Thread: Trolling Etiquette,is there any rules ?

By now you guys know where and how the wife and I are fishing. Somethings are just a given and not much probably can be done about it.

Jetskis ripping it up all around your troll.

Pontoon boats that stop out from of timber and swimmers jump out.

Bass boats throwing wake across your freeboard, almost.

These people don't probably have a clue as to our activity trolling 6 rods 100+ feet back of the boat. You certainly can't make too much adjustment quickly doing this type of fishing.

It's the other crappie fisherman that probably know we are trolling multiple rods that get me most perturbed.

We were on our first troll yesterday between the channel and timber. Caught 3 in 10 minutes. We had been on this troll for 1/4 of a mile when here comes this boat and sets up a troll at a right angle to us. Then he turns and begins trolling towards us. We were hemmed in with the timber on our left and they were not leaving much room. Trying to judge speed and quess others intentions is not a science as much as, "I'll do what I can do to avoid this mess". This boat just pinched us to the point that our rod tips almost touched. We passed without a tangle but does it have to be like that ?

I don't expect to be the only boat in the area but it seems like there is much need for some rules or atleast common sense actions on the water. When I see another boat and I may share close space I try and figure out if he is trolling, wind drifting or just setting up. I try and make the boldest move I can without fowling my lines. Trying to signal my direction and intentions. Sometimes it works often times I can't even tell what the other boat is doing and if he even knows I exist.

So; maybe I'm the one who needs clued in. Please let me know what I can do to lessen these incidents. I have already thought of a wrist rocket and various wts if splitshot. Probably not the way to go. ds

I was at Sardis one day and it was getting late. The wind had come up to about 15mph. and I had a long ride all the way back across the lake.There were 3 foot rollers coming across and I had to crank the big motor just to keep the nose into the wind. I was trying to get all my rods stored and my boat ready for the trip.I was in the mouth of Clear Creek when 3 large ski boats came blasting out of that creek wide open. They never slowed down while going by and I could have surfed off the wake that came crashing into my boat from 2 directions.The waves were so violent and I had to turn that boat so quick for the next wave that I snapped off 1 weight and crank from 1 rod and almost broke the tip off my new Ozark trolling rod as it slammed up and down against the front of my boat.Good thing they outlawed guns on COE cause I would have popped a bunch of holes in the hulls of those boats and watched them scamper like ants on a hot sidewalk.I was so PST"D that i could have bit a railroad spike in half!After the ride back across the lake with the nose trimmed up to avoid the large waves coming over the front, I was exhausted!Maybe we should report and record on camera these events and the lake patrol might step up their patrols and ticket some of these rude and unsafe boating habits.That pic you posted is a good example and maybe we should contact the rangers by phone to report some of these events. That is all I know to do! My