Does anyone know for sure just what this is about? The way I read owners will be able to ask you to leave their docks if you are around them. Or do you have to be tied or walking on them?
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Does anyone know for sure just what this is about? The way I read owners will be able to ask you to leave their docks if you are around them. Or do you have to be tied or walking on them?
My understanding is you have to be on them or tied up. Water around the docks is public, but if you tie up to that dock to fish or get out on a dock the owner can ask you to leave.
Also I think if I read it right they may also place "No Trespassing" signs on the dock for officers to know if someone isn't supposed to be on it.
That's how I understand it from what I read.
I found this article.
Bill adds boat docks to trespassing law | News Tribune
It hasn't passed yet though.
I always considered them private property. There are good dock owners and bad dock owners. Also good fishermen and bad fishermen. If I had a dock I wouldn't want people walking around on it that I wasn't sure of. You never know what they are up to. To much crap going on now days. If I know you or that you are for sure only fishing and need to retrieve a lure or something you would be welcome to get out on dock.
I'll fish around them but definantly stay off them and dont tie to them.
To me its a matter of respect for other peoples stuff. If it isn't mine I don't touch it. Not everyone was brought up like I was though.
Heck, I get all up under them in my kayak! I fish it like it's mine. I've had several owners come out and talk to me. All have been pleasant. Maybe it depends on the lake and owners attitudes. I also think people have a better perception of kayak anglers than the big bass boaters.
Any water is public if you can get to it from your boat...but I would avoid fishing around docks that have multiple no trespassing signs, plastic fencing around the wells, and vicious dogs in the yard...no fish is worth a confrontation with an owner of that caliber
Used to fish LOZ through the winter months in the main lake area and never got out on someone's dock. If we got hung on it then we lost our bait.
Not our dock. The way we see it we have no business being on it.
The docks i have fished around I look at it like private property. I would want fisherman to respect my property if I were lucky enought to own one
Some corporate lakes have rules which apply to only that body of water .
A lot of lakes where people are sensitive to it they have their own sign on the dock. I do not fish docks where I know the people are present or are posted.Many homes are vacation homes or second homes. If it's the off season I fish them. If it's in season and the lake is active etc. I do not. The big marina docks have really good fishing on a lot of them but most are off limits.
Dock fishing is my least preferred method. I can't explain why exactly but it just is not my cup of tea ,but I do it occasionally.
Right on,if you can't afford to lose a lure,fish open water.That dock is someones property.You wouldn't want someone setting in the back of your truck when you got back to the ramp.(by the way,I don't own a dock)
I'm referring to the LOZ
I think this probably came about more from condo owners than private dock owners. Almost all condo docks are posted as private property for owners only. It really doesn't bother me because I don't get out or tie up to docks unless I have permission to do so from the owner. I have witnessed some guy's go from dock to dock and one or two of them would get out on the docks while one would stay in the boat. That's what puts dock owners against fisherman.
Don't and doubt I ever will own a dock, but if I did I would post it just because of the liability side of it. Someone gets hurt on or by your dock next thing your in court being sued. And don't say it can't happen because it does.
For what it's worth, please feel free to remove your hung-up lures from my dock, as they are a liability for my kids feet (and I know that some lures can be fairly expensive and/or sentimental). If you want to fish off my dock, please ask first. I will admit that I try to remove my hung lure from docks, but I try to be courteous/respectful and not touch them at all if possible. You can look at it a few ways, but one example could go like this: If one were driving on a public road, hit a pot hole and ran off the road into someones yard/property, one would assume responsibility to remove said vehicle from the property and return said property to it's previous condition. As a property owner I wouldn't assume that their vehicle would become my property if it were to accidentally come into contact with my own - as long as there is a general level of respect given, of course. :)
I'm pretty easy going as long as there is a good level of respect and courtesy. Ish happens and people get tightly wound for little things.
I could be wrong...
some business docks have an exemption from you fishing to close, because they sell gas and goods, and your presence disrupts there business and the safety of there customers. but usually if you do not touch the dock your safe. I was fishing a dock on Stockton and the old park ranger came down and told me I had to move because my boat touched the dock and that was a violation of the code or something, I moved did not say a word just moved, best not get in to a tiff with someone if they ask you to move, It could be me telling you to move away from my dock, I doubt I would but if your out fishing me I can get cranky............ peace y'all
best not get in to a tiff with someone if they ask you
This is the thing that concerns me the most for you guys who fish docks. I have seen where we have had bass fishermen in major tournaments recently being accosted by dock owners and one even had a gun pulled on him, one was shot at. Both these ended up with perp being arrested. BUT these confrontations in today's world can end very ugly. Some folks will jump out there and say I have rights, I would do this or I would do that. Well all the rights in the world don't mean a thing if your not around to exercise them. Remember guys most of us have some kind of family we would like to go home to that evening. No fish is worth getting hurt or losing your life over. There are some crazy folks out there today. Just my perspective.
When someone tries to "power play" you, it is still your responsibility, as a responsible sportsman, to make sure they do not get away with continuing with their illegal bully tactics. There are laws against hunter and fisherman harassment, and making a note of the dock and location etc. is important when calling the proper authorities to have the bully spoken to. Turning tail and not doing the follow up necessary to stop it is being apathetic and enabling the conduct.
anyone getting on someone else's private property without permission, for whatever reason, should be arrested and fined accordingly. fishermen, nor hunters, nor anyone else for any reason whatsoever, has any right to get on someone else's personal property. if you think you have the right, you need to get over it and move on!!!
Don't think anyone argues that. Alot of people that have docks are idiots and believe they own the water under their dock. I actually had a disgruntled old dude tell me that as I was pitching into his empty dock slip. That was not the end of the conversation, but I won't go into that on here.