Fishing from docks
 

A neighbor in a very small lakefront association has proposed the banning of fellow neighbors from fishing off of association docks due to having found a fish hook embedded in one of their dock lines.
The neighbor feels it is a safety issue.
The incidence of neighbors fishing from the docks in this small association is relatively rare and mostly limited to the occasional visiting grandchild. One would like to think that if the misguided hook was cast by a neighbor, that neighbor would be conscientious towards their neighbors and remedy the issue accordingly. More than likely the hook in the line resulted from a passing fisherman on a boat whose cast inadvertently got caught in the dock line.

QUESTIONS:
1. If it were, in fact, the result of a passing fisherman's errant hook, should the fisherman have somehow attempted to remove their hook, out of courtesy towards their fellow man?
2. If so, is it permissible for the passing fisherman to step onto private docks in order to gain access to accomplish that task?
3. Somewhere on this forum someone once claimed there's no such thing as a private dock, is that true?
4. Knowing that the water around and under the docks is free for fisherman to fish, should this incident be viewed as par for the course, in other words just an ongoing possibility?
5. Is banning association neighbors & their guests from fishing off docks an appropriate response, since it would not eliminate the possibility of future hooks becoming embedded in dock lines?
6. Is banning neighbors, with appropriate licenses, from fishing off their own docks even possible if it isn't addressed in community bylaws?
7. Is this a case of 'much ado about nothing' or should it be regarded as a matter that deserves a swift response?

Please feel free to opine on any or all of the questions! Thanks for your input!





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"7. Is this a case of 'much ado about nothing' "

Yes to the above!

If someone got a splinter walking barefoot on the docks, would the association ban barefoot walking on docks??

Just my feeling...

Dan

I have been stuck by multiple hooks embedded in my dock and mooring lines over the years, all from passing fisherman. If it was just one hook found over a long period of time, seriously get over it!

Shall we just ban fishing all together????:emb:

Absolutely this.

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As this is an association thing, I suggest looking at the deeded rights provided by the association... yes the decision making body for the association, could create a rule, but that in turn get get overturned easy enough. What you don't want to have happen is the eager neighbor to get the rule into the deed rules of the association....

Over all really!!!! come on, I have people fishing in front of my place all the time, and in 30 years, only once have I found a hook somewhere unexpected... And in those same 30 year, I don't want to discuss the number of times, I have pricked my finger with a nail or screew, jambed my hand between the dock and boat... etc etc etc....

Change the by-laws
 

Get a fistful of proxies before the next association meeting. Propose that "Stupid rules require a 2/3 majority to pass. A "stupid' rule is determined by a simple majority, with a secret ballot." Get people to think twice before proposing stupid rules. Remember, you can often do stupid things if you have the votes (Washington DC unknown pundit).

If...
 

If it passes the only people NOT fishing at your dock will be association members.

From a fisherman point of view that hook should have been recovered by the fisherman.
I go to extreme lengths to recover the rare hook/lure I accidentally send into a dock without even toching the dock with my boat. I would tie up & retrieve with the explanation that I was looking out for the dock owners safety.
Going ashore? Dunno. That's probably a tresspass without question. Fetching a lure off a dock might be bit I doubt an officer wouldnt let that go with a warning.

Island vs Mainland?
 

I'm always happy to have somebody tie up to my dock, introduce themselves and talk about having a great day on the lake. We have lots of fishermen, etc. Why is this a problem for people? On the mainland, people come by to sell roofing, Jesus, and political candidates. All get treated with courtesy. I don't understand the animosity towards a fisherman trying to retrieve a lure.

We had our place, with a dock, boathouse, boat lines, boat, etc., for close to 70 years, and fishing from the dock was a daily occurrence for all of those years. Never a problem. Sure, there was the occasional hook to the finger or ear (bad casting!), and I once "caught" my sister-in-law in the shoulder (long story, involving a prowling Fish & Game guy doing license checks...and a few beers), but everyone is alive and well, and better off for having fished from the dock.

In short, "Much ado about nothing" is spot-on...bring it to the full association!

Fishing at docks
 

I once had the occasion to discover my boats mooring cover with a large rip/hole in it. I can only surmise that a fisherwoman landed her cast on the cover then set the hook whilst trying to retreive the lure. Rather than leave it to me to remove with minimal damage, she ripped and cut it out resulting in an expensive repair. I see people casting within inches of my boat all the time. An errant cast was bound to happen. I guess my point is, don't make a situation worse by causing more damage than you already have. Cut your losses (and the line) and leave!

OP was talking about banning fishing from dock. Rarely, if ever, have I seen boat damage caused by people fishing from their own dock. Seems like banning would be solving a problem that doesn’t exist.


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Fishing at docks
 

Hey Nightrider...

I'm a fisherman who has occasionally casted an errant bait onto a dock... always retrieved without damage to a boat cover/dock line etc.

Why would you ever "surmise" that a fisher"woman" was at fault? Did you see the fisherwoman in question? Very strange assumption....

Cheers...

Gusman

Just wanted to thank everyone who responded. The prevailing opinions seem to align with my own! Thanks!

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