Boat flags and junk rods

[Gill-T]

I was at my kids school down the road, using the green space and the chainlink fence to tighten my 400', and 600' copper on the reel. As I am unloading the copper while walking backwards across the soccer field, across the basketball court, across the parking lot.....into the neighborhood down the sidewalk I am struck with two thoughts, one, "I must be crazy", and second, that is a s#*t load of wire!!!! To truly see it strung out is unbelievable. Then I started thinking (dangerous usually), would it not make sense to develop a flag to fly off the antenna to let other boaters know you are running copper or wire etc. to prevent FUBAR's from happening. Maybe, we could all agree on a color flag and spread the news on all the fishing sites for all great lakes anglers.....and maybe even.....dare I say SAILBOATS.

[Chromeslayer]

copper is becoming so popular i just figure every boat is using it and steer clear.. its usually in my spread 95% of the time! plus i try to stay away from the pack of boats

[Shade]

It is easier to buy copper, with the backing, leader and marked every 50 feet already on the real from A-Tom-Mik.

[Gill-T]

I am talking about communication between boats. Signal flags.

[Jax]

Shade

I think you missed his point about flags......I agree that people need to know you are running copper just to avoid issues. The safest bet is to just stay clear of all packs of boats but it is definatly not a bad idea about running something to notify other boats you are running copper.

If a boat is in near your spread or approaching the back end of your boat wave them off. I think this is becoming more the normal for running copper and dealing with closing boats. Also a radio call wouldnt hurt if they dont see you waving them off.

Jax

[waterlogged]

Gill-T,

I think this is a great idea. You don't know how many times last year we waved and hollered and tried the radio to ask/beg other boats to stter clear of us as we had 600' of copper out. Most of them just look at you like you have lost your mind or are drunk as a skunk aand goofing around.

Shade, the suggestion of waving them off doesn't work, either does the radio in most cases as I mentioned above unless you know the guys in the other boat.

Maybe they could be an LOU Store item???

Clarke

[Gill-T]

I see at West Marine the small triangle flags that are not too expensive. We might have to take a poll on color. If LOU can produce them....that would be great also. I think this needs serious consideration. If you hook copper with a lure and pull on it, it is going to unwrap/straighten/kink etc. and could become useless in the long segments it was intended. Lets face it, the stuff ain't cheap!

[Landing Craft]

A color and put a "Cu" on it.

[REELJERKS]

Not a bad idea. However RED is not a good color...it's to close to orange SOS Distress Boat Flag. When red weathers it may turn orange.

Mark

[Legacy]

how about deploying a potato gun?

[W.W.IV.]

I'm for the potato gun.

[Tim Bromund]

In order for this idea to work, 2 things would have to happen

1) the other boats would have to know what the flag meant

2) they would have to CARE what the flags meant and actually take action to avoid your rig.

IMO, both are pretty unlikely.

Also, quite honestly, if your running a 600' copper in an area where the boat traffic is enough that you really have to worry about someone passing 200 freaking yds behind you, you're probably in an area where you maybe shouldn't oughta be running the 600' copper.

YMMV

Tim

[Gill-T]

Tim, Your first thought is why the thread got started, to try to make it common knowledge. Yes, If you are running 600' copper in the trench in late August.....you deserve to catch someone elses downrigger ball. These fishing sites reach a large audience. Does not hurt to try. Maybe, even get acknowledgement in naviagation regulations. I know fishing the Niagara near the border, I have been boarded by the Coast Gaurd three times in two years. Once when I was fully deployed and trolling! I don't think the general public knows what we are pulling or that we can't stop and change direction on a dime esp. sailboats. If we can agree on a flag system I will personally leave notification at all the local sailing clubs on the west end regarding the matter. I am sure sailboats would not want their precious keels to get damaged by wire line.......they just don't know how we are fishing these junk rods.

[Tim Bromund]

Tim, Your first thought is why the thread got started, to try to make it common knowledge. Yes, If you are running 600' copper in the trench in late August.....you deserve to catch someone elses downrigger ball. These fishing sites reach a large audience. Does not hurt to try. Maybe, even get acknowledgement in naviagation regulations. I know fishing the Niagara near the border, I have been boarded by the Coast Gaurd three times in two years. Once when I was fully deployed and trolling! I don't think the general public knows what we are pulling or that we can't stop and change direction on a dime esp. sailboats. If we can agree on a flag system I will personally leave notification at all the local sailing clubs on the west end regarding the matter. I am sure sailboats would not want their precious keels to get damaged by wire line.......they just don't know how we are fishing these junk rods.

Sorry Chad, I have to disagree on a number of points.

1. while it may seem that these sites reach a large audience, they in reality, only reach a small fraction of even the trollers on the lake much less everyone else out there.

2. most ragboaters know full well how unmanuverable we are, in fact many of them revel in it and intentionally try to mess with us because they know they have the right of way under sail and there ain't jack we can do about it. For example, a couple years ago, we were fishing the summer Scotty out of Port Darlington and quite a few boats were intentionally harassed and buzzed by the rags out in front of Oshawa. One boat actually had a rag intentionally run between him and a fish they were fighting and cut it off. They even went so far as to buzz past him and tell him they did it on purpose and that there was nothing he could do about it. They may not know it's wire, but they sure don't mind running over it if they get the opportunity.

Besides, it stall takes people to give a crap for it to work, which most, sad ito say, don't. Do you really think that chooch in the Grady that cut us off in your boat last year at the bar would have acted any different if you would have had a flag flying? I don't.

It's a nice sentiment, and maybe I'm just jaded, I just think it'd be a whole bunch of wasted effort for very little return.

Tim

[Shade]

No I did not misunderstand what Gill was saying. What i responded to was the first part of Gills email where he was filling his real with copper.

As far as flags go. You can run any color flag you want, some guys just are not going to move from thier trolloing direction. In was out last Saturday and there were maybe 4 boats around Olcott. One boat was trolling North and another was trolling east and they locked up lines. That was 4 boats now think of 50.

[fireplug]

I'm for the potato gun.

[ladyblugill]

600 ft . of copper out. :shock: planer boards out 50 yards both sides. :shock: red can..spring derby. :shock: geez i thought everyone was waving at me because they were happy and liked me.

[Gill-T]

Madam Bluegill, what were you wearing at the time?

[muskybob]

Madam Bluegill, what were you wearing at the time?

Careful Gill-T, she's a he.

[Tim Bromund]

600 ft . of copper out. :shock: planer boards out 50 yards both sides. :shock: red can..spring derby. :shock: geez i thought everyone was waving at me because they were happy and liked me.

maybe they were just saying they thought you were #1 in their book

Tim

[Gill-T]

I have to go take a shower.

[Yankee Troller]

For example, a couple years ago, we were fishing the summer Scotty out of Port Darlington and quite a few boats were intentionally harassed and buzzed by the rags out in front of Oshawa. One boat actually had a rag intentionally run between him and a fish they were fighting and cut it off. They even went so far as to buzz past him and tell him they did it on purpose and that there was nothing he could do about it.

Tim

That would be the day! I can understand accidents, but that requires a boarding and an a$$ whoopin! or better yet a nice spoon into their expensive sail to rip the thing to shreds!

[W.W.IV.]

YT, a lure in there sail!! Come on if your that close a good look at your flare gun would carry a lot more weight. Even a sling shot and a hand full of marbles would send a message. How about a paint ball gun, that would mess up those sails. Be carefull you don't want a law suit. Have a nice day.

[Yankee Troller]

I do know a charter boat that rammed a sailboat that was harassing him.

[Paul Czarnecki]

All this macho talk of flashing weapons and launching various projectiles to "defend" your junk lines is all well and good but I see some fundamental rules being ignored here.

First and foremost......you and YOU alone are responsible for the lines/tackle dragging behind your boat. YOU chose to put it there and if YOU choose to keep it there in the face of incoming traffic you have only yourself to blame if it gets mowed off.

Secondly, blow boaters are among the most ignorant, self absorbed ego maniacs in the world. They thrive on the idea that they have the "right of way". We all know that. If a sailboater deliberately tries to come close behind your boat hoping to cut off or foul your lines he is simply showing his ignorance. By getting furious with him you are merely showing yours. His keel may be 4 feet under the water. 6 at most. Unless he passes within 40 feet of your stern your junk lines will all be WELL below his keel. If he passes close unintentionally or simply because he thought "he had the right of way", while very aggravating, the situation is still the same. Why would you waste the energy getting angry with someone who, in all likelihood, has never SEEN a salmon much less fished for them?

If you want to get back at blowboaters for harrassing you while you're fishing "return the favor" by cruising slowly by one of their little "races" in front of the harbor. I've found that my 10 Meter throws about a four foot wake when run at 2000 RPMs with the tabs up. Enough said about that!

Finally, like I said, all this talk of weaponry is fine and dandy on here but be VERY careful about actually trying to implement any of the suggestions. Since 9/11 the Coast Gaurd is VERY sensitive to ANY vessel displaying weaponry or engaged in any hostile action toward another vessel. Discharging any type of weapon at another vessel might just be met with unbelievable force from a very unamused Coast Guard. I recall an incident a few years ago off Olcott where a charter captain was having some fun with some clients who had brought along their LEGAL fully automatic weapons. No fewer than 6 vessels responded including 2 helicopters within minutes. 16 hours later those involved were still being questioned. A week later they got their weapons back.

Hardly worth a little fun.

Don't get me wrong here guys. I'm a junk line fanatic as well. On more than one ocassion I've yelled at other boats to get away from my lead or copper. However, if I'm fishing tight quarters with lots of boats I minimize the amount of "junk" I have in the water. I am responsible for it.

Probably the best response I've ever heard to the statement, "HEY, I've got copper out!" was actually given to me by another captain who had not yet made the transition to copper. When I called him on the radio and told him I had copper out he simply said, in a very calm voice, "Not for long."

True story.

Have fun this summer and be careful!

Paul