Where's the on the water etiquette ?

[Reel Class]

Originally Posted by Madcrab

its time boaters record these incidents and report them to the coast guard.

That would be the equivalent of calling the police telling them about cars speeding down your block.

[Moonzy1]

Originally Posted by Reel Class

A lot of those "offshore" or mid-range wrecks are close to nowhere near others. The guy probably had a plan to fish that wreck, and since most them are spread out over a large area (much larger than inshore pieces) he probably figured he could get on the piece safely - which it sounds like he did!

If the guy ran 50 miles to the spot, he doesn't want to run another 10-15-20 miles to another spot. Yeah you were on it, but he was able to squeeze in!

Look I'm not defending the guy, but it sounds like he got on the piece and kept everyone safe (based on your post). If I'm out there and I want to fish a particular wreck that's in the middle of nowhere, I A) leave early, and B) look on the radar to see if a boat's on it or near it before I get too close to it.

Glad you caught fish. Nice job!

This is a very pragmatic and likely accurate way of looking at this situation.

As long as the other boat is being safe…i.e. not waking me as he scans the wreck/piece or getting too close ( and this is relative) I have no issue sharing a spot with another boater.

I always remind myself that we don't own the ocean.

W reference to the train bridge out of manasquan….Does anyone else feel the bridge operator shop be more of a quarterback on busy days??

I give props to the glimmer glass operators. They always call the right of away w the tide. Keeps things much safer. Have gone through that train bridge many times w a raging tide at my stern and someone decides to ram through the other way…that would be nasty spot to wreck

[Capt. Mike]

Originally Posted by Ice Cream Bill

Was fishing Friday am offshore on a NS boat when I see a 38 ft Henriques
6 pack charter (Serenity Now out of Howell, NJ) speeding directly toward us. He continues to circle us (a much larger vessel) two times like a shark before setting up right off our bow. Did you get the coordinates you wanted???

Most of our boat limited out on big black sea bass, huge porgies and bluefish. Hope you were able to fill the coolers for your patrons.

I was out Friday on my boat and drove by you guys on that wreck earlier as well as the other one right there. I know Chris got out later and was looking for a spot when I guess he came up on you guys. I can assure you that Serenity Now is not a charter boat, wasn't carrying any patrons and definitely wasn't stealing numbers for that wreck. It's a large, well known wreck that everybody has. Depending on the wind direction you can usually fit 2 boats on there which I'm sure he was looking to do. Friday was tough with not much wind and current from a different direction so we had to keep resetting. There are only a handful of wrecks in that area so if you travel 50-60 miles and there's someone already there you can't really just hop over to another piece like inshore...

If you plan on wreck fishing get used to this situation. The best you can do is try getting to your piece as early as possible and still that won't prevent someone else from mugging you. Like it or not you don't own the wreck and while common courtesy should factor into other boater's decisions when someone else is already on a piece it rarely does. As others have already pointed out, the further offshore you go the worse it gets because there's less options. There's not a fishery this doesn't happen with. Try trolling 100 square when there's a hot big eye bite, it's like a demolition derby. No different with fluke or any fish when they're concentrated in tight areas, other boaters will mug you in a blink. Wrecks are worse simply because there's no such thing as "close enough", you're either on the piece and catching or off the piece and just soaking your bait.

Unfortunately there's more than a few who just don't give a crap and truthfully shouldn't operate a boat. BUT they do. I remember years ago being on an offshore giant sea bass trip on one of the big party boats where you leave at 11:00 the night before. So I have to think we were probably 50 - 60 miles off shore. We're on a piece and about an hour later here comes a private boat who drops his anchor no more than 30 feet off our stern. Thought the Captain was going to have a hemorrhage! Captain of the private boat could care less, he didn't move until we did. Again if the wreck can accommodate two or three boats go for it but creating an unsafe situation or restricting fishing for the boat who was there first is never right. I can only imagine at that time of year in waters that cold if the party boat anchor slipped and drifter back into the private boat getting their screws caught in his anchor line it would have been a completely different situation altogether. The world we live in, same people who show no common sense or consideration on the roads unfortunately own boats too!

[Ice Cream Bill]

Capts. Allen, Mike and others,

Thank you all for sharing your comments/opinions following my posting. We are blessed to have an excellent fishery here in New Jersey, with an equally intense and passionate group of anglers, many who participate in this forum.

Tight Lines and Happy Holidays!

[Capt Joe]

Originally Posted by Moonzy1

W reference to the train bridge out of manasquan….Does anyone else feel the bridge operator shop be more of a quarterback on busy days??

I give props to the glimmer glass operators. They always call the right of away w the tide. Keeps things much safer. Have gone through that train bridge many times w a raging tide at my stern and someone decides to ram through the other way…that would be nasty spot to wreck

If you are going to operate a boat (any size) know the RULES OF THE ROAD otherwise pay to go fishing or boating.
Raging tide at your stern does NOT mean you have the right of way at the Manasquan railroad bridge.( "a narrow channel") FIND THE RULE and next time your in your boat abide by it. Knowing the rule could save your life.

Every little shit finger that comes through that bridge thinks they have the right of way because the tide is behind them -----WRONG----!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ttmako]

Originally Posted by Capt Joe

If you are going to operate a boat (any size) know the RULES OF THE ROAD otherwise pay to go fishing or boating.
Raging tide at your stern does NOT mean you have the right of way at the Manasquan railroad bridge.( "a narrow channel") FIND THE RULE and next time your in your boat abide by it. Knowing the rule could save your life.

Every little shit finger that comes through that bridge thinks they have the right of way because the tide is behind them -----WRONG----!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Manasquan is not one of the great lakes or a western river.

[Moonzy1]

Originally Posted by Capt Joe

If you are going to operate a boat (any size) know the RULES OF THE ROAD otherwise pay to go fishing or boating.
Raging tide at your stern does NOT mean you have the right of way at the Manasquan railroad bridge.( "a narrow channel") FIND THE RULE and next time your in your boat abide by it. Knowing the rule could save your life.

Every little shit finger that comes through that bridge thinks they have the right of way because the tide is behind them -----WRONG----!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ya I know the rules mr shit finger and i also never said tide gets the right of way. I said the glimmer glass operator calls the right of way w the tide. It makes sense and keeps it much safer for all since most dont know the rules as well as you your saltiness.

Above all, safe boating is about common sense and when a much larger boat than you is on a approach through w the tide at his stern, you shouldnt cram in to his port side w inches to spare.

[Capt Joe]

"Does anyone else feel the bridge operator shop be more of a quarterback on busy days??" (Moonzy1)

This is just precious. Bridge tender as traffic cop.
You implied conditions same at railroad as glimmer glass...please.
CG 169 - Rule 9. I'm not going to read it for you. Nothing else needs to be said. Common sense is delightful. Regulations are precise.

[Moonzy1]

Who asked you to read it?

Precise you say?


Rule 9 a.A vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway shall keep as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side as is safe and practicable. -- Safe and practicable is a relative term and will vary from boater to boater and boat to boat...current will also be a variable factor as to what is "safe and practicable"

Rule 9 b. A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway. -- Does your "precise" rule for safely navigate mean that if the channel is 20' wide and the stand on vessel has a beam of 13', another vessel of beam 7' or less can safely pass through at the same time?

These rules are not precise as you say. They are guidelines which require common sense to be effective...and also somewhat open to an uncertain level interpretation. ----items of precision do not. They usually can be measured and quantified.

Theres a well known profession based on this fact.....its called The Practice of Law.

My implication was that the bridge operator there calls the right of way w the tide...nothing really about the conditions.Why do you attempt to minimize my reference to the Glimmer Glass anyway?
Are they both not "narrow" are they both not "drawbridges? So far identical comparisons except for the fact that the currents are way worse at the train bridge...my point exactly.

What else you got? I can do this all day.