Sunday at the Big Bass Splash I had to make a run to Umphrey to weigh in from the Jackson Hill area of the lake. If you are familiar with Rayburn there are only 2-3 safe routes to get from the bridge around the forests. The most direct route was around the back side of the Amber Forest skirting Harvey Creek and then proceeding south and that�s the route I chose. I refuse to trim it high and run through area I know have trees. I have a boat lanes route around Bird Island that is proven, however it was like Fork and Toledo with people fishing all in and around the Boat Lane. I chose to run through the boat lane trying to keep at least 20-30 yards from any boats fishing going and coming.

Am I in the wrong for doing this? Do people fishing the boat lanes expect everyone to idle through them?

If I offended anyone, I sincerely apologize.

Nope not at all. I'll haul [censored] through them and give them the finger right back, because they know damn well that it's a highway for boats where they fishing at..

I fish inshore saltwater as well for trout/reds.. There have been times people were fishing DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE of the Intercoastal and they'd be yelling and flipping fingers as I run by them. What the [censored] do they expect?? The ICW is literally an "interstate" for boats.. If you don't want to get run over, then maybe think a little bit that you are fishing right in the middle of the area built for boats to safely run on plane...

People amaze me sometimes

I prefer people stay on plane rather than the fast idle that is just plowing water.

People will get worked up over anything and everything on the water though, there is no pleasing everyone. Try to be respectful and safe, don't worry about the rest. Some people just want to be mad.

Exactly where you are talking about it is best to run, just slow down enough that your engine isn�t so loud and yell, � Your on my brishpile� that way everyone has a little feeling of guilt and evens itself out

Hammer down and roll on through. People fish cuts going out to the bay from the ICW all the time that are too shallow to come off plane in and go around them (<8") . Believe me I've received many one finger salutes. I just laugh at them for their ignorance. What they're doing is like trying to have a picnic on a highway and getting mad at people for still driving by. Keep doing what you're doing. If I'm fishing a boat lane I accept the fact that boats can and will run through it. It's all part of the game

Yep, I agree.

Were you safe in passing them? If so you were not wrong. Usually the wake is pretty small while on plane.

The only actual boat lane runs from Calhoun point over towards Harvey creek ramp. Nothing around bird island is an actual boat lane regardless of where you see guys running. Clearly visible when the lake is low. Ya guys run through the islands including myself but it's just a drain leading towards Harvey creek. That's why there are always boats fishing it.

There are no "boat lanes" identified as such on Sam
you run where you want -- as fast as you want on that lake
where you run and how fast you run near boats that are fishing is truly up to you and how you think it should be done
it won't matter where / how fast / or when --- you will make someone mad

Haters gotta Hate

I would much rather have someone run on plane past me..

Don't get to close, some Badazz will be casting 1 oz. Jigs at you on braided line.

20 yards on plane is gonna piss just about anyone off and prob borderline unsafe IMO. Id rather have someone come in on plane if they have to then set it down but you wont catch me getting that close to someone no matter if they are in the boat lane or not. Its just a fish.

Ride on, you were in the right. I'd also rather folks run by than fast idle.

I retract my previous statement. For some reason I understood that you were running buoy-marked boat lanes. In that case, folks need to give way to boat traffic. However, if you're navigating an unmarked route from a GPS chip I think you should operate under the assumption that most other boaters do not know those routes and give them a wide space when passing.

I have to agree- 60 feet at WOT would be too close for me as well. There isn't a buoy marked boat lane on that whole lake. You were just following LV's boat lanes and those aren't "boat lanes" as much as "safe routes" at certain lake levels. There are always boats fishing that area and I do not take that route unless it's the first run of the morning or last run of the day when everyone else is traveling as well. Can chalk this thread up to one more reason I do not fish that CF every year.