Boat flags and junk rods

[Yankee Troller]

Fine DAD! LOL

[Paul Czarnecki]

Just trying to keep things on an even keel Rich.....pardon the pun. LOL

Great comeback, BTW....you made my day!

[Fishtails]

Being one of the many who have already lost a full 600 copper to another fishing boat, I have a plan for the next time.....hoping the "next time" never happens.

My problems seem to occur mostly when boats I was trolling along with, slow down and quickly turn behind me. If your paying attention (which I'm usually not ) and traffic allows, you can bump up the speed and turn towards their stern, thus pulling your lines out of the way.

If traffic will not allow, and I'm pretty certain I'm gonna loose the copper rig, I have a 20oz lead drop weight which is attached to a 6 inch piece of copper wire on one end, and a snap clip on the other. I have never used it....hope I don't have to. I have it handy in the back of the boat and my theory is in an emergency, I will clip it on my copper line and let it go....then back off the speed as much as I can and have someone else start reeling That should drop it real deep pretty quickly...."hopefully"getting it out of the way of their riggers and saving the copper.

Reeling it in will blow, but it won't be no harder than reeling in a king, and it won't be near as bad as getting a new copper rig. Anyhow...that's how your ridders can earn their keep

[off track]

Secondly, blow boaters are among the most ignorant, self absorbed ego maniacs in the world.

most power boaters are as well among the most ignorant -- even those who have a USCG Captain's license

technically USCG inland navigation rules:

Power driven vessels(power boats) must give way to: Sailing Vessles, when only under sail(if he is "motor sailing" it is then a power driven vessel).

Im sure someone will claim sailboats have to give way to fishing vessels that has gear in the water -- this does not include sport fishing vessels, only commercial fishing vessles

[Tim Bromund]

Yeah, we know that Todd. We also know that an awful lot of ragboaters use that statute to intentionally screw with us, just because they can.

The fishing vessels with gear in the water refers to commercial trawlers/net boats etc, and the like, not sportfishing boats. That doesn't change the fact that in reality, a sailboat under sail is WAY more manuverable than a trolling rig, fully deployed, and they know that and take advantage of it to mess with us. A lot of them are also just utterly clueless (and don't care) as to how restricted we really are out there.

Tim

[Gill-T]

Never in my wildest dreams would I believe that just because someone is flying a blue flag, that all problems would go away.....esp. from sailboats, but it would not hurt to try. If it stops one boat from setting up behind my copper rigs, then it is worth the cost of the flag compared to the cost of copper. There will be people who don't give a rat's ass about the flag...fine, what ever. I believe the majority would take notice, because nobody wants their spread messed with. With that being said, I am flying a blue flag off my antenna, and if I am the only one.......so be it. Gonna let my junk freak flag fly!

[off track]

i'm sure the do it to intentionally "mess" with us

we have more problems with power boaters running close, both rec's and charters. We will be trolling and here comes someone motoring from or to port and will run within 10 feet of our boat.

the average boater regardless of it being a sail boat or power boat are clueless

it is also easier to run a red light...but you don't because it's a law that you have to stop

rules are rules...flame away

[W.W.IV.]

off track, I got my USCG license in 1985 and I still remember sport fishing boats are at the end of the pecking order,senior moments and all. As much as I disliked blow boaters there not all bad.I knew one that was a pretty good charter capt. out of Sodus. Can't remember his name, another senior moment. Some of the worst captains I ran into were east of Oswego, They liked to push the small boats around if they could.Oh If you want to run 200yds of copper in a crowd I guess its your problem. Can't we gust get along.

[Gill-T]

Tim Bromund, you were worried about people not hearing about the proposal? On day one of this post on three sites at 7:00 pm there have been 144 views on GLA, 804 on this site, and 101 on Spoonpullers. These are the diehards, ie the people who drive to the bar from Michigan in the spring...the people who know what they are doing....the people who will be running junk lines. Copper is popular now, it is here to stay so lets find away to make is easier to live with.

[Tim Bromund]

Yeah, but these are the hard core guys that most likely, look out for that sort of thing anyways. It's the other 90% out there that are more likley to be the problem, and they won't know or care what your flag means.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, not at all, I just don't think it'll make any difference.

don't forget, that's not now many different people looked at the thread, that's how many hits. that's more likley a few of us looking at it a bunch of times. I know I've accounted for probably at least 20-25 of the hits on this board myself.

Tim

[Gill-T]

Are you saying there are only five of us with no life?

[ray koziatek]

6 dont forget me.......

[mrymar]

I hate to say it, but this just will not work. this get brought up every year.

Two years ago off Toronto Island I watched a small boat, one guy in it, troll right underneth another guys planer board line. If the guy did not know enough to drive under his planer board line, he will never know to look for a flag.

the next day off Toronto Island, I had a blow boater run right thru two of my offshore planer boards, stripping a half core and full core that I had on my port side. We tried to get them in in time, but could not and he cruised right over there. If the sailer does not know enough to run right over my yellow and red boards, then they will never look for a flag.

My advise is to get a airhorn or whistle of some kind. And when that dont work...... some of the GLA posts recommend educating other boats with flare guns and 1 oz sinkers.

[Gill-T]

A flag will not stop all these things from happening.....no way, my only hope is to stop a few of the occurances. If enough people jump on board, who knows how common place the flag system could become. What is the alternative? Do nothing and leave things as they are? Come on put a freaking flag up and see if it helps. Help spread the word to your fellow boaters at the launch, at your meetings, at the lecture circuit (pros are you listening). Word of a good thing spreads quickly among fisherman.....just ask Tom Allen.

[CBish]

Sailboats are not really an issue with copper are they? Once the copper is 100' back it is 22' down and well out of the way of a keel. I have never had a sailboat within 100' of my stern in 28 years trolling. I know this cause I can throw a one pound ball about 145' and I have not hit one yet -- they usually see & hear the splash .

Other trollers are the problem. Although the phrase "that's fishing" rings hollow when you copper is going sideways it is part of our fishing. If you think a boat is going to get you pull it in fast!!! this is the only way you will avoid it.

The flag is a good idea, but it must be seen, identified and the boat must care. I am always keeping an eye on what is infront of my boat, but I am afraid that I do not look close enough to see a flag from a 1/4 mile.

CC

PS, The great thing about copper is it splices very easy

[GAMBLER]

I tend to stay away from the pack when I have my copper rods out. Run the junk rods off the big boards (not inlines) and that should give other fisherman a clue to what is going on. As for sailboats, a road construction arrow would not help.

[waterlogged]

Only one comment here after readig all the posts.

CBish has it right - the other guy has got to care!!!

:roll:

[Shade]

Flags or no flags?

[Gill-T]

I am stopping down at West Marine today and see what is available. I am flying mine.....I maybe the only idiot on the lake with a blue flag, but at least anyone who has read the posts on LOU, Spoonpullers, and GLA will know what it is.

[Shade]

I will be the other idiot.

[Gill-T]

West Marine has on their on-line store 10X16" blue pennant flags for $12.00.

[Mick]

There are already many blue flags on people's antaennas, and outrriggers. It is because they fished the pro- ams. - Mick

[skipper19]

I'd say by the time you can see a flag and what color it is or if ya can hear some one yelling over a motor running(unless on a vhf or a bullhorn) or see arms flailing around about staying clear of the stern,...... ya can probably read here's yer sign :roll: printed in 2000 font size.. any body ever troll that close in reality :? BULLHORN :idea: AIRHORN :idea: :idea: I like the sign.... just put it on a bed sheet and drape it off the stern as yer leavin' port and forget it

[final flight]

blow boats won't even look for otter boards, you can't expect them to understand what a flag is for, my vote- 7MM mag. just below water line-twice, rollie

[Gill-T]

All this talk about guns, and flares, and ball bearings/sling shots etc. is funny to say in jest, but it is not a viable option. We start that ****, and then the sailboats start arming themselves. Cold war all over again. Flags, education and notices seem like the only legal option. I actually have no hope for sailboats. I started this thread so we can maybe come to a consensus about unwritten rules of the water to keep things from getting ugly among fellow fisherman.......ie 7mm mags!