  High Res Photo Manistee, Michigan,Sunday, August 15, 2004, First Street public boat ramps. Over the week end hundreds of boaters flocked to the boat ramps. On Saturday the street leading to the ramps had vehicles backup a quarter of a mile. Coast Guard officials in Ludington reported similar conditions leading to Loomis Street boat ramps. The "High Res Photo" shows a fisherman cutting into a prize Coho. Photo Senior Chief Tom Rau Fishing frenzy often overrides Nav rules Posted August 23, 2004 I wrote the following newspaper piece 18 years ago and apparently little has changed regarding recreational fishermen and their misguided interpretation of the Navigation Rules. So once again, let me set the record straight regarding recreational fishing and the Navigation Rules, but first the story. Manistee River Channel, August 31, 1987. Late Sunday morning the Manistee channel resembled the L.A. freeway system: congestion, confusion, festering tempers, disregard for the safety of others, everything but gunplay prevailed. Those were my thoughts as I looked out Station Manistee’s radio watch room at the river channel. I ordered the crew to saddle up and within minutes we were underway to establish traffic control in the channel buzzing with fish-crazed anglers pursuing a lee within Manistee’s river channel from gusty winds and high seas. The running of the Coho had drawn hundreds of fishermen to the harbor mouth. A solo fisherman, determined to land his catch, nearly ran his 16-foot boat into several boats. He hooked a fish near the South Pier Head Light, then began zigzagging across the 300-foot wide Manistee channel while steering the boat with one hand and battling the fish with the other. Approaching the seawall, he turned away from the helm and faced the stern to reel in the fish. I watched in disbelief as the boat bounced off the wall. Ignoring the collision, he continued to battle the fish. A 25-knott wind pinned the boat against the pier wall; two gentlemen fishing off the pier leaped onto the boat to assist as he fought the coho. This account may sound humorous, but not to the many boaters forced to change course to avoid a collision with our possessed angler. A situation made even more hazardous by gusty southwesterly winds that threatened to set boaters onto the wall while attempting to avoid Captain Zigzag, who in the end lost the fish. Unfortunately I couldn’t cite the boater for hazardous operation due to more pressing matters. I flipped on the blue law enforcement light and steamed down the center of the channel, acting as a center highway line in order to keep outbound boats on the right side of the channel and those inbound on the left, and fishermen from zigzagging to and fro. This certainly wasn’t the first time nor would be the last I had to perform traffic cop duties to enforce proper vessel traffic flow in a channel in accordance with Inland Navigation Rules. Apparently, over time little has changed. While visiting the crew at Station Frankfort in 2003, several crewmen told me they often tune in VHF-FM Channel 10, a common working frequency used by the local fishermen, for an up date on what they call ‘Lake Michigan combat fishing’. “During the running of the salmon you should hear these guys go at each other threatening to cut lines, ram boats, and inflict bodily harm,” said Coast Guardsman Kevin Cook. So crazed can fishermen become that they even ignore those in distress. On Saturday, August 14, 2004 a 17-foot Ranger boat struck Manistee’s South Breakwater while out bound into the lake. Coast Guardsman, Clark Bates, while conducting boat checks around 5 a.m. heard an engine roar. “It sounded like a jet ski accelerating, and then I heard a bang followed by someone hollering for help,” said Bates. A stream of outbound fishermen ignored the boater’s cries for help. A fisherman did, however, call 911, but by then Bates and his crew were underway to assist. “The boat had struck the breakwater rocks with its bow pointing upward, which spared the couple aboard serious injury,” said Coast Guardsman, Jeremy Morris. The impact fractured the boat’s fiberglass hull. Fishing frenzy often leads to a self-serving interpretation of the Navigation Rules. One rule swirling about fish stations, boat ramps, and campgrounds—fishermen enjoy the right-of-way over other vessels while engaged in recreational fishing. Nonsense. The rules apply to fishing boats that due to the nature of their WORK are restricted in their ability to maneuver. A vessel engaged in trawling, which according to Navigation Rule 26 means: “the dragging through the water of a dredge net or other apparatus”, has the right-of-way over power and sail boats. These fishing boats with extended nets trailing far off the stern, or off the beam, or trailing cable with ice-hook like barbs (line fishing), are working fishing boats according to the rules. The nature of their work clearly restricts their ability to maneuver and power and sailboats must give way. These boats also display distinct day shapes: a black cone pointing upward if fishing nets extend more than 150 meters horizontally from the vessel, and two vertical cones with their apexes together or basket that can readily be seen by other boaters. At night, they display a vertical green over white light on the mast to announce they are engaged in fishing and if trawling a red over white light. According to the rules, trawling means: “the dragging through the water a dredge net or other apparatus”. A recreational sports fisherman, and that includes licensed recreational charter boats, do NOT have the right-of-way over power or sailboats while engaged in fishing. Most of the fishing lines that sport fishermen troll with could be cut with a finger nail clipper. Remember, sport fishermen troll, working fishermen trawl, many recreational fishermen, however, seemingly confuse the words or interpret them as alike. Navigation Rules addressing fishing apply to harbors and channels as well. In fact, in narrow channels according to the rules, even working fishing boats “shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.” While many fishermen attempt to lord over Lake Michigan’s many river channels, harbor mouths and bays, they do so while in violation of the rules that are in place to maintain order and safety upon the waters. So what’s more important fishing or safety? Those who BOAT SMART needn’t answer Group
Grand Haven | USCG
Office of Boating Safety
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