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....

Well looks like you are in a area with pleasure boaters that happen to ski. I have no problem with the fishing population, but as always there will be a few bad apples. I only board at one location, the Brazos, and have watched fishing boat after fishing boat leave other fisherman stranded dead on the water. I have personally towed 3 fisherman over the last 6 years, while you fellow brethern pass at mach 5.

As far as coves, boarders/skiers seek out smooth water, because it makes life so much better for the person behind the boat, not to ruin your slice of paradise. When it comes to tieng up docks/ramps, I have seen many a single fisherman tie up a ramp/dock to rival any family of 10 in their pleasure craft.

You got to be kidding! Smooth water! So that is the green light to head into a cove where a fisherman is trying to stay out of the way. What courtesy is that? I guess your idea is still, screw them we need the smooth water. That's exactly what ticks us off.
As far as helping tow stranded boaters/fishermen, thanks.

Missed that section of where anyone owns the water, besides when I get there, there is no one there, because most people are still asleep. I can't count the number of time when I used to board at lavon when I was the first to arrive at the damn, to be joined soon after by the fishing crowd. Guess I owned that water because I was there first?

Like I said, I only hit the Brazos nowadays and the fisherman there know exactly what to expect in terms of boat traffic, in fact, I find it a fairly nice understanding agreement between the two groups. Your mileage may vary.

Being a former skier and comp tow boat owner, I can appreciate the desire for smooth water. However, on the local lakes, I've seen chuckleheads come within a long cast of my bass boat on dead calm mornings when the whole damn lake is glass. Now what's the intent there? Or are they just that damn stupid? The skiers / boater who frequent the Brazos are usually a more intelligent and skilled group. I saw that 20 years ago when I was going there every weekend. The local idiots are the one's who simply amaze me.

So maybe it shouldn't be "I hate skiers" but "I hate idiot boat operators".

I hate rude people period. My best friend takes our family out tubing at times. We are never near any fishermen or women. We tube in the middle of the lake. Never near the shore. I do not understand how people think it's okay to zoom by someone else regardless of what they are doing. Jet skis are a pet peeve of mine too. I try to keep in mind it is public water and not everyone has the same hobbies. It is probably a good thing I don't have a boat, I would want to get a PA system and holler at some of the rude folks...and nowadays I guess that can cause major friction.

Getting their boat number and reporting them would be the best way to stop it I guess.

Of course you missed it, noone said they owned it! I said courtesy! Why do you go into to a spot where you know your going to mess with someone? If your skiing an area and a fisherman comes in then they know what to expect. On the other hand if a fisherman is in a cove why do they feel they can zoom in and out? I'm say courtesy goes along way for both sides.

[quote=evv59Of course you missed it, noone said they owned it! I said courtesy! Why do you go into to a spot where you know your going to mess with someone? If your skiing an area and a fisherman comes in then they know what to expect. On the other hand if a fisherman is in a cove why do they feel they can zoom in and out? I'm say courtesy goes along way for both sides. [/quote]

Not a problem I don't do it, because when boarding resovoirs I usually was the first where I wanted to be. However I saw plenty of fisherman do it, you should not be surprised at behavior that imitates what others are doing.

I agree with all the pizzed-off fishing brethren here!

I most often fish Lake Austin, which is much more of a river than a lake... only a couple hundred yards wide in many places, if that much. I sit there fishing quietly and peacefully, and then here come the skiers doing their WIDE zig-zags and basically destroying BOTH shorelines!

I think a lot of them are not malicious, just dumb and clueless while living in their own little self-absorbed, hedonistic world. They think they're being friendly when they buzz past and then a bikini-wearing airhead WAVES "howdy" to me. Of course, it's all I can do not to flip them off and scream fightin' words at them. But there's usually four or five of them in the boat and only one of me, so... I just sit there and stew in anger. It passes in a couple minutes anyway.

At my age (60), I like to choose my battles wisely. In other words, I may dream impossible dreams, but I try to fight fewer unbeatable foes. LOL!

As someone who has skied/boarded Lake Austin, I have never seen comp ski/wake boats zig-zagging. I however have seen plenty of pleasure craft/tubers zig zagging. Boarding, barefooting, and skiing at any level is best accomplished by driving in a straight line.

auto
Maybe I'm ignorant of the terminology of skiing, since I don't ski and never have. The boats themselves might be straightlining, but the skiers are making wide side-to-side maneuvers and basically hogging that entire portion of the lake.

I'm also referring to the narrow area up around City Park and further to the northwest, not the wide area down by the Hula Hut, Tom Miller Dam, etc..

I most frequently put in on weekdays around first light and fish 'til mid-morning, or whenever the pleasure traffic gets too much to bear.

I thought I'd seen it all the other day, when I arrived at Quinlan Park when it was still dark, and saw a boat hauling a skier with his navigation lights on! THAT is dedicated skiing, no lie!

ive ben fishing with my friend in there bass boat and thay have a 300 evrude and that thing hauls and when a skier comes we eather we have a coast rod with a 8ounce wight and we throw it at them or we haul a## and chase them down the lake and scare the living heck out of them and its fun but not for them

Is this not the reason why "SLABS" where invented??? and then someone accidentally caught a fish on one.....This must be why those old heavy lead sandbass slabs where invented right????

fishinnb
I fish Canyon Lake also and am just waiting on a skier or jet flea to catch a stump going up the river. Been out there the last 2 weekends fishing the river between the lake and island and have been buzzed several times by jet skies. Had a skier go up the river in front of me looked like he was running a slolum around the stumps, kept waiting on him to catch a stump but unfortunatly it didn't happen.

the worst part of many skiers is that they think they are not doing anything wrong. many times i have had someone drive right next to me and wave. like its ok you put up a 3 foot wake 15yrds from me. everytime i sell skies at work i think to myself "these son of itches are going to ruin someones fishing".

I am a skier (actually use to be but now teaching my kids) and a fisherman. To the person who stated it is all about the "Me" generation, you hit it squarely on the head.

I make a point to stay away from other skiers and fishermen, especially fishermen. I have had plenty of bad experiences with them and those who ride jetskis. I have had jets skis come close enough to throw water in my boat while I was leaning over the side trying to help my 12 year old daughter put on her wakeboard. I was in the middle of lake Lavon, not by the dam and not in a cove, I mean smack in the middle. I yanked my daughter out of the water and cranked the boat in one motion and went after them.

Got the numbers, reported them to the game wardens and then called the sherrif department. Both were writing tickets and reading the riot act to the guy while I was putting my boat on the trailer and going home. I keep a 1.5 oz slab on a rod even when I am pulling my kids for just this type of problem.

It would probably be smarter just to keep Collin County Sheriff Department and the Gamewarden's numbers on speed dial. Both responded in very short order, especially since I had the numbers from their jet skis, descriptions of the vehicles and skis, and their location.

get a cheap paint ball gun.freeze the balls and after a few shots will teach them. then if the laws come up throw the gun over board.just my 2 cents

Correction, didn't had bad experiences with other fishermen, but rather other skiers. Sorry.

How about the kids jumping off the bridges. They ruin my fishing hole everytime. I'm usually cordial with them but I just end up leaving. Most of the kids are good kids just looking for something to do but man does it get under my skin when they do it right over the top of me. I have aready explained to them what they are doing is illegal.It got serious last week when one of the girls on the bridge was hit by a car. It was a hit and run. I pray for the girl to get better but I was a little distrubed with what the father said. He put all the blame on the driver and I agree the driver is a P.O.S. for leaving the scene and he should be prosecuted to the fullist(good chance he was probably intoxicated) . But the girl being on the bridge with her friends jumpping off is also a contributiing factor. Trust me I have teenage daughters and being in law enforcement I know the dangers that teenagers can put themselves in. But if my girls were caught or I was told they were jumping off bridges me and their mother would definitely put a stop to it. Alot of people are saying these are good kids just having fun quit being such a square. And 90% of them are good kids. There is a reason jumping off bridges is illegal. Not only is it a safety issue in the water but also on the bridge with motorist.

u got a good point parrish but i love jumping off bridges but when i see a car comming ill hang off the side of the bride or whit for them to pass and some of the cops have told us to just be safe and that what we try to do

Solution fish fall, winter, spring,and early and late during the summer. As far as bass tournys go, oh well. I ski and fish. I mainly fish for catfish and I can't tell you how many times I have been knocked off anchor by a 70 mph bass boat. It's not skiers its just idiot boaters in general.

This thread took longer to materialize this year!! Ahhh! the annual fisherman vs wakeboard/skier thread. So refreshing to see a topic that comes up every year and every year has the same content, same gripes, and same results (nada). I think we should leave this thread alone and let everyone get the venting and argueing out of the way then lock it up till next year.

Their parents did teach them. What they taught them is how to be self centered and inconsiderate of others.

Against the law to ski at night.

Anyone that thinks a bass/fishing boat puts out a wake that is near as disruptive as that of any ski/wake board/pleasure craft and judges the impacts the wakes cause on others on the water as the same needs to either OPEN YOUR GOL DANG EYES, or simply get a clue. Cause you are indeed looking very clue-less.
Bass/fishing boats on plane put out very little wake and then it is only until they get to their fishing spot...and then they put out zero wake until they move to a new spot, which may not be for hours.
Ski/wake board/pleasure craft on the other hand move the whole time putting out a wake (an