I read an article in last months bassmaster magazine that property owners are becoming hot about people fishing near their docks/boats. I have fished for bass for 21 years and only twice had a problem. Once from PETA supporters and once from a crabby property owner. Have any of you seen an increase in problems? If so how did you handle it? I just kicked the trolling motor on high and moved along.

I never had a problem until a few years ago. I didn't leave, but I didn't engage anybody in debate either. I figured it's five minutes to fish a dock and they just sounded like a cranky wife, so I put up with it til I was done. I live on a lake and it doesn't usually bother me when somebody is fishing my shore, but when I see a guy pull up and drop garbage or break off lures where I might get hooked then its not OK. I try to treat other peoples stuff like its my own, and that seems to be the rule to follow to avoid most problems. But there's always the oddball. I think if we ignore them then they will tire of the game of trying to get fisherman to react.

I get those looks & eye rolling, dock owners once in awhile,just be respectfull one dock or two shoudn't ruin your fishing day.Hey some other docks I've encountered in the past were totaly the oposite.Like Women flirting in there swimsuits,OH sorry got of the subject there like I said RESPECT.

I've also noticed an increase in the amount of lake-front owners complaining about bass fishermen. Especially at places like Candlewood, where more and more of the land owners there are tieing ropes from one dock to another in an attempt at preventing us from casting in and around the docks. I guess, in a way, I can understand the gripes they have with us. You pay a tremendous amount of money to live (on what you think will be) a quiet, secluded, private, little slice of heaven in the woods, and along come one hundred plus tournament bass fishermen with loud boat motors, at 5am every Sunday morning, spring, summer, and fall, every year! When we pull up within a couple feet of their docks to fish, they feel as if we are trespassing in their back yards! It's a very touchy situation for both the home owner and the fisherman. Both have rights, yet, unfortunate for us, I think the high tax paying home owners will win the battle down the road!

I have fished tourny's w/non-boaters that snag docks, ropes and covers. They want to walk on the dock to recover their lure. I have moved my boat over to the dock and they walked down and recovered their lure. Poor casting and lack of common sense is causing some of our problems. Seems like many anglers are buying lures but not learning how to cast. I think this is a big cause of problems!

When it comes to fishing around private property an angler is responsible for not only your behavior but also that of any one in your boat. A good rule of common sense is to approach carefully and quietly, respect their property and engage the owner in conversation, "Beautiful Day isn't it?" "you have beautiful home" and be nice!!! I have fished around homes all over and have discovered that if you are nice the owners will be just as nice. As a side bar I was practicing for a tournament on the Thousand Islands and was fishing a series of docks in a hidden cove way of the main channel that "Jack Evans" had told me about when I hooked and landed a nice four pound Largemout and saw two more swim out from under the dock. The owner was sitting on the dock and while talking to her she said "boy I never see any one fishing in here". My point is engae people in conversation and be a good will ambbassaduer or sale person for the sport!! Good Fishing Dan!!

When it comes to fishing around private property an angler is responsible for not only your behavior but also that of any one in your boat. A good rule of common sense is to approach carefully and quietly, respect their property and engage the owner in conversation, "Beautiful Day isn't it?" "you have beautiful home" and be nice!!! I have fished around homes all over and have discovered that if you are nice the owners will be just as nice. As a side bar I was practicing for a tournament on the Thousand Islands and was fishing a series of docks in a hidden cove way of the main channel that "Jack Evans" had told me about when I hooked and landed a nice four pound Largemout and saw two more swim out from under the dock. The owner was sitting on the dock and while talking to her she said "boy I never see any one fishing in here". My point is engae people in conversation and be a good will ambbassaduer or sale person for the sport!! Good Fishing Dan!!

In my area we have a problem with duck hunters. There are a lot of duck blinds on the Mississippi River, and when the season gets close, or starts, it is best to stay away from the areas. It can get really nasty.

As for docks I heard one tale that, if true, is a bit depressing. A couple of tournament guys got in an arguement with a houseboat owner, when they were hitting his boat, and its windows with their lures. That night the boat caught fire. As I said, I didn't get it confirmed, but my source isn't one to pass along bad information, unless he was fed the wrong thing.

I agree on making conversation with property owners. The same holds true when passing another angler who is fishing for crappie, bluegill, catfish, or whatever. By being friendly, and not throwing them a wake in a narrow cut, some actually asked if I wanted to fish the pile that set near where they were fishing.

This held true in one tournament when I came into a spot about 20 minutes before heading to the weigh-in. I caught two keepers. Then one of my competition came flying in as I moved to a pile a few yards up. They were not friendly with the catfish anglers, that were setting about 15 yards from them, so in a joking fashion, the catfishermen yelled over to them, "You boys don't need to fish in that spot, the other guy up there already caught the fish." It gave me and my partner a bit of a chuckle, but also showed how respect and taking the time to be friendly can help.

Dan, welcome to bassin USA and I can not aggree with you more, being dipolmatic and cordial is the true mark of a "PRO", I hope any one looking at this site reads Tim's accont of his last day in the BASS Invitational (Florida tournament) and that is what being a PRO is all about, I have had the good fortune of fishing and talking to many Pros and they are all like yourself a gentleman. Good Bassin' Dan Bass