Fishing a boat lane

When I fish in or near a marked boat lane I expect boats to come thru on plane. If I see one coming I typically will ease off with the trolling motor. I don't expect them to come off plane and putt by. Running wake is usually pretty limited. I was up at Fork last weekend. I boat was fishing probably 50 feet off the boat lane on the other side of the marker when we come thru. Next thing I know he flips me off as we come by.

Where is everyone else at on this?

I wouldn't come off plane!!!! Just like some one idling in the lanes just go around them! I ran in a pocket here at fork the other day in a unmarked boat lane and a guide iam not going to say name idle back and cussed me out saying I cant ran past him on plane, while he had clients in his boat!

I bet that guide would do it to you!!!!!

Not sure what to say about unmarked boat lanes.

If you're gonna play in the highway, you shouldn't complain about the traffic!!

Think he is a dumb a_ _

You can fish anywhere on the lake but you are very limited as to where you can run on plane. You would have to be crazy to think everybody should idle past just because you chose to fish in the boatlane. How were you supposed to know that was a guide with clients, not that it matters.

Iam just saying I ran by him and he decide to cuss me for not stopping

Some people just think they are special.

I typically don’t get off plane because most will somewhat idle by which causes bigger wakes. With that being said I won’t fly by if I feel it’s unsafe. When fishing up a real creek such where it pretty much turns into a river I wave other boats by. They are in a hurry so a half of the time it’s big hull wake

It takes all types.

You are correct. fish in or near the lanes and expect some waking.

Although you think it is your right to run these lanes if you screw up and hit someone fishing life for you will change. Boat lanes are not the same as a highway . This is why people have such hate for bass fishermen.
J D

the idea that idling makes more wake than a boater going 30 mph or faster is a huge myth if you are in such a rush that you cant slow down to get past someone safely fishing that was there first your probly in too big of a rush . try running by a game warden too close in a boat lane at a high rate of speed. I have a boat in my field that was hit by someone that was going too fast in a boat lane at one of the big bass tournaments an it was part of litigation for 3 yrs after the wreck. safety is always the best solution.

Yeah, sure it is. There are just as many rude anglers and boaters that fish for other species too.

It was never a situation where I would hit him. He was on the west bound side and I was on the eastbound side. Probably 75 feet or more between us.

I don't fish the boat lanes much, but when I do I do it pantless

Making people slow down to go around you in a narrow lane is a good way to cause a boat wreck. The north end of Pines is a good example.

It's just incredibly selfish to sit right in the middle of a marked boat lane to fish.

When I fished with my Dad he always Idled by a fellow fisherman , I do the same , There is no way I’m going to be in that much of a hurry to jeopardize my safety or his .

If your thinking of this from a safety stand point then the solution would be to prohibit fishing or anchoring in a marked boat lane, place speed limits on lakes like Fork and start issuing tickets for people that run on the wrong side of the buoys or pass another boat at 75 mph while going under the 515 bridge
But a little common sense and courtesy would be a lot better
I like to fish boat ramps and docks but I don't except everyone else to not use it because I'm fishing it

As long as you pass at a safe distance I don't see an issue with going by at speed. I fish spots that are tight to the boat lanes, but you have to accept that people are traveling the "highway" as was implied earlier.


What is not acceptable in my opinion is this.
I went into a VERY small pocket Saturday while fishing a tournament. There was a guy fishing for crappie in the very back of that pocket so I fished about 75% of the way back and cut to the other side. The guy looked me and said "Thank You". I said for what?? He said some guy came through an hour before me and basically ran him over and said he was fishing a tournament and had priority because of that.

That is BS. Just because we are fishing a tournament does not give us priority to anything. That is what gives Bass fisherman a bad name.

I fish in the boat lanes on Pines all the time, especially up north. Its not my fault someone decided to "mark" a lane that follows the creek channel. I also have no expectations of other boats, come by on plane, come by idling, just dont hit me and i dont care. In return I will do the same to any other boat in the lanes.

Far too many people complain about this situation. Some say there is more lake to fish in so stay out of the lane. others say there is more lake to run your boat in so stay away from my fishing spot. I ten to lean towards first come first serve, if they were fishing that spot before I got there then I will do whatever is necessary to make sure I dont interrupt that.

Yes, there is more lake to run a boat in, but it is full of stumps and other hazards. It's dangerous to run there, both to equipment and people. That's why they run in the marked lane.

This. Pass me as fast as you can. I am well aware of when boats are approaching and move to one side of the boat lane.

dont get me going about crappie boats coming up right on top of the brushpile you're fishing and dropping a minnow or the kayak that cuts between you and the shoreline you're fishing right over what you were targeting. I was on Ray Bob and one kayak would throw an extra line out to block you from going around him. After the second time he did it to block me I asked him to reel it in or my trolling motor would.

So I can assume you never take your boat out the boat lanes until it is on the trailer. Or are you just selective of when you decided to get outside of the lanes?

Of course he takes it out of the lanes and , yes, he is selective of where. Aren't we all?

Razorback a boat lane is just an area that someone has cleared to make it easier for use fisherman to get around the lake. It is not permission for you to blow by someone in a manner that is unsafe just because you are in a hurry. If they are there fishing before you come by you had better slow down because if you hit the fisherman you will be liable for damage and injury that you will have caused. Pls be courteous out on the water. A boat lane does not give you permission to run over someone who was already there fishing just because they were in a boat lane. I always slow down for the crappie fisherman under the 155 bridge on the pines because that is the right thing to do. It takes maybe an extra couple seconds to be courteous to another fisherman and idle past them then get back on plane.

Rules/laws already in place to cover all your points. Follow them and all will be fine. You are responsible for your wake. Like others have said, you run over or hurt someone fishing in or near a boat lane you are copable. Also the marker bouys are not a center stripe so follow the right of way rules/laws regardless.

Not selfish, the “spots” were awesome places before the boat lanes and still are at the right time. Also, boat lanes are not restricted areas. Be safe and courteous and treat others how you want to be treated. Btw come back and find out why they were there after they leave you may be surprised at the numbers and quality you catch. There are some awesome spots in or near lanes and when things are right the more traffic the better they fish. Also never heard of anyone saying, yeah the guy died or the wreck happened because he was going too slow and being too safe.......

You ever been out there shortly after blastoff of a big tournament? There will be 20-50 boats running that Pines lane at 60-75 mph. That's where the danger of coming off plane to idle past someone fishing tied to one of the poles or in the lane comes in...the possibility of getting run over from behind.

theres plenty of room in those lanes to just keep going. why set it down?

Don't we have this topic 2-3 times a year? And just like this one nothing is ever solved.

Agreed, I have been out there plenty of times when a tournament was going on and been fishing the lanes as the boats were flying past. Lots of guys have kept the pedal down and went on past as I kept fishing, others slowed down and idled and I kept fishing. I personally slow to an idle in most cases unless the fisherman is on the edge of the lane at which point I just blow on by, neither of which upsets me or has injured anyone yet

At a minimum.

There is plenty of room right now. What if the lake is 2-4 feet low? Are 50 people supposed to know where the hazards outside the lane are because one guy wants to fish right in the middle of it?

For every one who says it would be fine to blow by him on plane there is another guy who will be looking to report you to the game warden for doing it. How is the boater who is approaching supposed to know the difference?

there's nothing illegal about doing that, so let them want to report you to the game warden all they want

a middle finger thrown in my direction has never altered the course of my day