No wake zones and bass tounaments

I hate to start posting here with a complaint, but I am steaming mad right now. I live on French Slough near La Crosse. This morning I was running the bilge pump on my flat that is tied up at my private dock and standing on my dock. Must be a bass tourny this weekend because I have seen a lot of pre-fishing scouting activity despite the lousy weather. This idiot comes by about 25 feet from my dock at 3/4 throttle throwing a large wake. Too fast to get his numbers. Rocked my dock so hard it was difficult to stand up. Are there any tournament rules that disqualify a competitor for this kind of behavior? Sure makes the rest of the bass fishermen who have courtesy look bad.

Sorry to hear about that. All of us with bass boats are not bad. My friend and I went through that area no wake earlier in the week.

As to whether or not they can be disqualified, am not sure. It would probably have to occur on the day of the event though.

I’m sure there is a tourney. It wouldn’t hurt to call the director and give a description of the boat in question. They may not be able to pinpoint this boat, but they will likely give a blanket warning to the group. Bad publicity isn’t what any tourney wants. Check the Bass tournament forum just below the general discussion. Might find out if there is a tourney for your area there.

Thanks for the idea. I will stop by the Clinton street landing tomorrow or seventh street. That is where they usually launch from.

There is a Walmart BFL on Saturday (like 160 boats) and a Team Supreme (not sure on number, maybe 50 or 60?) on Sunday out of La Crosse.

Mossboss is right, there is a tournament Sat and another Sunday. The problem is if your not a local and dont know where the no wake zone is, it’s hard to obey. The area you are talking about is one of the worst no wake zones as far as posting it i have seen. If you put in at Clinton st in the no wake zone and are not from this area you have no way of knowing till you get out in it a ways and see the markers. I have seen many boats ,not only bass boats going way to fast here.

I’m working on that Dan. The area is supposed to be a designated no wake zone by the La Crosse Cty board of Harbor Commissioners. I am trying to contact them to push for signs and buoys. That notwithstanding, it is still dangerous and inconsiderate to blast by someone that close. Most boaters use common sense here and go no wake anyway since the slough is about 100 feet wide here and that is the DNR’s definintion of a no wake area.