Why do boats feel the need for speed along the shore line?

[Chasing_Walleye]

I was fishing with my wife yesterday at about 5:30pm at American Fork Boat harbor. We had to fish there because my wife would not fulfill my dreams of getting into a bikini and waders so I could not fish the outlet.

There were boat coming out of the harbor not fishing yet but felt the need to go full throttle right along the shoreline and nearly miss my line I had out. Am I under the wrong impression that UT Lake is pretty wide open and that boaters can actually go out into the lake away from the shoreline? I can understand if you are trolling or something but if your not fishing throttle your boats away from the shoreline!!!!!!!!!!!!! If they weren't going so fast I would have aimed a sinker there way and claimed I was just casting.

Okay now that I'm done ranting I can give my report. My wife ended up catching only two whitebass using green curly tail jigs and she did not manage to get snagged every time she casted out so I was gratefull for that.

I ended up with 1 nice sized channel cat using really really old shrimp. I did not measure it but it was a nice looking clean kitty about 19 inches. I did see about 8-10 people wading and one boat camped out where the river runs out could not tell if they were catching anything but the river was running so they probably did pretty well

All in all a good nice warm day a little windy but nothing too bad only problem was waves made by boats right in front of me.
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[lavaman]

Because something about owning a power craft makes the lot of them feel like they own the whole lake as well.

The other few are probably just ignorant to their surroundings.
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[FishKillr]

That is a question that may never be answered. It happens a lot. I have lost 2 rods to boats. I was fishing in "remote" areas and they came by and there went the rods. Bails were open, but when you strip off line that fast it doesn't matter. I was wondering the same thing. It is not just the shore line that must be boated, but the SHORELINE WITH PEOPLE. There is plenty of shore line n UL, but not a whole lot with fishermen, these areas are targeted....why...I dunno. I understand that it is a boat harbor, but usually I am out of any standard boat traffic areas....they still find me. I have a small boat, and my goal is to AVOID people. I have no need to show off my awesome 14' 1968 sears amuminum boat. I am only there to impress the fish,

Shawn
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[Troll]

Cameras slow them down fast.

Hold up your cell phone.

The law is 5mph or wakeless within 150' of shore or another boater or a designated swimming area.

We had a jerk next to us at our family camp growing up who would come roaring in and take skiers right off the dock. We invested in a swimming area bouy and then called the police when he roared past it. They watched from a distance with bino's and when he did it again, all heck broke loose on him.
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[BUBBAARMY101]

I understand what your saying, but on the other hand u have bank tanglers who throw there line with a bubble in the entrance to the habor. I had a problem with some guy at lindon harbor who decided he was going to fish the entrance & everyone else should go around his bubble, u want to talk about losing your poles try getting fishing line out around your prop without ruining your gasket. just a thought.
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[rod-n-gun]

Let's get back to the bikini and waders!!! That's a great idea that I am going to propose to my wife!!! I don't know how it's going to go over but it's worth the suggestion. LOL!!! [laugh]

Good fishin'
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[FishKillr]

Good story Troll. +1 for us little guys[fishin]. I may try the cell phone thing and see if they slow in the wakeless areas.
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[FishKillr]

That is lame. The problem is sometmes both sides. I have seen bank tanglers who think they own the harbors as well. There are things both boaters and fishermen could do better to respect eachother.
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[El_Matador]

The law is 150' from a shore fisherman, there is no law that says how far from shore a boat has to be. Often times if there is chop on the water it will be a smoother ride closer to shore. This is especially true if you're talking about ski or wakeboard boats, they will seek out the flat water close to a leeward shoreline. I think most often when a fisherman gets buzzed it's because he is not seen in time for the boat to go around him. Boaters need to be watchful, especially in areas like you're talking about where shore fishermen are common. Fishermen should also try to make themselves visible to boaters. Don't just huddle in the reeds and curse a boat as it goes by, stand up and help the driver see you. I enjoy both fishing and boating so I've been on both sides of this issue. It's tough, but everyone sometimes wants to use the same water for different things.
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[Troll]

Your correct, I was mistaken about the 150' within shore, but there are several cases where you must be wakeless. Anytime a person is in the water is a very vast condition, meaning if a person is wading, the 150' rule is in effect.
It is also not the fishers responsibility to be seen. That rests strictly with the boater as well as any damage caused by their wake.
From the law,
73-18-15.1 (10)
[size 3]
[left](10) The operator of any vessel may not exceed a wakeless speed when within 150 feet of:
[left](a) Another vessel;
[left](b) A person in or floating on the water;
[left]© A water skier being towed by another boat;
[left](d) A water skier that had been towed behind the operator’s vessel unless the skier is still surfing or riding in an upright stance on the wake created by the vessel;
[left](e) A water skier that had been towed behind another vessel and the skier is still surfing or;
[left](f) A shore fisherman;
[left](g) A launching ramp;
[left](h) A dock; or
(i) A designated swimming area

You can read the whole boating law section here, all 76 pages of it.

[url "http://static.stateparks.utah.gov/docs/BoatingCode.pdf"]http://static.stateparks.utah.gov/docs/BoatingCode.pdf[/url]
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[perchinski]

I have a theory......has to do with relativity. Out in the middle of a lake there is nothing, other than one of our fishing boats, by which to gauge speed. Consequently, those Power Squadrons prefer to zing along the shoreline, which provides objects (trees, bushes, boulders) they can pass and visually monitor their sensation of speed.
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