Question for walleye trollers

First off, I'm not trying to start a war but I have to ask..........

I was on Erie for the last 5 days bass fishing, 2 practice days and 2 tournaments, 1 Fri and Sat, 1 on Sun. Saw alot of boats trolling for walleye. I was targeting humps, structure in general, in the 20-26 foot range. I would throw out a marker buoy when I found something then fish it. Numerous boats trolling for walleye came by with boards or dipseys out, at times it was a steady line of boats. It seemed that almost every boat tried to get a close to me (and other bass boats) as possible. One boat passed between me and my marker with me yelling at them that they were going over my marker. I wasn't mad, just trying to warn them about the marker. One of the mates ran to the front, finally saw the buoy and yelled they were ok, I knew they weren't, the marker was between the board and the boat and one of the rods out the back got my marker line. After reeling it in and winding up my buoy they were about 100 yds away, the mate tossed it out the back and yelled "here it is" causing me to have to go now 150 yds and get it, that made me a little mad.

Question, are the trollers trying to target the same structure as bass guys or is it just that the walleyes are at the depth we were trageting?

Trollers target depth and water temp more than structure to answer your question.

I understand your frustration, sometimes people dont like to watch where they are trolling they just go. I've had people cross over my back and tangle all my lines, Ive had them troll right over my anchor line and I'd laugh as they got excited to see all their rods release at once.

I would imgine, because he was BASS fishing. Probabley casting to a spot, not trolling over it.

I probably was one of the 24 foot + boats with the stickers on the back that thinks he owns the lake! Not true at all! I target the walleye just happens to be where you are targeting bass! I would love to see someone cut my lines, Fish Commission would be so far up your arse you couldn't move, seems that is illegal and they do enforce it. I carry a camera, video camera, cellphone and the law enforcement officers phone numbers with me at all times. I do not think I own the lake BUT do think everyone should be considerate and pay attention to whats going on around them. I actually left the shallow water this week because there was too many boats drifting and trolling. My opinion was something bad was going to happen, guys trolling facing the back of the boat and not looking where they were going, 7 or 8 boats drifting (who by the way has the right of way), and about 12 boats troliing all in about 1/2 to 3/4 mile circle, It was a total zoo. No fish worth losing equipment or causing trouble with other fishermen.
 
I would highly recommend against the snip, snip method! One thing for sure my 24+ boat will sink your small boat! LOL! just kidding.

Is it just me, or does none of this sound even remotely fun? With all the stress of work/life, I go fishing to get rid of it. These stories are just nuts. If some of this stuff happened to me and it would totally trash my mood for the trip. Especially fighting the moving parking lots running around in packs. Not sayin' any of it is wrong or there should be traffic lights on the water. Actually, I'd bet many fisherpersons doing the packing are reasonable and polite (more often the ones I meet are). It all just seems more of a hassle than it is worth. Of course, maybe I'm a little to tightly wound by the time I get to the weekend though...

ORIGINAL: Bulldog2

Why use a buoy? Not being picky, but if I want to mark a spot I leave a waypoint on the gps. Especially on a crowded lake. It is almost always crowded this time of year on weekends, if everybody threw out a buoy to mark a spot it would look like the worlds largest slalom course. As a rule I give as much room as possible, have I gotten irritated with other boats? Yes. Would I cut someone elses lines? No. I have had guys in boats alone trolling on auto pilot swerving in front of me, I didn't like it but I changed course and speed and got away from him.

What are the regs on marker buoys, if there are any?

Why a buoy? It's far easier to have a buoy as a reference point to watch on the water as opposed to constantly having to look down at a GPS. Also, when it's even a little windy, it's far easier to use the buoy to stay in place as opposed to a GPS. Yes, as suggested above, I was casting to a specific spot, the buoy was marking the top of a hump.

As far as I know there are no regs on buoys.

ORIGINAL: Big Fathead

I probably was one of the 24 foot + boats with the stickers on the back that thinks he owns the lake! Not true at all! I target the walleye just happens to be where you are targeting bass! I would love to see someone cut my lines, Fish Commission would be so far up your arse you couldn't move, seems that is illegal and they do enforce it. I carry a camera, video camera, cellphone and the law enforcement officers phone numbers with me at all times. I do not think I own the lake BUT do think everyone should be considerate and pay attention to whats going on around them. I actually left the shallow water this week because there was too many boats drifting and trolling. My opinion was something bad was going to happen, guys trolling facing the back of the boat and not looking where they were going, 7 or 8 boats drifting (who by the way has the right of way), and about 12 boats troliing all in about 1/2 to 3/4 mile circle, It was a total zoo. No fish worth losing equipment or causing trouble with other fishermen.

I would highly recommend against the snip, snip method! One thing for sure my 24+ boat will sink your small boat! LOL! just kidding.

 
I concur.......snipping lines would be downright bull.
 
So, boats drifting have the right of way?
 
Your right, I also was waiting to see a collision of two boats crossing too closely and all their lines getting crossed.

ORIGINAL: Big Fathead

I probably was one of the 24 foot + boats with the stickers on the back that thinks he owns the lake! Not true at all! I target the walleye just happens to be where you are targeting bass! I would love to see someone cut my lines, Fish Commission would be so far up your arse you couldn't move, seems that is illegal and they do enforce it. I carry a camera, video camera, cellphone and the law enforcement officers phone numbers with me at all times. I do not think I own the lake BUT do think everyone should be considerate and pay attention to whats going on around them. I actually left the shallow water this week because there was too many boats drifting and trolling. My opinion was something bad was going to happen, guys trolling facing the back of the boat and not looking where they were going, 7 or 8 boats drifting (who by the way has the right of way), and about 12 boats troliing all in about 1/2 to 3/4 mile circle, It was a total zoo. No fish worth losing equipment or causing trouble with other fishermen.

I would highly recommend against the snip, snip method! One thing for sure my 24+ boat will sink your small boat! LOL! just kidding.

 
You guys can just stay in 35ft of water....you can just stay in there all year...lol

Was talking to an old duffer at the boat ramp at pendergast once about catching eyes.
I told him I picked up a couple but wished I had thrown out a buoy so I could stay on them.
 
He told me flat out that they would beat me back to my buoy if they say me net fish and throw a buoy.
Never dropped another one in that lake..
 
Absolutely no excuse for running over another mans lines.
 
Seems like almost all the fishing up Erie way is quite crowded and nothing but a stress factory, combat fishing all year.
Hell I get ****ed when guys get to close on 100 acre impoundments.
Would think on a body of water that size a man could find a little room.
Gotta get that ticket pulled as soon as possible, to hell with anybody else....
 
The only stress I want fishing is having too many fish on at one time, That kind of stress I can live with...

Oh HIGH OH!!!
 
21 from Sunday 70+fow...Aint no bass people around me....
 

Oh Yes, it's all coming back to me now! Bout 2 years ago, one of these Charter boat capts. thought it would be a good idea to send his planer board right into the side of my boat. I was anchored and Perchin. Why In the heck would you feel the need to run that planer that close to someones boat is beyond me. Do Walleye swim in tiny circles under anchored boats? Of course this Jack****caught my anchor line right after slammin his planer into the side of my boat. Good thing I dont keep guns on the boat.

ORIGINAL: Carpet Bagger

Oh HIGH OH!!!

21 from Sunday 70+fow...Aint no bass people around me....

smaL




caRpet muNchR

I don't know but this kinda sounds like NASCAR fishing to me..
I had an earlier post titled "speed fishing AKA NASCAR fishing" and got some pretty good replies about the relaxiation part of fishing. Like Bing said "the only stress I want when fishing is too many fish on at one time..LOL..

the look after a snip snip!
 
Na, for the most part everyone is cool, but its just another one of them cases where there's always a acouple D-bags no matter where your at or what your doing....

ORIGINAL: jon_e_si

Rules of the Road:

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/rotr_online.htm

 
I bet half the people out there can't even comprehend any of that....