Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

ScottTX
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Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by ScottTX »

So I am new to kayak fishing and generally fish Pierce Marsh (off Bayou Vista). I have only been out about 5 times. The latest was last weekend. I am not a hunter so it didn't occur to me that I would be sharing the marsh with hunters. There is one area I really wanted to fish but there were a couple of guys in blind hunting the area. What am I supposed to do in that situation? I would have had to paddled right by them to get to the area I wanted to fish. the weather sucked so I just called it a day and headed back to the truck. If it had been a nice day I would not have wanted to head back. If is just time to retire the kayak until hunting season is over?
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Tombo »

I try to stay clear of hunters but not sure of the distance. Sometimes they are too good at staying hidden. Hoping some hunters will chime in.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Kayak Kid »

Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season:

Wear a heavy jacket. Turn away and duck when they shoot at you. The jacket should prevent any pellets from reaching bare skin.

or:

Stay home and watch football. Marsh fishing during hunting season may be dangerous to one's physiological and psychological health.. Kinda like showing up at a gunfight with with only a knife (or paddle) as your weapon.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Fin-Addict »

Do they duck hunt pierce marsh, Eckert Bayou, Starvation Cove?
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FishNMike
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by FishNMike »

Well I fish, duck hunt, bird hunt etc, etc.....

Last weekend was the opening day of Teal season. Those are fast little boogers that make a whistling sound ans zip right by as you sit there in your duck blind looking at your feet! :horse:
I've been rained on (falling shot) by 7.5's, 8's and 9's all lead shot. However I have never been in a steel shot (required for duck hunting) rain. The best advice I can give you you is either stay close (so they shoot over you, that is, unless they are shooting at a low flyer!! :o ) or stay far far away. I would er on far far away!
Travel of the shot depends greatly on the shot size, temp, elevation, etc, etc....However #2 steel shot can easily travel 900' and that's a big rainbow right there.
So with that said, and what I do, is look away and down from the shot. The last thing you want to do, and what your instinct tells you to do, is to look up in the sky toward the shot and wait for a round piece of steel to imbed in your eye!!!! If you hear little things hitting the water like rain. Definitely look down, close your eyes and think happy thoughts! :dance:
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RedsOnRiot
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by RedsOnRiot »

ScottTX wrote:So I am new to kayak fishing and generally fish Pierce Marsh (off Bayou Vista). I have only been out about 5 times. The latest was last weekend. I am not a hunter so it didn't occur to me that I would be sharing the marsh with hunters. There is one area I really wanted to fish but there were a couple of guys in blind hunting the area. What am I supposed to do in that situation? I would have had to paddled right by them to get to the area I wanted to fish. the weather sucked so I just called it a day and headed back to the truck. If it had been a nice day I would not have wanted to head back. If is just time to retire the kayak until hunting season is over?

Just paddle over to your spot. It's public land so what are they going to do, shoot you? They will just have to get over it.

I am also a bird hunter, teal, duck, dove, quail you name it. I do not have a problem with people passing through if it is public, just don't stick around for very long and get to your spot quickly.
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adanvjr
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by adanvjr »

That's a great question.
I have yet to run into hunters when I go to the marsh, but I would like to know what's the best etiquette as well.

Right now, I'm guessing most hunters would be out of the marsh after about 10AM?
I'm thinking of going to THF and ask over there as well.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by redneckyakclub01 »

I duck hunt and fish so I understand both sides. For fishing during duck season:

1). Keep your eyes and ears open. If you see hunters, occupied blinds, decoy spread etc, then steer clear. I would suggest 100 yards as a minimum. This will keep you safe and should keep them happy. I don't mean anchor up 100 yards away and start casting. I mean paddle around them at 100 yards. I wouldn't fish within direct line of sight.

2). If you accidentally paddle up without seeing them, apologize and explain you didn't see them, then paddle away.

3). If they are hunting a narrow channel, they are dumb. So, treat them as if they were dumb. Paddle through if need be, then get the hell away. Seriously, it's not a good place to hunt and they gotta expect there will be traffic so why would they hunt there? These guys are likely to be unpredictable so just go about your business and don't get in a pissing match.

4). Expect more predawn boat traffic. Make sure your 360 light is good and visible and wear bright colors/flag after dawn.


Hopefully we can avoid all the hatred... 'The duckhunters did this and that' is no different than kayakers blaming bank fisherman or boaters blaming kayakers or anyone blaming anyone. In reality there are good and bad in each group. As a yak fisherman, I know there is plenty of water to avoid the hunters. As a hunter, I welcome fisherman in the area (at a distance)as they keep the ducks up and moving. Can't we all just get along?
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Yaklash »

By using the word etiquette you are asking about manners. First of all, I avoid areas I know to be good duck hunting areas, but if I was to go to a marsh like that, I wouldn't go until 9:30 or 10:00 and I wouldn't go anywhere near someone's decoy spread. As an occasional waterfowl hunter with some experience hunting public areas, you learn to expect others passing thru your shooting range. Most hunters know to get thru and set up beyond your range and do so before first light. Flashlights are commonly used to let someone know you are set up. Hunters set up early.

Someone coming thru at 7:00 am after the birds are flying is quite irritating - a decoy spread isn't going to attract birds if there's a big yellow boat and a stroking paddle moving thru. So if you're not getting on the water until daylight, I'd say the good etiquette thing to do is not fish the marsh. Or fish the bayside edge of the marsh.
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macjank7
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by macjank7 »

I am not avoiding miles of marsh just because people want to duck hunt every hundred yards of shoreline for ten miles. I may drive a hundred miles and paddle a mile or two before the first blind and I'll be damned if I'm turning around when I see a spread. They can hunt ducks in a freshwater pond, I can't catch speckled trout in one.
I give plenty of space if I paddle by but I have still had duck hunters yell and shoot over my head and they could see me. I guess I let the idiots build a stereotype but I can't help it. Maybe there should be a class on potlickers, duck hunters and how to act on the water. Fall is some of the best marsh and shoreline fishing and I'm not passing it up for people that hunt greasy ducks. It's not rude to stay a good distance away and give each othet space, we have to share the water.
Avoiding the marsh all together because of duck season is about the most ignorant thing I have read in a while besides "are the trout running yet?".
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by texasag07 »

macjank7 wrote:I am not avoiding miles of marsh just because people want to duck hunt every hundred yards of shoreline for ten miles. I may drive a hundred miles and paddle a mile or two before the first blind and I'll be damned if I'm turning around when I see a spread. They can hunt ducks in a freshwater pond, I can't catch speckled trout in one.
I give plenty of space if I paddle by but I have still had duck hunters yell and shoot over my head and they could see me. I guess I let the idiots build a stereotype but I can't help it. Maybe there should be a class on potlickers, duck hunters and how to act on the water. Fall is some of the best marsh and shoreline fishing and I'm not passing it up for people that hunt greasy ducks. It's not rude to stay a good distance away and give each othet space, we have to share the water.
Avoiding the marsh all together because of duck season is about the most ignorant thing I have read in a while besides "are the trout running yet?".

You seem to think all duck species are on consistently on freshwater ponds and that those ponds are the best place to hunt them. That is incorrect. The duck hunters have as much right to use the water as you do. The hunters also drive a hundred miles to pursue their hobby and some paddle the same distance or more as well so no reason to get some attitude that they can take their hobby elsewhere because you don't like it.


To the original poster give the hunters the same courtesy you would other fisherman plus another 50 yds if possible and your negative interactions will be kept to a minimum. If for some reason you get to close make a quick apology and move through that spot. Common courtesy and manners go a long way with most, minus the bad apples. You don't have to avoid the marsh completely.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Milkjug »

Aww Kevin, Macs just expanding his trolling domain since it has been so successful on 2cool. Not quite worth that much typing. :)

Greasy ducks? These bad boys have been flying across the continent twice a year. I wish they were as fatty as a nice roasted grain-fed pekin.

Kayakers: Duck hunting involves waking up at ridiculous hours and a disproportianate amount of work to time spent hunting. They are gonna get pissed if you decide to post up 50 yards away. Plenty of space for everyone. If you have to paddle though, that's fine. Just keep going until you are 100yds plus away. Most of them are picking up by 9am as well. Keep in mind duck season is a small percentage of the year too, and opening day is going to be the worst.

Hunters: Put some effort into getting further away. I have no problem paddling an hour to get to a spot. If you set up somewhere like the entrance to Pierce or righ off Sportsman's on a weekend, you are gonna have a lot of kayaker/wader traffic. Shooting at someone is a dick move, and could get you arrested. Paddle over and explain yourself.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by macjank7 »

texasag07 wrote:
macjank7 wrote:I am not avoiding miles of marsh just because people want to duck hunt every hundred yards of shoreline for ten miles. I may drive a hundred miles and paddle a mile or two before the first blind and I'll be damned if I'm turning around when I see a spread. They can hunt ducks in a freshwater pond, I can't catch speckled trout in one.
I give plenty of space if I paddle by but I have still had duck hunters yell and shoot over my head and they could see me. I guess I let the idiots build a stereotype but I can't help it. Maybe there should be a class on potlickers, duck hunters and how to act on the water. Fall is some of the best marsh and shoreline fishing and I'm not passing it up for people that hunt greasy ducks. It's not rude to stay a good distance away and give each other space, we have to share the water.
Avoiding the marsh all together because of duck season is about the most ignorant thing I have read in a while besides "are the trout running yet?".
The duck hunters have as much right to use the water as you do. The hunters also drive a hundred miles to pursue their hobby and some paddle the same distance or more as well so no reason to get some attitude that they can take their hobby elsewhere because you don't like it.
I couldn't care less if they are there or not, it is the "bad apples" that act like fishermen can take their hobby elsewhere because they don't like us coming within eyesight of their spread if they even have one. I understand that like every other genre in life there are actually some considerate duck hunters out there but I have shared the same body of water with far more rude, inconsiderate and unsafe individuals than the "good guys."
One well known bay is so overrun with airboats and hunters that as I have illustrated before are unsafe and very inconsiderate towards any one else out on the water including other hunters. I paddled through a cove one day last year by myself and found myself surrounded by duck hunters without blinds all facing each other and they were shooting towards each other well within the range of 12 gauge high brass. It was ridiculous and there was no where to go but straight down the middle.
I have been purposely peppered, had hunters yell and shoot over my head when there are no ducks in sight and even paddled to the bank one day to drop a deuce and low and behold there were about ten people hunkered down in the grass for about twenty yards either way. Not a decoy, dog, boat or truck in sight. I had no choice but to let it rip right there. I guess airboats just randomly drop people off all over the shoreline with nothing but a gun and a few boxes of shells?
Another day we drove my Jeep to the shoreline early in the morning and paddled out to slam some trout in the bay and about 6 or 8 hours later we headed back and before we got to the Jeep some guys were parked next to my vehicle and they had a spread out right where we threw the yaks in. They had the nerve to wave us off as if gesturing "go around"...yeah right. I paddled around their spread, beached my kayak and walked over to them and explained that we just paddled our asses off to get back and we were not going waaaay around them and have to drag our kayaks through the mud twice as far just so we wouldn't spook their precious ducks. They understood I guess but it makes me wonder what the heck people are thinking. They were no further than a hundred feet from where I parked. Are you kidding me???
I have also been way out from the shoreline and had to listen to loud assed airboats running up and down the shoreline and all over the grass and marsh all through the day. Airboats are badass as long as you are the one riding on or driving it and not the other guys trying to enjoy fishing or heaven forbid paddling back in the back lakes nearly getting run over out of the blue when you think you are away from them.
It goes both ways! I truly appreciate the considerate hunters and other fishermen. Maybe you guys can let your compadres understand that they are not the only ones out there! I am all about sharing the bay but instances like this would leave a bad taste in anyones mouth.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by SAHunter1983 »

Mac, I need to buy you a round if I am ever in your neck of the woods. Lmfao! Preach on brother. I hunt fish and do everything in between, one thing is constant though. You cant fix stupid. Not legally at least. Common courtesy is great but there is only so much you can paddle past, avoid, and and apologize for. There are always a few pricks that you will never fix.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by macjank7 »

SAHunter1983 wrote:Mac, I need to buy you a round if I am ever in your neck of the woods. Lmfao! Preach on brother. I hunt fish and do everything in between, one thing is constant though. You cant fix stupid. Not legally at least. Common courtesy is great but there is only so much you can paddle past, avoid, and and apologize for. There are always a few pricks that you will never fix.
I am on the night shift for a few more days, do you drink in the morning? Haha
I don't mean to offend anyone, I just tell it like it is and some people hate that.
Duck hunters probably have discussions on the hunting forums venting about bad experiences with "stupid kayakers" that paddle straight through their spread and try to "pet the little duckies" and God knows what else but in the end it is all about courtesy and common sense. If everyone had these two virtues the marsh and bay would be a better place.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by txspeck »

In my opinion any hunter with a gun has the right away. Is it worth fishing around blasting shotguns? Plenty of other places to fish. :mrgreen:
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by macjank7 »

txspeck wrote:In my opinion any hunter with a gun has the right away. Is it worth fishing around blasting shotguns? Plenty of other places to fish. :mrgreen:
Where I fish it is
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by spektakler »

I have been fishing every duck season in the Galv marshes without ever having an issue with the hunters for a loooong time, Its not hard to stay far enough away that they are not an issue, I will see them before they see me. I give them their space and they do not hamper mine. As was previously mentioned they are picked up by late morning and then you will find the redfish rooting around the shell casings. Fishon
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by billy bobba »

It's a short season so I cut the duck hunters some slack - as long as they are polite and respectful towards me as well .
By November, I don't mind sleeping in a few hours before starting to fish ( about 10am ) .
A pair of binoculars to scope out the blinds on a flat prior to paddling through can help you avoid a lot of conflicts and hassles.

The bays are a public resource and the hunters have not leased any of it from the GLO (or even paid any fee for blinds) to allot them any special privileges.
For me it's just a matter of sharing the bay flats in a reasonable and equitable fashion.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Hemi Fisher »

I had a run in with some duck hunters last year. I woke up at 4am, drove 2 hours to the coast, paddled 2.5 miles to the spot we wanted to fish where there are 3 lakes. Tide was high, so I wanted to fish the back lake. There were 2 hunters tucked down in their camo john boat sitting right at the mouth of the 2nd lake. The grass in this marsh is tall, and there are multiple winding canals that turn you all different directions as you push towards the back of the marsh. When sitting in a kayak, it is hard to see what is in front of you unless it is in the direct path of the canal you are in. Long story short, we did not see them until they were about 50 yards in front of us. They were already standing up, cussing us out, and throwing an absolute fit. Once I saw them, I simply said that we did not see them, and would paddle through quietly to the back lake and let them do their thing, but they were already screaming and hollering and picking up their decoys.

Was I wrong in this situation? Waking up early, driving 2 hours to the spot, and then paddling for another hour or so just to get to the marsh entrance...having to turn back from there was not going to happen after all that. It would be different if we were fishing a small lake with easy access, but having to turn back would have killed our day and had us paddling another 2.5 miles back to the truck and driving 2 hours back home for nothing.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Coachsmills »

Hemi Fisher wrote:I had a run in with some duck hunters last year. I woke up at 4am, drove 2 hours to the coast, paddled 2.5 miles to the spot we wanted to fish where there are 3 lakes. Tide was high, so I wanted to fish the back lake. There were 2 hunters tucked down in their camo john boat sitting right at the mouth of the 2nd lake. The grass in this marsh is tall, and there are multiple winding canals that turn you all different directions as you push towards the back of the marsh. When sitting in a kayak, it is hard to see what is in front of you unless it is in the direct path of the canal you are in. Long story short, we did not see them until they were about 50 yards in front of us. They were already standing up, cussing us out, and throwing an absolute fit. Once I saw them, I simply said that we did not see them, and would paddle through quietly to the back lake and let them do their thing, but they were already screaming and hollering and picking up their decoys.

Was I wrong in this situation? Waking up early, driving 2 hours to the spot, and then paddling for another hour or so just to get to the marsh entrance...having to turn back from there was not going to happen after all that. It would be different if we were fishing a small lake with easy access, but having to turn back would have killed our day and had us paddling another 2.5 miles back to the truck and driving 2 hours back home for nothing.
I've had a similar situation like this before. Two young guys set up at the entrance to the marsh where there was only one way in and started mumbling to each other as I was passing by. I heard them say "This dumb @&*! kayaker is going to paddle right through the spot we're hunting". I was hugging the shoreline as much as I could and had to stop when I heard them. Told them that if they didn't want people paddling right by where they were hunting then to go in the marsh and set up away from the entrance because there was only one way in and one way out. I asked them if they could tell me another way to get in and neither of them could. Of course they shut up after that as I kept moving. This was an evening trip around 3 pm also. Who duck hunts at 3 pm? They would be some of the dumb ones that those above have mentioned.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by macjank7 »

Most of them are pretty ridiculous and damn near every blind on the water is trashed with shell boxes and hulls. That right there shows the character of many of these guys. I do feel for the ones that know how to hunt, pick up trash and be courteous because these other knuckleheads ruin it for them.
If they pick their decoys up because you paddle too close to them they are idiots. They really think the other ducks know you paddled through there when they were nowhere in sight? Why not sit it out and see what happens instead of throwing a titty baby fit and packing up. If I did this every time someone pissed me off on the water I would probably sell my boats.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by spektakler »

This past Sunday, had 4 blinds loaded up with active shooters in East Snake Island Cove, With me in the wide open 1/4 mile away and I had two or three herds of birds raze me within 20 yards and come back for a second pass and I wasn't even camo'd up. I wish the redfish trusted me as much. :lol:
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by Hutch »

I fish the East Mata south shoreline and 3 Mile Cut north to Hog Island most of the time in the fall which sets me up for many a hunter fisherman confrontation. Many blinds in the back lakes and sloughs. I have to remind myself to watch where I go and when I go each year. I hate it when I unload and paddle up the marsh and then see a spread. I do find other spots in the area for backups. So far I have met a few hunters that have been very polite. They stand outside their blind with a gun and then I turn around and I go elsewhere- we are always polite. I certainly hope they do better job at driving to the lakes than years before. Too many ruts. But right now the trails are muddy therefore, I expect the trails to be trashed. Tides will be up as always. Marsh will be filled with bait, reds, ducks, hunters and a few aware fisherman. Last year I gave up EMata and went to lower Christmas Bay only to find hunters all over the Key Largo area. Its the way it is at this time of year.
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Re: Etiquette for marsh fishing in hunting season

Post by aggie182 »

spektakler wrote:This past Sunday, had 4 blinds loaded up with active shooters in East Snake Island Cove, With me in the wide open 1/4 mile away and I had two or three herds of birds raze me within 20 yards and come back for a second pass and I wasn't even camo'd up. I wish the redfish trusted me as much. :lol:
Those birds were trying to poop on you.
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