I dont know about you all, but skiers on the lake drive me absolutely crazy!! I think they should have to stick to restricted areas or something.

Case in point: Im fishing a tourny (for money) the other day. I have been casually going along an island of submerged sticks inside a small cove, for about an hour. I was halfway through my drift and just getting into prime area. However, from out of nowhere, skiers coming zooming end and run full spead right along the brush line that I was fishing. They thrashed the whole area and veared off from hitting me at the last second. I did not yell or scream, but shrugged at them in disgust. Then, the guy called me an A-hole.

I could not imagine doing that to someone and then cursing them out. That is ridiculous. I understand that fisherman do not own the water and that we should all share, but it is the skiers who have no respect for others. They would be peeded off if I zoomed by them while they were picking up a downed skier or doing menevuers, but have no problem zooming by us as we are trolling, almost knocking us off our boats with the wake.

Skiers have the whole lake to zoom around, yet they feel the need to come into some back water cove and ruin it for us. Im only asking for a little bit of undisturbed water.

In fact, fisherman should have more rights than anybody if you think about it. Why? Because we pay for all of these parks and recreational areas through the high cost of our licenses. Skiers dont pay for anything. They should have marked off boundries for sking purposes.

The reason that I feel this way is because I have had too many bad encounters with those who ski. I know that there are others out there that feel like I do. Im also a surfer, and we surfers would never let a jet skier come in and mess things up. If one did, there would be a pack of guys waiting for him on the beach.

a-friggin-greed

Lets combine fishing and hunting and declare open season on skiers.

Its like they are trying to show off to us, but dont realize that we dont care and that they are making us real mad.

I am just about at my witts end and someones going to get the "wrath"

here is one solution, an old garage sale rod and reel, 12lb test and a 1.5oz slab with sharp hooks. the rest is self explanatory. i stay off of lakes now a days that are skiable, but there was a time when i fished with those idiots. the first thing the warden asks is "how close"

teamron

the game warden at canyon told me a few years ago if they were within casting distance they were too close and could be reported. if you can hit them with a lure and they get pissed they can call the sherriff or warden but you will be in the right.

i only have a 15 footer and it gets swamped every time a ski boat comes close, and they think they have to run right next to you.

I keep a big zara spook tied on one of my rods in the sumer time for just such an occasion but I use 25lb test so I can get a good hook set.

I love skiers - they make good stinkbait when ripened

Its ridiculous that skiers are so rude that it gets to the point where we are talking about throwing sharp weighted objects at them.

You would think that there parents would have taught them better and that we could peacfully coexist. There is plenty of lake out there, unfortunatly, they dont use it and feel it necessary to come thrash around by us.

MeSkeeter, your right, they should have there own little area to zoom around inn. I feel just like you,we as fisherman and Hunters should have more rights than anyone, like you said we are the ones who pay for the lake. And we are the A-holes just cause we want fish in peace.

i hate skiiers, but i really hate them little pukes on their jet ski's

it also seems dangerous to be skiing where people are fishing, especially in timer. i was fishing on lake hubbard once when a skiier wiped out in the timer close to me...once i saw he wasn't seriously hurt, i quietly laughed to myself...sweet justice.

Ah, come on, it's not about the skiers as much as it is about the people themselves... You'll find a-holes in every segment of society.

(someone who loves to waterski)

There are good people and bad people in all sports. I wonder how the stories go on the skiers forums about us tournament fishermen?

When you hold hatred in your heart it turns more on you than anything else.

I was kidding They're too messy for stinkbait.



True, but it sure seems that alot of the chuckleheads in pleasure craft don't demonstrate considerate behavior. But then, fishermen in general aren't as considerate as they used to be either. It's the "all about me" syndrome!

The only thing that they could have against us, is our own yelling at them for trashing our fishing areas and such. On the whole, fisherman really only get in the way of other fisherman. By the nature of what we are doing, it is kinda hard for us to offend most pleasure seekers, skiers, or other enjoyment boaters. Most of the time we are quietly patrolling the shorelines of coves or points; not raceing around, zigging and zagging, and chopping the water up.

Also, the number of times that skiers have been courteous to me are so few that they are huge deals to me. Im sorry, but most people out their sking are jerks. They are so into their own good time that they dont care what they are doing to others. My parents taught me better than that & I like to feel like I am always aware of how I am affecting other people.

The worst part about skiers is that they look for the same type of areas that fisherman do. I read a skieing report talking about all the good coves that a certain lake had. They like nothing more than to skie into a little cove and thrash it. This is not only annoying to us, but seems like it is disruptive to fish seeking shelter.

"Stop the Skiers"

If you go to Ray Hubbard and fish the rocks on the calm side, get prepared. They will come closer than 50 yds. to you, nearly swamping you. And there is plenty of open water before stumps start. However it may keep the bass feeding. LOL.

They are the same dumb@$$&$ that insist on blocking the ramp while prepping the boat to load and unload, listen to their music so loud because they believe you like this song too and get drunk, run into other boats and give the rescue divers something to do in the evening. Quality group they have there.

Need more Gator's.......

If possible get the jerks boat number and call it in to the Sheriff and the warden. Believe it or not it makes a difference on the lakes if they are know as pro fisherman waters, meaning that the lake lice get in trouble for bothering fisherman. If we all take the time to call in their number instead of yelling at them eventually we will win.

Not to say I have not had a drive by from a jetski so close to the boat that I could have touched him. I threw the rod down and fired up the big motor chased the SOB down cussed him out and threw his kill switch lanyard in the weeds. I was an angered youth!


Call in their numbers it is the right way to get our water back.

John

Don't get mad, get even!!! Here is how!!

Before your next fishing trip, add these items to take with you. A small camera and the number for the Game Warden and Sheriff’s office.

So you use the camera to take photos of the boat to get the TX numbers and the person coming to close or anything else they are doing. THEN call the local law and report a violation of the “SPORTSMAN ACT OF 1983”!!!!

What the "SPORTSMAN ACT OF 1983" states that no one can interfere with someone legal taking game. It is a $300.00 fine. The photos will help back up your side and help getting the TX numbers. Also here are some TP&W laws on boating that can be used as well:

Operation of Your Boat
It is unlawful for any person to:

1. Operate so as to cause a hazardous wake or wash.
2. Operate in a circular course around fishermen or swimmers.
3. Operate any vessel or manipulate any water skis, aquaplane or similar device, in a willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others and at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property. (Violation of this provision shall be punishable, upon conviction, by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $2,000 or by confinement in jail not to exceed 180 days or both.)

PWC
1. operate PWC within 50 feet of another PWC, motorboat, vessel, platform, person, object, or shore except at headway speed (headway speed-slow, idle speed, or speed only fast enough to maintain steerage)without creating a swell or wake; and
operate a PWC and jump the wake of another vessel recklessly or unnecessarily close

you need to try it on lewisville, grapevine and ray roberts

these guys will purposely cut right in on top of the area you are fishing...the season has started and get used to it. I have a spot on ray roberts that I actually welcome them idiots cause it stirs up the bait and I catch more fish.

if they were to create a skier, jet skier open season, we would all go over the legal limit I bet

Mike, I think they do do it on purpose, but why.

Yesterday evening me and dad tried to fish Mathis for a quick while. We knew there would be lots of skiers but felt real sure that the area we fish was too secluded, narrow, and dangerous for them to come into. I mean, they have the whole 20k + acreas of lake and we just need one little strip of water that was only a few hundred yds.

However, we were so wrong and there was no avoiding these A-Holes. Its like that sought us out. I felt like the peacfull villagers on "Water World" (Kevin Costner) when the bad guys would come ropping in on the jet skies in mass numbers to cause chaos. It was freakin crazy. They had the whole lake but just had to come into the shallow area of sticks, riprap, debris, and rocks.

We each caught solid 3 lbers right when we polled up both things were dead other than that. I had no doubt that the fish were shell shocked from the maniac skiers because I have not caught less than 10 fish in this area for about a month straight.

Then we get back to the ramp and have to wait behind some idiot boater for 30 minutes at the ramp. He actually broke out boat jumper cables to get his boat going. It was freakin classic.

This could be a remedy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJyn3pRcy_Q&feature=related

Thats some awesome casting there....