Fishing Etiquette Rules (2025 Guide)
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Fishing is supposed to be relaxing, but poor etiquette can ruin a peaceful day faster than a boat blasting through your spot. Picture this: you’re casting your line, perfectly set up on the shoreline, and then—bam—a boat speeds by, cutting right through your line. Or you’ve scouted the ideal wade fishing area, only to have someone jump in front of you like they own the place.
It’s frustrating, right? Unfortunately, it’s happening more and more these days, and it seems like the unwritten rules of fishing are being forgotten. The big question is: do you know what those rules are?
Luke and I sat down to talk about this in our latest video, and let me tell you—we’ve got some stories to share. Some of the things we’ve seen (and experienced) will blow your mind. But we’re not just here to rant. We’re breaking down the essential tips every angler needs to avoid being that guy on the water.
Here’s a quick preview of what we cover:
- The one rule of dock fishing that too many people ignore.
- Why no wake zones are critical (spoiler alert: I lost an expensive camera thanks to a careless boater).
- How wade fishermen are earning priority over boats—and why it matters.
Curious if you’re unknowingly breaking any of these rules? Or maybe you just want to hear some wild etiquette fails?
🎥 Check out the full video above to learn how to be the angler everyone respects!
Seriously, don’t miss this one. Your reputation on the water could depend on it. 😉
🎣 Got a crazy fishing story? Share it in the comments—bonus points if it involves a “Karen on the dock.”
Tight lines!
Joe
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Thanks Luke and Joe
I was in my yak last April fishing in a smaller grassy inlet. A boat at a nearby ramp would not start. The guy was yelling and kicking his dog. Finally it started. He started turning circles in the lake and really making waves. Then he turned and ran some high speed circles around me. Then he went out into the larger body of water and headed straight at me and turned fast. I had turned into him prior. But the wave would have swamped me. The fish were long gone by now. He immediately left and I went to another area. I now have DNRs number in my cell. I said nothing. No sign language either.
I fish off my ski. And I understand why I get the crazy looks. Every one hates jetskis except people that have jet skis…..
I get it
Most of the time ski riders are careless and disrespectful, i leave if other skis arrive. Actually I leave if anyone shows up, I fish alone for a reason!
I forgot to mention one more etiquette issue. That is people leaving lines in the canal. Twice I’ve ran into lines where the person through their line across the canal !! Where boats go across. The first time the line wrapped in my prop, I had to get in the water to cut the line off. And I lost my expensive knife. The second time the line caught my daughters back ( she was standing up front) fortunately her quick thinking fiancé lifted the line and it broke off on my tower. Not going to lie I scolded them. Unfortunately it’s always the tourist who do this. Very dangerous
Thank y’all so much for all the reminders and some good new information for me when I try something new. I mainly fish from a dock, pier, shore, or wade fish and have had some boats come by at full bore not too far from me and it’s not fun when my spot gets busted up. Sometimes they don’t see me and I understand but other times they can’t miss me and they still do it. One funny occasion happened when I got to see a guy at church the next day and told him about the story and he admitted that it was probably him and apologized. we had a good laugh and needless to say I did give him a little bit of a hard time (in fun) because it was just too hard not too and he said he deserved it .😂
Last summer I scoped out a small creek I wanted to check out with my kayak. I left the boat ramp, paddled about a mile down the channel and into the creek system headed to my spot. the creek I was in was about 50 yards or so wide when I came across a fellow kayak angler set up cross current with a traditional anchor off the bow and a stick anchor tied to the stern. On my way to him I could see he was casting plastics toward an oyster bar in front of him and had a rod casted behind him with live bait sitting in a rod holder. I needed to het by him to get where I was going. As I got closer I asked him if he would rather me go around front or behind. he reaches back for his rod with the live bait and starts reeling it in, and in a very annoyed tone of voice says, “Go behind me if you absolutely need to get by I guess.” Mind you, I have paddled probably a mile and a half by this point. Was my etiquette wrong for thinking it shouldn’t be a big deal for me to want to get by him in a 50 yard wide creek?
Guilty as charged I’ll admit. Just looking to land my first Sheepshead. I knew it was a great spot on that fishing pier at Fort De Soto Park. I decided to squeeze between two fisherman who gave each other generous amount of space between themselves. My gut feeling told me don’t and i should of went with it. I felt it just wasn’t right and glad nobody complained. I would have left the spot and apologized and move elsewhere further out of that pier if someone would have said something. No doubt it was a good spot the guys on both sides caught two keepers each. the guy on my right even went as far as helping me. No luck at all and I left feeling like I deserved it. I’m learning thanks to you guys who are a part of Salt Strong. Salt Strong is a game changer it’s like going to college. I say that because of all the tools that are at your disposal. What you put into it is what you will get out of it and that’s okay by me. Been a member for just a few days and thanks to Salt Strong i have a game plan. Still no Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Red Fish, or Snook but the next day out i have a plan as I wade in the water at Weedon Preserve. I can’t wait to be able to post and share how that all happens. Alway be Safe, Courteous and use proper etiquette. Thanks Guys looking forward to the days a head.
Good stuff….ahhhh the old etiquette rules. Fortunately I have found a few zones where I rarely see a boat, however 2 weeks ago I was slow trolling a shoreline, very obvious that I was working towards the point. This boat came by running his engine, as he passed me he said sorry, then proceeded to go to the point 25 yds ahead and throw his loud anchor. I was confused, I thought, he apologized so he knew what he was doing was wrong- but didn’t care. I just went around him one time I had a skiff buzz the shoreline in front of me as I was fishing it, I said “ you guys need something?” Their reply was heh we are scouting the area for our fishing tournament! To which I replied. “ well good luck , I hope no one does what you did when you are fishing your tournament!” No reply.
Bad etiquette and dumb to go under a person’s dock. If there’s a boat lift, it will likely have wiring with 240 volts which can kill a person, especially in water. Due to idiots not understanding what they’re doing, new building codes for docks require posted signs warning of electrical danger likely because of one or more being electrocuted. I hear this nonsense that the water is owned by the “people” when it may or may not be state owned. The SFS shows public and private lands which should be a clue that not all water is the property of the state. It’s also dangerous to go under a person’s dock at night as they may hear commotion and assume someone is attempting to steal their boat. The problem with etiquette is that each person has their own “rules”. While Miss Manners can publish her etiquette book on the proper utensil to use and array of other “rules”, I’ve never seen a fishing or boating etiquette book as it’s doubtful you could get universal consensus. It reminds me of opening a door for a lady and it being appreciated and a “feminist” insulted and lecturing that it’s an arcane chauvinist practice. Pick one, and others would think you’re wrong.
Ha ha. So true!
Didn’t watch the video but no to well on how this world has not only lost its sence of direction but common sence as well as etiquette as well being a 61 year old baby boomer that would give anything to go back in time to my childhood years in the 70s when your fellow man could be trusted and was more friendly not to mention more respectful and considerate things that people in general do less and less because bottom line most that do these bad behaviors simply don’t care as long as they get what they all want they will do anything to get it to even if it means hurting someone physically, mentally, verbally you name it its a sick twisted warped world of selfishness and greed the only thing we can do( that is the ones that do care) is keep doing our part and do as Jesus says and not conform to the worlds standards because when we do we are no better then they are and are actually just a bunch of complaining hypocrites sad but true I have seen my share of idiotic atrocity in the last few years then I have in most of my 60 plus years on this earth but unfortunatly as also Jesus said to his disciples back over 2000 years ago it’s only going to get worse and it will only get better when our great lord and savior finally returns a second time so hold on everyone because it’s going to get rough just make sure you have the ultimate life and soul savior on and thats Jesus in your soul enough said🤔🙄