How bad do you hate wakeboarders

I went fishing at lake bryan this afternoon, and I was bank fishing from the damn. As soon as I got there a couple of guys decided that they needed to wakeboard the entire length of the damn no farther out than 20 yards from me. They even pushed a guy in a boat out of the area. Do this people not have any respect for anybody else, and to top it off, the entire lake was pretty much empty. If only I had a big heavy weight.

People are ignorant when it comes to manners. Maybe it was their upbringing or lack there of. I get mad sometimes over people getting to close to me in their boat or c-doo. But alas it will happen again and worrying is only hurtful to me. Try to overlook their stupidity and it will help you in the longrun.

At least you don't have stupid drunks too worry about. Sometimes I feel like beatin the **** out of them. They can get pretty scarry around ya and they don't even care.

Sounds like a welcome to Cypress Springs beginning after Memorial Day.

lol.. anytime I hear wakeboarders.. CYpress Springs is the first that comes to mind!! Theres no word to describe the feeling of when you are sittin on a good brushpile and they start buzzing you!!

well said

They are lucky there are laws against what I would like to do to them....sometimes I wonder if they are the same stupid _sses I deal with in traffic everyday...I am to the conclusion that yes they are....

my favorite is either grapevine or lewisville! I usually keep a old rod rigged with a 1 ounce slab minus the treble hook. i try to bounce it off the seadoo or the boat. I will let them make several passes and then I will make one comment. they ignore me and then FLING there goes the slab. they called the game warden once and the game warden asked them first what did they do? their response game warden told them to pound sand. whipping out the badge helps too

Actually, I used to love to slalom ski when I was a kid. We almost alway's went by the dam. The dam has some of the smoothest water on the lake, especially if the wind is coming out of that direction.

Not only that, but the wake that washes up against the bank, cancels itself out very quick, so the water smooths out faster there also.

It's common to Wakeboard by the dam for this very reason. So, you are just a nuisance to them as they are too you. They are probably thinking, jeez this guy's got the whole lake to go fishing, why does he have to fish in the best skiing water?

Put yourself's in the other guys shoes for a sec guys. I see this topic come up every summer, so this is just a chance to point out the other side of things.

I still love waterskiing and wakeboarding, moreso wakeboarding these days. Not trying to be argumentative, just giving a different perspective.

Yeah, some of em' are jerks, but not all.

Good points joefishin! I like to ski as well as fish, well as I get older not as much skiing, but the dam is a common place for the best skiing. Guess that's why I like to fish in the timber. Any skiers or jet skis in there will be fun to watch.

They should be outlawed!! I was hoping it was just a fad and they would be gone but it doesnt seem like they are going away. Kind of like rap music!!!!

Okay Mr. Joe the wakeboarder. If you want to wakeboard put some wheels on it and go to Wally world's parking lot. Weeeee all know that the water was intended for fishing only. Duh huh! Just kidding of course. There is a strange law in Alabama that if your fishing from the bank and a boat gets in your lines it is your tough luck. Course there is a lot of strange things in Alabama. They have problems with the sitution if you get married in Alabama and move to Georgia and get a divorce are you still brother and sister. Have fun--

Still, they should have respected that he was out there first.

That is what 6 ounce weights are for. You can get some good distance out of them.

If they get too close or repetitive I just take out my camera and snap pictures...I have found at first they will show off...and eventually I guess they wonder what the pics are for...and then go away...

Well another factor is that most of the time wakeboarders are usually a crew of teens or guys in their early twenties.... Usually not a whole lot of consideration for others or respect found in those guys.

What you really have a problem with is stupid, inconsiderate people that happen to be wakeboarding. There are some smart, considerate people that wakeboard. I am a fisherman and do not wakeboard, however I have been irritated many more time by stupid, inconsiderate fishermen than all the wakeboarders on the lake.

The key to everyone having a good time on the lake is to be smart and considerate of the other person's rights. However, I know this is probably too much to ask these days.....

I used to Really hate them when I had my 15 ft. Basstracker! I think they try to see how close they can get to you. They don't care!

how bad do I hate wakeboarders?

Does the term 99 to life give you any ideas?

You should goto Caddo and see those cazy people ski and wakeboard down a river or creek. You litterly get water in your boat from there ski spray! I've got to where I don't goto certain places b/c of them.

Yeah, I fish the Brazos off of Tin Top quite a bit and it must be wakeborder heaven. You can't even get your boat on plane because of the monsterous wakes those boats put out. I try and avoid the open water from May to September. I thought I was safe on the river in January, wrong. There was an idiot bare footing in 50 degree water, I was laughing so hard because he was wearing a face mask because it was so cold outside. I decided if he loved it that much more power to him. But they really get on my nerves, so I stay in the stumps as much as possible.

You know guys I've had more problems lately with bass fishermen than I have ever had with wakeboarders or Sea-Doo's. I think we can be a lot more disrespectful at times than any Sea-Doo or wakeboarder. At least we only have to deal with them for the summer months and not all year! Just this past Sunday a fisherman cut within 25 yds. in front of me and on top of where I was fishing. The things that went through my head were not pleasant to say the least. This is starting to happen more and more now days. Guess people have forgotten what common courtesy is these days. The best one was out at Lake Gilmer a few weeks ago. I got in a cussing match with this guy because he cut us off once and someone else once then got withing a boat length of us and started fishing. To top it all off he had the nerve to ask if we were fishing a BASS tournament!!! Talk about wanting to jump in his boat and beat the living @#$% out of him!!! I'm getting worked up just thinking about it!!!

Yall need to understand there are jerk wakeboarders just like there are jerk bassboats. There is good in both groups.

The only thing that I think it is easy to forget in the wakeboard boat is that puppy throws a BIG wake, and it's dangerous to small craft...

I think alot of them would change there ways if they knew that they were washing waves over the front of smaller boats...

The problem is they are a bunch of kids that have no respect at all. Thier mommies and daddies buy them these huge boats and they dont care who they piss off. The fisherman are the ones with the right of way but no one knows that. Last year at grapevine I swear I could have hit one guy that just would weave in and out of the boats lined up on the dam. The whole thing about the wind is an excuse in my opinon. I have wake boarded in the middle of the lake in 5-10-15 mile an hour winds and it didnt effect me any. Its one thing to be the legal distance away but thats always ignored.

I rember on time last summer, I was fishing a HOT spot and wasnt about to be satisfied, when along came a wakeboard boat doing about wide open, about 30yds away. well i let him have it. Wraped that ol c-rig right around his monkey bars, you could tell they thought about turning around, but i guess they had an idea about what would have happed. And fishing out of a faded bass boat sure has its drawbacks when them 23foot jobs who think beacuse they buy a 30,000+ boat, think they are the **** an can fish however close they want, an expect you to move when they come. Now not everyone isnt like that, just a few. about the number of jet ski experiences ive had.

I hate them about as much as I hate jet skis, boats and skiers that run between me and the bank I am fishing...and the people who operate all of the above.

They are usually young punks with more horsepower than brains or common decency.

I don't care if the water is smoother by the dam or along the bank or not...if the fisherman is there first, the wakeboarders/skiers/jet skis should show some respect and decency and BACK OFF.

Looks like I opened a can of worms that maybe I should have left alone. Don't get me wrong, I love to ski and board anytime I get a chance. But the guys I encoutered seemed to be showing off. It almost looked like they were seeing just how close they could get to us on the bank and in the boat. That is what got me irritated. Lake Bohnam is almost unfishable during mid-day in the summer. I have had lots of problems there, but what can you do. Luckly most boarders and skiers are not on the whater early in the morning, and late in the evening, at least we still have those hours.

Not nearly as bad as I hate rude fisherman!

I caught me a driver of a ski boat a fews years back .He squealed like a little girl when that 1oz striper slab stuck in him!!! After he called me a few names they left and I never seen them again. I told him I was sorry I was just fishing!!!! And I wonder if he ever got that close to another fishing boat.

I must say that I agree with some of the previous statements made by other individuals. Don't get me wrong, I have had some issues with wakeboarders more times than I can count..Escpecially when I am fishing in a Marina, not to mention I am in a 9 foot pond prowler..They come through the marina at full speed. But, here is my point.. During the summer months, every dam, on every lake, is going to be full of pleasure boats. Now, wheter or not it is true that the water is nicer, they will be there. I have had many more issues with bass fisherman than I have had with sea doos.. I was fishing a tournament at Lewisville in my pond prowler (don't laugh please) as I was preceding to fish a boat house, a boat pulls one slip in front of me, yes you heard me correctly, one slip, therefore that is equivalent to about 10 feet.. He precedes to say "I didn't mean to cut you off" So not only does he cut me off, he basicaly lets me know that he is fully aware. Now my reaction, well, I didn't have one, I was sooo dumbfounded that I didn't even know what to do. Plus, that is the great thing about getting on the lake at 6a.m....NO PLEASURE BOATERS.

Man, if my dad was alive when this kind of stuff happened.......whew ! I remember, as a child about 5 yrs old, he'd take me fishing in a cypress lake, where upon seeing another fisherman within 100 yards...he'd kill his 7.5 HP evinrude, take out a paddle and scull the little boat past the fisherman.

That's how things USED to be done. My exwife used to want a jet ski...and I fought her on it for years....but in 1998, I gave in and bought her one, on the condition that she would NEVER go anywhere near a fisherman while riding it.

Nowdays, I just load up a huge crankbait and cast in front of them a few times. They usually get the message. They can call the police all they want while I'm in Shreveport, I dont care. I know all the lake patrol guys anyway....but at cedar creek...I dont.

Most just need a good arse whuppin. I guess you could always pull a shotgun and shoot at a "snake" next to your boat, but I dont know the laws very well in TX yet, so I'm not inclined to do that.

That is exactly what I was going to say. Depends on who was there first. I like to water ski and pull the kids around in a tube but I wont take over a spot if somebody else is fishing it.

Yeah you are right, don't do that. They take stuff like that pretty serious.

Try a different approach.. turn the other cheek, kill them with kindness, if you do the right thing maybe they will too and just let it go because it's not worth the grief. I am very aware of the problems on our lakes and rivers for I use a kayak to fish out of often and have had more then my fair share of close calls with pleasure crafts. I use to get angry because of the danger they were putting me in but I've come to realize that there really are people in this world that are completely oblivious to the needs of others and you won't educate them effectively as adversaries.

I am with you I like to canoe and fish in the lakes. It is not just the pleasure boats either.

Just Fishin, I think your post and pictures makes the point pretty well about respect.

ditto: ryndel

my 2 cents.....

If I'm running the water looking for a place to fish and the 'boarders or skiers are already there, I go someplace else. Likewise when I used to Ski, if a person was already in the spot fishing I gave him a wide berth. He was there first..... What we are seeing is just a lack of plain old common courtesy.

When I lived on Eagle Mountain, I had skiers actually run into my dock simply for being to close but on the other hand I went out one night and found two fisherman actually anchored IN my boat house UNDER MY BOAT which was hanging in the straps. That wasn't only illegal, it was also pretty stupid. (FYI - I had never hassled any fishermen for fishing anywhere around the dock except maybe when I was on the dock fishing myself) Lake Patrol took care of both situations.

It's just people who leave their brains at the shore when they get in the boat!

So be it. I like to fish and ski! Likewise, you will not see my boat coming anywhere close to a fisherman, as I love to spend my weekend here pitching stumps as well.

Hello,
I know I do some jet-skiing so I will post a comment.
Now when I go (palestine). I always try to observe everyone around me fishermen, other boaters etc. I think that it all comes down to respect. If I do see someone fishing, I usually cut to idle, and try to find the longest way around them and go around without throwing out too much of a wake.
Same thing with bass or pleasure boats running....I stay out of thier way.
I feel that the water is for everyone's enjoyment. If people would use just a little common sence (which is rare these days), it would be fine.
Stop thinking of yourself for 1-2 minutes and think of the other cat.
TheHammer
Mark

A true story. Lake Bistineau...north Louisiana..about 6 years ago:

Family fishing in a bend in the channel..( a cypress lake...tight turns.).....jet ski rounds the bend,hauling a$$, not paying attention...runs up on the fishing boat, killing TWO family members, including a kid.

Courtesy and common sense could have avoided it.

On Cross lake in Shreveport, we lobbied for a "no personal watercraft" zone and won it. Just like a no wake zone. It was a safety issue. Now you have to have a driver's license to ride one alone, I'm told. It was getting crazy. BTW, I lobbied for the law AFTER we bought the yamaha wave runner.

We're looking into a similiar measure on northern Cedar Creek right now. These idiots fly by, too close to our dock at top speed....and we're going to stop it...no matter what it takes....or who has to be run out of office. Once they pay for damages on a $22,000 dock....they'll get the message.


It's all about responsibility....fishermen too.

Oldfrog,

Offtopic here, but you grew up and fished some of the same waters as I did as a kid. As a matter of fact, my mom and dad got engaged on a fishing trip at Bistineau in the late '40s. Like you, I grew up with a 7 1/2 hp tiller handle in my hand while fishing on some of the natural lakes in north Louisiana.

And my dad would have kicked my butt if I'd shown the same kinds of manners on the water we're talking about here. But then many of these people that do these acts don't have a clue about boating courtesy. They didn't have someone teaching them the right way to drive a boat when they were growing up like we did.

This might help in some cases. Be sure and read the Sportsman Right Act at bottom of page. it has to do with fishing also.

Auto: You are probably an exception. I applaud you for it, too.

It's not a question of only keeping a legal distance, it's about good manners, too. Either you have them or you dont. Same goes for fishermen. Personally, I'd like to see a boater's course and licensing requirement law passed. Some people just arent taught properly. There are some really interesting things that boaters can learn by taking a Power Squadron course, or something similiar , if they havent already.

To CapnJoe:

We might need to hook up while I'm at my place in Gun Barrel city sometime. I go to visit my daughter, who is a hairdresser in Arlington from time to time too. I've found that a man that knows a bit about fishing Cypress lakes is usually a pretty good fishing buddy. They know how to be quiet !

(I was SUPPOSED to be in Lake Charles tonight, .but no hotel rooms available til Monday.....none that I'd stay in, anyway.. otherwise, I'd be in GBC tonight...instead of Shreveport...grrr !)

Email me if you're interested , Capnjoe.

What I cannot figure out is why someone hasn't used a canoe and went "wakeboard seeking", and intentionally put themselves at risk and gotten capsized and sued these wavemakin machines. You are responsible for damge done by your wake.

Hate to say it, but I'm sure that your boat makes wake heading to your fishing spot. I run my boat about 60 mph everywhere i go. They have just as much a right as we do, i just wish they would stay out of the coves too. I'll tow you out there in a canoe free of charge erwin.

Yep, No Ski zones cleared this up on a lot of Arizona lakes in a jiffy. That included jet skis, wave runners, jet boats, etc. Mostly included a majority of the coves and dam leaving the main lake for the idiots.

BUT his boat (and yours going 60) is not set up to create a HUGE wake. These boats get a ballast bladder and fill er up with hundreds of gallons of water and then run around on half plane to creat a giant ramp wake to jump off of.
Like was posted before a boat captain is responsible for the wake and ANY damages it creates.
I got a giant Scarab a ticket one day (10+years ago) on Lewisville for doing circles in the small area behind 121 marina. This Scarab got just out of the no wake zone and made a slow half plane pass in a circle and washed about 30 or more poeples lawn chairs, towels and ice chests off of the grass beach. We were in the middle drifting and noticed a four foot wall of water coming at us from both sides where the waves were coming together. We were in a 17' Tracker and almost went under. We got into a few choice words with the so called capitan and then saw the marine patrol on the 121 dock. We told him about what happened and when the warden saw everyone picking up everything out of the water he went out and started writing in his black book. We were pretty happy to see the warden that day!

C'mon guys, have you seen the chicks those wakeboard boats usually have onboard??? I sometimes wish they would come closer when making their passes.

I am a wakeboarder that also fishes so I understand why most fisherman label us as idiots...but I also laugh when my wakeboarding buddies label all fisherman as inbred rednecks. Now that I think of it my cousin is actually pretty hot

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by airfob:
<strong> C'mon guys, have you seen the chicks those wakeboard boats usually have onboard??? ...... Now that I think of it my cousin is actually pretty hot

i got so tired of wakeboarders, jet-ski'ers, and just rude fisherman last year that i bought a paintball gun for christmas and i fully intend on using it this year. I've decided that if a jetski or wakebord boat are running close enought to me that i could hit them casting my weight, i'm gonna paint the rider and/or boat with bright red paint( i bought 5000 balls so i got plenty). If a fisherman idles past me in a cove..its all good..but if they come flying by me close enough to hit...they are gonna get painted also.

I have nothing against the people who have manners and common sense who ride jet-ski's, wakeboards, etc..just the mornons.

if i permanantly injure somebody that is riding a wakeboard at 30mph within casting distance of my boat...that almost flips it over or puts waves over the side....they deserve what they get.

Justin, what about the wakeboarders who throw a 4ft wake at a small boat and capsize it? Is that fine?

No, that is not fine. As stated above, "You are responsible for your own wake". With that being said, I would not agree with anyone intruding on someones fishing spot, and possibly capsizing someones boat. My comment was directed at the intent to injure someone by the blunt force of a slab, or by an airgun that could possibly permanently injure someone. I understand everyones frustration. I love to fish just as much as anyone here on this forum, and would hate to see a fellow fisherman put himself in a situation that could be mighty costly, for a mistake made out of anger.

Justin,
The pretty girls shooting the bird is offensive regardless of how good looking they are. I guess if your going to get some bad news it would be nicer to get it from a good looking person. I can't help but wonder if the pretty girls are inviting me to do something or telling me off.

You think they may have deleted your pictures due to the hand jesters the women are making

A serious question if you please.

I pay to register my boat and I pay again for the priviledge of fishing via a Fishing License. If the TPW is as broke as we're told , how come the wakeboarders/jet skiers, etc. don't have to pay for the priviledge of using the water like fisherpeople do?

Ask your legislator that question the next time you hear from him/her.

Glad my son is not old enough to understand the hand gestures. Too bad for the other parents that surf here with their kids that may have seen it.

Extremely poor taste Justin.

They do pay. They register their boat just like you do. You buy a fishing liscense because you MAY take that resource (fish) home and it must be replaced. The pleasure boater does not remove any resource.

I apologize to anyone who took offense to the pic I posted. The gestures that were present on the picture were not directed towards any group, or individual on this forum. Once again, I apologize.

I just want to clarify something on behalf of the TFF and the moderators.

We do not endorse or "approve" of the use of any contrived weapon in the resolution of disputes bewteen "wakeboarders, pleasure boaters, PWCs, and fishing folks".
We also recognize everybody's right to the water, but also insist that all boaters exercise respect, courtesy and safety when operating watercraft on our lakes, rivers and streams.

As you debate this topic, do not assume that every position taken by the fisherman automatically gets embraced by the TFF. Keep it clean and try not to offend the persons offering a different perspective.

Well said Bob. Hopefully the storm we had overnight produced some rain so that we all can enjoy some time on the water this weekend. Good luck to all!

For what it's worth, here is a reply to a question I asked on another board about "Boaters Responsibilities". The reply was give by a Texas parks & Wildlife Game Warden.....

As Bill mentioned, it is tough to prove "hazardous wake" complaints or situations due to the nature of the offense. Unfortunately, I basically have to see someone creating a hazardous wake before I can terminate their voyage. Also, the "ski area" is no longer in effect according to the LCRA Ranger. The bouys are still there "somewhat" so I generally don't tell people that unless they ask. However, in case you see someone skiing or tubing somewhere else on the lake, there is no longer an enforceable ski area.

The pleasure boater does not remove any resource (fish)?

That's an interesting premise; however, the pleasure boater, as do all others, requires the resource of clean, unpolluted and safe waterways in which to frolic. These resources are provided by the same people who replace the fish.

Following the argument of "resource replacement", the pleasure craft should pay a User Fee rather than purchase a fishing license. That would be fair, don't you think?

No, I don't think so. You and I pay for the boat registration, just as any pleasure boater does. You and I buy a fishing license in addition to the registration, in order to be allowed to harvest the resource. Now if you made the pleasure boater pay an additional user fee, you and I would be required to pay the same fee, inaddition to the registration and license. I do 99% catch and release, how would a warden at the ramp seperate my use of the water for pleasure or if I was fishing? So no, I don't think it would be fair.

If a user fee was floated in front of the legislature I assure you it will be passed for ALL boats using Texas waters. So again NO, it's not fair or a good idea.

EXACTLY. A "Water Resource license" would be required of anyone between the ages of 17 and 65 who use the surface of public waters for recreation. It would REPLACE the fishing license.

Quote:

EXACTLY. A "Water Resource license" would be required of anyone between the ages of 17 and 65 who use the surface of public waters for recreation. It would REPLACE t he fishing license.

Just remember who would have to make that law. Do you trust the money grabbing sleaze balls in Austin to do away with the fishing license and creat a water resource fee? They already have the fishing license, they would just add the water resource fee on top of it and we are still right where we started. Have you forgotten the $5 freshwater fisheries fee?

Guys, a water resource liscense would be a great idea. But keep in mind there is no loyalty to sportsmen in the halls of the Texas capital.

I give up. I too pay for fish that someone else keeps.

It was a dumb thought and the reality is that additional revenues probably wouldn't stop with Pleasure Craft. It would be more money, from all of us right thinking and acting people, going into the General Fund rather than where it rightfully should.

The original question had to do with animosity toward wakeboarders. What is the difference between a rude wakeboarder and some misbegotten A..H... that blasts by you in his super-charged 225 hp bass boat close enough to reach out and touch you?

Typical example of WakeBoarder disrespect of fishermen.

Last weekend while fishing Lewisville we fished down a Mainlake bank. We had Wakeboarders (?in 58deg water?) Run Up and Down Parallel to the bank we were fishing 100ft away. If we had been casting a C-rig off the right side of the boat we could have hit them by mistake.

We then moved into a creek...did'nt take them long to find us and make numerous passes.

Even with the lower lake levels you would think there was enough usable waters to not be skiing right on top of us....Twice??

We ignored them...but they never just went away!

who would win in a fight...Dale Jr. or Jeff Gordon???

who would win in this fight...an out of shape fisherman that hit my boat with a weight or a former marine corps recon sgt. that likes to wakeboard??

Welcome aboard the TFF UpUra.

Next time you want to fight...Ponder this if you will...

If you navigate your boat close enough for a fisherman to hit your boat with a weight you are in violation of Texas Law.

Simper Fi Bro!

The law is 50 ft while underway which is less than 20 yards. I know I can cast a good weight more than 20 yards as can anyone who has even cast a line, so your statement may not hold true. I was raised to respect 100 feet which is 33+ yards and I wouldn't get closer than that to anything unless at idle speed. And by the way I have been known to do a lot wakeboarding, a little watersking and even some fishin.

hey everybody has to share the water and as long as boats underway stay 50 minimum at most texas lakes and 100 ft posted at some and are staying within the laws then if those that dont like it can just move to another spot to fish ,ski ,or wakeboard..

i agree 20yards sounds close but in ft thats sounds like the minimum distance allowable by law for two boats ..im sure if the winds were low and the water were smooth all the time there would be no problems but thats not the case and skiers/wakeboarders go to the smoothest shorelines to ride and that will never change...

so people on the water need to get along because threating to thow things at other boats is not only against the law,assault,it is more rude and threating then some rollers hitting your boat...

BTW FYI all boats underway also need to be 200ft away from anybody being towed behind a boat just in case anybody wanted to know.. Riding behind a boat pulling a rider is not only dangerous but against the law..

lets get along and share the water properly people rage and anger will get us nowwhere ..