Tim Pickett’s article just posted brought up a subject worth discussing. If you are fishing a creek and I come up on you on plane, as long as there is a safe distance, I always keep on plane, give a friendly wave, and am on my way.
Why? In my little whaler, on full plane I give off very little wake. I think its a lot less disruptive to you and your fish If I pass through quickly. If I slow down, I’m gonna pass through the “max wake” zone, then at near idle I’m gonna make the same wake as I do on full plane, and also disrupt you for as long as it takes me to get far enough away at Idle to get back on plane. Plus I think the change in sound going from plane to idle to plane is more disruptive to a fish than a constant sound going through.
I always wish others would do the same. Just pass at speed and keep on a-going!
Of course, if there is not enough room or safe distance I will slow down way ahead and not return to plane until way after as a courtesy to others.
agreed…but some people I run into in the creeks don’t feel the same, at least judging by their reactions or hand gestures…I’ll even go out of my way to pass on the outside of them so they get even less wake, as long as I can stay on plane…
EDIT to add, I also have a smaller boat, 16’ center console…
I’d much rather be passed by on plane than at 1/4 throttle, bow pointed at the sky and skeg dragging the bottom. If possible I will make a turn as I pass them to throw the most wake out of the opposite side of my boat. Slowing down and putting past everyone on the water would be a huge PITA. Also, if yours in a kayak, get your ass out of the middle of the channel. It’ll float in 2" of water, mine won’t…
I’ve spent more time in glitter boats and I agree with you 100% optiker. Pass at a wide berth and stay on plain. So many get impatient at idle speed and try to bump it up a bit and “plow” 10 times worse than if they would have stayed on plain. In a glitter boat it is slow idle or up on plane. Not much inbetween.
That said, I’ve had some in a narrow creek scare the heck out of me running past on plain. Patience and in a narrow creek, drop off plane a good distance from anchored/trolling boat ease by and get back on it.
Time on the water and common sense. Unfortunately lacking in many boaters.
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
I don’t have much experience (yet) in the creeks…but in my 30+ years of freshwater experience, I’ve ran across some real butt heads. I love the ones that wait until they’re 20 yards from you and slam it into neutral and almost swamp you. I truly believe there should be a license needed to operate a boat…including testing and the whole nine yards. Just because you can afford to purchase a boat, doesn’t necessarily mean you should be operating a boat…just my .02
I don’t know…I always choose to slow down a reasonable distance away and go by quietly. I figure it shows the other person that you are trying to be courteous, friendly even. Besides, going by slowly gives you a chance to say “hi” and even keep an eye out for anything that the other person may be catching!
As far as staying on plain and one’s perceived “courtesy,” I believe it has more to do with how close you pass. If you have room to give a wide berth, keep wide and stay on plain and wave as you go by. If the room isn’t available, come off plain well in advance and slowly pass by and wave. Also, I hate it when people slow down way in advance, essentially idle all the way up to you and then gun it right as the get to you. Don’t talk to me about being courteous and not wanting to “spook the fish” or disrupt my setup and then hammer down right next to my boat.
Like Fred, I’ve spent a little time in glitter boats and their wake is much less intrusive when they pass by on plain than when they’re plowing slowly by.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Whenever I pass Opti in a creek I act like I’m slowing down to be nice but really I just hit the MOB button and mark his spot LOL…but yes I couldn’t agree more with the courtesies mentioned!
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
I agree with staying on plane but at what distance is too close to be on plane? This is where personal opinion may come into play. I think anything less or close to 50 yds you may want to slow down. I’m not saying plow through but take your time. After all the scenery is nice and you may see a place you want to fish after that boat is long gone.
I agree with staying on plane but at what distance is too close to be on plane? This is where personal opinion may come into play. I think anything less or close to 50 yds you may want to slow down. I’m not saying plow through but take your time. After all the scenery is nice and you may see a place you want to fish after that boat is long gone.
I don’t think you can put a number on it because there are so many other variables. Bottom line, if you have to ask yourself if you’re too close to go by on plane, then you’re too close to go by on plane.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Yes, please stay on plane, run, keep going, blast past me as fast as you can go, just please don’t plow through at 6mph with the bow in the air.
Sometimes it helps to wave people through. Standing on the bow, people tend to get overly cautious. We are used to standing on the bow and can turn the boat to compensate for the wake.
Please keep going.
Wake Zones
Current South Carolina law requires that boaters observe a “no wake zone” within 50 feet of a
moored or anchored vessel, a wharf, pier or dock, or a person in the water. Participants
identified this as an issue of concern. Many suggested that the current zone is too close and
would like to see the no wake zone extended. Suggestions ranged from 100 feet to as much as
300 feet. This was consistent throughout the six forums.
I typically stay on plane if I feel I’m giving plenty of room. Have a 19’ bay and it’s a minimal wake on plane. It’s never perfect, sometimes you get the look from the other boater that thinks you should have slowed (possibly why the question is posed). I just wave to them and accept that we disagree and keep moving. I hate the odd situation where you come around a bend to suddenly realize there’s a boat anchored and fishing and then 3+ kayaks stretched across the creek or river. You have to slow to avoid everyone but usually results in a bad slowing wake for everyone also. Not intentional, just the way it goes down sometimes. Hopefully people understand and I try to be understanding when others make what seems to be an unintentional mistake when I’m anchored/fishing. But, there are plenty of maroons that just have no idea. Just need to everyone to try to err on the side of caution and also have some understanding for others. You never know for sure the situation the other boater is dealing with so don’t be so fast to judge!
It depends on the boat and place. Some of the big c.c. push water big time. I’ve had boats pass me going 40 and I could hit them with my rod tip they are so close but they are near wakeless. 22ft center console went by going about 8mph 20ft away and I got marshed, same day same place. The c.c. smiled and waved like it’s regular to send someone in the marsh. Worse experience ever was in the wappoo cut they raced by split me on both sides and the waves in front of me turned into 4 to 6ft curling beach waves I had to kick the front down to keep from flipping over backwards. Nearly everything in the boat flew up like 2 ft in the air. Gas can battery gear me. Scary stuff.
The 1 foot wake behind you @ speed in the channel will increase as the depth shallows where the folks are fishing along the grass. Not all folks fishing anticipate the disruption and some youngsters and old farts may be in a less than prepared condition for the rocking.
You know your boat’s displacement even when on plane. Why possibly upset or injure someone out enjoying the water just so you can make it to your destination a few dozen seconds sooner?
Ya see folks with rods walking in the grass, give them a break, they’ll certainly appreciate the water not being disturbed by a wake.
