Author Topic: This one will generate some hostility (Read 884 times)

broken arrow · « **on:** July 06, 2003, 08:03:22 AM »

I can't stand going to a lake on a given weekend and they are having a fishing tournament. I'm talking about some of these Big B.A.S.S. and FLW type events. I went to my favorite lake and if some idiot in a 21' Triton with a 225 HP. motor wasn't blowing past me at 65-70 M.P.H. They were telling me to find another place to fish. These lakes aren't private nor are they closed to the public during tournaments (at least mine's not). Many of these "pro-anglers" are rude, inconsiderate and dangerous. They should realize that public perception can make or break they're image. I have spoken to plenty of anglers on the "tournament trail" (stupid term) who are stand-up guys who manage to catch lots of nice bass without offending everyone else.
My fishing buddy said next time one of these A%$#@)*&s tries to kill us, we'll follow him all day and drop our lures on top of his, cast for cast. I doubt I'd go to those measures, but I may go see the local magistrate and seek a reckless endangerement warrant. Any pro or con opinions?

Skipper · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2003, 01:57:09 PM »

This is something that gets beat to death on every bass fishing site. I do tournament fish, however, I do make an effort not to bother anyone else's fishing in the process. When you are casting for cash, and time is a factor, you do tend to move on down the lake. I do however try to slow down to idle when I pass someone in a cove, and I don't intentionally frontend someone on a bank or try to push them off. Most of the time, I will take the outside if I meet someone and am going to pass them. I agree that we as tournament fishermen need to work at improving our image with the non tournament fishermen. I also think that non-tournament fishermen need to be a little more understanding of what's involved in fishing a tournament. Its rare that you hear tournament fishermen complaining of the aggrivating things some recreational fishermen do like frontending you on a bank or squeezing between you and a bank, rather its the non tournament fishermen who are the most vocal.

Skipper

1911crazy · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2003, 02:15:44 PM »

Not all of them are bad or this way too. I fish with, meet and talk to some great pro fisherman. Don't label them all bad. I meet some (not all but very few) @ssholes too but they seem to make it into every sport i do like harley riders, dirtbike riders and don't leave out some shore fisherman too trust me their are some good ones out there too that cancels these clowns out and out numbers them too. When i'm shore fishing I'm alone on the lake and some guy comes next to me and casts out bumping me and saying he only going to cast once?? He's got the whole lake?? Sometimes i want to take these clowns and send them swimming for sure but I don't want to lower myself to their level I just get back at them by pulling fish out in front of them. That pisses them off more and i send them packing for sure!!!!! Some guys think their on a higher level than us because they have a more expensive boat or tackle i say who cares?? All I/we want to do is fish in peace. We had a local tornie on the lake were I fish and i never seen one guy all day they were nice to stay away from my hot spot and I thank them for it too.
BigBill

I had one clown bump my buddies $40K boat twice before there was words, we moved twice to avoid him he followed us and no one else was on the lake either go figure. Just a regular guy fishing? Like i said good and bad?? I hate to add this but the arabs ain't all wrong we can't even get along with each other its like we hate each other?? Sometimes I spend 50% of my time fishing helping others kids and grownups on how to catch fish, how to use livebait and how to use which lure.

broken arrow · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2003, 04:26:37 AM »

I certainly don't intend to paint all tournament fishermen with the same brush, there is alot of commraderie and charitable work going on in the sport. My bass fishing has improved immensely because of catch and release programs and donations to my state wildlife agency from B.A.S.S. and other organizations. The habitat of the largemouth bass and non-game species alike has shown marked improvement over the years and that can be contributed in huge part to pro fishermen, I thank you all.
I think I will coin a phrase, "River Rage" same as road rage, but on the water. Between the Little Jet-skis, the skiers, and other pleasure boaters I find the fisherman to be the easiest going, our wildlife officers agree. I just want us to maintain that image. Let the other guys take the low road. I'd never encountered anything like this before or since. If it gets beat to death at every tournament, there's likeley probable cause. A VERY FEW bad apples can spoil the barrel.

Savage · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2003, 03:54:56 PM »

Skipper,
I don't think BA is talking about the kind of tournaments that you and I might fish in. I have shared the water with BASS tournament fisherman and found them in general to be considerate individuals. There are of course, exceptions. On the two occasions I have found myself in an area being fished by the pros, I have taken the opportunity to look for new water elsewhere. I wasn't asked too, but in light of the kind of money that's on the line it seemed like a good idea. The pros often have to deal with other fishermen shadowing them and trying to work the same water. These guys are working for a living, I give them room to do it.
Stay Safe,
Savage

Skipper · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2003, 04:54:43 PM »

I've seen about as many problems with smaller club tournaments as I have with BASS or BFL. Your right, there's 2 things at work when you are fishing the same water as a BASS event or FLW. First off, the pros are fishing for a living. They absolutely have to catch fish. Its kinda like you borrowing the extension cord of the carpenter building your house while you construct a bird house. He's working for money, and he's not going to be happy about it. Still, most of the pros I have been around were fairly considerate considering. Of course, I've fished a few tournaments myself, and I have sense enough to not purposely mess up their plan.

Where I have ran across more problems than any are the smaller tournaments. The ones with a couple grand first prize. These tend to attract a lot of fishermen who "Think" they are professional tournament fishermen. In those tournaments, you can tell the regulars around the tournament scene from the "amateurs". One year, I was fishing a big tournament that to be honest, had the lake very crowded. about 380 boat tournament on a relatively small lake. I had my starting spot picked out. Of course I had alternates, but I did want to fish this place, really. I drew 40th spot in the blast off and arrived to find a boat on the upper end of it appearing to be going to fish the 100 ft section of bank I wanted to fish. My partner and I decided to fish the other side of the holler and wait and see what the boat on it did. Turned out, we fished the other bank for nearly an hour and a half, and the boat in question never moved from flipping a tree top. Finally, we decided we were within our right to fish it as the other boat didn't appear to be moving forward to the section we wanted. I trolled over there, and on the 3rd cast, boated a keeper. The very next cast, I set the hook on what I came to get. A 5+ lb largemouth. Unfortunately, I managed to wind my rain suit cord up in my reel when I set the hook. I fought the fish best I could while my partner was trying to free me up. The fish jumped twice, and I held on. Finally, I got loose, made about 3 cranks, and snap. Now, in the 90 seconds it took me to dip into my tackle and tie on another hook and floating worm, there were 2 boats that pushed into the spot where I had lost the fish and started casting. One of them bounced a spinner bait off a stump less that 3 feet from my trolling motor.

When we got back to the weigh in, the tournament regulars were the ones askikng the promoter to please, raise the entry fee next year to $200 to cut some of these guys out.

Skipper

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2003, 12:56:51 PM »

Doesn't matter whether you're fishing or hunting or whatever you are going to run into a JERK every so often. Like two years ago when I had a guy waylay a nice tom turkey I had spent the better part of an hour calling in. He said he couldn't know nor could I prove that his bird was the one that I had been working. If only I would have had a rocksalt load along...... Lawdog

1911crazy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 18, 2003, 08:28:05 AM »

I experienced some bad pleasure boaters here yesterday for sure too. It just makes me want to come out of retirement and get a job with the DEP and give out tickets!!!!!!! We had guys flying pass us on both sides at the same time then cutting us off at the launch. Boy my first time with my kid and his boat and i'm not happy about it. I'm safer fishing from shore?

BigBill

I had a boater swing in and cut our lines when we were fishing from shore 33 years ago. He seen us and did it anyway my buddy was so pissed he picked up a rock and hit the guy. He was that close to us. It just some boaters that ruin it for others.

Skipper · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2003, 03:36:10 PM »

Nothing like a 3/4 oz spinnerbait to the side of a ski boat to get their attention.

Skipper