Hopefully that title was enough to catch your attention. You're probably thinking "fishing isn't a crime". I would agree. But I wanted to highlight why often-times us who love to fish are made to feel like we're breaking the law. Work has been painfully slow for me right now so I've had some time to watch a variety of YouTube videos on fishermen harassment. Sadly, it's a real thing. I'm fortunate enough to have only been targeted one time. The best thing you can do to avoid being "kicked out" of public ponds is to educate yourself on your state laws and your rights.
In my particular situation a few years ago an H.O.A. president called the local sheriff to report illegal fishing. We talked to the sheriff as he validated who we were. He confirmed we had permission to fish from a homeowner in the neighborhood. He wished us a nice day and left saying if we had permission from a resident, he had no problem with us fishing in that particular spot. Thirty minutes later a man went about one hundred yards out of his way to tell us there was no fishing here. I told him we had permission from a homeowner and the sheriff's department. He didn't like that at all and told me the sheriff didn't know sh** about the H.O.A. by-laws. I had one of two choices at that moment: 1. Continue to fish with this elderly man cursing in our ear for who knows how long. 2. Leave and find another spot. We choose option 2 primarily because the more time we stuck around, the higher the chance was this man would be knocked out. That would have been a bad day for all involved.
The real mystery to me and many other fishermen is this: What is it about a person with a few fishing poles that bothers you so much to go out of your way to push us out? Unless there's a sign posted that says "No Fishing" or "No Trespassing" I have the right to fish that area. I'm not one to break laws or to seek out confrontation but I'm also not one to be bullied. That being said, it's important to obey the law. Not every angler has a boat to take out on public water. Not every angler has a kayak either. Most of the time we resort to bank fishing.
There's a few types of people you should look out for while fishing in a neighborhood, lake or any other type of public water.
The H.O.A. Czar: Be prepared for big words, lots of numbers and section references if you run into this one. You'll know him if you see him. He'll stop his gardening or mowing and make a bee line straight toward you often waving hands and yelling about private property. Truth of the matter is he just gets agitated that someone is "near his pond". Make sure there are no signs against fishing and if the police are mentioned go ahead and wait for them to show up so both parties can get clarification on the law.
The Duck Lady: Believe it or not I've seen anglers be told to stop fishing because they are disturbing the wildlife. Just for clarification - any fish, frog or fowl wont ask you to move. It's just an excuse because Mrs. PETA doesn't like you fishing behind her property line. Ducks will usually swim away. It's the geese you have to really watch. Believe me, you'll know if you cross a nesting goose. Otherwise I wouldn't stop fishing just because someone feeds the ducks.
The Don of Docks: This person is usually only a problem for boat anglers. Fish, (especially during early spring) move shallow to start spawning. One of their favorite spots in under shallow boat docks. If you've fished a lake before you know that docks can produce some monster fish. There's nothing wrong with flipping docks as long as you're not dinging them with every cast. It's likely you'll run into the overly-protective boat owner who will tell you that you can't fish around his dock. Actually you can. He/She may own the boat and dock around it but they do not own the water. Keep that in mind if you're being told to troll away from someone's dock. Just be comfortable with your trolling motor. Bumping their dock is all the reason they need to call the Game Warden.
The easiest way to avoid these knuckleheads is to network well enough to get access to private spots. I've met a lot of people who are generous enough to let you fish on their property as long as you respect their wishes. If they say catch and release only, throw em back. If they say no guest, it's best you fish alone. If they say pick up your trash and shut the gate, make it a priority. I recently wrote a letter to a land owner asking permission to fish his farm pond. He took the time to call me back. Ultimately it was a 'no' but after he explained why I wasn't to disappointed. At least I know that's one place that's off limits.
All that to say this: There are people out there who love to fish that also love to cause trouble. Those few give the rest of us a bad name. Whether it be leaving trash behind, killing fish or damaging property. The unfortunate reality is that stuff does happen. As a result, the signs go up and some people nearby think they can make a citizens arrest every time they see someone fishing. Because in their mind "that guy/girl must be up to no good." I usually don't ask for feedback on these blogs, but I want to hear from you. Have you ever experienced fishermen harassment? Do you live near a pond that frequently has people fishing? Let me know!
