We are out with family and bank fishing for trout or anything bites , Just good time with family in long weekend.

Since mo ning about 10 group of people came to walk around the lake and everyone regardless of age or gender, Started throwing rocks in the lake. I found it very strange, Specially when hen they see us fishing here. I am just amazed and speechless. I never bother to say anything to them, But honestly it is very annoying.

Around me, it's usually kids doing it, and their parents are right there watching them do it. I'd say 20% of the parents tell their kids to stop when they get near me fishing, but the rest are oblivious.

It irks me for about half a second, but I always realize they're just kids being kids, and most adults don't know how to fish and don't understand what noise/sound does to their behavior.

Don't let that ruin your day.

Kids I can see, adults and parents letting their kids do it around someone fishing is just a lack of common courtesy.

I do think it's a great thing to show kids how to skip stones, of course not near anyone fishing.

Teach them to look for the perfect flat round stones is a great memory for all.

Hearing them hoot and holler when they get a 6 skipper is a special moment, at least for me as it brings me back in time to when I was a kid.

I like throwing rocks in the lake with my son.

We don't do it around people that are fishing, but I think there are a lot of people that are pretty oblivious to fishing.

When I am fishing from a boat, I always give people who are on the bank first right at that part of the lake. In my opinion, they have one small stretch of bank to access the lake. I have the whole lake in my boat.

When I am bank fishing if someone starts throwing rocks next to me, I usually just strike up a conversation. Its just fishing.

Is it polite? No. But they may not realize it, and with kids or dogs involved all bets are off. Absent some kind of private property they have the same privilege of using the same spaces you do. My wife and I like to go skip rocks on trips, it’s a weird thing we do. There’s some core memories there. But we don’t do it near people fishing.

But throwing rocks in water IS fun.

I remember it as a kid and probably would do it now if I was with the grandkids, I mean someone has to show them how to skip rocks, but not near folks fishing or swimming.

Some people are just as dumb as, well, rocks.

I feel like a lot of kids/people nowadays don’t care whether they bother fisherman out on the water.

More than time again, I’ve seen people throwing rocks, letting their dogs run, or just splashing about with no regards to the fisherman nearby.

At least this has been my experience in Texas.

11 hours ago, VolFan said:

Is it polite? No. But they may not realize it

Can't agree more. I let kids be kids. And to be completely real with you, I probably did it as a kid as well.

I would be more worried if I saw a kid that didn't throw rocks in a lake. Most lakes have lots of room, for both fishing and rock throwing.

Brings back to good ole days of throwing rocks at dying alewives in Lake Michigan. Back when they had alewive dies offs and about the time they started introducing salmon. Grenade launcher rocks were medium sized for the more distant targets, Depth charges were bigger rocks for the closer in targets and would lift the dead/dying alewife out of the water with the concussion. I didn't throw around fisherman, not that there were many bank fisherman back in the day before Lake Michigan around the Chicagoland area.

FM

I think we could have a separate thread about recreational kayakers cutting between the shoreline (that I am actively fishing) and my boat/kayak. It’s happened more than a few times and I always scratch my head.

Throwing rocks into the lake is a nuisance, but it's a lot better than throwing in empties.

My kids love throwing rocks in the water, and I was the same way when I was a kid. Still enjoy skipping rocks with my boys. They love seeing how many times I can skip a rock or how far I can throw a rock (use to have a cannon but my arm would probably fall off at my shoulder if I tried to throw it like I use to 😂).

Does it annoy me? Yeah, especially if I'm fishing a spot and people come to where I'm at, just to throw rocks. At the same time, they are just there to enjoy themselves like I am and have the same right to the water that I do. Could they do it anywhere? Sure, but they probably feel the same way about my fishing and maybe there is something sentimental about the spot to them. As long as they aren't trying to throw rocks at me, or obviously doing it intentionally to disrupt what I'm doing, I'll just move and maybe come back later.

Folks have been tossing rocks into lakes and rivers forever, done it myself more times than I can count. Why? Heck, that’s a great question. I don’t have an answer. Doing it around people who are fishing is just plain rude behavior.

I’ve never thought about the why . Primal urge maybe?

Andy and Opie started it years ago

On 2/18/2026 at 2:35 PM, stk44 said:

I think we could have a separate thread about recreational kayakers cutting between the shoreline (that I am actively fishing) and my boat/kayak. It’s happened more than a few times and I always scratch my head.

Yes....it's like they have a super power to take the exact line I want to fish everytime. Near the bank, on a deep ledge line, in a small narrow creek that leads no where....they just find a way.

6 hours ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

I’ve never thought about the why . Primal urge maybe?

Haha…I think you’re on to something, you may be right

1 minute ago, Junger said:

Yes....it's like they have a super power to take the exact line I want to fish everytime. Near the bank, on a deep ledge line, in a small narrow creek that leads no where....they just find a way.

I don’t think they know any better so I just let it go. I just hope they are more attentive at a crosswalk.