As someone who's pretty new to all this, what is the proper etiquette? I mostly fish Decker Lake near Austin which is a pretty small lake, and I've totally started fishing about 100 yards in front of someone else (going away from them).

I fished Lake Travis a couple of times which is a huge lake, and I had 3 people on 3 different occasions approach and start fishing within 50ft of me which I personally thought was rude

If you are coming into an area, I think the easiest thing to do is just ask a person which way are you going and do you mind if I go this way? And then I'll adjust accordingly.

I would venture to say that what lake your on and the current weather conditions modify what would be considered common courtesy. There are times on Rayburn where there are so many boats and the wind is blowing 25mph, that you will have a ton of boats all fishing in the same area. There is not much you can do about it. People coming in and starting right in front of you when there is noone else around is a whole other story.

shoulda, woulda, coulda,...you did exactly what you thought you should do,..end of story.

To op, you did good. You can't control other people, and confrontation isn't going to change their behavior. Manners can't be forced, can only be modeled.

THAT right there is why I keep a camera in the boat, NOT a phone camera, but a digital camera, so I can take pictures of close up of the TX numbers. He MAY/NOT be in the T, but he is certainly not being gracious. I would ask what T he was fishing and then go to their weigh in and report it to T director and what was said and the actions taken. YOU would be AMAZED at how well some people start acting on camera. Only had one not respect my position and went to their club T and he got DQed because of his actions. GO FIGURE. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

I think you handled it the right way. I love fishing Fork but I have encountered some of the worst angling courtesy there. I fish club tournaments here in the Tulsa area and luckily I have only a couple of instances of people being A$$holes on the water.

What would I do? Nothing, the guy wants to fish and you're in the middle of the cove? Did you expect him to fly over the top of you? Did you think you own the lake? Did being their 45 minutes before the other guy give you a special pass to own the cove?

I don't get it, help me understand the problem?

He trolled and fished between the op and the shoreline the op was fishing. He could have at the very least gone out around the op into the middle of the cove. Op said he was 20 yds from shore and had 60 yards behind him out in the cove. If he wanted to fish the creek he should have trolled out and around. Went at least 50 ft away started his outboard and idled up the creek way ahead of the op. Not even stopping 50 ft ahead but well ahead of where the op was heading while fishing the shoreline he had been traveling for 45 minutes.

For me the proper etiquitte in a small area is to get behind the person there 1st and stay at least 50 yards behind or fish the other side if you have that 50 yards. When it comes to jumping ahead of someone obviously going in a direction, just dont do it if you dont have 100 yards to seperate you. Preferably just go somewhere else unless its crowded up conditions and spots are that limited. When going around someone parked always go to the outside even if they are fishing to the outside. Just stay out of cast range.
Look at each situation the way you would expect to be treated. And dont lie to yourself on what would be ok with you.

You can't cast 150 feet?
I dang sure can with a few different baits.

I usually don't care if someone goes around me on the side I'm not casting to but this guy went between the OP and the bank. I would have blocked the [censored] out of him with my boat. It is a matter of respect and principle with me. Go around but do it on the outside not the area I'm fishing.

What is wrong with fishing BEHIND someone, especially when it comes to being in the back of a cove? I have caught fish, and had fish caught behind me. Fishing in a tournament don't mean [censored], courtesy and respect of other anglers is how I was taught. Rant over.

Thanks all for the input, I see by most of the comments i think I did the right thing by just leaving the area. It's just sad that some people can't respect others and have to intrude in on others space and think it's ok.

What happens on the water stays on the water.

Cuss him, ignore him, fight him, it's your choice. But I leave it on the water on never bring it to a forum.

Pushing someone off their spot isn't right but I'm with the "I'm coming through crowd". If I want in the back of that cove and you're sitting in the middle of it, what do you want me to do? I'm not turning around and going across the lake to a different spot just because you're in that cove.

I'd keep my distance, try not to bother you, and wave at you when going by, but if you don't like me fishing in "your" cove that's just too bad I guess. Might ask which side you want me on but probably not.