So I was fishing dynamite hole this weekend, anchored up on the ocean side about 35 yards in front of the green buoy. A shrimp boat passed through heading back into the harbor. As he passed I waved (being polite), he shouts over “Its a f$&@ing $10000 fine to anchor there”. I’ve fished the jetties more times than the average person and have seen countless boats anchored almost exactly where I was.
My question is, was the shrimper correct? Was I doing something illegal? I wasn’t blocking the hole by any means and this shrimper and many other boats had no problem navigating the area.
There aren’t any signs. This is the first I have heard of this but I am curious of the answer as I fish the jetties alot and I do anchor at Dynamite Hole sometimes.
The only issue I could see is if someone was anchored in between the channel markers over the submerged section of the jetties at the beginning of the jetties just before the hole.
Carolina Skiff J14, 25 Merc
Hydra Sport 1800cc, 150 Johnson
35yds seaward of the green marker would put you right in the middle of the 150-200ft wide shrimp boat channel. This may be what prompted the shrimper’s feelings expressed towards you.
I would not put much confidence in his interpretation of the law, however.
I don’t think its’ legal to anchor in a channel. I’ve done it but I always pull anchor and move if I see a shrimp boat heading in. I’ve heard that sometimes they like to drag the nets through there as well. One guy told be their anchor got snagged in the net and they went for a little tow ride, had to cut the anchor line.
I don’t think its’ legal to anchor in a channel. I’ve done it but I always pull anchor and move if I see a shrimp boat heading in. I’ve heard that sometimes they like to drag the nets through there as well. One guy told be their anchor got snagged in the net and they went for a little tow ride, had to cut the anchor line.
Mayhem
Pioneer 197
The legal term of art for the affirmative act you describe is, “obstructing.”
i.e.: obstructing a channel or obstructing an aid to navigation
One example:
33 U.S. Code Sec. 409
The fact that the shrimp boat got through the channel rather than being forced to go to the mouth of the jetties and come in the long way back into the harbor may bear some weight if you were to be cited for violation and wanted to plead your case in court. The shrimper’s side is that you obstructed the channel. Your side will undoubtedly be that you weren’t obstructing anything since he was able to pass.
See where I’m coming from?
My first response was an attempt to nicely tell the guy- if you were anchored in the middle of the channel, then I would have been mad at you too. Of that much, I am 100% sure of if I was running my livelihood through a narrow channel between submerged rocks. The current probably wasn’t bad, or else somebody wouldn’t have been anchored there, but that could be assuming too much. The application of the law and fine would be sorted out by a judge!
We did pretty good. I took a friend and he sat for about an hour picking off 15+ lady fish (good sized), I caught two nice black tips and a huge stingray that fought like a red. Then to cap it all off I see a tarpon rolling toward the beach side pitch a large mullet in the direction and hooked up. I fought it for a while, it jumped and threw the hook. It was massive and an awesome sight. It came at least four feet out of the water and I never saw its tail. Now that was fun!
