Dock etiquette

[Fishhawk]

I just found this in an email. I may have advised the guy to ask his question on Hawk Talk but it was last June...
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Hi there! My name is Nizaar. I am looking for the fishing etiquette on fishing someone else’s dock.

Can they legally prevent me from slowly moving around their dock and lightly tossing lures underneath for panfish and bass? Of course it’s off bounds if they’re fishing there or otherwise using it.

How do you recommend dealing with unreasonable and irate dock owners who come out swearing at you if you accidentally tap their docks with a 1/62 oz. jig? Any advice much would be much appreciated.
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I would like to hear from someone who actually owns a dock, too.

[ken & Jo]

I don't recall the actual legalese behind this but I believe that while the dock is owned by the property owner, the water and the land that it sits upon/above is not. The only way I could see this in the land owner's favour is if the entire area and lands within are deeded to him which I think would be the exception rather than the rule. So my take would be to keep fishin', but avoid hitting his dock.

Ken

[M.T. Livewell]

A very touchy subject indeed.

When in that situation, I always leave the dock and avoid confrontation.

A concern that was highlighted to me once upon a time was hooks ...
How many times have you hit a dock with your lure.
How many times has your lure got stuck in the dock.
How many times have you broken off near a dock.

Consider young kids who are using those docks or swimming around those docks. Would hate to see anyone's fun end with a trip to CHEO to remove a rusty hook and get a tetnis shot.

Can we fish docks ... darn right. But ya gotta use common sense (scary words as it means so many different things to different people).

My $.02. Don't spend it all in one place.

Good topic FH.

M.T. Livewell

[Laketrout]

I don't know about up here but,in New Brunswick on the Mirimachi and other big salmon rivers theres what is called riparianrights where the land owner acturally owns out to the middle of the channel,and he owns the water that is flowing through his pool.

[grumpy7790]

Generally speaking, the public is legally entitled to fish just about anywhere we can float a boat, including under private docks. But common sense and courtesy in exercising that right can save a lot of heartache for all concerned.

That being said, I say go weedless and learn to skip !

Grumpy

[Muskiemagnet]

Personally I don't mind people fishing my dock on Charleston, unless we are using it or swimming in the general area. Dock fishing is part of the game, particularly in Bass fishing. People should be aware of this before buying water front. I'm confronted all the time on the Rideau when Muskie fishing, not really fishing docks but fishing too close for some peoples comfort I quess. I usually laugh it off or flip the guy the finger if he is being a real @ss.

[FLOATFISHIN]

I am in with Magnet on this one....I have 2 docks @ my cottage(Mind you no structure to either ) But the front dock has held a few nice smallies over the years.I have no issue with people flippin the areas, as long as no one is in the water.

In a matter of respect if someone is on their dock, and it looks like it could hold a fish, ask the person and watch your "Flip, or Pitch"

Respect the dock and the owner, and if you loose a jig or whatever do your best to retieve it for avoiding a possible hook in soomeone's paw.

Legaly it is thier property"The dock or man made mooring system"Keep er in the water maybe bounce it off a post or somthin but "Be vewy vewy quiet"We is a huntin wabbits The water shed is as Grumpy stated, "anywhere you can float a boat"Is fishable.Try to keep er off the dock and all should be well, but then there are the odd ones who think Magnet will come along with the 80lb power pro and hook the dock and say its a 50"er JK Pat

T.L F.F

[Cancatchbass]

Like FF, I always ask before I flip/pitch/skip. When someone asks me (or tells me) not to fish around their dock, I don't. I smile, say "No problem", and move on.

Another case of - although it is legal to do something, why not respect the wishes of the dock owner and avoid the aggravation?

I have no problems with anglers fishing my docks, and I have even told them if I have seen a bass or ??? lurking under a certain section. I realize I DON'T own the waters in front of my house, under my docks, etc., but even if I did, I wouldn't get excited about others fishing there.

The fact that another waterfront property owner doesn't feel the same isn't justification (to me) to be rude or try and educate them about the relative laws.

CCB

[Seaweed]

Reminds me of a situation I read about last year where a guy on the Pro Bass tour was fishing in the deep southern states and he is flippin along a shoreline when.....

Babooom babooom

some redneck let loose with a shotgun over his head and told him to move along and not fish there.... it went to court and the guy wasn`t fined even. Thank God that our gun laws are a bit more black and white in that discharging a firearm, even over the head of someone, is greatly discouraged.

When fishing shoreline and docks I take this approach:

1) If anyone is near the dock.... I wave and don`t move in close... I can pitch a lure pretty far though.

2) If anyone is in the water... no brainer... I avoid the whole area.

3) If I don`t see anyone .... I fish it hard.

4) If I get asked to leave... no problem.. I move along.

5) Owning a boat doesn`t give us a right to infringe on peoples turf... whether implied or not we are kind of trespassing... just from the water side instead of the roadside. Act accordingly... all fishermen will be painted with the same brush if we act like idiots... no matter what we think our rights are.

[CNs]

I usually fish the Rideau (launch @ Kars). I have never ever had anyone tell me to move off their docks.

Most of them are curious to see what I catch. Almost all will chat. Of course if someone is sitting on thier dock I do not fish it without talking first. And if they are oppoed to me fishing there I will slowly and quietly motor off on my trolling motor.

Watching out for people, your wake, and wash ,will earn brownie points if you keep fishing the same area.

It really is all in the approach.

[saskie]

My personal etiquette is that I flat out don't fish private docks, or any where else I know people swim regularly due to the swimming/fish hook factor. It's probably legal though - it is in NS and SK anyway.

[Canadian Bacon]

I think what people are afraid of is someon snagging up and breaking the line..leaving the hook and line attached to the dock! I can understand that, you could hook some little person without even knowing it and I would hate for that to happen . I mainly use weedless presentation when fishing docks so this won't happen!

[orrsey]

Im not for sure on this but I have heard that the owner of water front owns 20 meters off shore. I may be wrong, if this is true I dont know how someone could regulate boats from floating in that area. I know I have been yelled at for pulling a 4 pound smally 10 feet from a dock during a tournament.....the guy said that was his pet fish and he even had a name for it. He said it hangs around there all the time and he feeds it. How was I to know?? On top of that I told him I would release it right back there in 15 min after I weighed it in. That didnt make anything better, I was called so many names some Ive never even heard before. I have even been yelled at for fishing in a bay not even close to any docks. I think sometimes people just have nothing better to do and hate the world in general. As long as we respect the dock owners and ask permission when we can, what else can they expect? They have to realize that people are going to be fishing on the lake. I always make sure to not hit the dock and fish weedless to prevent snags....and when I can I ask permission.

[Markus]

I'm a cottage owner and I have no problem with folks fishing my waterfront, but I can understand their how some off them feel. First off, it's a bit of an invasive feeling. Soundly there's a stranger lingering around your property....makes folks uneasy to start with. Secondly, no one likes things being pitched at their property...especially boats. Imagine parking your car roadside only to find someone comes out of the bushes and starts flipping objects at it.

Like CCB and others have said, just use discretion and caution around private docks and when your asked to stop, tip your hat and move on.

[M.T. Livewell]

Makes sun bathing naked in the back yard a real chore too.
(But it hasn't stopped me yet!)

MT