Dive flag regulations

[PinFishKing]

We were offshore about 40 miles yesterday out of Econfina. Having a good time catching AJ's when 2 boats came right in between us and another boat. They bothed dropped anchor on the barge, sent up the dive flag and went into the water. The bite ended immediately.

All this happened well within 75 yards of us and another boat.

I'm all about safety and keep my distance when I see a dive flag. We dive off of our boat and expect the same.

If the man would have shown up, I have a feeling I would have got nailed for being too close even though I was there first.

Illegal or not, it was just plain rude. This is the kind of behavior that turns folks against divers.

[Dubble Trubble]

I think 75 yards would be plenty of distance for you, but I agree that that was RUDE of the dive boat.....I think they are the ones legally bound to be sure they are a safe distance from other craft before putting up a flag. I am sure someone here will have the rules for ya....

Reminds me of a few years back at the Keys, we were tied up to one of the many bouys at molasses reef, and there were some divers about 100 feet from us. They had their dive flag up and one of those tour boats with about 100 people on board drove right over the top of 2 divers that were at about 30 feet deep. The guy on the dive boat was waving like crazy at the tour boat, but it just kept right on going. Talking about needing the man around......if one of those divers were surfacing, they would have been chopped meat.

There are rude people on both sides of the issue.

Dubble

[Tom Keels]

We were offshore about 40 miles yesterday out of Econfina. Having a good time catching AJ's when 2 boats came right in between us and another boat. They bothed dropped anchor on the barge, sent up the dive flag and went into the water. The bite ended immediately.

All this happened well within 75 yards of us and another boat.

I'm all about safety and keep my distance when I see a dive flag. We dive off of our boat and expect the same.

If the man would have shown up, I have a feeling I would have got nailed for being too close even though I was there first.

Illegal or not, it was just plain rude. This is the kind of behavior that turns folks against divers.

Greg, there is no rule about how close divers/nondivers can be to one another. The only rule is that within 300 feet of a boat displaying a Diver Down flag, you as a captain while underway must be going no faster than to maintain steerage. Meaning, as long as you are idling, you can pull right up to dive boats and they can pull up to you.

This is a common thread on fishing/diving sites that folks think they will be in trouble if they cross the "300 foot radius", but this is simply not the case.

If you are on a public number, you have no expectation of privacy or personal space either as a fisherman or a diver. That's just the breaks of living in an over crowded world.

[Chalk]

If you are on a public number, you have no expectation of privacy or personal space either as a fisherman or a diver.

It's the same for private numbers too

[PinFishKing]

Thanks for the clarification Tom. That being said, next time I will allow my guys to continue snatchin and jerkin the bottom rigs, especially when the bubbles are coming up right under my boat.

Next question is, should I use the gaff or not? Would they be considered a trash species or a protected species?

[Chalk]

Thanks for the clarification Tom. That being said, next time I will allow my guys to continue snatchin and jerkin the bottom rigs, especially when the bubbles are coming up right under my boat.

Next question is, should I use the gaff or not? Would they be considered a trash species or a protected species?

You have to pinch their tails on the measurement...measuring to the fork will not be kewl on the males , maybe on the females though

[CATCH 22]

[DWilliams]

Poor form on the captains of the dive boats. It doesn't matter if the number is public, private or semi-private.

A friendly discussion with the captain of the dive boat would have been in order.

[Capt Reggie]

Sometimes, a captain must hoist the Pirate flag, go over, and have a "heart to heart" discussion with "sea-jerks" (if they were smart enough to leave a person on board)! If those twits had of been "nice", they would not have come in there among anchored fishing vessels and dove a spot that even an armature pinhead would know is going to disrupt the fishing!

If "they" won't apologize, or they really do act like "sea-jerks", then remind them that one day they will all go overboard and "something" will happen to their anchor line (or worse, boat)"! I'm not advocating piracy here, I'm just saying that "SH__ Happens", especially to uncaring people, and a captain should tell fellow seaman about it!

And, there really are people out there that will "pirate" another's vessel (while they are carefree diving their life away below, eh)-you don't have to be in the Keys or the Bahamas to happen upon untoward characters!!!
I've usually found that "pinheads" never leave a "topside" man up - everybody dives overboard! Opps, not smart.

In the end, when pestered by "sea-jerks", this captain usually just leaves the area (with a properly displayed wounded finger hand salute). But, once in awhile... I have my say!

[What a mess]

Again, one sling shot with a four oz egg sinker to remove a couple of chunks of gel coat please repeat until they resurface.

This does not need to be limited to the divers also other boats while fishing works fine.

Keep in mind the other boat may have stronger firepower than a slingshot so it is best to be packing while doing this.

If their lead velocity exceeds that of a sling shot send some faster lead in their general direction.

[MudDucker]

Again, one sling shot with a four oz egg sinker to remove a couple of chunks of gel coat please repeat until they resurface.

This does not need to be limited to the divers also other boats while fishing works fine.

Keep in mind the other boat may have stronger firepower than a slingshot so it is best to be packing while doing this.

If their lead velocity exceeds that of a sling shot send some faster lead in their general direction.

Hmmm, now what spirit is this the fruit of?

[BAD BEHAVIOR]

Rude dive boaters didnt happen to have a fat chick with a tweety bird tattoo on her titty did they?? If so I named the captain shi'thed a while back!!!

[PinFishKing]

The main offender was a boat with 2 guys in it. No girls. They could have been a couple, I don't know. They seemed very close.

They know who they are and I know who they are. I'm sure they are on this forum as a matter of fact.

If I had not had young folks with me to see the bad example, I would have disposed of approxiamtely 3 bags of last year's extra stinky LY's. 5 gallon bucket of water mixed with 3 bags of chopped up LY's dumped on the bow of the boat in the 95 degree sunshine would have been fun to clean up I am sure.

[What a mess]

Dumping that on the bow of their boat would have been wrong.

They should have had some storage hatches somewhere.

Time to ripen and more fun to clean up.