You never think when you make that cast that you will lose your line, or snag that boat top, but it happens often enough, and we’ve received the angry letters and pictures to prove it.

The boat cover snag is an obvious one for everyone, but very few people appreciate that a lost or cut fishing line is a floating disaster waiting to happen for an unfortunate boater. The cut fishing lines get wound up within the spinning prop, and though they may be cut by the prop and imperceptible to the boat owner, the wound line is chewing through the outdrive seal that then causes a lower unit leak and subsequent necessary repair that can easily hit $3,000, and has for some of our members.

Further, boat drivers have enough to navigate within our boat basin than worrying about waiting for a fishing line to be reeled in. As I write this I can remember losing a prop to the rocks at the south side of the exit channel as I waited for a youngster to reel in his line, and the wind or drift that day pushed my boat too close to the sides of the exit before I continued on. That one was a $200 prop repair to get the rock damage fixed.

Another favourite - a member Dad yelling at another member who was reminding him of the no-fishing-in-the-basin rule, and was instead told to mind his own business as his son was fishing in the basin, and “i’m an owner and can do what I want” was the explanation. That Dad is actually a Member of our Association, and it is the Association that owns the Park, and our continued membership is subject to observing the by-laws and rules we all signed up to when we bought our Membership.

Interestingly, recently two young adults likely on a bass fishing tournament were navigating their boat within our boat basin and casting away. They ignored the shoreline yells that this was private property and there is no fishing in the boat basin. It is important to understand that these two were entirely within their legal rights to fish that water, and that we don’t “own” the boat basin waterway. Of course, they aren’t being very kind or sensitive to the reality of where they are, but they are within their legal rights. If they were Members in our park, well then we’d be able to fine them, as per our Membership By-laws and rules and regulations. Perhaps funny how that works, but life is like that sometimes.

Members observe this rule as part of our by-laws. Failure to observe this rule as a member would be subject to a fine, and may bring your membership under review. We are a community here, and our behaviours towards each other and in caring for the Park are intended to support that community.