lot of folks, used to metroplex driving, finding themselves in a bass boat on lake Fork. I'm sure everyone here has multiple stories if you've fished there for at least one weekend day. I still love the Lake inspite of the Jackwagons that blow prop blast on you as they pass by at 80mph while you drive 50mph down the boat lane.

I normally just crank 'er up to 75 when passing someone in the boat lanes. I know they would like less wake and also it's harder to hit me with a 1oz C-rig when going that fast. It's stupid to idle in boat lanes.....just don't do it!

WHY does this act need to be noticed by someone else? You know you did/do it, isn't that all that counts?
For every 1 that receives an award for "building a shlter" there are 1,000s that do that type of work without ever being recognized....... JUST DO IT !!!!! who really cares who notices.

they pass by at 80mph while you drive 50mph down the boat lane. [/quote]

I guess I would be considered "idling" in the boat lanes since my Stratos with a 50hp Yamaha will only do 33mph tops.

Stevie wonder could navigate PK without a channel marker.

Those are just chanel markers, the whole lake is basically wide open until you get in cado

I'll have to disagree a little Clark, some of those points run pretty far out just like the ones at Tawakoni.