Can You Believe This????

[Lake Lady 6]

This morning my husband and several family members were fishing from a boat by the marker on the west side of Treasure Island. This was an annual get-together and each morning (Sat. & Sun.) there is a "fishing contest" for the children. I might add that the marker is some distance from shore.

A gentleman(???) came out of his cottage on the island and asked if they would move as he came on weekends and didn't want to look at a boat in front of his cottage. It was explained that it was a contest for the kids and and my husband told the man that he had his fishing license and was allowed to fish anywhere on the lake. At this point the cottage owner launched an old Correct Craft (sp) boat and proceeded to circle around the boat - not sure of his reason but most likely to annoy everyone; scare the fish; or just to show how rude and obnoxious he could be.

We have always understood that the lake belonged to everyone and see bass fishermen close to our shoreline as well as kayaks, etc. We are happy that so many are able to enjoy this beautiful lake.

This has to be one unhappy man - more to be pitied than loathed as my mother used to say.

[JayDV]

Really, I do know what is the right thing to do, but that kind of blatant selfishness is deserving of some button pushing. It boggles my mind that people would purposely buy a place in a high viewing area and complain that someone can see thier house.

[BroadHopper]

My parent owned a beautiful property on the Broads for years. We never ask anyone to leave if they were in front of the property. As the lake is for the benefit of all people. Yet there are some property owners, that have a fit if you can see their cottage from the lake! I had that propblem with a woman on Sleepers across from said marker mentioned above. I anchored about 200' out so that the grandkids can go swimming and relax in the sun. She came out on her boat and ask us to leave! She doesn't like people on front of her property! I told her that we were out 200' and that the lake is public property. Just when we were leaving the MP pulled up. He politely ask us not to anchor in front of that property. The MP knows that I am right but sometimes you have to give away to certain people. If we start given away to landowners we might as well give away the lake!!!!!!

[Silver Duck]

would be party to such blatant disregard for your rights in this matter (the property owner has absolutely none, if you were at least the legal minimum distance from her dock, raft, etc.)

Did you ask the MP what his/her basis was for asking you to move? If it was only this person's whining, the MP officer should have a complaint sworn out against him/her!

Silver Duck

[itchin for fishin]

We can always have a fishing derby by the marker on the west side of Treasure Island next weekend. Hehehehe! Just kidding.

He probably was mad because he saw the kids out fishing him.

[Bear Islander]

I dislike defending what sounds like a snobby, hot headed jerk but here goes.

The consensus seems to be that it's OK to anchor and fish in front of property because that is a "right". But doesn't a person that dislikes fishing have the right to circle a fisherman in protest?

If it was a Greenpeace boat circling a whaler we might think it was a good idea.

If he was 150' away or stayed at headway speed and didn't interfere with navigation isn't he within his "rights".

[Grant]

Cast a jitterbug at the dude. Perhaps a nice treble hook in the ear lobe will alter his course...

[lynnicken]

I say if it happens again, call law enforcement

NEW HAMPSHIRE STATUTES ANNOTATED
TITLE XVIII. FISH AND GAME
CHAPTER 207. GENERAL PROVISIONS AS TO FISH AND GAME
INTERFERENCE WITH HUNTING, TRAPPING OR FISHING
207:57. Harassment
I. No person shall purposely obstruct or impede the participation of any individual in the lawful activity of hunting, fishing or trapping while that individual is in a designated hunting area on public lands. No person shall enter or remain in a designated hunting area on any state lands with the intent to purposely obstruct or impede the participation of any individual in the lawful activity of hunting, fishing or trapping

I wonder if it also applies to public waterways
still looking.....................

[Silver Duck]

Bear Islander

If you read the first post, there was nothing said about a moral objection to fishing. The "gentleman" said that he didn't want to look at a boat in front of his property.

This was harassment of somebody that was going about a legal and proper pursuit, pure and simple. And, since there were kids in the boat that was being harrassed , this person's actions were totally inexcusable, and would have been even if there was some moral objection to fishing involved.

So far as I'm concerned, one doesn't deliberately endanger a child's safety, ever - even slightly (if this jerk was actually going slowly, which wasn't stated)!

Sorry, but on this one we'll have to part company!

Silver Duck

[Bear Islander]

In the first post it only says he "proceeded to circle around the boat". Nothing about speed or endangering children. If laws were broken they should have called the MP.

A moral objection to fishing is not required, his motives have little to do with his rights.

The right to protest is central to our freedom. It's his right even if he is the petty, ignorant imbecile he sounds like. It's easy to stick up for the rights of those we agree with, it's harder to defend somebodies right to be something we hate.

[JDeere]

.

Everyone IMHO seems to confuse "THIER RIGHTS" with common courtesy. Just because the lake is open to the public does not mean that it is polite to anchor just in front of someone’s home. Ditto for the guy who circled in his boat.



Think about this another way. I have the right to park my car in front of your house, turn up my radio and suntan on the rood of my car but if I did you would ask me to leave.

The lake has many fishing, swimming, and anchoring spots without sitting in front of someone’s retreat.

[dpg]

Bear Islander: Some kind of moral objection to fishing?? Pleeassseee!!!! He was a well, let's not go there. Also, if I were the person asked to move by the "officer" I would have refused (within my rights, if any) before I was given a reason. If the reason was a lame one then (move) and make a phone call to the officers superior and demand some reasoning as to his actions. Do you folks pay taxes, gas prices, insurance, registration costs, etc.etc?? Well then stick up for your rights which are by the way the exact same as the person making such an idiotic request (well, demand.)

Guess you can tell, one - no my only pet peeve is letting "people" like this win.

[PROPELLER]

JDeere, I have to disagree that there are many anchoring spots for fishing, swimming without anchoring in front of private property. There is very little now. The first post does not say how far away from his shore they were anchored & I agree there should be some common courtesy. But if they gave ample room between their anchoring spot & the shore, too bad. I would never have left even if the marine patrol asked as long as no laws were broken.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by JDeere

.

Everyone IMHO seems to confuse "THIER RIGHTS" with common courtesy. Just because the lake is open to the public does not mean that it is polite to anchor just in front of someone’s home. Ditto for the guy who circled in his boat.



Think about this another way. I have the right to park my car in front of your house, turn up my radio and suntan on the rood of my car but if I did you would ask me to leave.

The lake has many fishing, swimming, and anchoring spots without sitting in front of someone’s retreat.

I would only add that if I'm understanding it correctly, the black tipped marker refered to is some 300 - 400 ft offshore. While I'm not sure exactly when I'd say someone is anchoring "in my front yard" (so to say), I would say 300+ ft offshore doesn't qualify. Even the recently proposed lakewide NRZ regulation wouldn't have required LL6 to have moved. Moreover the homeowner stating that "he doesn't want to look at a boat" is a rediculous reason. As it appears here, I don't see how this case even strays into the gray area btw boater's and homeowner's "rights". This is a case where BR is correct.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Why do I think that area of the lake is going to be inundated with boats this weekend?
(Be careful... this fellow might be a pirate. It is Treasure Island after all.)
I agree with Mee-n-Mac. That far away from shore is not someone's front yard.
This "fishing contest" for the kids doesn't sound like they were being discourteous.

[chipj29]

I am not a land owner on the lake. With that said, I just want to throw in my 2 cents. I think the land owner was being extremely rude by acting the way he did, and I don't think he had a right to try to scare away the anchored boat, just because it was in his view. Like it has been said, the lake is public domain. Now if the boat was anchored within swim lines, or very close to shore, then ok, the guy has a legitimate point. However the boat was a couple hundred feet off shore. Sure the guy has every right to power his boat around any other boat, as long as it is safe to do so at no wake speed. That doesn't make it a nice thing to do though!

I have read here about fisherman fishing so close to docks that their hook lands on a dock, or even in someones boat. That is just plain wrong. Maybe that is what the guy was worried about?

If it were me, I would feel somewhat funny about anchoring in proximety of the shore of someones cottage. I know it is ok to do, but I would feel funny about it. Thats just me.

[feb]

Fishermen typically fish within 150' of the shoreline. Every weekend morning I always see several boats trolling off and past my dock. My first response is typically "Hey, not so close", but that is quickly followed by "Well, it is a public place, and they are just traveling by, get over it." A sense of owning the lake is hard for some people to get over unfortunately.

But like someone just said, if this guy has had fish hooks into his boat canvas more times than he cares to put up with he may go to great lengths to make sure it doesn't happen again - right or wrong.

[PROPELLER]

Wrong, according to a previous post, the marker they were near is 300'-400' away from shore. Even if you were 75' from shore you could not cast up onto his deck or boat.

[winnilakegirl]

As the law states the lake belongs to the people not the land owners. You can use the water up to the high water mark if you so desire.(Even if it is on the land itself). This includes the docks that people put out since it is in/on public waters. So basicly the land owner can not tell you to move.

It is a courtesy of those using the lake not to push the issue about going to the high water mark. I think the land owner needs to read the laws and realize they have no right to tell someone to move out of their "view". That person was very rude and if they ran into me they would be sorry. I wouldn't move and probably I would have drove right up to there beach and planted my anchor.Just because they own the property doesn't mean they own the view too. Don't get me wrong I am not a mean person and usually am very courteous to others but if I got approached like that I would not be so nice back. I too like to look at the views around the lake either from land or on the water. Sometimes you have to look through things (others) to see the view. It is part of life on the lake.

[RumGuy]

I would think that owning a home on the lake would entail looking at boats, wouldn't it? Perhaps a place in the mountains (of Idaho??) might suit that person better. The only boats that pain me are the ones that I am jealous of, like my neighbor's new Chris Craft Corsair!

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by PROPELLER

Wrong, according to a previous post, the marker they were near is 300'-400' away from shore. Even if you were 75' from shore you could not cast up onto his deck or boat.

I remember taking the USCGA course and there is a national ruling that one may tie up to a dock or deck in case of emergency, regardless of who owns it. One time years ago, I was heading home and was caught is a blinding thunderstorm, it was so bad that I could barely see. So I tied up to someone's dock until the strom subsided.

[NBR]

I would go back for another fishing contest armed with a camera and a cell phone. Depending on how the boat was operated the circling could well have been a violation and it is illegal to harrass people legally fishing.

I understand the guys wish for an unobstructed view but you also have the right to fish there without harrassment or any kind and particuarly harrassment that may be dangerous. If he doesn't know your rights marine patrol will surely let him know and if he does know them my title word is appropriate!

[Pineedles]

ChipJ29
"I am not a land owner on the lake. With that said, I just want to throw in my 2 cents. I think the land owner was being extremely rude by acting the way he did, and I don't think he had a right to try to scare away the anchored boat, just because it was in his view. Like it has been said, the lake is public domain." ChipJ29


ChipJ I AM a property owner and I agree with your response on the Winnipesaukee Forum. However, I must address the larger issue that ALL shorefront owners must realize is fast becoming a reality. How many boats, floats, skiers, and rafts will you tolerate before Winnipesaukee becomes no escape for you, but merely another type of noise that you intended to escape from in the first place?

Having spent all my pre-teen and a few of my teen year summers on Winnipesaukee, it can definitely be stated that there is a lot more "noise" on the lake then there was 20, 30, or 40 years ago.

Our taxes have gone up dramatically, and our quality of life has gone down hill. Oh, I'm not ready to pack up Great-Great Grand-Dad's metal record player and cash in on this meteoric real estate market, but what are we getting? Less than what we remember, that's what. But what is the same anymore? So, instead of raging about the lack of law enforcement, courtesy, common sense, and a few more that I'm sure pertain to people who just don't have any respect for others or their property. Let's just chock it up to life goes on despite us, and isn't what it used to be. Let's just do our part to be better neighbors and hopefully all these issues will go away, eventually.

[chipj29]

Pineedles, I think you missed the last paragraph of my post. This sums up my feelings that although I think the property owner was in the wrong, I also think the boater was being very discourteous and rude.

"If it were me, I would feel somewhat funny about anchoring in proximety of the shore of someones cottage. I know it is ok to do, but I would feel funny about it. Thats just me."

I agree with you that "getting away" would not be as relaxing if there were tons of boats out front. I also agree that courtesy has gone way downhill in the not too distant past.

[PROPELLER]

Chipj29, How was the boater being discourteous & rude? They were 300'-400' feet from shore, thats a football field or more. No where near this rude property owners shore.

[ApS]

Fishermen are funny.

They rent the cottage next door, then zoom off at dawn to fish all day -- far away. Other fishermen (probably from far away) fish off the renters' dock! Bass are everywhere, waiting to be found.

In this case, it seems a reasonable approach would have been to simply move to the next property over.

The boat's size isn't mentioned, (is it a three-story?) and I don't know how a normal conversation can be had at 400-feet distance.

In these days of recreational chemicals, air-rage and road-rage, pass trouble-makers by.

[Pineedles]

ChipJ29,

I didn't miss your point. I guess I was just expressing my feelings of frustration about how "life" on the lake has degraded. That includes rude people who have lost the ability to be courteous rather than rely on the "law" to resolve differences. I don't mind when fishermen troll or cast in close proximity to my shoreline. I often wave and enjoy seeing them "catch one" ocassionally. However, a "fishing derby" with screaming and yelling, just my supposition when kids are involved, would not be greeted as welcome as the former.

[islandAl]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

Fishermen are funny.

They rent the cottage next door, then zoom off at dawn to fish all day -- far away. Other fishermen (probably from far away) fish off the renters' dock! Bass are everywhere, waiting to be found.

One thing, I have never understood, is why fishermen stand on docks and cast as far out as possible and fishermen in boats cast as close to the dock as possible.

[Eric Austin]

Originally Posted by islandAl

One thing, I have never understood, is why fishermen stand on docks and cast as far out as possible and fishermen in boats cast as close to the dock as possible.

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this!!! Now that my brother has a boat, I can relate. I do not cast near anybody's dock, however. I am aware of the fact that technically, I can go right up to the waterline near somebody's property. However, I don't feel the need to be a bother to anybody...

But, I was thinking about my trip up to Winnipesaukee this summer. Ironically, the biggest fish I caught was when I was casting off of the boat dock and not on the boat!!! We caught a lot of small fish from the boat.

Seriously, to answer your question, in theory, bass like cover and structure in order to hide so they can sneak up of baitfish for food. So, it makes sense that fishermen would cast near or around boat docks as the dock supports in the water could provide cover or structure for the bass. I personally would not cast around someone's boat dock because, speaking for myself, I would not feel right being that close to someone's backyard. Also, what if you miss the water and hit the dock or a boat with the lure? What if it gets stuck? What if the occupants of the property like to swim in that area and you snag on the bottom? That could present a danger to anybody swimming in that area. Again, that is just my opinion.

I think that there are plenty of other areas to find fish in the lake, other than under someone's dock. We were using the fish finder on the boat and found plenty of areas with underwater structure on the lake.

As far as a fisherman casting as far as he possibly can from the dock, I think the idea is to try to cover as much area with the lure or bait, hoping that some fish will be attracted to it. That is, try to maximize the time and area where and when the lure is in the water. If there is no structure in the area where you're casting, however, your best bet might be right under your feet (i.e., under the dock).

That being said, last year (2004) I caught a 14" (or so...) largemouth bass right off of the boat dock in three feet of water. I saw him swimming around, so I just dropped my rubber crawfish right in front of him. I teased him enough to cause him to strike. This year (2005) I was at the very end of the boat dock, casting as far as I could, and I landed a 14" (or so...) smallmouth bass. There was absolutely no structure in the area, ironically, as my brother and I check the area with the fish finder on his boat.

So, there is a method to the maddness, in theory... I guess people can think about fishing and analyze it to the n(th) degree. I do enough thinking at work. I just like to fish... A bad day fishing beats a good day at work...

Anyway, I only catch and release. I don't want to kill any fish or cause them harm. I'll just make them late for dinner, or something.

Take care,
Eric

[chipj29]

That is a good point Propeller...maybe both parties were in the wrong.

I can only speculate on what actually happened, since I was not there. Maybe words were said between the 2 parties. Who knows, maybe both were very rude to each other right off the bat.

We all know the boater had a right to be out there. Whether he was being nice is the part we will never know.

[The Big Kahuna]

The owner of the island house is a jerk, plain and simple. He should go back to living under the bridge and asking the goats for toll money.