Question: How many of you have seen the big boats throwing a big wave filled with people? Yep. I thought so. You are probably mumbling unkind things under your breath right now. Well, let me tell you something. Wake boats and wake surfing ain’t going anywhere anytime soon except up! 

Why? Because it’s low impact, it’s safer than skiing or tubing, and it is downright fun! 

Now, before you write me off or think I have lost my mind let me explain something. Yes, I sell boats. I work for The Boat Shops at Lake Oconee/Lake Lanier in their Oconee location. Yes, my introduction to wake surfing came with me working for them. However, what I have learned is this — it’s just good, clean fun! These people are just trying to enjoy the water like we all do. Yes, they like loud music. So do I. Yes, they run about the lake and cause wakes. So do bass fishermen, skiers, wake boarders, tubers, pleasure boaters, pontoons and cabin cruisers. I promise to not get started on the houseboat craze at Lanier. I mean you think a 24-foot wake boat is bad you ain’t seen a 40-foot houseboat coming out of Port Royale. That wave probably took down the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Here’s the point. Like my past columns about boating etiquette and sharing the water, I want to encourage everyone to be polite. Pay attention to your wake. Watch where you are. Hey, I am learning, too. Recently, I messed up and waked a boat that I really didn’t mean to wake. There are lots of places we can surf and not be in anyone’s way, just like there are lots of places to cruise and fish, swim and raft. Lake Country is a wonderful place with lots of room. Just pay attention and remember the Golden Rule.

By the way, would you like to learn to surf? Well, guess what? You can! Easily. 

We are offering the opportunity to learn from some experienced teachers at Lake Lanier on June 14^. Reach out to me at jameskpressley@gmail.com and I will make sure you are in the loop. If enough of you sign up The Boat Shops will provide a bus for everyone to leave our Oconee location and go up there. Folks, this is a great opportunity to  learn an awesome new sport at no cost. 

Keep an eye out on my social media pages (SouthernBornGentleman) and The Boat Shop at Lake Oconee. We are starting weekly surf meet-ups at Lake Oconee this summer. I’d love to expand those to Sinclair as well but we need your support! Yes, I am still a guide and avid fisherman, but I have embraced the surf lifestyle and am having a ball! Come join this long-haired old guy and get your kicks in too!

To bring this full circle, let’s talk about an event that unfolded Memorial Day in front of my buddy Jim Lumpkin’s dock on Sinclair. Jim heard a loud commotion coming from the dock across the cove from him and looked up to see a few guys and a young lady making a commotion around a residential boat ramp. All of a sudden, the group is holding up this HUGE flathead catfish! They came over to Jim’s dock and he helped them weigh a 43.4-pound flathead! That exceeds the lake record by several pounds! The last official record was from July 2022 at 39-pounds. What a catch by these young folks! And how awesome is it that they were all out enjoying our great outdoors!

Tight lines and following seas y’all! 

—Outdoors columnist James Pressley can be reached at jameskpressley@gmail.com .