your opinion

[Tev8514]

If they are not going to slow down enough to make no wake and slow early, then I prefer they go past me wide open. Some come by and slow down to maybe half throttle. And while I appreciate the thought behind them doing that, they are actually making it worse. I'm in a narrow skiff and have had waves from boats breaking over the bow of my boat this year. There's no call for that. Especially when I have my 82 year old great aunt with me. Seems people have no respect at all these days.

As far as this incident, I would report it. If enough people start complaining about boater behavior it may make the DNR officers actually get out on the water. I don't know about you guys, but I haven't seen them at all since April. Not saying they're not doing their jobs but they are not being seen which makes people think they can do just anything they want to do. (Alcohol)

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[Spoonminnow]

The problem reporting a boating incident is the same story I've experienced having done so as well as heard from others: the state fish & game authorities can't do anything unless they are on the same water at the same time as the boater that causes an unsafe condition. Even video proof would be thrown out of court unless it showed an accident in progress and many witnesses willing to testify.

We even have unregistered boats and jet skis on our lake and unless the users are in those craft with motors running, nothing can be done according to the local DEC unless there's and accident. Even then, these law enforcement officers (I use the term lightly) can not assess who is responsible for an accident unless they witnessed it which I assume is from zero training in watercraft accident evaluations. Wish we had the same fish and game authorities other states have that are more effective and less focused on big publicity arrests and fines.

[M R Dux]

With Ky Lake being a mile wide and Lake Barkley not quite as wide, I give kayakers as wide a distance as possible and go on my way. If they are going to be close, I drop to idle speed. This makes an impression on my clients who may or not be boaters themselves.
As for the pontoon guy, I don't do well with somebody deliberately aiming his boat at me. Since you have the guys registration numbers, I would log a report with DNR. That way if he comes back up in a similar report, they have proof of the guy being both a repeat offender and an idiot.

I was typing while Tev8514 was posting; we have the same issue here on our lakes. I am yet to see any Fish and Wildlife of any kind on either of our lakes all year except for a Creel Survey guy who talked to me one day early in the year while I was cleaning client's fish. I would say at least 75% of the non-fishing boaters on our lake are drinking alcohol when they are on the water. A good % of the fishermen are also. I see it directly when they walk down the dock with a 24 pack in one hand and a minnow bucket in the other and in their actions on the water. It seems futile to call F&W if there are none available.

[Locator79]

This

If I pass someone fishing and it is safe to do so I am at full throttle full trim. I am causing the least amount of wake I can. The people that come up real close and drop off of plane will about wash you out of the water

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[SKs Crappie Catching Adventures]

I have mixed feelings on it , sometimes folks don't need alcohol to act ignorant . Common courtesy is a lack of something our society is in deep need of . The one thing that bothers me is children saw some of it and gathered the information .
I would likely let it go ,but then again I wasn't there to see exactly how dangerous the maneuver was . If I thought it might cause someone harm down the road or possibly could have that outing yes I probably would .
Its a difficult call on just a read but to be sure it sounds like it made for an unpleasant situation and that in itself makes me sad .

The kids will carry this on and there seems to be no end in sight.........

[DockShootinJack]

Bass fisherman and pleasure boaters seem to be the worst for this. I was fishing a dock about 50 yards inside a no wake zone. ( funny area with a very long no wake zone) This guy is leaving the launch and in said no wake zone. He hollers LOOK OUT and he is on it. Boat stood up and blasting off. He was in close proximity. I took enough wake to wash me into the rocks and bust the control head of the trolling motor. I had fished 20 minutes and turned around and headed home. The darnedest thing I had ever seen was the wake boat to pasted about 50 yards away. I see the wake coming so I get on the trolling motor and turn the bow into the waves. The wake was so high it rolled over the front deck of the boat. I have seen big loaded barges not throw that much wake.

[lowe175]

I see this almost every day now. Just let it go.

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[SuperDave336]

Its also bad when they go wide open to the no wake zone like at bridges and then kill it, equivalent to racing to stop light then nailing the brakes and screeching to a stop. All of the waves still slam into the bridge or whatever full force! Tough when fishing a bridge in kayak!!!

[skiptomylu]

Thankfully I don't see very many yakers down here, have seen a few, but very few. It would be nice if everyone was friendly and acted responsible, but we all know there are some real jerks out there at times!

Skip

[DockShootinJack]

I have kayaked and canoed a lot. On the flip side of this I have seen kayakers paddling down the middle of a channel. Not really the best place you can be. Kayaks can be hard to see under certain conditions. I had a red boat, red lifevest, and yellow paddle blades. When paddling Those baldes really showed up. I also did not get into places that boats normally are. 3 feet of water was plenty for me to paddle in. Not many boats run that close to the shoreline. If they do and do it long enough some stump or rock will teach them a lesson about staying in deeper water. I do realize you have to cross the channel to get to the other shore. I would cross and get out of the channel. Not much different concept than cars on the street pedestrians on the side walk. I realize that kayaks have every right to be in the channels as any other craft. Boat props make very nasty wounds. Ones which I try to avoid