# What is the truth about fishing around marinas



## Noodle (Nov 1, 2010)

Usually work docks, but want to start fishing around the marinas. I have stayed away because of not being sure what was ok. I have heard so many stories, does anyone know the facts?


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## Otis (Nov 1, 2010)

if its in the water you can fish it, just don't step on it


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## JoshuaStellar (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm not sure what the rules are but I have fished them at night on Lanier and never had a problem. Just be respectful and courteous and I doubt anyone will say anything. 

Remember, sometimes its easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission... I am obviously married!


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## Lanier Jim (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm not sure of the rules and regulations - but I know for a fact that Brett Erhler fished around marina docks during the Forrest Wood Cup.  

I've never had a word said to me except "caught anything"...and have seen a ton of folks fishing off the backs of their boats in marinas.

LJ


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## Lake_and_stream (Nov 2, 2010)

I fish the docks on Blue Ridge , Day and night .  As long as your not  bouncing you sinkers or treble hooks off their stuff they usually dont mind.


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## badkarma (Nov 2, 2010)

You have a right to fish it, but everyone else might not think you do.  Friend of mine was fishing around a marina one night on Chickamauga.  guy comes out to the end of the dock and says it is private water and he had to leave.  He said they 'lease' this water from TVA therefore it is private property.  Only reason my friend left was the gun the guy was swinging around while arguing his point.  Idiots.


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## sbroadwell (Nov 2, 2010)

I've actually heard of a couple of cases where the marina owner has called the police on people fishing the docks, and the police have told them to leave or be arrested. Somebody maybe needs to make a test case of this.


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## Gordon (Nov 2, 2010)

It is not against the law, the only thing the law can do is if your are physically on their property or possibly damaging property by hitting it with your lures.


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## DAWG1419 (Nov 2, 2010)

We never have problems on Lanier


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## Bassbusterfiss (Nov 2, 2010)

badkarma said:


> You have a right to fish it, but everyone else might not think you do.  Friend of mine was fishing around a marina one night on Chickamauga.  guy comes out to the end of the dock and says it is private water and he had to leave.  He said they 'lease' this water from TVA therefore it is private property.  Only reason my friend left was the gun the guy was swinging around while arguing his point.  Idiots.



I would think that they only lease from TVA the rights to have there marina located on the water in the area, not to make the water around it private property.


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## Hogtown (Nov 2, 2010)

Bassbusterfiss said:


> I would think that they only lease from TVA the rights to have there marina located on the water in the area, not to make the water around it private property.



Correct. The Feds  and state offer "submerged land leases" to marinas.  The leases are public record and don't place restrictions on the general public rather they give the lessee the right to drive pilings into the submerged lands for the purposes of docking boats. Any restrictions apply to the lessee - such as no sewage dumping station allowed or no fuel sales allowed, etc... Again, submerged land leases never (at least of 100 or more that I've read) place any restrictions whatsoever on the general public.


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## Hogtown (Nov 2, 2010)

Another thing:  If anyone is giving you a hard time, I recommend you pull a copy of the submerged land lease and keep it in your boat.  When faced with the lease language I suspect both dock owners and LEO's will pipe down.


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## fburris (Nov 2, 2010)

I never ever ever have had a problem in my 35  years of fishing. I can't hear either, so if someone ever said anything, all they got back was a smile and nice evening isn't it.


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## GoldDot40 (Nov 2, 2010)

I'll fish ANY dock at ANY time on a public reservoir.....


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## riprap (Nov 2, 2010)

They can and will tell you to leave at Allatoona. There are signs at the entrance to some that say NO FISHING inside barriers.


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## fburris (Nov 3, 2010)

riprap said:


> They can and will tell you to leave at Allatoona. There are signs at the entrance to some that say NO FISHING inside barriers.



Well...Posted signs are a different story..I don't even try to fish where posted signs are...


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## Chris H. (Nov 3, 2010)

Never had any problems, and I fish a lot of marinas up here in Tennessee.


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## badkarma (Nov 3, 2010)

Chris H., I am sure we haunt the same waters.  The incident I mentioned was at Island Cove Marina.


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## riprap (Nov 3, 2010)

fburris said:


> Well...Posted signs are a different story..I don't even try to fish where posted signs are...



I still don't see how they can legally post public water, but they do and it is enforced.


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## Hogtown (Nov 3, 2010)

riprap said:


> I still don't see how they can legally post public water, but they do and it is enforced.



Its rare, but there does exist some fee simple ownership of submerged land.  I know of a boat basin in Jensen Beach Florida that owns about 2 acres of the Indian River in fee simple - but like I said, its dang rare.


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## Twenty five ought six (Nov 3, 2010)

riprap said:


> I still don't see how they can legally post public water, but they do and it is enforced.



Might be worth a call to the Corps, they could give you the answer.


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## Chris H. (Nov 3, 2010)

badkarma said:


> Chris H., I am sure we haunt the same waters.  The incident I mentioned was at Island Cove Marina.



Really???!!!  I fish in there a lot and knowone has ever said a word to me. If dude happens to have a gun out, I'd just idle out and call the cops on him and get it straightened out that way.


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## Fishlipps Revisited (Nov 3, 2010)

several years ago, a friend of mine was involved in a pretty bad boat accident ....it involved running into an unlit wave barrier at night( on Allatoona)....messed both guys in the boat up....

anyway, there was a nasty lawsuit, and, one of the things that came out of the trial was that the marinas have NO say over the water.....whether it be inside their wave barriers or not........they CANNOT run you out of there as long as you aren't touching or tying to their docks, or customers' boats....

i'm not saying some uninformed owner or attendant or boat owner might not call the cops.....and, that the cops are aware of the law....but, that came straight from my friend.....


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## bbf (Nov 3, 2010)

I was asked not to fish around a marina dock on Sinclair. Its located at the trestle in Little River. The owner came out and asked if I would move on. I asked why and he stated he didnt want me to block his gas pumps. Instead of getting in an argument I told him I wouldnt put in at his place of buisness anymore and loaded up and left.


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## mike t (Nov 5, 2010)

Unless the laws have changed in the last 6 years, they used to say that inside the Marina waters and docks were off limits to fishing.
I have been run off out of Holiday twice for fishing the docks.  And at Baldridge once a guy came out of the store to tell us to stay out because it was private property and no fishing was allowed.
That being said, it made me sneakier.  And I still fished when no one was around.  I would like to know for sure if we can go in the marinas legally.  Someone find out and post it please.


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## Fishlipps Revisited (Nov 5, 2010)

mike t said:


> Unless the laws have changed in the last 6 years, they used to say that inside the Marina waters and docks were off limits to fishing.
> I have been run off out of Holiday twice for fishing the docks.  And at Baldridge once a guy came out of the store to tell us to stay out because it was private property and no fishing was allowed.
> That being said, it made me sneakier.  And I still fished when no one was around.  I would like to know for sure if we can go in the marinas legally.  Someone find out and post it please.



they've always SAID it, and just because they came out and told you to leave doesn't mean anything...i got my info from someone that had just finished suing one of the marina owners...

but, you could always call the Corps of Engineers and get it straight from them.....they call the shots...

as for me, i believe what my friend told me...


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