No wake zones?

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
I know of a guy that was stopped by marine fisheries last weekend for going to fast in a no wake zone. He was on plane in a 17 foot custom flat bottom Jon boat which produced approximately 6 inches of wake. While talking to the officer a large sportfisher came by slowly pushing three feet of wake causing the two stopped boats to bang each other pretty good. Fiberglass and metal don't do well together. When the officer was asked how the law was enforced he couldn't give a definite answer as he seemed upset by the large gash in the fiberglass however he didn't persue the larger vessel. No tickets were issued. What's everyone's opinion on this law and how is it regulated where you are?
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I haven't seen a whole lot of enforcement on freshwater lakes for no wake zones, ymmv... saltwater is a different story. If it is a true no wake zone in the ICW you better listen or you will get stopped.
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Normally left up to "officer discretion" which means absolutely nothing. There isn't a hard and fast criteria for determining how much is too much. Personally I've have always thought of NO WAKE as in gear at idle speed.....
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
In most waters "No Wake" means the "minimum headway required to maintain steerage". That means the least possible speed that still allows you to move forward and still steer the boat. You can't use RPMs as a guideline and displacement makes a difference.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Cant speak for the other but if he was on plane then he should.get a ticket.
Some boats will have a wake even just in gear.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you are making much headway you are playing with fire in a no wake zone that is the simple answer. Like Longrifle said some no wake zones require more headway just to maintain steerage depending on current or tide but best bet is to just do exactly what it takes to retain control of the vessel.
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Cant speak for the other but if he was on plane then he should.get a ticket.
Absolutely he should get a ticket, no question about that. Why anyone would be on plane in a no-wake zone and even question the officer is beyond me. Larger displacement boats like the sportfisher naturally push more water, that is to be expected.
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the reply, I guess it's more of a safety thing than a wake issue at that location as I've seen it get crowded. He didn't like the fact that the officer couldn't give him a definite answer as to why a six inch wake was a violation but a three foot wake wasn't . Personally I think it is disrespectful to pass boats with out slowing down as that's how I was raised fishing coastal creeks but that's another topic that really gets to me.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Personally I think it is disrespectful to pass boats with out slowing down as that's how I was raised fishing coastal creeks but that's another topic that really gets to me.

That depends. What annoys me more, is when they slow down just enough to come off plane. That throws about a 3' wake, when if they'd of stayed on plane and gone about their business, it would have been half as much. In wider areas, I'd much rather them just keep a good distance than slow down.

Now if you're on plane in a no wake zone, you should expect to get a ticket.
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Personally I think it is disrespectful to pass boats with out slowing down as that's how I was raised fishing coastal creeks but that's another topic that really gets to me.

You were raised wrong, I'd much prefer you maintain plane unless you're within 50 feet of me. You make less wake when on plane than plowing at 2/3 or 1/2 throttle. Would you rather encounter a 6" wake or a 3' wake??
 

quackNcluck

Six Pointer
The same thing happened to my uncle last Saturday. We fished Jacksonville and were headed in probably 2-3 mph barely making a wake. We saw a stranded Pontoon who had motor problems so we did our good deed for the day and towed them in. When we arrived at the ramp 2 Wildlife officers were waiting there on us to inform us we were "flying through the No Wake zone." They only issued us a warning in exchange for us helping the stranded boat. I watched 50+ boats hammer down through the No Wake zones throughout the day but they decided to pick us off. Just happy we were able to dodge a $250 ticket :cool:
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
You were raised wrong, I'd much prefer you maintain plane unless you're within 50 feet of me. You make less wake when on plane than plowing at 2/3 or 1/2 throttle. Would you rather encounter a 6" wake or a 3' wake??
Ok explain the plane factor when in a no wake zone ?
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Just asking in a no wake zone would you rather encounter a 6 inch wake or a three foot wake? I'm confused, maybe because I was raised wrong
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
you'll never upset any one in tight quarters if you slow down and make as little wave as possible. NWZs and fishing situations.
I think you were raised exactly right woods and water. Been playing that game for a long time big and small lakes, rivers.
what happens is some boat's slow plow swamps little boats and seemingly the drivers are oblivious.
as for staying on plane near folks: how do you think bass fishermen got their reputation for obnoxious boat handling? :)
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the compliment, I think my dad raised me the best he could seeing what he had to work with. I wasn't the one that was on plane in the no wake zone. I was just asking opinions on the enforcement of the law after the guy told me he was stopped
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
...how do you think bass fishermen got their reputation for obnoxious boat handling? :)
I was fishing in the 1970 and 80's in places like Chowan River, Roanoke River, North River, Currituck Sound, etc., and back then good boating manners were exhibited by everyone. If you passed by someone fishing, then you slowed to a crawl, period.

In 1992 I started fishing Falls Lake, and back then it was not too bad. There were some bass boats, but nothing like today, and manners overall were still pretty good. But now they will zoom right by you at 40 to 50+ without a thought.

Last time at Falls Lake I went into a cove just after a mega bass boat had come out. There floating on top in the very middle was a nabs wrapper and Mountain Dew bottle. I recovered both. Not all bass boats operators are rude, but enough are that there is a definite pattern that would hard to deny.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I was fishing in the 1970 and 80's in places like Chowan River, Roanoke River, North River, Currituck Sound, etc., and back then good boating manners were exhibited by everyone. If you passed by someone fishing, then you slowed to a crawl, period.

In 1992 I started fishing Falls Lake, and back then it was not too bad. There were some bass boats, but nothing like today, and manners overall were still pretty good. But now they will zoom right by you at 40 to 50+ without a thought.

Last time at Falls Lake I went into a cove just after a mega bass boat had come out. There floating on top in the very middle was a nabs wrapper and Mountain Dew bottle. I recovered both. Not all bass boats operators are rude, but enough are that there is a definite pattern that would hard to deny.
well ime it began in the 80's and jordan lake signaled the begin of the decline. New folks out there with no clue, also my first experience with folks fishing on top of you with no guilt.

Then it really was bad as folks understood what they were missing by just fishing the shoreline and wanted to find spots by "helping" you fish them offshore.

I envy your fishing at currituck ; that was one more special place in the time frame you mention.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I dont like control but there should be something, like your drivers license..... What you need for CDL, motorcycle. ....

There should be something maybe tied to fishing license that you get a boaters license.
Never fails being all by yourself and on a big lake only to have a wake boarder or some party boat about run over your fishing lines as they pass by.

Last spring I had a lady pulling a guy, she was 30 yards from me and he is yelling to turn away to her... he ended up dropping telling her to turnit off and swim to the boat.
He started asking what were you thinking, he is trying to fish and you run between shore and him.....
At least he knew it was wrong, maybe she learned something.....
Most the time they just dont care.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I dont like control but there should be something, like your drivers license..... What you need for CDL, motorcycle. ....

There should be something maybe tied to fishing license that you get a boaters license.
Never fails being all by yourself and on a big lake only to have a wake boarder or some party boat about run over your fishing lines as they pass by.

Last spring I had a lady pulling a guy, she was 30 yards from me and he is yelling to turn away to her... he ended up dropping telling her to turnit off and swim to the boat.
He started asking what were you thinking, he is trying to fish and you run between shore and him.....
At least he knew it was wrong, maybe she learned something.....
Most the time they just dont care.
they dont know or dont give a chit. either way it is annoying at times.
 

recoil

Eight Pointer
You were raised wrong, I'd much prefer you maintain plane unless you're within 50 feet of me. You make less wake when on plane than plowing at 2/3 or 1/2 throttle. Would you rather encounter a 6" wake or a 3' wake??
I agree. Slowing down ends up causing way more wake. I'd rather a boat pass me at 40 mph vs 10
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I envy your fishing at currituck ; that was one more special place in the time frame you mention.
It was a wild and wonderful place. A lot of folks don't realize that one of the early Bass Master Classics was held there, 1974 IIRC.
 

fowlplay'n

Twelve Pointer
You wanna see a no wake zone full of boats on plane and people that lack any common sense at all just go spend a day at the turning basin in Morehead city. It seems to get worse every year but this year especially I’ve seen more boaters fly through the entire no wake zone than ever before. Was caught in a storm last weekend and that really brought out the best in people?
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
You wanna see a no wake zone full of boats on plane and people that lack any common sense at all just go spend a day at the turning basin in Morehead city. It seems to get worse every year but this year especially I’ve seen more boaters fly through the entire no wake zone than ever before. Was caught in a storm last weekend and that really brought out the best in people?
I agree, Unfortunately i have been there during memorial day weekend.
After those visits i can deal and not bitch at any freshwater boating issues for at least a week. :)
 

redbow

Ten Pointer
Woods and water, you were raised right. Just remember, they do stuff different in West Virginia, from relationships and marriage to boat etiquette.
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
No wake zones can be tricky. I usually traverse at least 3 maybe 4 every weekend. 1 of them almost always has white caps and or a 1-2’ chop from wind. The others are gradually less to dead slick. I adjust my no wake speed accordingly.

I’m never on plane, and never look like I’m going fast, I just make sure my boat isn’t making a bigger wave than the wind. Seems to have worked for me in 30 years on the water.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Was down in the keys for a day last week. The sign I go by heading out reads "Slow Speed Minimum Wake"

When I am out kayaking I always hate when someone tries to do me a favor and they pull off a plane and throw out triple the wake.
 
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