I am really new to fishing from my own boat. When I approach an area that looks fishy and find someone else already there, I stear clear and head for another location. Recently I have had folks come right up to where I am fishing, drop anchor or tie off to a submerged tree and start casting. Question for all of you - what is the proper etiquette when faced with this situation. Is it right and acceptable to just come alongside another boat or should you head on and find another spot?

Thats kinda iffy...That has happened to me before. I remember a guy in a big boat, a distance from me...came a bit closer to me, in this little cove. He saw me catch a fish, then he just "motored right on top of us" I thought that was rude. If he would have trolled in, kinda quiet and pleasant it would not have bothered me at all. I enjoy talking to other anglers regardless of skill, or boat, or etc. Fishing is a user friendly sport. We all share the lakes together. We all need to respect each other as well. Back to your question. The spot you were in, could have been the other boats "favorite spot"? I dont know, just be nice. It probably wont happen again, Its fairly rare for boaters to just plop up on others unless you are talking the real popular lakes on a weekend. Good luck and hang in there...

generally fishing in the same area is acceptable but stay at least 30 yards away from another boat unless they are friendly and want to chat. It is definently rude to motor up to an anchored boat and start fishing where somebody has already staked their claim.

personally the way i handle it is if the two boats are heading at each other and you both want to keep fishing the areas that the other boat was in, on passing i always quit fishing about 25 - 30 yards away from the other boat and also give the other guy his choice of inside or outside. if i am coming from behind and a boat is more or less anchored or fishing one particular area hard i will ask if i can pass and how far past that area is acceptable to the other boat before i start fishing again. i find that a little common courtesy goes a long ways. i never will just blow into an area with another boat. shut down and troll in if your going into that area.

Ditto

In my opinion we should all keep a pretty good distance from each other. It seems like I can't go fishing anymore without a boat coming right on top of me cutting me off while I work a bank, then starting up the big motor and hauling butt out of there. I go to the lake to get away from it all. We may never be able to keep the pleasure boaters off our backs but lets all at least try to give each other room. Now I understand that there are exceptions to this like there is for almost everything, but in general I wish people would pay more respect to other fishermen.

I seldom have issues with other fisherman but jetskis are another matter altogether..

personally, i always announce that i am going around the opposite side they are fishing and start fishing again at least good castnig distance from the boat, if i am fishing the bank and they are fishing farther out, ia sk permission first, never been turned away yet

I can't remember who posted the bass fishing log a couple of days ago, but it (the bass log) came from a web site I believe it is www.bassresource.com. It has some articles on boating etiquet, and much more. I am new to boating myself and found it useful.

The bass log will come in handy also.

Depends on how big an ole boy they are!

10 yrds farther than the average cast, which in my mind is approximately 30 yards. Therefore, please provide positioned boats approximately 40 yards of room.

Here's one for you. Fishing a tourny on Tawakani. First light. In a small cove, really nice and quiet. 3rd cast. Up comes 2 local boys roaring up in a Jon Boat, 10 feet in front of my boat, and start throwing casting nets right in the water I am casting to. They pull out 3 keeper bass, throw them back, and roar back out. It all took 2 minutes. I was speechless. Had to leave the spot. Talk about RUDE. That's the reason I do not carry a gun.

I'll tell you what my philosophy is. Unless someone is anchored, I will fish up to within casting range of them and then go around, not stopping until I am out of casting range of them.
No matter how big the lake is, especially during tournaments, if an area is "fishy" there are going to be fishermen in it. I've had people actually come between me and the bank I was fishing, which is not only rude, but dangerous when I'm throwing something with at least two sets of treble hooks. Therefore, I go around and I expect everyone else to go around, but more often than not that doesn't happen. For some reason, some people think because they are in a cove, that they own it, and no one should come anywhere near them. I guess I'm just a realist who gives some courtesy and expects some courtesy.
If the guy is anchored, I'm staying at least 50 yds away.