FORK BOAT LANE ETIQUETTE

Please, please, pretty please, if you feel the need to idle your boat, DO IT OUTSIDE OF A BUOYED BOAT LANE. You will eventually get your behind run over. I said it nicely

Was running the boat lanes on possum kingdom last year and some idiot had tied there boat to one of the lane marker bouys and were all just swimming and floating around on inner tubes! Should of asked them if they stop and have a picnic in the middle of the interstate as well

They actually have a right to be there. Smart or not.....it's something everyone needs to overcome.

Boat lanes on PK??

Those mark the channel and except on the far far north end you can run anywhere on PK.

Sorry to hurt you but they got just as much of a right to be there idling as you do running 70...

I idled my boat back on Fork in the boat lane after I spun my prop hub on a stump. Hope that was not you giving me the finger. I was broke down having problems.

Well how am I going to drink my beer and eat my peanuts and still be moving to a new fishing spot?

Harold is not going to be happy and I assume he is not getting the response he was looking for

It's Lake Fork, expect the unexpected. It's like a hillbilly hoedown in bass boats.

I idled my boat back after my throttle cable broke. I hope that wasn't you who mooned me, gave me the finger and laughed as you went by.

They closed the Cove. If you want to see a hoedown, you have to go to the new place on 154 now.

Ha, no thanks. The Cove was more like a hodown, lol.

They all just moved to the "new" place on 154...........

How about in the dark?? Because I don't run my GPS trail when I can't see.... anybody run up on me doing that needs to hope it kills me immediately...

How am I supposed to graph the end of the Horseshoe without being in the boatlane? Or Dale Creek hump? Not the big one, the little one right beside the boatlane.

What's this etiquette you speak of??

Looks like the "I have rights" group is outnumbering the "common sense" group. Put me down for common sense every time. Just because someone has the right doesn't mean they should do it!

I think etiquette is to make sure you are driving safely in these lanes.

I like to fish the boat lane outside little caney, where Keith Combs fished during TTBC. So am I rude, or dumb??

BTW plenty of room to go outside the lanes down there, so never had an issue with any boats. If I catch rough waves, it's part of fishing where I fish.

Also if the waves are rough idling thought stump fields (outside some boat lanes) is just asking for fiberglass work. I pull over when I can, but not everyone has knowledge of the lake and sometimes need to stop to use their electronics or phone.

Either way be safe out there and keep your head up and eyes on the water when you are in the boat lanes.

I fished Fork and Toledo Bend before they had " boat lanes " and didn't have the issues with people fishing in the " boat lanes " because there weren't any " boat lanes ." If folks were fishing in open water you either slowed down or go around them. Now there are buoys there and you ain't cool if you're fishing or going slow where the buoys are. I have yet to see a buoy that had " boat lane " on it. Having said that, I have close to 2 million other places I'd rather fish so you won't see me with the trolling motor down anywhere near one of those buoys. If you're fishing near one of them I'll either slow down or go around. Just tryin to get along.

I have taken quite a bit of Harold's money fishing in the boat lanes, sorry Harold

driving a boat is like a car just because it will run 70 mph there is no law that says you have to .

...AMEN....

^^^^This^^^^

there have always been "boat lanes" on FORK........ before there were buoys in the middle marking the lanes, there were tall trees with leaves on them on either side of the boat lane. Stay in between the trees and you were in the "lane". Lots of folks fished in those "lanes" back then. You just had to be nice both driving and fishing. "NICE".....something a lot of people are not any longer.

yes you have the right to idle in boat lane just not real smart because people can have a hard time being able to tell how fast you are going till its to late. The guy fishing you can see he is fishing and not going anywhere and thats easy to get around. The guy thats graphing you can tell that to because he will usually turn and go back over spot. The guy going the same direction is the hard one to detect. This is the reason their is speed limits and low speed limits on interstates so you won't run up on someone.

Finally the correct answer.

We all love fishing and are all prob enjoying the day off work. Being courteous and nice to fellow fisherman by doing what you would want someone else to do makes sense to me.

This,you have no more right to go 70 than I do to go 20.Going 70 requires no common sense at all.

also for running the boat lanes, and meeting head to head the generally accepted method is to pass port to port. so if the bouys are the centerline your boat should be on the right side. and when running a curve in the lane your navigational lightrs and right of way position will change to an on coming boat depending on position you are within the curve.

Amen brother Ben!! Just like driving on the highway. If you come up on another boat and want to pass then move to the left and go around if there is no oncoming traffic. What I hate is seeing people cut corners and traveling on the wrong side. If you are the only one on the water then okay but if there are a 1000 boats on the water then you had better drive correctly or you may become a statistic.

There are 3 deep spots that are in the boatlane...people run by me wide open....I know what I signed up for fishing in the middle of the interstate...

The boat running fast has the same amount of responsibility to avoid collision as the slow boat does. Idling in a boat lane does NOT mean they are stupid or "I have rights" attitude. As stated, spun hub, broken throttle cable, etc is a valid & legal reason. Maybe the courtesy door SHOULD swing both ways.
Personally if I DID have to idle back in a boat lane , I AM going to be on the outer edge & watching very carefully for boats overtaking me to pass. That's the common sense side of it. Try to stay out of harms way because of mechanical problems. If I'm running fast & approaching a boat from behind I'm giving wide birth. Common sense also. I'll also look to see if they flag me down for help. Sometimes people need the benefit of the doubt given. Stay safe out there.

I know these aren't the old days but in the early 70's when I was young and my uncle was a guide on Toledo, we'd run for miles to a creek (about the size of Wolf) and see ONE boat in it and he'd turn and go somewhere else. I realize we are more crowded now but it'd be nice if someone in this "me" world would show some common courtesy and decency.

Unfortunately none of us would recognize if when it happens. 5 guys could see you and decide to go elsewhere and one pulls in with you. Who are you going to notice?

I routinely skip coves I want to fish to avoid crowding someone else and also because I like a little solitude myself. But no one would ever notice this unless they were in my boat and heard me comment.

Joe Todd, actually if it is clear you should give 1 short horn blast and pass on the right side of the boat you are overtaking. If they are not passable on the right, you should give 2 short horn blast and pass on the left cautiously.




The boat running up from behind the fastest is the give-way boat and totally responsible to avoid the collision.

Originally Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES
I fished Fork and Toledo Bend before they had " boat lanes " and didn't have the issues with people fishing in the " boat lanes " because there weren't any " boat lanes ." If folks were fishing in open water you either slowed down or go around them. Now there are buoys there and you ain't cool if you're fishing or going slow where the buoys are. I have yet to see a buoy that had " boat lane " on it. Having said that, I have close to 2 million other places I'd rather fish so you won't see me with the trolling motor down anywhere near one of those buoys. If you're fishing near one of them I'll either slow down or go around. Just tryin to get along.


there have always been "boat lanes" on FORK........ before there were buoys in the middle marking the lanes, there were tall trees with leaves on them on either side of the boat lane. Stay in between the trees and you were in the "lane". Lots of folks fished in those "lanes" back then. You just had to be nice both driving and fishing. "NICE".....something a lot of people are not any longer.


What a great new concept Flukeman! Be NICE!!! Seems like such a paradox to use the words Lake Fork and etiquette in the same sentence . I have never fished anywhere that brings out the worst in men, than at Fork. I always attributed it to a lot of folks, used to metroplex driving, finding themselves in a bass boat on lake Fork. I'm sure everyone here has multiple stories if you've fished there for at least one weekend day. I still love the Lake inspite of the Jackwagons that blow prop blast on you as they pass by at 80mph while you drive 50mph down the boat lane.

I normally just crank 'er up to 75 when passing someone in the boat lanes. I know they would like less wake and also it's harder to hit me with a 1oz C-rig when going that fast. It's stupid to idle in boat lanes.....just don't do it!

WHY does this act need to be noticed by someone else? You know you did/do it, isn't that all that counts?
For every 1 that receives an award for "building a shlter" there are 1,000s that do that type of work without ever being recognized....... JUST DO IT !!!!! who really cares who notices.

they pass by at 80mph while you drive 50mph down the boat lane. [/quote]

I guess I would be considered "idling" in the boat lanes since my Stratos with a 50hp Yamaha will only do 33mph tops.

Stevie wonder could navigate PK without a channel marker.

Those are just chanel markers, the whole lake is basically wide open until you get in cado

I'll have to disagree a little Clark, some of those points run pretty far out just like the ones at Tawakoni.

It seems like driving the creek channel buoys would be idea? Or is the creek channel a designated swimming hole?

It's wide open. Run anywhere. Just because it has buoys doesn't mean you need to follow them

that was kinda my point....

I'm NOT saying it's good or safe to idle speed in a boat lane just because you want to. I was saying " IF I or someone has mechanical problems , then its a dangerous situation to start with. They HAVE no alternative other than trying to get back to their trailer. If its me, I'm staying as far to the outside as possible. Rocky clarified " its the faster overtaking boat that has responsibility to avoid collision. I pray no one has to deal with being ran over from astern.

It could be worse. I'll take an idling boat over two rednecks in an inflatable pool drinking keystone out the box. Pic was taken last summer on Fork.

4 second following distance should be maintained at all times assuming brakes are in good condition and no unusual weather (fog, sleet, etc.)

What the....?

Thanks for the reminder, I haven't checked the brakes on my boat yet this year.

my parking brake is awesome....my regular brakes are non existent.

Use 5 seconds then you should be fine.

perfect! I feel better now.

Everybody knows the next Texas record will be caught on Fork in a boat lane.

I don't think it's exactly etiquette, but rather just some sense.. It's kinda like down here on the bays as well in the middle of the ICW..

There was one time some [censored] was sitting in the middle of the intercoastal fishing... Yes, I do slow down when I come up on people fishing.... But in this case, I just kept the hammer down and kept rolling. He got all pissy and flipped me off, but really..? You are sitting in the middle of the channel where boats are running 60mph, but yet you get pissed off cause you are trying to fish in the middle of it? If you think I'm about to slow down for your [censored] sitting in the middle of the channel you have me all wrong.

Same way on Fork.. I know they have the "right" to idle in the channel. But really? Have some sense.. People are running 70mph in the channel and your just sitting there idling.

It's kinda the same situation at the ramp.. Guess what, those fools that park in the middle of the ramp and THEN load all their gear and prep, they have the right to do so...Why do y'all get all pissed off at that..? They have the right to..... We get pissed cause it's just common sense and etiquette.. Same way here.. If you are idling, it'd make a little more sense to get out of the way of boat rolling 70mph

Which boat lane? On the main lake It is definitely large enough for 2 boat and I've seen them 4 wide out there passing boats both directions. It isn't like a boat idling is really going to interfere with someone paying attention. Now if it is going back into some of the creeks, those can be narrow. If I am trying to get my boat back to the ramp because of a problem, even though I have to idle, I'm not going to be driving over stumps when there's a perfectly good lane for it. If people are running 70 in the lane and can't do it without running over another boat then maybe they should slow down.

Guys, don’t give up. I know the internet is going to solve this issue at any moment.......I can just feel it.

So does that mean not idling, or does that mean being a good defensive boat driver when others are parked on the highway?

Does the boat lane have a speed limit? Maybe there are markers that say "designated boat lane"? Because I can tell you that the highway does have a speed limit sign and signs marking it as a highway.

I don't fish Fork enough to care, but there are other lakes with lanes that have some great fishing spots in them and I can occasionally be found fishing the middle of the lane.

Me too, I agree....


Harold.....

Billy, you ain't right.I would never.......

So you guys are saying there's bars around Fork to have a beer or two?

Yep and find a ho down.........

beware...

LOL..I wanna see 4 wide through Bell Branch hump. I'll bring the popcorn...

I don't wanna be anywhere around if that happens. The "boat lanes" north of 2946 can get pretty tight too.

I will say if the lake is just a little low I don't want to be 4 wide going into little Mustang, or going down any of the guide lanes, or go from 515 west to power lines 4 wide. I had a buddy get his lower unit while he was in the boat lane and was so close to the buoy he could touch it when he hit the stump and ruined his lower unit. He was going from power line back to LFM in the lane and had just gotten straighten back out from the little Z curve part of the lane. The lake can be very dangerous when trying to get the lanes widen.

Here ya go Sinkey.

Oooooow attractive......

Would....

good idea,but I wish more boaters could figure out which side of the bouys to run on .it seems to me if they can figure this out on the highway getting to the lake,it should not be to hard to do this on the water..

East Fork chicks I bet

Lake Fork High School teachers?

No sir, West Tawakoni Golf Club cart girls. I think both girls are dating if you're interested.

Guys, we all need to be safe and courteous on the water. Keep in mind not everyone has the same or equally equipped boats. You can come up on someones grandpa in his 1982 16' 90 hp that just can't go that fast. There is always the pontoon boat running in the boat lane that kicks out a wake that will send you air born when you pass at top speed. The best policy is to watch closely and slow down, pass at a safe speed and get back on it. The fish will still be in the water when you arrive at the next fishing spot. Live to fish another day.

Looks like Gateway to me!!!!!

I am going to go try out the boat lanes today!

My Legend was in the shop that weekend.....

There's not much boat lane etiquette up there any more, just when you have seen it all you'll find out real quick you haven't seen anything. Even some of the quides don't have it either.