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Now I know that this is a freindly site, but the whale is loosing his patience, In the last two weeks I have been cut off, almost sprayed while three waying, and just generaly anoyed by bad boat manners, I have fished the last eight years in Alaska on some pretty crowded waters, using boats that are on average 25 to 45 feet in length. You would think that a guy in a 14 to 20 foot walleye boat could figure out a pattern and stay the heck out of the way. But no they cant. Now I am really going to stir the pot. Most problems my freind and I have had are with the boats with the Iowa sticker on them. Now Im not trying to be a jerk, but it is the truth. Just remember Your manners when you come up here. Theres plenty of fish to go around and plenty of water. You dont need to be five feet from my boat to catch a fish, in fact, you would probably do better some where else. I just use an educated guess where the fish are. Your guess is as good as mine. See Ya.

Same deal… different year. Happens every spring… this is not me defending or pardoning poor behavior in a boat, but it is the reality of fishing on the river this time of year. Lots of inexperienced boaters crammed into a small space. I’ve got stories you wouldn’t believe. Anchors and jigs over gunnels and rooster tails throwing spray into boats and collisons… and on and on. It’s hard to keep one’s cool so I am very sympathetic towards your post… but don’t pin this tail on our river brothers from any one particular state. In fact, let’s not hear another word about naming groups and lets acknowledge that the inexperienced and those without manners come from all walks of life.

What’s the answer? I’ve narrowed it down to a car tire padded push ram for the front of my boat or the willingness to cling to the knowledge that this will be all over in a few weeks!

I feel for ya’ Orca. [deep sigh]

I agree James, manners and river courtesy comes in many different boats and fisherman. It is also not limited to rivers or this river. We notice it more here as the distance from shore to shore is not that much, which would mean that there is even less room for error in judgement or lack of it. I do think it will be less of a problem in a few weeks when most of the fish are heading back towards the lake. In the mean time be safe. Jack.

I have never fished near your spot, but I take offense at being lumped in to some poor sportsman type status because you observed an Iowa sticker on some boat who got too close to your perceived spot on the Mississippi. I would say that maybe there is a Minnesota fisherperson animosity toward Iowa fisherpersons? Is that fair for me to say that? I think not! I believe your statement to be inappropriate as well.

At ease Chitwood. I dont have a problem with people from Iowa. Just the ones that almost ran me over, They know who they are, and maybe they read this forum, and if they do maybe they will get the drift. Sorry if I offended you. I have friends from Iowa and all kidding aside, its a nice place to be from.

A friend and I were fishing the Redwing dam a few weekends ago. I’ve never fished there in spring. (they don’t let me out much!)
What impressed me most about the day was that with a quick count, I tallied up around 40 boats fishing there. I’ve never seen this many boats in that small of an area. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new, but when they say you could walk from boat to boat…you could! I never heard one angry voice, even when the fisherman in the front of the boat were pushing other boats away with there hands to avoid a bump. Not one cuss word…at least that I could hear. Ya know, I noticed many boats from IA, IL, WI & MN. It gave me a good feeling to experiance great sportsmanship.

I guess we all have to take the good with the bad. If other boaters are getting on our nerves, we do have a choice to fish other areas OR stay home and watch Dustin and James pull in some hogs on thier video.

Then again…….inexperiance boaters vs wives honey do list….river wins everytime!

See you on the river…and…”watch out for the other guy!”

I was pretty much ready to respond the same way Chitwood46 did, mostly because it’s hard to believe that this statement:

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Most problems my freind and I have had are with the boats with the Iowa sticker on them.

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is targeted toward one boat and its occupants. It’s difficult for me to be too upset with what you said, as most of the bad experiences that I have had with rude boaters have also been in Iowa, but what would I expect – I live here and 90% of my time on the water is in Iowa.

No its not hard to believe, I can be a real jerk sometimes,or a big lovable fuzzball, but I dont lie. I will do my best to have more patience on the river.

I usually never go out on a weekend or (friday) for the same reason orca is mentioning… it is not worth the hassle.. You have the tourney pro’s flying by at mach 3 and , ya they get pretty close as well…. then you have the tourist that don;t know the river very well…. I was fishing a closing dam and watch around 12 boats drift into the rocks and snag not once but every time they made the drift….. you would think they would learn after about two drifts thru… or when poeple are about to drive over it I holler at them to look out. They look at you like you are retarded… and then Bang….. The best is when they have their trolling motor down and then they get hung up …. Take some advice poeple if someone is yelling at you and pointing it is probally for a reason….. >>>> I can’t waite till 53 degree water temps and the cats are going….. this walleye fishing brings out all the crazy’s……..

I’m w/ you Mavzer -NO Fridays or Weekends for me either. I understand that this is not possible for everyone but I am fortunate enough to have this option. I still can’t believe it when I see 100 boats out on a weekday. We can’t all have “gravy” jobs, can we???———————————Pax

Fisherfolk come in all forms.some foolish some clueless and some respectfull of others.when on the river I’m so happy not to be at work that I take it all in stride.some days you could’nt slap the silly grin off my face.I love it all!

I was on pool 4 both Saturday and Sunday. What a beauty of a weekend. Fished some spots with both tourney guys and guys fishing with there families. No one had any problems. Just good fishing and some good conversation between boats.I have been fishing the river for 15 years and am seeing less problems now than back in them days.

Orca, I’m sure when you started this thread you were pretty pissed. I would be too. Been there-done that. I never saw it as bashing Iowans. We have the same trouble down here with fellows from Ill. “JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!”
That said, Beach Brian made a very good post about what he saw fellow anglers do at the dam when found in that situation. Very comendable and it makes being in a crowd much more tolerable. I myself won’t fish in the crowds anymore so I don’t have that stressed out feeling when I get home.
Went out with James on sunday and he was living proof of how important boat control can be when fishing in somewhat crowded and windy conditions. The guy is a master for sure.
We just need to remeber that wherever you go there are inconsiderates from all states.

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I still can’t believe it when I see 100 boats out on a weekday. We can’t all have “gravy” jobs, can we???

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Tell me again how when the weather’s good, no one EVER plays hookey!! You know, we may see more crowding if more people become unemployed!

BTW – I’ve decided to put an Iowa decal on my boat in case I ever make a mistake! JUST KIDDING!!!

As a Minnesota native living in Iowa, I have noticed one positive. Other drivers give me a lot more room on 494 with the Iowa plates.

Speaking of friendly jabbing between states. My family and friends like to refer to carp,sheepshead,and suckers as Minnesota walleyes. Two weeks ago on pool 5 I caught a big ol sheepie when another boat drifts past and asked what I had caught. I told him without thinking a Minnesota walleye. Noticing an odd look on his face (and MN tags on his boat) I corrected myself and apologized and offered to call them Iowa bass the rest of the day. The guy winks and laughs at me and we BS’d for the next several minutes. Off the subject I know.

We always called rough fish Chicago brown trout. I guess every state gets a turn in the barrel.

I’m a total river rookie, and sure don’t want the ‘Whale’ p.o.’ed at me! Is there anything published that outlines the River Etiquette, especially as it applies to Pool 4 where there are so many boats?

Seems like this site would be the perfect place to publish it.

Rick, as far as I know there are no written rules of etiquette. There are boating regulations put out by the state’s DNR water divisions that may apply in these situations.
But for the most part, just don’t do to anyone elsewhat would bother you if they did it to you. If you don’t like it when someone horns in on the spots you’re fishing, then don’t do the same to anyone else. If you want to slow troll a breakline or current edge but everyone else is drifting it, do the same as them or find someplace else.
How many times have you seen “joe blow” catch a nice fish and all of a sudden there are 20 other rigs moving in on him? They think that’s where the fish must be. I have found too many times that the fish are not under the crowds. When they are on feed, they act more like a wolf pack roaming and hunting for food. Yes, there are opportunistic fish that hang in a certain area waiting for a meal to come to them, but I think the main reason they are in that area is because of a current break and not food.
Didn’t mean to ramble on so.

I’m sorry but I have to agree with Orca about the Iowa boats. I have been fishing Lake Pepin for about twenty years and have had the same opinion over the years. I have always kept it to myself because I thought that it couldn’t be true. I will say that after geting off of the lake and talking to these same people in the cleaning house who almost ran over me, they were really nice friendly guys. I guess that some people just don’t think when they are on the water.

Its all relative ladies and gentlemen,
It doesn’t matter where you fish or hunt in the midwest, you’re always going to run into someone from another state that “rubs” you the wrong way. Its the same as out-of-state hunters coming into IA and trespassing on private property. I’d also be willing to bet there’s some boaters from “other states” that don’t share the same quality of fishing etiquette that IA boaters do up on Boji and Spirit lake. I’m sure there’s a few IA fisherman that would like to reply to Orca’s post with ( ditto, but swap the states). I was up on pool 4 about a month ago and a guy from WS looks over at me and says “you come all the way up here from IA just to fish for catfish”. Luckily for me I reeled in a 3lb. eye just as he was finishing up his sentence. It looked like his son was fishing with him, and you could tell that he was very embarassed that his father had the sac to say that to someone he didn’t even know. My point being, not everyone from every state is a bonehead, just a few of them.
SEDNERB

Golly gee!…. a long controversial thread that I have NOT commented on?? I cant believe it!…. I guess I must be really sick!?….
hmmm… now heres MY problem…. I wanna trash some states too….. but I grew up in Iowa, moved to Minnesota, and now live in Wisconsin…. Im in a terrible hurt when it comes time to point fingers!… cuz if I point at whole states I will be pointing at ME!!
If we were to do a scientific study and log our observations I bet we would find that we have people that are annoying appearing from every state in fairly equal numbers….. what Ive seen is that some days there are more Iowa boats on the water than any other state… so if there are problem anglers of course they will come from Iowa that day!…. come on guys… tell me if YOU lived in Iowa wouldnt YOU come up here and fish? if your answer is NO… then just TRY the fishing in Iowa for a while… its kind of like the pheasant hunting up here! we have a world class fishery and thats no joke…. ok… so maybe some of the fisherman are NOT world class (or should I say lack class?)…. if your going to fish in heavily pressured water you just learn to take a deep breath and ignore it…. why let stuff like this wreck your day…. Ive struggled with it myself for years… but the best thing for me was being on this board…. now I KNOW so many people out there…. and it makes a difference… there is more comraderie, more consideration than ever before…. lets dont make enemies… lets make friends… sure not everyone is gonna play nice…. but we can ignore them… they will be a dying breed I think….

Are you the same airpart who posted on the walleye board that he makes two trips a year to Lake Pepin?

Wow, I did stirr the pot didnt I. You know, Im already over it. Again sorry if I offended anyone, Its just my way sometimes. Next time I will just tell them like it is on the river. Im sure that will go over real good. See Ya..

RiverEyes, now be honest, where are you really from?

where am I REALLY from?? hmmmmmm now thats a question with a lot of possible answers!…. but my birth certificate mentions I was born in Cedar Rapids Iowa…..

RiverEyes,
I’m sorry to see that things have ended up for you the way that they have. According to your biographry in your personal profile I can see that things have steadily worsened over the past fifteen years. Maybe someday you’ll break your chains.
SEDNERB
P.S. If you know of any powerplant job openings around there, I’d appreciate a heads up.
Just Kidding!!

Hmm, I was born in Wis. but lived in Ia. all my life.
So I’m a native of————–?
Oh, who cares

Herb,

He’s not cute enough to be from WI, isn’t “NorVEEgian enough to be from MN, and too smart to be from IA. (oh boy! Am I gonna get in trouble this time!!!) I think he’s an ALF! Might explain why he likes cats so much and moved to the land of sand! (WI)

Disclosure statement: In regard to any insulting remarks, a) it’s a joke. and b) I’m president and founder of the NBIC ………….Natural Born Idiots Club. And not only am I the president, I’m also a client!

Being from Iowa, I resemble that remark.

jc