They need to erect "Canoes ONLY!" signs in the swamps to keep the bass boats out:

 

 

Don't blame the bass boat. 

all is fair in fishing.  if they can get in, fish!!!  the vid didnt play

Greetings and Happy Friday All!

I had to select "play in YouTube" to see the video. 

I'm sure that is going to leave a mark, on the boat. There are those boat operators that might need to reassess the limits of their capabilities. Some of them only appear to respond to wallet based corrections. 

I prefer simple approaches to recreating. So using my yak in those tranquil locations are preferred.

 

I  appreciate considerate boat operators when they are not too fixated on their own ambitions. I also appreciate not being encroached on too. My recreation time is limited and precious. So, I do what I can to make the most of it while not allowing others to negatively affect it. 

 

@Swamp Girl there can't be enough emphasis on your theme, "Bass Boats stay out of canoe country!"

Be well, Cheers!  Happy Father's Day too!

Funny vid but you do realize that is Florida and running in that grass is bass boat territory.  😝 Running trails through the Kissimmee grass is standard operating procedure and if you zig when you should zag you end up on solid ground.  I can’t imagine meeting a canoe or kayak back on those trails.  Ps…we weren’t stuck in this pic.😉

6 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Funny vid but you do realize that is Florida and running in that grass is bass boat territory.  😝 Running trails through the Kissimmee grass is standard operating procedure and if you zig when you should zag you end up on solid ground.

 

I did not know that! Thanks for the info.

Where I fish in central FL there are canals for boats and airboat trails through mostly grass.  A kayak can't even get through most of the airboat trails.  

That is some gnarly stuff.  No chance I'd be in that with my tin rig.  Much less a much bigger, heavier fiberglass boat.

Video not showing, but I know the sentiment, which is one

reason I try to stay out of gas-powered-allowed waters with

my kayak. When we've vacationed at place like Lake Gaston,

I stayed close to the shore at all times unless I had to cross

water to the other side. Just too crazy out there.

 

When my boys and I hit the York River her in VA, I do the 

same, keep close to shore. I've fished big docks alongside

or near to big boats and they're often nice, but you can never

take them for granted. Lots of alcohol being downed by

boaters on the waters around here.

2 hours ago, Darren. said:

Video not showing, but I know the sentiment, which is one

reason I try to stay out of gas-powered-allowed waters with

my kayak. When we've vacationed at place like Lake Gaston,

I stayed close to the shore at all times unless I had to cross

water to the other side. Just too crazy out there.

 

When my boys and I hit the York River her in VA, I do the 

same, keep close to shore. I've fished big docks alongside

or near to big boats and they're often nice, but you can never

take them for granted. Lots of alcohol being downed by

boaters on the waters around here.

Agree.

Couple of years ago before I got my Bass boat, the wife and I stayed a week on Smith mountain lake.

I only had my kayak and learned very quickly to be off the water by 9am for self preservation...... wake boats, loud music and alcohol.

13 hours ago, Bird said:

Agree.

Couple of years ago before I got my Bass boat, the wife and I stayed a week on Smith mountain lake.

I only had my kayak and learned very quickly to be off the water by 9am for self preservation...... wake boats, loud music and alcohol.

 

We visited Smith Mountain Lake a number of years ago, too.

Pretty much the same, stayed close to shore, hit coves and

near the big fishing dock. Such a cool lake....

You can’t get a canoe to where he was stuck 

On 6/14/2025 at 5:57 PM, Darren. said:

Video not showing, but I know the sentiment, which is one

reason I try to stay out of gas-powered-allowed waters with

my kayak. When we've vacationed at place like Lake Gaston,

I stayed close to the shore at all times unless I had to cross

water to the other side. Just too crazy out there.

 

When my boys and I hit the York River her in VA, I do the 

same, keep close to shore. I've fished big docks alongside

or near to big boats and they're often nice, but you can never

take them for granted. Lots of alcohol being downed by

boaters on the waters around here.

Gaston in the summer and any holiday is an absolute war zone. I avoid fishing weekends in the summer there and avoid holidays all together even in my boat. 

 

I've literally had a full can of beer hurled at me thinking they were doing me a favor as they drove by. The person fell over after the throw she was so drunk. 

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

You can’t get a canoe to where he was stuck 

 

Why not?

26 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Why not?

Long way from anywhere, maybe if you paddled thru the night for a week or so 

Even though I no longer own a canoe or kayak, I’m all in favor of “paddle only” waters.

Wow, I feel for him. I bet that was long 6 hour wait. Being stranded like that is no fun at all.

On 6/16/2025 at 12:02 PM, Functional said:

Gaston in the summer and any holiday is an absolute war zone. I avoid fishing weekends in the summer there and avoid holidays all together even in my boat. 

 

I've literally had a full can of beer hurled at me thinking they were doing me a favor as they drove by. The person fell over after the throw she was so drunk. 

Oh my goodness. That's crazy. When we were there,

a couple times, I can't remember if they were holidays

or just sometime in summer, there were plenty of 

patrols on the water. Tho there were some drunks, 

it wasn't as bad as you had it. At least where we were.

😂

On 6/16/2025 at 2:08 PM, volzfan59 said:

Even though I no longer own a canoe or kayak, I’m all in favor of “paddle only” waters.

That’s essentially what “no gas outboard” lakes are here. You can launch a boat with a motor, but you cannot use it. Bow mount, paddles, or sailboats only.

We have one of those here. Great little lake.

Same thing with stumpy water.  If you ride up on a stump just under the surface, you either have to redistribute the weight in the boat, or lighten the load until until you can float off.

Know your Tide Charts ... MS and LA marshes can be unpredictable. “The marsh doesn’t care if you’re new or experienced—it’ll teach you either way.”

Good Fishing