Fishing The Harbor Entrance???

MonacoMike

MonacoMike

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2009
14,721
Indiana lakes and Lake Michigan
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2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
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260hp Alpha 1
As I was pulling into Grand Haven for the rendezvous a 20 foot fishing boat with 4-6 planer boards and gear out 300 feet was trolling across the entrance, blocking the entire entrance for a good while. How do you typically handle this? It seems excessive for one little boat to block the rest of the world out or in as it be.

Was hoping to see a clueless pontoon or wake boat drive through the whole thing. LOL

MM
 
My understanding of regulations, commercial fishermen have priority similar to a boat under sail.

Does this apply to recreational fishing?

I try to always respect people fishing. Transiting along the west coast of FL, there are spots which smaller boats will cluster to fish. My concern is not so much disrupting the fishing, rather my wake and creating an unsafe condition. If I am within a half mile or so, always come off plane, or change my route.

Similar issue occurs in Hawks Channel through the Keys. That's a marked "highway" with high traffic from larger boats at times. People will anchor in a 16ft boat right in the channel.
 
FootballFan said:
I try to always respect people fishing. Transiting along the west coast of FL, there are spots which smaller boats will cluster to fish. My concern is not so much disrupting the fishing, rather my wake and creating an unsafe condition. If I am within a half mile or so, always come off plane, or change my route.

Similar issue occurs in Hawks Channel through the Keys. That's a marked "highway" with high traffic from larger boats at times. People will anchor in a 16ft boat right in the channel.
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I do the same and have no issue with giving the fishermen their space when they are trolling rigs. The blocking of the entire entrance for a long time from all other boaters was my issue here. It is annoying enough when they sit in the entrance fishing, but when they block the whole thing.

MM
 
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This is a widely accepted practice and people give way to the fishermen in our harbor. You could expect to see the Sheriff if you ran through their lines.
 
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sbw1 said:
View attachment 73500 This is a widely accepted practice and people give way to the fishermen in our harbor. You could expect to see the Sheriff if you ran through their lines.
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Even for recreational? Interesting...I think I'm a pretty patient person, but I wouldn't be too happy to see a fisherman make the channel his fishing grounds...Never seen it here, and not sure how it would be received....Though, lots of boat traffic...I could see issues.
 
Honestly it's a big lake with plenty of places to fish. Someone blocking the harbor entrance with their lines has simply decided that their needs are more important than anyone else's.

Not saying you should run through their lines, but it is inconsiderate on their part.

Out on the open lake I would absolutely give them a wide berth because it's easy and reasonable for me to go around them.

@FootballFan there was a long thread either here or THT on right of way when fishing. Fishing doesn't automatically give right of way, only when it impedes ability to navigate of the boat engaged. The conclusion was that a boat with lines out could still turn without a problem (even if it is inconvenient or undesirable) and thus isn't constrained in their navigation.
 
as stated above "engaged in fishing" does refer only to boats using gear that limits their ability to maneuver.....the rules specifically exclude trolling......the rule generally applies to trawling and long lining - That said, I also give any fisherman (recreational or otherwise) plenty of room when transiting an area they are in, but they also baffle me when set up in busy channels and routes
 
It's not as frequent but this is almost as annoying as the sail boat races on Spring Lake! They have some kind of salmon tournament once a year in Grand Haven and some of these folks will run up and down the channel, in the middle, taking up nearly the entire channel to fish. And they are quick to use sign language (in front of kids to boot) if you get too close to their lines.

I respect their right to fish, some are making a living at it, but I don't think it should be at the expense of every other boater. Perhaps the law reads differently.

When the time comes to take my kids on a charter trip out into Lake Michigan it will not be with the two fishing boats I've seen in Grand Haven acting...less than adult...in this exact scenario in the last year +/-. I suppose the only thing I can really do is complain about it to my wife and speak with my money when it comes time to get out on a fishing trip with the kids...

I mean...imagine how this post would read if Monaco Mike had seen me pulling 16 kids on 8 tubes behind my 400, 50' spread between them, in the Grand Haven channel on a busy boating day? I'm sure the CG regs say somewhere that you should not run over the kids but that wouldn't mean I'm not a terrible captain :):)
 
Our entrance is a channel right off the ICW. We have wind and current when entering the channel. I will toot the horn to give them a minute to wrap up lines, or I am coming thru. I agree, there are plenty of spots to fish, why my channel.
 
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Having boated for almost 50 years in and out of the Grand Haven harbor, I have never encountered a day when I was blocked in by fishermen trolling or pulling planner boards. There have been times when I've had to make a left or right turn to get around them, but they are going just 3-4 mph and are easy to maneuver around. You have to remember they go where the fish are and salmon run up the river in the fall. Someone asked Jesse James why he robbed banks. He answered, saying "Because that is where the money is."
 
sbw1 said:
View attachment 73509 Having boated for almost 50 years in and out of the Grand Haven harbor, I have never encountered a day when I was blocked in by fishermen trolling or pulling planner boards. There have been times when I've had to make a left or right turn to get around them, but they are going just 3-4 mph and are easy to maneuver around. You have to remember they go where the fish are and salmon run up the river in the fall. Someone asked Jesse James why he robbed banks. He answered, saying "Because that is where the money is."
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Wasn’t it just my lucky day. LOL

MM
 
Some places, the Cape Cod Canal comes to mind, do not allow any fishing, commercial or recreational from a boat in the canal or the approach channel. The canal patrol will enforce that, and I'm sure there are other local rules in many places.
In general, where there isn't a local rule, it seems like in general Rule 9 part (C) of the inland and international rules make it clear that fishing vessels can't impede passage of anyone in a channel or fairway:

"INTERNATIONAL and INLAND are the same:

(c) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

Paragraph (c), unlike paragraph (b), gives rights to any vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway, not just to those that can safely operate only within the channel or fairway. Vessels engaged in fishing--defined in Rule 3(d)--must stay out of the way, although they are permitted to fish in the channel or fairway if it is otherwise not being used. "
 
Fishing, as defined in Rule 3(d)...(d) The term vessel engaged in fishing means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict maneuverability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict maneuverability.

Jaybeaux
 
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be_prepared said:
Some places, the Cape Cod Canal comes to mind, do not allow any fishing, commercial or recreational from a boat in the canal or the approach channel. The canal patrol will enforce that, and I'm sure there are other local rules in many places.
In general, where there isn't a local rule, it seems like in general Rule 9 part (C) of the inland and international rules make it clear that fishing vessels can't impede passage of anyone in a channel or fairway:

"INTERNATIONAL and INLAND are the same:

(c) A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

Paragraph (c), unlike paragraph (b), gives rights to any vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway, not just to those that can safely operate only within the channel or fairway. Vessels engaged in fishing--defined in Rule 3(d)--must stay out of the way, although they are permitted to fish in the channel or fairway if it is otherwise not being used. "
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I believe the OP was describing vessels fishing on Lake Michigan and not in the channel. The channel BTW is not narrow and allows room for 600 foot long ocean going ships to transit the area with enough space on both sides for recreational vessels to come and go at the same time. It is unlikely that entrance was blocked by fishing vessels although it may well have appeared to be that way to a visitor to the area for the first time. This is common when the salmon run and becomes even more congested when the mouth of the harbor becomes the hot spot for fishing in the fall.
 
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