Misn 1

How close is too close? I am new to offshore fishing and I have made two trips offshore, both to public reefs/wrecks. On both trips, I was anchored on the reef/wreck and had other boats come up fairly close. By fairly close, I mean within approximately 50 feet. My brother asked me how close was too close and I told him that I didn't know what the proper ediquette was. I didn't mind having company...in fact, we spoke to each other about the mornings bite and even shared a few tips. One of my concerns is that if I'm too close to someone (or vice versa) and I get a runner, thatwe might get our lines tangled. I know that's always a possibility with someone on your own boat, but I don't want to do this with someone on another boat. My issue is that, as an inexperienced offshore fisherman, even on a public site, I don't want to encroach on someone. So again I ask; how close is too close?

bonita dan

50ft! Any your complaining! Try going out on opening day of Red Snapper season. You could hop from the bridge rubble too Hooters on the beach,get some wings and find your boat again without getting your feet wet. As long as no one is in danger of striking your boat with theirs,thats a good buffer tome. Don't like being crouded,well either move off to a differant spot or put it back on the trailer. Sorry man but its the sign of the times.

__________________
Elbow Room
'85 Wellcraft V-20 Step-lift Express
PFF Redfish Regatta Trash Talkin Champion '07,'08,'10. Robbed in 2011!
"Take a fish boating"

Jason

There's enough spots out there, if you are not comfortable just move. It's better to be anchored and someone come up on you then trying to anchor near someone.... I have been out twice in my new ride and both times have come across folks on reef's I was looking for so I just moved. Usually you'll find several boats on the close reefs...Treat others like you want to be treated...You'll be crapped on more then you'll like but in the end you know you are the better man!:usaflag

sc23

Etiquette on fishing a published site is gone. I had someone cast over me. Not my line, me...



I shot him a look, and cut his line. I know that wasn't right, but you cast over someones boat, you take your chances.



I'll never fish a public reef again.

Fifty-Fifty_2

:sleeping

nextstep

ive been out there before put out my bouy and went to get in postion to anchorand had someone try to park on my bouy. must of thought it was a public bouy. lol. whats funny is they backed rightup to it on the wrong side andTHREW their anchor out. they had about 2 foot of chain. i couldnt get mad i was laughing too hard. they ended up about a 0.1 of a mile away before it finally hung.

Telum Pisces

What is funny is to put your bouy away from the wreck and watch the amount of people that will go over and try to fish around your bouy. It's funny. We were out dift fishing one dayand threw the bouy out. Well the bouy ended up about 100 feet off the wreck. So instead of retrieving it we just fished marking the general direction from the bouy. You would not believe the amount of people that would drive up to the bouy, drop some bait and then eventually leave when they didn't catch anything.:doh We talked about next time, we will set the bouy away from the wreck on purpose.:letsdrink

nextstep

hell yell we have done that too. i used to let those people get under my skin, but have learned just to laugh.:letsdrink:letsdrink:letsdrink

Misn 1

Sorry Bonita Dan, but I think you seriously missed the question. And, there was no complaining...just a general question since I am vertually a newbie to <U>our</U> sport. Personally, I don't mind having someone close just as long as our boats don't come in contact with each other. And they don't complain if our lines get tangled if someone hooks a fish that runs on us. Heck, unlike some jealous people, I actually like to watch others catching fish. I know that may be one less fish that I could've caught, but most fish aren't on the endangered list.Plus, I enjoy the fact that I got to watch someone else building memories of their time "on the water".

Back to the original question (and statement); I was asking because, as a newbie, I am concerned more about encroaching on someone else than myself. There are enough crazy people in this world and I'd prefer not to provoke one if I can help it!

Chet88

If there is someone on a public wreck I want to fish I don't stop. Let them have it. Way too much water in the Gulf to get into a disagreement over a spot. Come back to it later on my way back in.