This has been an interesting thread
Dock fishing isn't much of an issue for us since we fish on state park lakes that don't have private docks. Even so, they don't let shore fishermen walk out on the rental docks to fish, mainly as a means of protecting the boats. They do allow fishing off the docks that hold the state rental boats. I suspect that people were stepping onto the docked pontoons and sailboats and getting a lot of gear caught in the rigging.
When it comes to private docks, I think I would be unhappy to see someone fishng around my dock for two reasons: 1) I went to great expense to build and maintain it, and 2) liability. As litigious as our society has become, it's a sure bet that some lunkhead could sue the dock owner if he hit his head or damaged his boat on it. - Roberta
"Anglers are born honest,
but they get over it." - Ed Zern