What is your experiance with lake lice

[eyeswon]

I have been fishing about 30 ft. off a rocky point with 1 1/2 miles of water behind me only to have a jet ski come between me and the point. It seems these people loose all there concideration when they buy one of these things. They will not get out of the way when on the boat ramp and try to jump your wake when ever possible. I was on a lake and had two on one jet ski turn a u turn close to my boat and it threw both of them off and there was a 17 mile an hour wind blowing the jet ski away from them. One guy took off his jacket and threw it then swam to it and did it again. My buddy and I seen this and decided to go and help them out they would never had gotten to it.It was going away at a good rate and it was a very long ways to the shore. We picked them up and took them to the ski and they didn't even say thanks. Gee guys is that to much to ask for. I respect your area please respect mine... I know it won't happen but I can still ask can't I??? PS. I would do it again and will help out when ever I can. Has anyone else had a bad experiance with these or is it just me???????

[bountyhunter]

YOUR right there ARE JERKS all over the world ,BUT don't judge them all by a few JERKS . jim

[Chuck Pederson MN]

I had one jumping back and forth across my wake, I raised my trim on my 175 and rooster tailed him good. Cured him of what ever it was that made him drive like an idiot.

[eyeswon]

I don't... like I said I would do it again.. and how did you get my name ??

[Backwater Eddy]

My experience is they don't like rivers very much, which tends to keep me a happy camper.

;)

Backwater Eddy ~ ~ ~><sUMo> ~ ><>

http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/home.html

[reddog]

The problem I see, is that they feel the need for an audience. They cannot just go out and play in the middle of the lake, they need ot be in front of the docks, or out in someones face in hopes that they think they are cool and entertaining. I would love to see a regulation put on in all the bays, from point to point, of 5 miles per hour on the lakes that are like 4 to 5 miles long or wide or similar bodies of water. That way, they could romp out in the middle all day long, and not bother the dock people, or the fisherman inside the bays. Same with the big boats. 5 mph inside the points and full throttle to get from one end to another. Sure, it would have some problems with enforcement, but I am talking about small type lakes in general, where it is like maybe 1/2 mile between points, and maybe 1/2 to 3/4 deep.

[Pitts]

Actually I don't like the noise they make when it is quiet it is quite annoying. As far as watching them jump my wake I would like to see them do a zig zag course to jump it at 55 mph that would be good.
I think the very large cabin cruisers are worse on Lake Minnetonka in MN I had more than one of them cut between me and the point I was fishing like at 50' away at a high rate of speed. Nothing like a 25' to 30' boat at 30 mph go by at 50' leaving a 4' wake wave.
I think they have the idea they own the lake because they either live on it or belong to a yacht club????
As far as wave runners go as long as they just go by at a high rate of speed and try not to circle me I don't really have a problem except when the lake is real quiet and then it breaks the peacefulness of the moment.
I think they have good rules now here in MN they were overhauled just last year now they need to try and enforce what they have passed.
My .02 worth


Pitts

[GarbageGut]

I like the jet-skiers. They are so quick and dart around so fast that I really have to concentrate on getting a good sight picture while looking at the darn varmints through my 'scope.

Breath, Release, Aim, Squeeze, Slowly.

Laughing here.

Just kidding.

[RANGER]

You can borrow my 50 cal BAR. You just need to get it in the general direction! ;-)

[Wawajake]

We are even starting to see these on the remote Northern Ontario lakes and the impact on not having the loons etc venture close to cottages in the area is a shame.
I don't mind any motorized vehicle that is going from point A to point B , but having those buzz around in circles infront of your camp for hours on end is a disgrace and waste of gas and scares every fish and duck away from area.
The sooner they are banned the better !! Perhaps once the accident toll reaches the level the three wheel trikes did then they will become extinct but I doubt it. If we could only convince the owners of these to take up fishing and upgrade to a boat and rod.

jake

[JBL]

I've found shooting a flare across the bow of a wake jumper seems to solve the problem.

[Fishoil]

You need to lead them a little less if your flare is going across the bow.

[RANGER]

It is amazing what results you can have just by PICKING UP the BAR. LOL

[SUPERTROLLER]

Yes, we have more than our fair share of jetski's here too, but the worst thing I've run into is Sailboats! These idiots think because they're under sail they can do anything on the water. And basically they are in the right because a boat under motor power is supposed to give way. Well let me tell ya, when they're using you as a turning bouy it gets real nasty real quick! Had two boats playing tacking games when we were trolling 150 feet back and boards out to either side. They paid no attention whatsoever to us until I was standing up on the back of the boat yelling as loud as I could. These guys were flying up the lake under a pretty heavy wind and not watching in front of them because they were too busy blocking the back boat. I turned away from them 3 or 4 times to give them room but they kept tacking back on top of our lines. I asked them for a little consideration and they said we should stay over on the side of the lake out of the way if we're going to go so slow. I'm not sure but doesn't the overtaking boat have to go around no matter what power they are using?

[Andy K]

Maybe we should come up with a harpoon gun that mounts in the front pedestal seat hole. It could shoot harpoons with a rubber ball on the end, or even plungers! When the fishing gets slow, we hunt for lake lice!! LOL

[Hawgeye]

Do any of you think that the actions of Jet Skiers have improved? I too really get annoyed with the noise of these water rockets and there have been times where i have been tempted to cast a 2oz lure at them since they have been close enough to do so.

I do however feel that it has improved drastically over the last couple of years since the industry as a whole is on probation so to speak. There have been so many complaints that regulations have been established in Minnesota as to when and where they are allowed to operate. With these regulations, I think the jet skier has become aware that they are not appreciated and tend to be a little more careful as a whole. Bottom line is that until the laws can actually be enforced, the regulations do not do much unless people call in and complain. At that point a water patrol officer could take as long as an hour to respond and by that time the perpetrator is likely done and gone. Just have to bear it I guess but I have gone as far as to follow the operator to the dock and suggest he acts a little more respectable to others. I have never had a real confrontation when doing this. I think it helps to show them respect and ask nicely instead of blurting out experlatives.

[RANGER]

I might be wrong, but I don't think so - if you are trolling with your lines out and moving on a true course, and the blow-boat is the overtaking vessle YOU ARE THE STAND ON BOAT!! I think that holds true even if you are not fishing - the overtaking boat is the GIVE WAY boat!

I don't have my rule book here, but I'm pretty sure this is the way it is!

Blow-boats are second only to PWCs for aggrevating, discourteous people. Right behind them are the Bassboat operators. I'm not saying ALL blow/PWC/Bass boaters are this way but there are enough of them to put them in a class of sorts.

[StoneyPteTom]

I do not own one of these jetskies and do not ever intend on buying one. But in my opinion they probably have just as many rights to use the open water of the lakes as any one of us boat owning fishermen. Just think, if we all complain about them as boat owners and something is actually done-say they are banned! Then pretty soon some tree hugger's will decide us boat owners should not have boats and boat motors on the lakes. Before we know it we are rowing 2 miles to our best fishing hole! I think we all should be tolerant and also respectful of one another on the water. my .02 cents

[eyegetit]

I don't know about Minnesota, but here in Ohio it's a bad problem getting worse. I really don't think PWC operators give a hoot about the "industry as a whole" or what other people think of them. This is a different breed of outdoor enthusiast altogether. You say it helps to "show them respect and ask nicely"? How do I do that when they just crossed my lines at 50mph and can't hear a word I'm saying? This is a problem with no easy solution because it always seems to become an US vs. THEM issue or a who-has-more-right-to-be-there issue instead of the issue of harassment that it really is.

[SUPERTROLLER]

I thought we were the Stand On Boat but I also didn't want them to tangle 4 lines on their keels either. That is why I initially tried to give them more room. They didn't seem to care one way or the other what we were doing. We were just in their way. Local yacht club runs the smaller classes on the inland lake all summer long because otherwise they are so small they are needing to be otwed out to Lake Mi. None of the Jr. league boats have motors. These kids are as bad as the adults. They figure as long as they don't hit you they are in the right. Never give us any room and run about 20 of them at a time. It gets pretty nuts out there.

[RANGER]

Report them to the DNR or the Coast Guard, if it applies! I do and I must say the CG is VERY responsive!! After I got home tonight I checked the regs and I am 100% right!! The overtaking boat is the GIVE WAY boat. Just get their registration number and report it. If that doesn't work..........get the BAR out - IT WORKS!! ;-) LOL

[SUPERTROLLER]

How often do you go rocketing behind a fellow fisherman who is trolling and (hopefully) just luckily don't collect all his lines? Had a little girl and her sister cross just behind our boat two summers ago about 10 ft. behind where our long lines entered the water. I still shake my head at how close she was to pulling that crank bait up to her neck at 35 to 40 mph. I wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop it from happening. She had slowed way down to let us pass and I thought she was going to idle in to her dock. Nope! She punches it back up, screaming out of the Hole and almost into a potentially life threatening situation. Michigan has now put age restrictions on operators of the craft. It is a very busy lake (Macatawa) and has Marine Patrols very visible. It was better last summer except the blow boats. There are several no wake zones but the good fishing is mostly outside the No Wake areas and there we get rocked by the Salmon boats and the Big pleasure boaters. I live with the aggravation but only because of the big fish available.

[rd]

We were trolling on Larson's last year when we had a jet ski cut between the inside board and the second one out. Needless to say the line ended up caught in the intake. TO make a long story short, we lost the board and the kidss response was he wanted to see what they(the boards) were. My guess is if you cannot figure out something that is moving with the boat is connected to the boat you don't need to be on a motorized vehicle of any kind. The really bad part about the whole deal was there was one other boat on the reef, the kid had the whole Green Bay and he still cuts our line.

[SnellTier]

Yah, but the problem is those darn B-A-R's weigh 25 pounds, the .30-06 ammo in hardball is not as readily available as it used to be 30 years ago, and clips can be hard to find. The 25 pounds means my wife has trouble lifting one (assuming I am driving the boat at the time)and even if I slow down, she has trouble maintaining a good sight picture.

I like the idea of the flares. That way, if someone sees the event take place, you were just trying to signal for help for a jet skier that was acting erratically and appeared to be in trouble. It is almost like "hiding in plain sight".

And, to the other poster ... what would a good lead be?? About 6 feet at 40 yards if the jet skier is doing 30 mph???? Those flares do not have a lot of muzzle velocity. HMMMM ... is there such a thing as a "sabot" flare????

Lolol. Just kidding. Again.

[SUPERTROLLER]

Have thought about a paintball gun. That ought to get their attention. Start spraying paintballs on their precious sails. Of course, then I'm just making more work for their dockboys. You know they aren't the ones running around with a scrub pail to clean up those big blowboats.

[JK]

Few years back, fishing on the Detroit River, noticed a jet ski heading our way. Only problem was, no one was on it.

Another fishing boat came up beside it and the guy sitting on the left reached out and grabbed the steering yoke, another fisherman had picked up the kid and was bring him to the jet ski. Now get this, the kid was yelling at the guys that there boat was bumping into the jet ski.

This fine example of a human being was NOT WEARING a PFD, the kill switch lanyard was tied around the steering yoke, and he was wearing a motorcycle helmet that they use in moto-cross, the ones that have an extremely long bill on them.

And they wonder why they are picked on alot.

Later on in the summer when the jet skis are out and about, a 3 OZ bell weight does the trick.

[CJW]

Bingo Supertroller you hit it right there a (young girl). I own a jet ski and there a blast. I like to jump wakes but I do it behind someone I know or my own boat. What you said is the problem. Too many young kids on them. The law does need to change that if you are under 16 you don't ride without an adult. Seen too many 12 and 14 year olds out on these. The young ones are normally the law breakers. Most of us that are responsible riders go to the middle of the lake. There just needs to be a time limit put on every lake in the country. Operating time say 11:00am to 4:00pm. But then gee after they go in I have more trouble with the skiers than jet skiers. Seems early morning or late evening ( best time for fishing) is also flattest water for these inconsiderate jerks who use your boat as a target. Again we have young kids acting like they are so cool. So don't blame the actual item used but the idiot that doesn't teach there kids about being polite. And I know its not always kids!! Where do you think the younger crowd gets it from. CW

[eyeswon]

Had some good storys on lake lice. I guess I'm not in this alone. To bad we can't get this back to the top. Thanks for the responce. James

[WAeyes]

A previous post has hit this on the head...they need an audience. Take away their audience and they get bored with it all. The problem is you can't get away from them sometimes. Since I do not have any of the above mentioned weapons, I like to cast a big hunk of lead at them. Makes me feel better anyway.

[Fishoil]

I'm not sure of the exact lead required, but I'm going to try out some of my new "hot" handloads this year. Should be able to cut the lead way down with all that extra muzzle velocity. LOL

[Big Fish]

I heard of a guy taking one out with a potato gun once. That sounded to me like a potential new sport. Could have points for direct hits, less for near misses etc. cw