I have written about fishing etiquette on my fishing page, because of things I have seen and had happen to me, but from what I saw last summer, I want to take being on the water a step farther. While fishing one afternoon I saw an older man with what looked like his grandson coming across a lake in one of those little 14-foot resort row boats with maybe a 10 to 15 horse outboard. Heading towards the man and boy was a 20-foot bass boat running about 40mph and changed direction (RIGHT TO LEFT) probably 75 yards or less in front of this small boat, passing it on the left side, making a huge wake that came close to capsizing the 14-foot boat. This really pissed me off, but I don’t fish this lake often and never saw the Bass Boat again after that incident. First of all, if the DNR had seen this, I guarantee you, the guy in the Bass Boat would have gotten a citation for operating in a negligent or reckless manner. (WHEN YOU CREATE HAZARDOUS WAKES OR WAVE CONDITIONS, THE BOAT OPERATER OF THAT BOAT IS LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT IS CAUSED).

I’m sure the two guys had to get to their fishing spot before the fish left, but besides a sailboat, did you know, it’s unlawful to pass another boat within 200 feet like these idiots in the Bass boat did? Well, it is. You never know when the DNR will be on the water or watching from the shoreline with high power binoculars (I HAD THE CHANCE TO LOOK THOUGH A PAIR OF THESE AND YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE HOW FAR YOU CAN SEE) so be careful while on the water. The only problem is, no one reads the signage at boat ramps about boat safety and the DNR doesn’t have the resources to monitor all lakes in the Northwoods. Here’s a few more things you may not know while boating. The number one violation is for life jackets. Every boat has to have one wearable flotation device or PFD for everyone on board and they must be appropriately sized. Then any boat 16 foot or over, must also have a throwable preserver and children under 13 must wear their PFD while on the boat.

Even canoer and kayaker have to wear a PFD, but here’s something I didn’t know. Now, paddleboarders must wear one too. So, what should you do if someone fly’s by or makes a big wake by you?  If it’s a low to medium wake, I would slow down and point my boat into the wave and hit it head on. The way I see it, you might get a little wet, but you won’t capsize. If the wake is high, I would slow down and meet it at a 45-degree angle and ride over it. You’re still going to rock that boat, but it won’t be as bad. So, what is right or wrong when boating? The right side of the boat is the STARBORD side and the left is PORT side, but to make things simple, I’m just using left & right. If a boat is coming up behind another, it passes on the RIGHT. If boats are meeting head on, both stay to their right. If a boat is crossing in front of another, give way to the boat on the RIGHT. Then, if you are on the water after dark, there is a reason boats have a RED and GREEN light on the front. When boating at night, never cause a wake and if you are meeting another boat head on, when passing you both should be seeing a red light in front of the boats. It’s too bad the two guys in the Bass Boat didn’t read this topic on boating etiquette before they hit the water that day. The older man and maybe grandson in that little resort boat were not happy and didn’t go into the drink, but I’m sure grandpa needed a drink when they got out of the boat.