Fun with the Lifeguards at Castaic 6/14/2010

[fishinone]

Went to Castaic with my family yesterday.

I went down to the buoy line on the left to anchor up. As I was setting the first anchor in deep water a couple speed boats came racing through between the people anchored on the point and a guy in a bass boat who was tied up on the point. They came around again and I waved them off and let them know that I was anchoring up, there on the point.

This point is at the end of the buoy line. It's the point that you are not permitted to navigate beyond.

I set anchor. One out in deep water and one up on the point. My anchor lines are bright yellow and I pull the one on the point up so that it's clearly visible. As I was putting my poles out one of the of the ski boats came around and cut my anchor line. My anchor went flying up in the air and into the water. They knew that they had cut my anchor rope they were looking back at me and they stopped to check their boat for damage.

As I was calling the Lifeguards on the cell phone one of the Lifeguard boats came around the point down near Slalom Cove. So I flagged them down. By the time they got down to where I was my boat had swung way off shore from I had been. I was in 80 feet of water on the end of the point which is a cliff and I wound up out in 120 feet three or four times farther from shore.

I said to the Lifeguards, "See that red boat with the red striped Bimini top? They just cut my anchor line.

So this Lady Lifeguards starts lecturing me on how I can safely anchor without obstructing boating traffic. Please note that boating traffic is not permitted in that location. I asked what the legal limits were on the restrictions she was requiring of me and the other Lifeguard "The Blond Guy." acknowledged that there were none. She went on and on about her opinion of safe anchoring practice until I finally told her that it was her opinion and I'm not interested in her opinion.

This is dumb. The Lifeguards didn't make any attempt to let these people know that what they were doing was against the rules or unsafe. They just began making up special rules for me, to protect people who are breaking the law from my legal actions.

Maybe they didn't understand that we had been up closer to the point when they cut our anchor line.

I pulled anchor and went to see if I could retrieve my other anchor but it was nowhere to be found.

I went down the lake to see if I could find the boat to ask him to pay for my lost anchor. As I past the Lifeguards the Lady just shrugged her shoulders. I guess they didn't even try to talk with the guy.

I never found the boat. I guess the guy bailed when he saw me talking to the LifeGuard.

I'll post the fishing report in that section.
http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?47172-Tried-to-fish-at-Castaic-with-the-family.&p=465142#post465142

[FishermanStu]

how did your anchor come out of the water if you were in 80 ft?

[fishinone]

how did your anchor come out of the water if you were in 80 ft?

My anchor was on the point with the rope suspended out of the water so it is visible.

[Fishbones]

Hey Ron, what unprofessional of them that was of them to act like you were in the wrong, sucks

[fishinone]

Hey Ron, what unprofessional of them that was of them to act like you were in the wrong, sucks

Hey Alex,

I was trying to reason with her at first but she just didn't seem to want to understand that it's silly to require me not to interfere with illigal boating activity. I wound up running her off just to get her away from me.

I've been trying to understand her point of view. I guess I just dissagree.

I can stay off of the freeway to avoid speeders but what about the surface streets?

I can stay out of banks to avoid bank robbers but they put banks in supermarkets. I kind of need to go there, once in a while at least.

If I were to comply with her imagined rules, how would I predict what rule she will imagine next?

Ron

[marzocchi]

That totally sucks Ron. I got my fair share of lake lice antics this year and it is not even summer yet.

[fishinone]

That totally sucks Ron. I got my fair share of lake lice antics this year and it is not even summer yet.

I'm used to the clueless boaters but I expect a little more from the Lifeguards.

[Eat Sleep Fish]

Ahhhh, good ol' Castaic lifeguards....or as I call them...Asstaic lifeguards. Theyre always giving fishermen hard times. Even though we consistently throughout the year keep their paychecks coming. Couple of the older ones are cool but the young ones, the kids, are Aholes to the max. They're just young kids with a yellow boat underneath them so they think they're cool. Too much power trip by those kids. It's like, calm the freak down, you're just a damn lifeguard, and not even a good one at that, I've never actually see them guarding anyones life. Just giving fishermen hard times,,,eff em. Keep on fishing! Slay Slay Slay!!

[kaneo]

i can understand how you feel, but generally their pretty good at keeping the idiots under control... i know the girl that your speaking of, and pretty much know all the guards... and they all are pretty cool, compaired to the guards at puddingstone.... in fact i have seen them on MANY occasions issue violations to boaters... today i broke down back in dry gulch, and asked a fellow bass angler if he could give me a tow, and he said he would call the guards for me... thanks bud, karma's a b*tch.. so i trolled to old s.s. cove and ran into john the senior lifeguard, they towed me back, on the way in, we saw some skiers going the wrong direction, and they got on the radio and had the other lifeguard boat go issue a warning....when we got to the dock john drove me to my truck to get my trailer, and helped me load it on i feel your pain, but i have had nothing but GOOD experiences with the castaic guards... the lake sheriff's well their another story...

[fishfinder]

i would have asked them to have the lake patrol come over. the lifegaurds are a waste of taxpayers money. Usually a great job for the lifegaurd, because they just lounge in the sun all day and work on there tan.

[cutbait]

I love the fact you told her that it was her opinion and your not interested in hearing it.

Nothing more should of been said, you should of turned your back to her and motored off.

That would of been classic!

As for Kaneo, I am a little hesitant to hate on the guy, suppose he traveled a long way just to fish Castaic or his one day off? Who knows? Can't hate on the guy that much. It's not like he left you high and dry at closing time. He made an attempt to get you help atleast. That tow back to the docks you asked for would of taken an hour.

I've towed many a guys back to the ramp and HATED EVERY second of it!

[fishinone]

Ahhhh, good ol' Castaic lifeguards....or as I call them...Asstaic lifeguards. Theyre always giving fishermen hard times. Even though we consistently throughout the year keep their paychecks coming. Couple of the older ones are cool but the young ones, the kids, are Aholes to the max. They're just young kids with a yellow boat underneath them so they think they're cool. Too much power trip by those kids. It's like, calm the freak down, you're just a damn lifeguard, and not even a good one at that, I've never actually see them guarding anyones life. Just giving fishermen hard times,,,eff em. Keep on fishing! Slay Slay Slay!!

I'm not sure that I would go that far. I think they're really trying to help. I think she's entitled to her opinion but it's just an opinion.


i can understand how you feel, but generally their pretty good at keeping the idiots under control... i know the girl that your speaking of, and pretty much know all the guards... and they all are pretty cool, compaired to the guards at puddingstone.... in fact i have seen them on MANY occasions issue violations to boaters... today i broke down back in dry gulch, and asked a fellow bass angler if he could give me a tow, and he said he would call the guards for me... thanks bud, karma's a b*tch.. so i trolled to old s.s. cove and ran into john the senior lifeguard, they towed me back, on the way in, we saw some skiers going the wrong direction, and they got on the radio and had the other lifeguard boat go issue a warning....when we got to the dock john drove me to my truck to get my trailer, and helped me load it on i feel your pain, but i have had nothing but GOOD experiences with the castaic guards... the lake sheriff's well their another story...

I'm glad that you've had good experiences with the lifeguards, so have I at times.

As far as the tow goes, I feel for you man! But I think sending help is good enough. You can't be sure that he had enough fuel to tow you in. If he did have fuel to tow you in why does he have to spend it on you?


i would have asked them to have the lake patrol come over. the lifegaurds are a waste of taxpayers money. Usually a great job for the lifegaurd, because they just lounge in the sun all day and work on there tan.

I don't think it matters who's there. What matters is their predisposition and their mood.


I love the fact you told her that it was her opinion and your not interested in hearing it.

Nothing more should of been said, you should of turned your back to her and motored off.

That would of been classic!

As for Kaneo, I am a little hesitant to hate on the guy, suppose he traveled a long way just to fish Castaic or his one day off? Who knows? Can't hate on the guy that much. It's not like he left you high and dry at closing time. He made an attempt to get you help atleast. That tow back to the docks you asked for would of taken an hour.

I've towed many a guys back to the ramp and HATED EVERY second of it!

By the time we got to the end it was obvious she wasn't going to do anything but lecture me.

Actually she's right! if I were more timid, people intentionally causing trouble would be able to walk over me with less trouble.:LOL:

[SDDave]

Some advise you can take it for what it's worth, STAY OFF THE UPPER LAKE ON THE WEEKENDS...
Or get there early and leave early or fish the lower whats left of it...
The life guards are what they are, if they were to pull you in if your motor broke down or sit there and hold on to your boat while the waves from a nnw wind blew and where trying to pound your boat onto the dock while you got your truck and trailer, or give them crap if they tell you your not going in the wrong correct direction or this one that doesn't get enforced at all but will be soon is trolling anywhere in the ski areas and we know thats pretty much now the whole lake.. then there dicks...
Problem with the enforcement at the lake theres no consistency... they choose to enforce or not enforce the rules...and just sit there working on there tans...

[dixoncider]

I am quickly realizing that the boating etiquette on fresh water is quite different than salt..

[fishinone]

Some advise you can take it for what it's worth, STAY OFF THE UPPER LAKE ON THE WEEKENDS...
Or get there early and leave early or fish the lower whats left of it...
The life guards are what they are, if they were to pull you in if your motor broke down or sit there and hold on to your boat while the waves from a nnw wind blew and where trying to pound your boat onto the dock while you got your truck and trailer, or give them crap if they tell you your not going in the wrong correct direction or this one that doesn't get enforced at all but will be soon is trolling anywhere in the ski areas and we know thats pretty much now the whole lake.. then there dicks...
Problem with the enforcement at the lake theres no consistency... they choose to enforce or not enforce the rules...and just sit there working on there tans...

Is there a movement afoot behind the scenes?


I am quickly realizing that the boating etiquette on fresh water is quite different than salt..

People will do what they're able to get away with.

[Eat Sleep Fish]

i would have asked them to have the lake patrol come over. The lifegaurds are a waste of taxpayers money. Usually a great job for the lifegaurd, because they just lounge in the sun all day and work on there tan.

100 % true. Period.

[TopwaterTony]

So if I understand how you were anchored, one was in deep water, and the other was essentially "on the shore"? So your rope was floating on the surface? How far were you from that anchor line that was moored on shore? Sounds like enough for them to slip through and cut your line. I understand your frustration with the lifeguards but I am not understanding why you would anchor up like that in the first place.

[bassmeister]

Great way to anchor I do it all the time. There really isn't and speeding allowed in that area specially enough to cut your anchor rope between the shore and boat. The speed boaters should stay at least 150 feet away from the shore and fisherman. in the past I have had good encounters with the life guards two or three times helping to hold the boat at the docks on those strong windy afternoons that can come up quik. Only one bad encounter with the sheriff when we rolled (floated) in like 40 minutes late when there was a good afternoon topwater bite, and was told that the next time it would be like some 380.00 or 480.00 fine the next time.

[FishermanStu]

im still wondering about this anchoring situation. this is blowing my mind. either you have a ridiculously long anchor rope or this was the most dangerous maneuver ever performed on a boat. either you were waaaay to far from the shore which makes no sense because how did the rope go from the point to your boat and still remain effective? orrrr this guy cut between an average distance of you from the point. i guess the lesson we all learned today was shorten the distance on our janky anchoring systems and keep our eyes out for yahoos

[TroutOnly]

Most of the life guards are retards ,only a couple are actually decent ,they like to treat the fishing people like second class people as comparison the water sport idiots who dont know how to behave them selves they launch there boats and turn istantly into idiots , ive watched them at that lake since it opened,,,,,,,,,,,

[TroutOnly]

Thats funny fishfinder, stu its one of the oldest ways around to anchor off a point,those sport boats should not be cutting in between rons boat and the point as a matter of safety,,,,,,hey realanus boy the cops are way cooler than the suntan boys and girls,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe youre just paranoid,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[fishinone]

So if I understand how you were anchored, one was in deep water, and the other was essentially "on the shore"? So your rope was floating on the surface? How far were you from that anchor line that was moored on shore? Sounds like enough for them to slip through and cut your line. I understand your frustration with the lifeguards but I am not understanding why you would anchor up like that in the first place.

I was 100 to 130 ft from shore. My anchor was up on the rocks about 4 ft out of the water. My bright yellow anchor rope was suspended in the air for most of it's length at least.

I anchor like that because I'm in the place that we are not permitted to go past. Niether is anyone else. We aren't allowed to tie on the buoy line that's illegal. Putting one anchor out in 120 ft on the mud bottom and one on the point allows me to adjust my position to pretty much any place on the point.


Great way to anchor I do it all the time. There really isn't and speeding allowed in that area specially enough to cut your anchor rope between the shore and boat. The speed boaters should stay at least 150 feet away from the shore and fisherman. in the past I have had good encounters with the life guards two or three times helping to hold the boat at the docks on those strong windy afternoons that can come up quik. Only one bad encounter with the sheriff when we rolled (floated) in like 40 minutes late when there was a good afternoon topwater bite, and was told that the next time it would be like some 380.00 or 480.00 fine the next time.

Yea, the anchoring system works great. It's legal and it was done in place where only someone breaking the law would cause a problem.

I really think that the Lifeguards just didn't understand that with only one anchor I wasn't where I had been when this bozo cut my line.

40 minutes? I can't believe you didn't get a ticket.


im still wondering about this anchoring situation. this is blowing my mind. either you have a ridiculously long anchor rope or this was the most dangerous maneuver ever performed on a boat. either you were waaaay to far from the shore which makes no sense because how did the rope go from the point to your boat and still remain effective? orrrr this guy cut between an average distance of you from the point. i guess the lesson we all learned today was shorten the distance on our janky anchoring systems and keep our eyes out for yahoos

I have ridiculously long anchor ropes but I was only using the ends of them.

How far from shore am I allowed to be?

I'm going to anchor legally and keep my eyes out for the authorities who don't seem to understand what the guy in the boat clearly understood. He was breaking the law.


Most of the life guards are retards ,only a couple are actually decent ,they like to treat the fishing people like second class people as comparison the water sport idiots who dont know how to behave them selves they launch there boats and turn istantly into idiots , ive watched them at that lake since it opened,,,,,,,,,,,

I can understand your point of view but I don't want to presume that I know their motivations.

They seem to claim that they have authority over me while at the same time claiming that they don't have authority over skiers and speed boaters.

Maybe we're just easier people to deal with so they try to solve the problem by pushing us around instead of trying to talk to the people intentionally causing problems.

[FishermanStu]

Do people on boats understand that its not just rules that are broken and property that is damaged but lives are lost? Im still pretty bummed hearing about this.

[fishfinder]

I have a story to tell: In the middle of the week one day, we were out trolling. There was hardly a boat to be seen on the lake. Well this was a day we brought our little propane bbq on the boat and were cooking up some tasty burgers on the front deck of the boat. It was kinda comical, cause smoke was pouring off the boat from the burgers. Sure enough we attracted some attention from the lifeguards, who must have thought we had caught the boat on fire. Upon getting a closer look, the lifeguards/women realized we were bbqing, and told us You are going in the wrong direction, and quikly told me the counterclockwise rules of boating. She was right and we made no fuss about it, although i always thought this was a dumb rule for trollers, cause we are barely moving anyways. Point being, had he been a fisherman cutting through a pleasure boaters anchor, then all hell would have been raised. There was a good point made on this post, that fisherman pay the magority of the lake fees throughout the year, and should be treated like first class citizens.

[Eat Sleep Fish]

I have a story to tell: In the middle of the week one day, we were out trolling. There was hardly a boat to be seen on the lake. Well this was a day we brought our little propane bbq on the boat and were cooking up some tasty burgers on the front deck of the boat. It was kinda comical, cause smoke was pouring off the boat from the burgers. Sure enough we attracted some attention from the lifeguards, who must have thought we had caught the boat on fire. Upon getting a closer look, the lifeguards/women realized we were bbqing, and told us You are going in the wrong direction, and quikly told me the counterclockwise rules of boating. She was right and we made no fuss about it, although i always thought this was a dumb rule for trollers, cause we are barely moving anyways. Point being, had he been a fisherman cutting through a pleasure boaters anchor, then all hell would have been raised. There was a good point made on this post, that fisherman pay the magority of the lake fees throughout the year, and should be treated like first class citizens.

This guy gets it. Now why don't more of you guys get it. Get it. DO IT.

[Fire Ball]

This guy gets it. Now why don't more of you guys get it. Get it. DO IT.

I get it too.

[kaneo]

I love the fact you told her that it was her opinion and your not interested in hearing it.

Nothing more should of been said, you should of turned your back to her and motored off.

That would of been classic!

As for Kaneo, I am a little hesitant to hate on the guy, suppose he traveled a long way just to fish Castaic or his one day off? Who knows? Can't hate on the guy that much. It's not like he left you high and dry at closing time. He made an attempt to get you help atleast. That tow back to the docks you asked for would of taken an hour.

I've towed many a guys back to the ramp and HATED EVERY second of it! cutbait, i do understand about the bass fisherman not wanting to tow me back to the ramp. i do understand i would have been taken time away from his afternoon of fishing, and i really do not think he called, because most phones do not get a signal back in the dry gulch area.... if he did call they never made any attempt to find me. i found them in old s.s. as i was trolling in towards the marina... if ANYONE EVER ASK'S ME FOR A TOW, I DROP WHAT IM DOING AND HELP..... it called being a concerned fellow boater..... it was not a low gas issue that caused the boat not too start.... not one other boater offered help, skiers waking me 50 feet away, going back into a 15 mph head wind on a trolling motor is no fun.... it took me one hour before i reached the lifeguards.... i also fish the salt with many friends on their boats, and they are always helping any boaters in distress.... it karma.... fishing is for fun, helping someone is because you care... what if my trolling motor went dead and i got washed on the rocks... not very cool.... and maybe i would have compensated him for towing me in ?? i mean it was only like 11am, he still would have had another 7 hours to fish... but just my point of view

[seance]

So you were anchored 100' - 130' from shore. Sorry to hear about all the crap you went through. I was at Castaic about a month ago and was anchored up 35'-40' off of a point in a no wake zone and within an hour I had 3 diff idiots in boats cut in between the shore line & myself. Two of the boat boneheads were making a 18" plus wake as they pass by & I'm looking right at them, shaking my head. I can't get over how clueless some of these people are.

[bassmeister]

Yeah, I didn't get the ticket because i told the sheriff that my starter battery was dead and I had to remove a trolling motor battery to start the boat. I just removed one trolling motor battery and had it laying out on the floor.

[TopwaterTony]

Your anchoring makes sense now thanks for explanation, although I think, given the crowds, the situation you encountered seemed inevitable for possibly 2 reasons. If the buoy line was not in place, one it might not obvious to some that don't frequent Castiac and don't know that area is off limits, and second, there are those other types that just don't heed at rules regardless of that knowledge. Obviously this person didn't pay attention to you attempting to warn them off. Either way, it does suck, and I feel your pain.

[smokehound]

Lifeguards-- useless narcissistic punks. At least it wasnt ocean lifeguards you had to deal with!

I remember one insisting that I fish on the jetty during an incoming high tide! That bastard could have got me killed!

Last year, when I got a severe thumb wound from a big red rock crab, the lifeguards made fun of me when i yelled and hit the ground, gushing blood everywhere.. >=( >=( Waste of money indeed!! Why didnt these jerkoffs call 911!? Nobody wanted to freaking help me, so I had to practice some field first aid i learned from the conservation corps.. Walking to hoag from there would have just damaged me more.. Buttholes!! (newport beach)

I dont get to fish castaic often, so I dont have any bad experiences, other than some racism towards me, but thats what you get when you shore fish there <=(

[xjdesertfox]

i've had my fair share of bad experiences with castaic lifeguards as well.

for those of you who havnt met me on the water, my buddy who is 18 yrs old owns a 2008 Nitro Z-7, we tow it to castaic with a fairly new ford ranger and overall all of our gear is of mid range quality, recently as i was driving the truck down the launch ramp, i flipped the ruck around to launch the boat and was stopped by the main launch ramp life guard in the yellow truck.

he insisted we present him with all documents such as registration and insurance for the boat, trailer, and pickup truck(which we had). following this, he did not permit us to launch our boat because our registration sticker was peeling off on the boat, we stuck it back on and he still insisted we could not launch.

We went down to the lagoon, spoke with the sheriff, told us all of our paperwork was in line and that the registration looked fine.

I guess because we are young (19,18, and 20) we must be too young to be able to own a bass boat, and we must have stolen it...

[fishfinder]

i've had my fair share of bad experiences with castaic lifeguards as well.

for those of you who havnt met me on the water, my buddy who is 18 yrs old owns a 2008 Nitro Z-7, we tow it to castaic with a fairly new ford ranger and overall all of our gear is of mid range quality, recently as i was driving the truck down the launch ramp, i flipped the ruck around to launch the boat and was stopped by the main launch ramp life guard in the yellow truck.

he insisted we present him with all documents such as registration and insurance for the boat, trailer, and pickup truck(which we had). following this, he did not permit us to launch our boat because our registration sticker was peeling off on the boat, we stuck it back on and he still insisted we could not launch.

We went down to the lagoon, spoke with the sheriff, told us all of our paperwork was in line and that the registration looked fine.

I guess because we are young (19,18, and 20) we must be too young to be able to own a bass boat, and we must have stolen it...

there is no requirement for insurance for boaters.