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Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake #13282509 09/16/19 02:00 PM
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JohnF67 Offline OP
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I do most of my kayak fishing on Lady Bird Lake for a few reasons. Mostly, no power boats and no jet skis. You take you life into your own hands on Lake Austin in a kayak, and the jet skis on Lake Georgetown are particularly obnoxious. LBL does get crowded with rental kayaks and paddle boards, but I find if I fish early enough, I'm getting off the lake before they're out of control.

This Sunday at 6 am I'm fishing just east of the Mopac bridges over the lake. I'm facing upstream, casting to the bridge pilings. I have a Yak Attack light on my kayak, sits about 52" above the water, is visible for over a mile and half. The lake is 480' wide at that point. My Kayak is 10'6" long. That gives, by my math, any other vessel on the water 469'6" to get around me.

At the same time that I get a strike on my spoon, I hear a splash behind me. I turn around thinking it's a bass jumping. It's a one "man" (you'd understand the quotes if you met the person on this craft) rowing scull, with no lights at all, less than ten feet from me. I yell look out just as he hits me. He immediately starts screaming. F'in fisherman think they own the lake. I'm gonna pay for the damage to his boat. What the f am I doing in the middle of the river. He's calling the cops.

I told him I'd love for him to contact a game warden. As I sat in my kayak, with a Coast Guard approved light visible for 1.5miles, wearing my Coast Guard approved PFD, and he sat in his unlit scull with no PFD on board. Shouldn't be more than a $250 ticket or so. Then he promised to meet me at the boat ramp to kick my @55. No problem. I told him I boxed at middle weight in college, but I'm probably a light heavy weight now a days. (In all honesty I shouldn't have done that, I know better than to escalate something like this, but this guy got under my skin quickly.) He rowed off with a few f-u's (not proud of it, I returned an f-u or two, again, shouldn't have but this guy got under my skin.)

The lesson learned? I'm lucky. Those sculls haul butt, I could have ended up capsized and could have gotten hurt if his hull rode over mine and hit me. Just because there are no power boats on a body of water, and I'm well lit and following the rules doesn't mean everyone else is. Crowded bodies of water require us to maintain situational awareness, and I didn't. (That and I'm too old to be fist fighting soy boys with man buns. Don't need to explain to my kids why dad got arrested for beating someone up at the boat ramp.)

Was this my fault? No, but it wouldn't have mattered who's fault it was if I got hurt.

Last edited by JohnF67; 09/16/19 02:03 PM.
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13282555 09/16/19 02:40 PM
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christian myrick Offline
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Its good your ok and it couldve been a lot worse. As for the fighting, an a55hole can convince me real quick to trade hands. It may be immature but im not taking much from any man man bun or not. Hit my stealth and for sure im gonna chase you down and give you no option.


Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13282592 09/16/19 03:14 PM
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Jerry713 Offline
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Good thing it wasn't worse. He definitely would've heard some what for from me.


You get out of it what you put into it!
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13282677 09/16/19 04:43 PM
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O.K.! TPWD needs to make it mandatory for guys that row sculls backward in the dark to equip their boats with dual rear-view mirrors! AND lights. AND PFD's. AND have to pass an I.Q. Test. IslandJim


I'm an Eighth Day Adventist. On the Eighth Day, God went fishing!
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13282945 09/16/19 08:02 PM
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illest23 Offline
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Same happened to my buddy but in daylight.

Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13282973 09/16/19 08:36 PM
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i got to know, did you land the fish?

also, i've fished LBL a few times and have had to dodge the crew (scull) boats as well. fortunately it's been after day break and i could see them coming

Last edited by Bayou_Fennec; 09/16/19 08:37 PM.
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: BayouFennec] #13283523 09/17/19 12:14 PM
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JohnF67 Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Bayou_Fennec
i got to know, did you land the fish?



Didn't even catch the fish...missed the hookset.

Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13283563 09/17/19 12:54 PM
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janie Offline
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Glad your okay, and I would've lost my temper as well. We all take our yak's out to enjoy the peace and quiet, but invariably, 1 lone dirt bag pos can ruin things in a hurry.


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Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13283590 09/17/19 01:15 PM
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I am not sure how in the world those guys are allowed to do that. I see them on White Rock all the time. No lights, no jackets, no problem? I thought that was the rule for everyone?

Can I get an amen?

Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13283833 09/17/19 04:22 PM
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It's "their lake" and everyone else is an intruder! boxing


Just one more cast!

Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13284109 09/17/19 07:04 PM
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christian myrick Offline
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It sounds to me like we need a good olde "greasers vs soshas" outsiders movie type brawl.


Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13284137 09/17/19 07:19 PM
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how deep was the water?
i think i would have had to go right there

Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: christian myrick] #13284179 09/17/19 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by christian myrick
It sounds to me like we need a good olde "greasers vs soshas" outsiders movie type brawl.

roflmao


You get out of it what you put into it!
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: Dan90210 ☮] #13284867 09/18/19 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan90210 ☮
I am not sure how in the world those guys are allowed to do that. I see them on White Rock all the time. No lights, no jackets, no problem? I thought that was the rule for everyone?

Can I get an amen?

Needs a light for sure. If he was training for a nationally sanctioned event (doubtful) he's not required to have a PFD.

Originally Posted by TPWD Water Safety Act § 31.073
Canoes, Punts, Rowboats, Sailboats, Rubber Rafts, Racing Shells, Rowing Sculls, Kayaks, and Other Paddle Craft; Equipment Exemptions

(a) All canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, sailboats, rubber rafts, and other paddle craft when paddled, poled, oared, or windblown are exempt from all safety equipment requirements except each vessel must have the following:
(1) one Coast Guard approved wearable personal flotation device for each person aboard; and
(2) the lights prescribed by the commandant of the Coast Guard for vessels and required under Section 31.064.

(a-1)Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a vessel described by that subsection, except a canoe or kayak, that is 16 feet or more in length must be equipped with at least one Type IV personal flotation device of the sort prescribed by the regulations of the commandant of the Coast Guard.

(b) Racing shells, rowing sculls, and racing kayaks while participating in or practicing for an officially sanctioned race are exempt from all safety equipment requirements except the lights prescribed by the commandant of the Coast Guard for vessels and required under Section 31.064.

(c) In this section, “racing shell,” “rowing scull,” or “racing kayak” means a manually propelled boat:
(1) recognized by a national or international racing association for use in competitive racing;
(2) not designed or used to carry equipment serving any purpose other than competitive racing; and
(3) in which each occupant, except a coxswain, rows, sculls, or paddles


"Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water." -Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus
Re: Bizarre Encounter on Lady Bird Lake [Re: JohnF67] #13287414 09/20/19 12:39 PM
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I've always wanted to try one of those one-man sculling boats, but the whole idea of rowing backwards never made sense to me. Anyone on the water needs to be responsible for where their craft is headed. That guy was totally in the wrong.


The solution to any problem - work, love, money, whatever - is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be. --John Gierach

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