The days of holding doors, saying excuse me, and other common courtesy seem to be getting lost. It is easy to just say the times are different, or blame the younger generations, but we have to take some of the responsibility. The younger generations learn from the previous; and it is important to instill that common courtesy towards others.

With waterways becoming more congested with fishing, recreational boating, and water sports, a relaxing day of fishing can become stressful before our boat even touches the water.

The following 10 tips are not “unwritten” rules, but more of 10 values that we need to make sure to pass down to the next generation. This will ensure that fishing continues to grow as a sport and will still be enjoyable for our grandchildren.

Be courteous at the launch

A day can be ruined before it ever gets started. Busy boat launches become a breeding ground for stress and tempers.

You should always prep your boat in the proper location. Backing down the ramp and stopping short to get all of your stuff situated causes backups, and everyone else to become irritated.

If there are launching and retrieving docks, always use the proper dock. They are marked for a reason and help to keep traffic flowing.

When launching and retrieving your boat, be as fast as safely possible. Try not to stay tied to the dock for long periods of time. When you pull your boat out of the water, move away from the ramp traffic before drying and tying down your boat.

Watch your boat wakes

When you are passing a boat that is fishing, try not to run full throttle next to them. If you can, try to keep as much distance as possible.

If distance is not possible, try to slow down when passing. Not only can you ruin a spot that the other angler is fishing, it can also be dangerous.

A wake from a passing boat can cause somebody to become off balance and possibly fall in the water. This simple sign of respect for others will encourage others to follow.

Don’t crowd other boats

Fishermen become territorial over their favorite spot. They probably have spent a lot of time finding, mapping, and fishing that spot. If you start fishing right on top of them, chances are there will be a confrontation.

Try to leave a decent amount of distance between you and them. You can even mark that spot on your GPS and come back later after they have left.

It may be hard to go to another spot when you want to fish that one, but confrontations will only scare the fish away and neither of you will catch anything. Confrontations can also escalate into dangerous situations for everyone involved.

Don’t make constant loud noise

Playing loud music, or screaming while fishing in an area with other boats will scare the fish away. Not everyone has the same taste in music, or cares to hear a conversation from another boat. Keeping your music to a reasonable level helps to keep tensions down when fishing close to others.

Don’t run over lines

When moving to your next spot, avoid getting close to boats that are trolling. If you are fishing the shoreline don’t run over the lines of people fishing off the shore. You can get the line wrapped in your prop, and also cause them to lose their lure or even equipment.

Fishing the shoreline

If you are coming up to a shoreline that is already being fished by another boat, do not cut them off and start fishing in front of them. Keep lots of distance, if you have to pass close by, let them know you are just passing. More than likely they are already watching you, so initiating contact should not be hard.

You can also fish the shoreline in the opposite direction and then come back around, or fish another spot until they have finished.

Be aware of people fishing from the shore. They have limited area to fish so be respectful and do not pull up and start casting towards them. With a boat you have unlimited areas to fish on the body of water.

Be aware of smaller boats

There are more and more people fishing out of kayaks these days. Do not run your boat next to them; not only is it disrespectful; it is dangerous.

Keep plenty of room and watch your wake around smaller boats. You can easily swamp a kayak, canoe, jon boat, or even a bass boat.

If you are fishing from a kayak please wear something bright. It is not always easy to see you when moving across the water. Accidents happen, take every step possible to be safe.

Be careful of recreational water sports

When boating or fishing we have to be aware of each other. People swim, jet ski, tube, and fish on the same bodies of water. Recreational water sports and fishing cannot co-exist in the same area of the lake.

If people are engaged in water sports in an area, it is best to just avoid it. If people are fishing in an area jet skiers, swimmers, etc. should avoid the area.

It all comes down to a mutual respect that we should all have. If we give each other enough space, we can all enjoy a great day on the water!

Respect the lakes

We must work to keep our lakes clean and usable for future generations of anglers.

You should never throw trash, fishing line, or broken tackle into the waters. Always bring something to collect your trash, and keep it in a spot where it will not accidentally blow out while moving.

If your motor is leaking be sure to fix it before going out. Oil and chemicals will ruin our waterways and harm fish.

Catch and release / Keepers

You should always look up the laws and regulations in the area you are fishing in.

Never take more than the limit, or more than you are planning on eating.

If you catch and release, do so the proper way. Unhook the fish as soon as possible and release the fish in a timely manner.

A small gesture of respect will go a long way. There will always be people that only care about themselves. It is important to show restraint in those situations also. Confrontations on the water are dangerous and potentially deadly. If you always set the standard others will follow!

Remember, the next generation is always watching and learning. They will develop habits based off of how we act in certain situations. It is important to always set good examples!