Dave Richey OUTDOORS

This lack of ethics also could be a lack of boating knowledge, no clue about the rules of the road that are supposed to govern all boaters, or whether it is a matter of sheer stupidity or stubbornness.

Here are a few examples of things I've seen in the past. Whatever it is, there is a certain amount of carelessness that cannot be ignored, understood or tolerated. Some mistakes can kill people.

Use a slow speed as others stand to net a fish.

For instance, me and another guy were fishing and were one of only two boats on a small inland lake. We were fishing for bluegills and sunfish, and our boat was motionless. The other boat kept coming directly at us, and one boating rule that must be stressed, is an easy one to remember. When confronted with someone operating another boat, and that boat is on a collision course with you, someone or both parties must give way and do whatever is necessary to avoid a collision. Even if they have the right-of-way.

We gave way by raising the anchor quickly, starting the boat and I yelled at the idiot, and he shrugged his shoulders while motoring by at a moderate speed. He acted as if totally clueless to an accident he may have caused.

It's a common sight during the summer as large clots of boats troll back and forth over a school of Lake Michigan salmon. Everyone is trolling north and south in an orderly fashion, except for one boat. That yoyo is bound and determined to troll east and west without giving way to anyone. The boat constantly causes other boats to give way or stop, and the whole thing reminds me of dominoes. Tip one over, and they all go over. Move one boat out of line, and all the other boats must move to avoid the other ones. It becomes a huge mess.

Shipping channels and harbors are another place where people with no courtesy or knowledge of boating rules come to play. They ignorantly cut right behind another boat, catch all of his fishing lines, and then gripes for 30 minutes because he is out of the trolling action. He also wonders why everyone is yelling at him.

You see it on inland lakes, too. You've found a spot loaded with crappies, and are anchored and quietly fishing with minnows on a two-hook crappie rig. Some idiot decides he will troll for walleyes, and where does he go? Of course, he trolls right through your crappie hotspot, scatters the fish, and wonders why you won't move.

And then, there are the louts who spot you fishing for crappies, and cruise up and anchor right off your bow or stern. They cast heavy lures with lots of splash and commotion, and soon the crappies have moved to a much quieter location. That puts you on the search again.

Common sense should rule our waterways, not stupidity.

Just as bad are those fools who insist on roaring past anchored boats. I love muskie fishing, and prefer to stand up and cast all day. There you are standing on the floor or a raised-deck platform, and wind-drifting while casting to structure as you go. Everything is inshore of the boat, and you are working the edge of a point, weed bed or dropoff, and along comes a pontoon boat loaded with folks having a martini or three.

They have all the rest of the lake in which to cruise, and they decide to go through your area. Change locations, find a new spot where you've raised a fish and had it follow your lure, and guess what? Here come the martini drinkers to pass between you and the spot you are fishing. Is it intentional? Or is it a lack of common sense? Stupidity, perhaps?

And then, there are those (kids and adults) on crotch rockets (personal watercraft) who delight in jumping your minor wake as you troll slowly down the lake. Some seem determined to cross within two or three feet of your stern. One mistake, and there is a big accident.

Using rubber spiders on spring bluegills but not with other boats nearby.

The other thing with some (I can't lump all personal watercraft users into the same pile as the idiots) of these people is they think it is great fun, as you fish with a fly rod and rubber spiders for bluegills on spawning beds, to roar right over the shallows you are fishing.

This won't win me any points with many boating associations or manufacturers, but I think everyone, regardless of age, must take and pass a certified boating course if they've never owned a boat before.

Such courses teach people common courtesy, the rules of the road, and dictates who has the right-of-way and who doesn't. It also will teach people how to travel safely on the water while extending to others the common courtesies they expect from others.

Mandatory boating classes will probably never happen but they should. One must take drivers training classes before getting a drivers license, hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, must pass a Hunter Education class before buying their first hunting license.

Why not extend a similar law to boaters as well? It might smarten up some of the yahoos who act as if they own the water.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors