Proper Boat Etiquette in the Back Channels?

Since I’m new to p4, can someone tell me what is proper boat etiquette in the back channels? What I mean is that some channels are wide and some are narrow. The deep portion is sometimes only a couple of feet deep and only so wide (i.e. on the outer bends). You need to be ‘on plane’ in order for your boat and prop to not be damaged.
BUT when there are others working the same area (and situated in the deep channel that you need to travel in), what should you do? I want to be as respectful as possible (is there a Golden Rule for boating??), but would prefer not to have the prop to eat the bottom or have to use manpower to manuever around.

This is a great question! I don’t think that there can be one golden rule for these types of situations other than do what is safest for all involved. Yes that does mean that I have taken paint from by prop or skag , but if that is the worst. i can live with that. I do try to be aware of where I am fishing though. I.E. Not in the deepest part of the slough or cut so that I can leave that for traveling boats. I can’t wait to here what others replys are with a big holiday approaching.
Be safe!

FDR

I would say use your best judgment
if that means trimming it up very high and idoling out do so. if you have to run on plane use common sense think of how pissed off you would be if someone waked you
all I know is that there is a lot of water and boats out there please be safe. we have enough fools out there on the water so play nice and share the water we don’t need any one hurt

Rodman haspointed out a great way to gauge questionable etiquette when other boats are going to be involved…..mentally put yourself in the other boat for a second and think how you would like to be treated in this instance.

In this high speed arena we live in, respect of our fellow angler gets lost to hurry, hurry, hurry.

In the area I’m sure you’re talking about, if the other guy’s already working over the sand, it’s best to just let him come up, if you try to run two boats on that line, sombody’s getting stuck.

I guess I go by the motto treat others as you would like to be treated.

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In the area I’m sure you’re talking about, if the other guy’s already working over the sand, it’s best to just let him come up, if you try to run two boats on that line, sombody’s getting stuck.

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We were drifting down while they were 3-waying up…

They’ll do that from early may until late september, you just get used to it!

Wide open !! Sorry to say but if you are in the very small area that everyone must use to get up or down river safely it’s going to happen . I will not beach my boat or clog my water pump for anybody , cost to darn much !!! But if in the back channel its the nature of the beast ,just be ready for it .. scared the hell out me the first time a boat wide open went by us by about ten feet,,,ready to kick some -ss ,we were told they have to do it or they would run a ground ..good luck and stay safe !!!

I think if you can’t run safely and respectfully you don’t need to be there. If you don’t want to scratch your boat don’t go there!!!

You might want to check your local laws when it comes to passing a stopped, anchored or moored boat. I know here in Iowa you have to slow to a no-wake speed when passing within a certain distance of a boat not under power. I know people who have been ticketed for this. This law has been on the books here in Iowa for many years. I had to appear in court back in the 1970’s as a witness when a CO ticketed a boat that buzzed past my fishing boat less than 50 feet away when I was fishing on Clear Lake. The father of one of my best friends got ticketed a couple years ago on the Mississippi on Johnson Slough up on pool 10. He was going down the middle of the slough and passing by the occasional boat fishing the snags but since he was going faster than no-wake speed past these boats he received a fine.

Just make sure of your state’s specific boat traffic laws before you go running full throttle past a boat in a narrow channel. Here in Iowa this includes anchored, moored or drifting boats. I believe that the minimum distance is 50 feet but I might be wrong on that. I’d say that if there is a boat fishing the narrow area you want to run through then I’d either go past them at a no-wake speed or I’d go fish elsewhere.

If you use common sense and think about the other guy you shouldn’t have any problems.

Eyehunter

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If you use common sense and think about the other guy you shouldn’t have any problems.

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This advice would work in many other situations in life as well. I just wish common sense was more common, myself included.

CR

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I think if you can’t run safely and respectfully you don’t need to be there. If you don’t want to scratch your boat don’t go there!!!

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At one point, we just waited for them to finish there upstream troll before we motored back up.

As for fishing the river, my boat has definitely seen its fair share of shallow wingdams and sand flats. This is only my second year having it and I have a bent skeg and am on prop #2, all thanks to p4.

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As for fishing the river, my boat has definitely seen its fair share of shallow wingdams and sand flats. This is only my second year having it and I have a bent skeg and am on prop #2, all thanks to p4.

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Glad to know I’m not the only one ripping some things up on my boat. I’ve had my boat a little over a year too and fish pool 4 about 3-4 days a week from May till August and I am now on prop #2 (forgot how fast she can go w/ a new one) as well along with a few dings on the bottom. There’s times I know I’m going to hit but you just have to balance out the risk/reward. Today was my last day of going down through the high lines. I had to get out and push but I blame it on having 3 people in the boat, 1 being over weight.