The West River beneath the Kimberly Avenue bridge in West Haven has long been a fishing spot for shore fisherman. Both banks on this river look like a dump. Plastic bottles, discarded fishing line and many other forms of trash litter this area and it is all attributable to these shore fisherman. They are also abusive, they cast in to the navigable channel, which is thin at low water,and harangue the boaters who come near their lines. There have been cases where these folks have thrown objects at the 'offending' boats. I have been privy to and complained about this situation before and it seems to be getting worse. As soon as I can I will post some pics.

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Tonight (Sunday 7/15)I was navigating the channel in the West River at low tide when I approached the Kimberly Avenue bridge the foul language and fist shaking started. I am restricted by draft as to where I can go. As I passed these shore fisherman two of them casted lures in front of and behind my boat, close enough to cause my grandson to duck. Had they hit him or hooked anyone on my boat for that matter, the situation could have turned very ugly. These folks obviously do not respect the rights of boaters or the enviroment and I personally feel that they should be banned from fishing that area. Also I have seen many short fish kept by these folks.

Its real tuff at low tide cause the channel is not that wide and the guys line the shore like there is naked ladies on the boats, plus you dont want to get a line in the prop, not only will it spool your reel, you can also get the string in the prop seals and cut them, that is a big $$$$$ expense I dont want to pay, they have no respect out there casting in front and back of you and almost hittin the boats, like I said there will be big problems if they hit my boat or someone on it and if a fellow boater out there needs a haand I am there, just yell, I have a 18 foot starcraft with a black 80 hp Merc on the back

I went down there last year to fish from the rocks one morning before work in the fall, it must have been 15 years ago since I was there last. Well now I know why I don't shore fish there, it's worse then it was 15 years ago! Cut bunker all over the place, tangled line everywhere I stepped. The place smelled like an outhouse. Then to top it off, I see a seagull trying to fly away from me about 20 ft. away (it was a low tide) and the poor thing is stuck on a rock, tangled in line with a hook and steel leader down it's throat. I'm not making that up. I didn't have a wire cutters on me but cut the mono and watched that bird fly away. What a disgrace. People leaving hooks and leaders on the rocks like that. Nothing like fishing in the hood. Losers.

I agree with the whole mess thing zero arguments there, something has to be done about that but certain people who fish there dont care about it..Also some of this stuff does come down or up with the tide grante di am sure most of it originated there.
As far as throwing stuff at boats or casting in the direction of boats i can understand if they cast in the boats direction when you are going past them once again no arguments..BUT iam sure alot you understand they too have the right to fish there and i know of very few people who would reel in their lines when a boat comes by..personally in certain narrow channels i do but then again another example is BONDS DOCK boats come way to close to the fishing peir fully knowing that there are people with lines in the water..we have even eccountered BOAT GUYS casting towards the shore right ontop os the shore guys lines.so in a way it goes both ways
I think both boaters and non boaters have to work togther.Personnaly i REFUSE to lose another shore spot to both the guys on the shore who disrespect the area and some boaters who dont have a care in the world