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Boating Peeve

On a side note, the boat ramp thieves are back at it on Watts Bar. They got my buddies catalytic converter Sunday at Sandy Bottoms ramp near Ten Mile. One of my dad's friends had his cut off the week before at Big Springs boat ramp. The tow truck guy that came for my buddy's truck said he had picked up 5 others this past week that had been cut off at the ramps.
 
Boat ramps always get my blood up. My favorite is the big ski boats and Wake Boats that back 1/2 way down the ramp and then start loading the boat with supplies, skis, and coolers. Then make 4 or 5 attempts to finish backing down ramp.
Hey now not all ski / wake boats do this. Wife and I have a system. Everything is in the boat when we get to the parking lot. We pull over out of the way, she gets in boat, and I unhook back straps. I then back her in, get out while she starts it, unhook the front strap and then back her the rest of the way in so the boat slides right off. Basically reverse the process when loading. We're in and out in no time.
I don't encounter many yakkers, but apparently you have to have an IQ under 50 to buy a jet ski, ski boat, or wake boat. I think these people's mamas didn't hug them enough and they need constant attention. There's enough water to go around, but they can't resist getting close to fishermen. I really love the 25 speakers blasting the F bomb for miles on the water when people are trying to fish with their kids. Luckily, the upper end of Sardis has a lot of standing timber that keeps the morons away and you can fish up there without being bombarded with attention prostitutes.
My IQ might not be much over 50 but remind me to slap the piss out of you next time I come to Memphis. 😝 We don't crank the stereo or run up on fishermen. Matter of fact I've had fishermen come right up on us while we're anchored back in a cove out of the way multiple times. Asked one of them if he needed me to move. Fishermen don't own the lake and I've done my fair share of fishing. Just not much anymore unless I'm with some buddies.
 
People are inconsiderate and selfish. THis really has nothing to do with a boat ramp, it just happened to be where you witnessed their lack of consideration and selfishness manifesting itself. Similar to an idiot not returning a cart to the corral at a store or someone jamming up a parking lot lane waiting for ten minutes for a spot that 15 feet closer to the store.
 
People are inconsiderate and selfish. THis really has nothing to do with a boat ramp, it just happened to be where you witnessed their lack of consideration and selfishness manifesting itself. Similar to an idiot not returning a cart to the corral at a store or someone jamming up a parking lot lane waiting for ten minutes for a spot that 15 feet closer to the store.
I agree. Bass fisherman I see are no different. When my wife and I are on our paddle boards they zip by close to us, cut in front, kill motor, and start fishing. The jet ski folks are just like them. I can see half a mile of open lake, BUT mr jet ski has to come between us and the shore, do a couple loops, the leave with a whole empty lake he could have used. I've also noticed the more money me bass master has in his boat, the more privileged he feels on the ramp. A couple endorsement stickers on the side of his boat, and everyone let him go first.
 
Nah. It's a boating peeve and it happens at the ramps. Be it kayaks, bass boat, wake boat, pontoon, or racing boats. Doesn't matter...if you park on the ramp to get your stuff loaded and unloaded...that's the peeve. The only thing more annoying when it comes to ramps are the people that are set up fishing ON the ramp with chairs, etc and won't move. If I had the means to, I'd turn half my 60 acres into a lake just to avoid the people.
 
One reason I tend to only go to the smaller lakes (such as TWRA lakes) that are trolling motor only. No crazy boater/jet ski action.

I have a kayak, and will use the boat ramp. I unload/load my gear and get off the ramp so others can it. That's the way it should be.
 
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One reason I tend to only go to the smaller lakes (such as TWRA lakes) that are trolling motor only. No crazy boater/jet ski action.

I have a kayak, and will use the boat ramp. I unload/load my gear and get off the ramp so others can it. That's the way it should be.
All of them aren't necessarily trolling motor only, but most are no-wake lakes. Only time I've really had a problem with that is when I've drifted over a stump and gotten stuck and had to gun the big motor to manage to get unstuck. But that's only been a couple of times.
 
Catfishing off of a floating dock adjacent to a boat ramp and being irritated at those that use the dock to tie up their boat is the definition of oblivious.

I had my father run my boat up on trailer once while I pulled the truck out. While backing off the dock he wrapped a catfish line around the prop and jerked it into the lake. Guy on the dock was oblivious what had happened and thought it was a fish that took his rod. My father didn't see it and didn't know what was going on. I was laughing at the guy telling his buddy about the fish that got away and my father looking confused about the whole situation as I pulled up the ramp dragging the Zebco to the far end of the parking lot. Dude was chasing the rod across the lot like I was going to pull out on the highway with nothing strapped down and my father in the boat.

It truly was a "Methed Up Situation".
 
Not sure why, but it seems the new yuppies with the $5000 kayaks have the same amount of common sense as the jet skiers.

Not meaning to be assholes, but just are because they haven't been taught proper boating etiquette launching or on the water itself.

But that just may be where I fish in MS and it's not like that in TN
I walk down the ramp and kindly educate them.
 
That is common for guide Brian Carper.
I've seen him leave his trailer on the ramp while he BS's with people at the marina.
Don't let Brian or one of his guides see you catching fish. They are "hole stealers" for sure.

Also, they don't think the rules apply to them. Saw one of his guides running wide open through the no wake at Fate Sanders last spring. Wasn't a big deal to him. Well he slowed up when he got close to the dock and pushed even bigger wakes. He didn't like when I called him out and acted like it wasn't a big deal. Talked to Brian and he was mad I reported to the game warden and Hoppy. It was blatant, no reason for it, I thought maybe one of the people he was guiding needed a restroom, nope, he just didn't want to idle through the no wake.
 
This right here. I get it...I don't own the ramp. But I also don't have much patience with people any more. What they people are doing in the picView attachment 153374 is...blocking the boat ramp and standing there talking while slowly stowing their gear and kayaks. When I kayak fish, I never use the ramps. But here lately I've noticed boaters doing the same thing. Load the boat on the trailer, pull the boat up out of the water...then stop on the ramp to secure straps and gear. I always pull mine to the staging area...undo straps and get ready to launch. When I back mine down the ramp, all I have to do is unhook the front winch hook and into the boat I go. Coming back in...I drive it on the trailer, hook the front hook and winch it up...pull the boat out and up to the staging area again to do my final securing and then hit the road.
Let's not forget to mention the morons who back down the ramp to load/unload with their headlights on so the guy trying to back his trailer down next to him can't see anything because he is blinded by the lights.
Then, the offender gets pissy when you ask him to turn his lights off.
 
Let's not forget to mention the morons who back down the ramp to load/unload with their headlights on so the guy trying to back his trailer down next to him can't see anything because he is blinded by the lights.
Then, the offender gets pissy when you ask him to turn his lights off.
Bear in mind, some vehicles you cannot turn the headlights/running lights off. The headlights are a little brighter with the switch on, but turn the switch off and there are still headlights on, just no tail lights or trailer lights. 2013 F150 is one such vehicle.
 

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