Sharing!

[Cy]

I always joke with my 5 yr old son about sharing.  When ever he asks for something that I have I say, "You know how dad feels about sharing."  Implying that I don't like to share.  He always says "Daddy! Share!" 

Anyway...reading the article on Bass Zone by Duckett starting me thinking of times that I have been a little "put out" by other anglers and I though it might be an interesting topic.  Now I'm not trying to stir up a bunch of bad feeling or start a topic for fights, but I do think venting ones frustrations is therapeutic.

I will start.

I'm fishing a tournament in Cadillac on opening day this year.  I have my boat sitting 20 or 30 feet off a shallow weed line with the nose of the boat into the wind, so I'm perpendicular to the weed line.  My partner and I are casting cranks behind the boat to the weed line catching fish.  I have a guy working down the bank toward us flipping or something like that.  As he is working down the bank getting closer to us, I'm thinking "He should start to turn and go around us at anytime...anytime now...he's not going to cut between....HE IS!"  He starts cutting in between my boat and bank on the shallow side.  His trolling motor is all over the weed line and just about stuck in the sand.

At this point I'm I getting angry that this guy is totally trashing our spot.  So I yell...and yes I was nice!  I was way nicer then I wanted to be.  I wanted to start with "Hey Dumbbehind..." but I asked him as politely as I could to go around us he was on top of our spot.  So course he turns on the reverse thrusters on his trolling motor and blows the spot out but he did go around us.  When I said "Thanks" he gave me a bit of a blow off wave but that's ok.

I tend to think that most people don't do things like that on purpose or perhaps he was new to tournament fishing.  Who knows.  All I know is that I complained about that incident to may partner for the rest of the day.

I haven't had a run in like Duckett did and I hope I never do.

Cy

[bassassasin88]

Anybody else get bothered when fishing  with a group of boats and some J.O. in the middle of the pack decides to move and instead of just idleing he has to gun it.

[Genie]

I try to look at the positive in most people and like to think that they just don't know.  It's like Nextel phones in public - people still think it is fine to have a complete conversation and not use the silent mode.  I think they just don't know.

Just like with Cy - I don't think the guy was trying to be a J.O. - but you should have the right to calmly (good job Cy) explain to someone and make the most of the situation.

Maybe that is a pipe dream, but oh well.  Communication is the key to everything.  As long as the offender and the notifier communicate effectively, the problems should work themselves out over time.

[thedude]

Funny, similar thing happened to me up on cadillac...... same day too.


Not during a tournament, but i remember fishing a bayou near where i grew up. Its a levied off section of a river that is all swamp and flooded timber.  We spent many years fishing and hunting there. Anyway, one day we are going to move and my buddy fires up the 50hp on his 16' tracker and this big burly looking dude starts screamin at us. "HEY AHOLE 'LECTRIC MOTORS ONLY".  So we stop the motor and say "What are you talking about...." and he carries on screaming "Can't you read the sign DUMB***?"

Well, there is no sign, this guy was confused - there's another electric only lake about 20 min south of there. We knew we were in the right so we told him which truck was ours and if he could find a sign that said electric motors only he could nail it to our hood.


I think what t's me off the most are property/dock owners who think they own the whole lake.
1. A guy on tippacanoe lake yelled at me to not fish in front of his house cuz his kids swim there. He yelled it from a deck chair of the inground pool he had built about 30' from the waters edge.

2. I skipped a senko under a toon and it hit toon.  Guy came running out and said "Hey! how would you like it if a banged fishing lures off your boat". I tossed him an old senko off the floor of the boat and said knock yourself out.

3. Big Pine Island - a woman ran out onto a dock with a shovel to chase one of my anglers off from fishing her dock.

4. prefishing maxinkuckee with 2 buddies i had this pretentious little pr**k frat boy on a jet ski ask if we wanted him to move his dock real sarcastic like.  Now i'm 6'1" 240, my buddy brett is about the same + a few and this dude was a buck 60 soaking wet... we offered to move his face and that was that.

[DDBethke]

My worst expierence was last year on Kent @ the OBM Open... We were coming in to fish the island and a guy in a Stratos with an old school Stratos jersey had the nerve to stop fishing his entire shoreline, and put the trolling motor on high and met me @ the corner of it. I had my power-pole down and instantly caught a 3lb smallie...what does he do?
He throws an anchor and pulls his trolling motor out of the water and gets on his cell phone.
Once I realized what he was doing I moved on (and caught another toad LM) but it really ruined our day, what a dirt ball..
Duane

[Bender]

I don't fish many tournaments but last fall I was fishing one on Kent and had a guy come right in on top of us and start fishing the same few stumps that we were on, boy that was frustrating. I know it wasn't against the rules since we had the TM down, but it wasn't very gentleman-like.

Duane, I was wondering during the OBM if the Power-Pole is considered an "anchor" since it is an anchoring device as far as the most rules are concerned. I still want one, or two. 

[djkimmel]

Treat others as you'd like to be treated. If only everyone would take that to heart...

I did like the yuppies traipsing through the wetlands at a nature preserve to yell at me and my wife for 'violating a protected wetlands' (in my boat fishing the bay surrounded by the wetlands they were trodding on). I can understand the uninformed sign-readers like that way more than anglers who mistreat each other and should probably know better... but sadly, sometimes, some anglers may not know any better either.

So I guess someone has to teach them?

[Skulley]

Dock owner, tree huggers, other fishermen are all things that we anglers have to deal with.  I find the easiest way to deal with lakefront owners is to be polite or ignore them.  Tree huggers you just ignore.  Other fishermen are a difficult one for me because they should know better, especially other bass guys.  If a spot is community, then there is not much one can do about that.  If a spot is not community, always realize that there may be others who know about it.  Chances are rare, but anything is possible.  Then of course you have to ask how close is close...............50 feet away or 50 yards away.  This will always be a difficult issue to deal with.  That's why I like Erie so much.  There are areas out there where you will not see another angler for hours and hours let alone another boater.


BD                 

[dartag]

as a dock owner,  ( which never has bass under it ) it is frustrating to find hooks, line and lures on the dock poles and the cables on my pontoon boat.   most are something i would not use anyway.   It is fun to watch them fish it though.      i had a lady yell at me monday at pontiac and i was not even fishing just cruising the shore.   guess that is why i stay out in the lake near the drops.

[DDBethke]

Bender, If I were to pull up my trolling motor as the rule states, then yes a deployed power-pole would meet the criteria. I however hate that rule and don't ever plan on doing it... Journey's are supposed to be fun and some peeps take them way too serious.

Duane

[Fishmael]

I had a pretty good run-in with a lady on Gun one time.  She went on and on about how I needed to be fishing in the middle of the lake where all the fish where.  We talked until she got so frustrated that she went storming back up to her house.  I think it was the mention that I would get a petition going to get the lake named after her, since she owned it anyway.  She said it was already named after someone good...to which I said "Gun??"  Yeah, I think that did it.  She didn't want to talk anymore.  

Anyway, I now carry two copies of the fisherman harrassment law (not just a summary but the actual thing) in the console of my boat.  If I run into anyone else like that, I will freely pass off one of the copies and we can review them together.  Or if they would prefer, they can review theirs while I make a phone call to the DNR via the RAP line stored on my phone.  However, it is like carrying a rain coat.  It never rains when you are prepared for it...

[Cy]

That is a good point made by Fishmael.  I also I have the DNR RAP and Angler Harrassment number stored in my cell.  For those of you that don't have it or know it, it is 800.292.7800.  Here is also a link for more information. 
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364_52261-70417--,00.html

[BigSmallie]

Boats moving in on me over the years has happened too many times to list.

I have come to the following conclusions:

1) These fishermen can't find fish.
2) The temptation to move in on you becomes too great when they see you catching fish.
3) Fishermen that cut you off are usually the ones that never do good in tournaments.

It happens to all of us......and it's a shame......Very frustrating.

I will share 2 with you.   

1) We were fishing a long deep drop.....and were about 1/4 of the way down when another bass boat pulled in half way along the break in front of us and started fishing in the same direction we were going.    Of course I got pi$$ed and told my partner to put his rod down and get his vest on.    I started the motor......got on plane........and pulled right in front of them 1 boat length away......and started fishing in the same direction.     They got the point.....and turned their boat around and headed the other direction.     Had they started at the other end and worked their way towards us.....it wouldn't have bothered me at all.

2) This time it was "My Boat" that "T'ed" someone off.    We have been fishing this lake for 10 years and ALWAYS start in our same spot when ever we fish this lake in the fall.......everyone in our club knows we fish this spot.   Well.....we got some new members and because of our boat draw....the new guys beat us to this spot.    Well....since I found this spot 10 years ago....and we always start at this spot in the fall...I pulled right in on them and started fishing.    Of course they were livid!!    We were called every name under the Sun...but kept fishing.    They were catching small fish and we had caught a few small fish......so we knew the big fish were not there and we left.     After the tournament (which we won) the one angler approched me and was apologizing for his partners mouth........I just laughed and said "my hearing is so bad....I had no idea he was mouthing off to us". LOL!   But I went on to tell him that I found that spot 10 years ago and we always start at this spot when fishing in the fall.......so in the future.....know that I will be there.     Then he tells me that his partner is some new big swinger in the Federation so he has this "chip" on his shoulders........I said..."Well then......if he's fishing the Federation...he should be used to being pulled in on.....and better get used to it if he continues to fish the Federation."   LOL!

So I guess the string pulls at each end.   

My personal feelings are.....if you find fish...you should be able to fish for them....regardless of how many boats pull in.    Some times you're all alone and some times your not.   Depends on if everyone found the same fish.

BS 

[djkimmel]

If someone beats me to a small spot, it's their spot now until or unless they leave. If someone beats me to an area, well... depends on how big the area is on whether or not I still fish part of it. Counting on spots is always risky. People do find them and as UAWBigDog points out, you can't always assume they found it through improper means.

I think Fishmael gets the good idea of the week award for actually carrying copies of the angler harrassment language to give out to those few special shoreline people who have too much time on their hands. I've actually had a shotgun shot over my head (at geese, he says) on Lake Charlevoix once way back, but all the other property owners came out of their houses and yelled at the guy threatening to call the sheriff if he didn't cut out his nonsense so he skulked back into his house not to be heard from again.

Guess I would have to mail him his copy

[Fishmael]

Just remember to carry your copies in a plastic ziploc bag...sometimes as fishermen, our stuff can get a little wet!   

[Waterfoul]

I had it happen to me just this past Monday night!  I'm fishing a weed edge/drop off... and this guy in a Javelin is running right down the weed line/drop off right in front of me, forcing me to fish behind him.  Oh wait... that was you Cy!  LOL!!  

Just kidding (because I'm a tool    ).  I fish quite a few tournies where "combat fishing" is the norm (Wed. nights on Wabasis for one).  I for one prefer NOT to be the one initiating the "combat" but have been known to toss a bait at/into/under another anglers boat if I feel they have invaded my space.

[Fishmael]

Did I tell you about the two boats that were running the weed edge in front of where me and my partner was fishing last Monday night?  Probably why I couldn't upgrade a 1/4 ounc to jump into fourth...

[Cy]

I had it happen to me just this past Monday night!  I'm fishing a weed edge/drop off... and this guy in a Javelin is running right down the weed line/drop off right in front of me, forcing me to fish behind him.  Oh wait... that was you Cy!  LOL!!  

Just kidding (because I'm a tool    ).  I fish quite a few tournies where "combat fishing" is the norm (Wed. nights on Wabasis for one).  I for one prefer NOT to be the one initiating the "combat" but have been known to toss a bait at/into/under another anglers boat if I feel they have invaded my space.

You have nothing to complain about.  They way you were catching 'em compared to me, I must have been 'bird dogging" them for you!

[dashaver63]

I was fishing a small harbor off Erie last year when a jetski just had to cut between me and the shoreline I was fishing, about 5 feet from me. Now he had the entire channel to use behind me but he decided to be an idiot and then laugh about it when I politely asked him just what he thought he was doing. Funny thing was the Ohio Division of Watercraft saw him do it, pulled him over and then towed him out and charged him with DUI.

[djkimmel]

I was fishing a small harbor off Erie last year when a jetski just had to cut between me and the shoreline I was fishing, about 5 feet from me. Now he had the entire channel to use behind me but he decided to be an idiot and then laugh about it when I politely asked him just what he thought he was doing. Funny thing was the Ohio Division of Watercraft saw him do it, pulled him over and then towed him out and charged him with DUI.

If that only happened more often!!!