How far is to Far ?

[Timbertodd]

I've seen a lot of river access here in Oregon lost due to people leaving their trash, leaving livestock gates open and destroying fences. It's really sad but I can understand why the property owners shut off access.

[SunsetPoint]

Got tickled at the signature post about thanking us for our docks and your very welcome. 6.5 deep at the end of mine now. I can't wait to get that AT under there. LOL
Have never really thought about the dress. Farm boy here . I think being a fisherman you look at things differently but like the OPs post it offended mama and I would bet that guy didn't want to do all that work cause she felt abused. Women can be persnickety'. LOL
GF does everything with me when shes here. Lives in Ohio . Loves the boats she will ride if she don't fish. Offshore she is still getting use to but the inshore she would never let me leave home without her.
Most of the guys i know have my same views. Fish, have fun, get your lure back if you can, but when you see folks have a lot of their personal stuff on a dock just be courteous. I shoot under docks with my crickets. Will use the same set up for the crappie. Your last part is why I got into the crappie. Have the summer fun already with the boats striper fishing with the other boat and crappie with the little boat . i'm set for all the seasons. Always traveled with work, now home so all those times I wish I was on the water now will happen.
Name is Luke and its my please to be enjoying the forum with you guys.

[Kevin22]

We need to be courteous and thankful that these property owners have the docks for us to fish. Too many fishermen take the "screw you, its public water I can do what I want" approach when talking to property owners.

One lake I fish there is a dock where I can always catch fish, just one of those docks that is in a perfect spot so it always has fish when others do not. Locals ruined it by tying up to it and refusing to leave because "its public water", sheriff ran them off because you cannot touch private property and then the next day there was spray paint all over the dock and boat. So now they put "no fishing" signs on it, and if you go to fish it they will come down and jump in the water or toss a ball for the dog off the end. Sometimes theyll start the boat and warm up the motor on 1/8 throttle. They were very nice people, still are, but idiots ruined it for everyone so they protect their property now. They usually let us fish, because I snuck in there one morning and was catching them pretty good before they noticed. When they came down to start the motor I said "hey man can you please let me fish here, I have for years and I cause no trouble" He stopped in his tracks and said "I've never had anyone ask nicely before. Absolutely, just save some for me" I asked if he really did want some because he can absolutely have my limit. He said he wouldnt mind a few to fry up for the grandkids that weekend, and pointed to a basket tied up to the dock. I checked the basket and it was empty, it had a limit of 10 when I left. Ever since, he just waves and says good morning when I come by.

Always try to strike up a conversation and be nice to property owners, and give them TONS of space if they are fishing from shore or have kids swimming. Most people are not jerks, they just end up having to defend their property from idiots.

[DockShootinJack]

Got tickled at the signature post about thanking us for our docks and your very welcome. 6.5 deep at the end of mine now. I can't wait to get that AT under there. LOL
Have never really thought about the dress. Farm boy here . I think being a fisherman you look at things differently but like the OPs post it offended mama and I would bet that guy didn't want to do all that work cause she felt abused. Women can be persnickety'. LOL
GF does everything with me when shes here. Lives in Ohio . Loves the boats she will ride if she don't fish. Offshore she is still getting use to but the inshore she would never let me leave home without her.
Most of the guys i know have my same views. Fish, have fun, get your lure back if you can, but when you see folks have a lot of their personal stuff on a dock just be courteous. I shoot under docks with my crickets. Will use the same set up for the crappie. Your last part is why I got into the crappie. Have the summer fun already with the boats striper fishing with the other boat and crappie with the little boat . i'm set for all the seasons. Always traveled with work, now home so all those times I wish I was on the water now will happen.
Name is Luke and its my please to be enjoying the forum with you guys.

That signature has been there for a lot of years. Probably 2013 or 14 if I had to guess

[DockShootinJack]

Absolutely what Ketchn has said. I fish a lot of marinas also. I also shoot under a lot of pontoon boats. I make sure that myself and anyone in the boat can shoot without dinging the boats. If someone is on the dock I will pass it by. It also helps to be courteous. I certainly would not be happy if someone ws disrespectful on my own property. I do realize there are various degrees of ownership of the water under/ around docks. I also realize they invested a lot of money to put that structure there

[happycaster58]

My rule is- if anybody is on the dock, I'll keep on going to the next one. If I hang a lure on your dock and can't get it to come loose from my boat, then it becomes your lure when I break off. Too much fishable water to cause a fuss!

[SunsetPoint]

That signature has been there for a lot of years. Probably 2013 or 14 if I had to guess

And I can already tell I'll be taking a lot of advice from you and the others on here .
Maybe I can turn this around. Thank you all for being on here with Y'alls experience .
Looking forward to getting going now that I'm home catching up on a lot of years traveling I dreamed about it.
Posted in the NC part several already said my area was loaded with Crappie.
The little lady I ran into I'm fishing with her husband pass with Covid.
They moved to the next river down from me bought a house set the whole place up and the boat for him to go fishing then she got into it. He was in a wheel chair. Took the door off the pontoon had a ramp made, built a boat house even have the electric fish cage to scale the fish. 21 foot tritoon set up totally for fishing. Never seen anyone have a set up like that before. They fished like that for 10 years according to her.
Their truck was set up for the wheel chair she sold it after he passed, she could not drive it . She don't have a way to get it anywhere she had not fished in over a year. Then I popped up. LOL We are just friends GF does not have one issues with me fishing with her, both are Christians her and my GF. I'm just a farm boy that loves having fun.
I've helped her rig the rods up, added one of those 8 rod holders that are about 175 dollars, Adding another live well for up front, running back over there Tuesday getting the boat to the shop. I'm her new transportation director since she sold their truck and lit her up again being able to fish. Boat house has a ton of minnows under it she dumps the plates there after she's finished eating, three throws of a small 6 foot net you have 2 to three dozen your ready to go. Just like my dock, she was kind enough to allow me to come on her boat and we have had a blast the last two weeks. Keep telling her she cost me a lot of money, meaning buying the new Lowrance and AT we laugh about that. Ill do anything in the world for her now help her working on the boat, boat house and dock. She can drive it didn't understand the live scope now she has new drive to take it out by herself and she knows the place we burned them up the other day and several others. Fun seeing her smile using the boat again and doing what she loves. Fish.
Who knows . Talking with one of those dock owners you might end up with a new fishing buddy that loves to fish more than you do.
All it is , is respect . Other than those three rods stolen and the cooler I used for putting the cats I catch off the end in I consider that par for 14 years having the dock up. Those are frog pond lights facing down on every poll. I light the water up at nights but don't remember ever seeing anyone fish after dark.
I'm solar powered myself. Don't mind getting up early its 4.46 now but age and that couch will win hands down around sunset. LOL

I'll try dock shooting on your word next time I go out which is Monday. All three of us are going weather providing.
Take a lot of pride in my dock, enjoy a lot of sunsets cookouts and fire pits off it.
I know most of us are top notch folks there's always a few but the good ones always out weigh the bad.
Fish, enjoy, have fun, and if its over 10 pounds,,,,, its mine.

[MDCrappie]

My rule is- if anybody is on the dock, I'll keep on going to the next one. If I hang a lure on your dock and can't get it to come loose from my boat, then it becomes your lure when I break off. Too much fishable water to cause a fuss!

I agree with passing the occupied dock unless I had a prior positive experience with the owner and have no issues with "interrupting" them.
Now what if you hang the lure in a rope holding the docked boat, and it's at a point you would need to step on dock to get it? Do you step on dock and get the lure? Or do you break it off with the distinct possibility that the dock owner will unknowingly grab that lure as they grab the rope embedding the hook into their hand?

[Ketchn]

I only hit a few docks on one lake here in my area and another few on another lake . One thing worthy of mention is in many cases some of the dock owners are very NICE !
There is Jerry at one lake who came down fast the first time he saw me fishing by his , he struck up a conversation and was astounded there were so many crappie under his dock .....because all he did was feed the catfish under it .....LOL Told me to feel free to stop by anytime and pitch my jigs under it .
Then there was the lady sleeping in a hammock on her dock I never noticed until I pinged one the metal poles under the dock , she looked pretty perturbed when she lifted her head and I apologized and she said no worries have at it .
Of course the next one on my list is a couple who used to just about run down when they saw me approach in my little blue boston whaler just to chit chat with me .
Yet another dock the grounds keeper brushes the dock all the time to hit it for crappie and he stated that it was ok to hit as long as the owner wasnt there ,told me the neighbor was a jerk though and if we actually "touched" it he would come unglued ....
But there are those others too .....One the sicked a huge dog on me ,he came so fast and hard and barking like he was going to eat me it freaked me right out and before I could back off HE WAS IN THE BOAT WITH ME !
Just a licking and wagging his big ole monster tail and rocking my little dingy hard .....
then yet another yelled from his house GET AWAY FROM MY DOCK TWICE really loud ,as I approached the dock ! and of course on I went going jeez wonder what that was about ?
In the end many of them have probably had thefts occur and a few told me so , and others didn't like the disrespect of it's public water and you can't make me stop program .
In my case I wouldn't "probably" deter people from hitting my dock if I had one , but no worries yet kuz I aint got one .....
It is something that is all about respect and the one thing worthy of mention is ,this much I know factually , the drip line off the roof and inside it ,is in fact private property and that came from the law enforcement fellas here in Texas .

[DockShootinJack]

And I can already tell I'll be taking a lot of advice from you and the others on here .
Maybe I can turn this around. Thank you all for being on here with Y'alls experience .
Looking forward to getting going now that I'm home catching up on a lot of years traveling I dreamed about it.
Posted in the NC part several already said my area was loaded with Crappie.
The little lady I ran into I'm fishing with her husband pass with Covid.
They moved to the next river down from me bought a house set the whole place up and the boat for him to go fishing then she got into it. He was in a wheel chair. Took the door off the pontoon had a ramp made, built a boat house even have the electric fish cage to scale the fish. 21 foot tritoon set up totally for fishing. Never seen anyone have a set up like that before. They fished like that for 10 years according to her.
Their truck was set up for the wheel chair she sold it after he passed, she could not drive it . She don't have a way to get it anywhere she had not fished in over a year. Then I popped up. LOL We are just friends GF does not have one issues with me fishing with her, both are Christians her and my GF. I'm just a farm boy that loves having fun.
I've helped her rig the rods up, added one of those 8 rod holders that are about 175 dollars, Adding another live well for up front, running back over there Tuesday getting the boat to the shop. I'm her new transportation director since she sold their truck and lit her up again being able to fish. Boat house has a ton of minnows under it she dumps the plates there after she's finished eating, three throws of a small 6 foot net you have 2 to three dozen your ready to go. Just like my dock, she was kind enough to allow me to come on her boat and we have had a blast the last two weeks. Keep telling her she cost me a lot of money, meaning buying the new Lowrance and AT we laugh about that. Ill do anything in the world for her now help her working on the boat, boat house and dock. She can drive it didn't understand the live scope now she has new drive to take it out by herself and she knows the place we burned them up the other day and several others. Fun seeing her smile using the boat again and doing what she loves. Fish.
Who knows . Talking with one of those dock owners you might end up with a new fishing buddy that loves to fish more than you do.
All it is , is respect . Other than those three rods stolen and the cooler I used for putting the cats I catch off the end in I consider that par for 14 years having the dock up. Those are frog pond lights facing down on every poll. I light the water up at nights but don't remember ever seeing anyone fish after dark.
I'm solar powered myself. Don't mind getting up early its 4.46 now but age and that couch will win hands down around sunset. LOL

I'll try dock shooting on your word next time I go out which is Monday. All three of us are going weather providing.
Take a lot of pride in my dock, enjoy a lot of sunsets cookouts and fire pits off it.
I know most of us are top notch folks there's always a few but the good ones always out weigh the bad.
Fish, enjoy, have fun, and if its over 10 pounds,,,,, its mine.

Dock shooting is an enjoyable pastime.
The 10 pounders coming out from under the docks are usually runaway freight trains in the shape of blue cats.