? - How would you handle Situation!!!!!!!!!

[lovetofish]

I had an encounter yesterday evening while fishing that really tee'd me off. I was fishing about a 30 ft stretch of bank and had caught 4 nice slabs and a fellow in other boat just motored right up in front of me and tied off on a log. He was no more than 25 ft. from me. I didn't say anything at the time. I fished around and moved over about 40 yards and started fishing in other spot and he untied and went to the area I had been in. After about fifteen minutes or so I headed back to where I had started and went around the other boat. This fellow had the nerve to tell me I was a rude person for cutting him off. Boy, did that hit the wrong nerve with me. I told him that he should have thought about what he dad done before he opened his big mouth. I told him if he was a real person he wouldn't have moved in on me to begin with. There was 2700 acres out there and he didn't have to fish on top of me. I also told him he need to go and find his own fish like a real fisherman and not rely on other people to do it for him. That just made him more mad. I then told him he was like a coyote. Let someone else do his work for him. Question is what would ya'll do in this situation and how to better handle it?

[crappieseeker]

Let me tell you this. I use to have to fish from the bank before I bought me a boat. I would get to a spot 4 hours before daylight and lay claim to the hole to make sure I could fish when daylight aproached. I usually would never get a bite before the sun came up, but when it did I was gauranteed to catch well over my limit almost every time. I would wait several hours just to have some guy pull up in a boat right at daylight and cut me off. This happened many times. Then I have had people to come in on me and put on waders and wade right out in front of me and fish. I thought by buying me a boat it would get easier. Now I have people tying off so close to me that their boats bang off of mine sometimes. Alot of people dont have respect for others these days. I am not the type of person to cause trouble, I just eventually move away. I hate it when it happens, but I just keep my mouth shut. I just pride myself in keeping the peace, and hope that they get their do justice somehow. You cant be too carefull these days. Someone is likely to shoot you these days for asking them not to move in on you.

[Moose1am]

You have two options the way I see it.


1. You can start up a conservation and try to befriend the guy. After all you both have something in common. You both like to crappie fish. There are plenty of crappie in most spots for two people to get enough for supper. Since Crappie are prolific breaders they can easily replace those fish that you two catch.

2. You can get upset and let him bother you. You can get into a verbal argument and what will that do? You may chase him off but you will definatly get high blood pressure in doing that. Most likey you won't change his habit of hording in on your spot. Arguing with him will most likely make him defensive and he will dig in his heels and you won't have accomplish anything.

Since the lake is a public lake there is really nothing that can be done to keep others from fishing what you think is your private spot. I am the same way and I too get upset when someone comes zooming down or up the lake and gets right in my cove and starts fishing. I usually will make rude comments about them under my breath but very rarely will I openly confront them. I sometimes feel like getting a CANNON and shooting a few warnung shots across their bow. LOL

My recomendation is to chose number 1 above and try to make a friend. Maybe if you become friends and you go fishing together someday you can teach him manners and explain to him that it's not right to horn in on someone elses fishing spot. Show him by example next time he is in YOUR boat. Maybe he was not taught couresy by his father or grandfather. Not everyone is shown the proper way to behave on the lake like most of the fishermen. Someguys are just clueless to what is considered sportsmanship. They need to be shown what is right and what is wrong. But you won't be able to do that by critizing him or her. Showing them by example is the best teacher. That is how my father taught me. When I started fishing at KY lake I would not even enter the same cove that another boat was fishing (bass fishing). I was taught that it was rude to do that. I also was told stories about my dad's fishing partner cursing out other boaters that got too close to his boat when he was fishing KY lake. But that was years ago when there were not as many boats on the water. We could fish all day long back then and not see more than three or four other fishermen. We had the lake pretty much to ourself during the week days. Only on the weekends did we see more than ten boats on the lake. But today there are just more and more people using the waters and we all have to learn to share the resources.

I had an encounter yesterday evening while fishing that really tee'd me off. I was fishing about a 30 ft stretch of bank and had caught 4 nice slabs and a fellow in other boat just motored right up in front of me and tied off on a log. He was no more than 25 ft. from me. I didn't say anything at the time. I fished around and moved over about 40 yards and started fishing in other spot and he untied and went to the area I had been in. After about fifteen minutes or so I headed back to where I had started and went around the other boat. This fellow had the nerve to tell me I was a rude person for cutting him off. Boy, did that hit the wrong nerve with me. I told him that he should have thought about what he dad done before he opened his big mouth. I told him if he was a real person he wouldn't have moved in on me to begin with. There was 2700 acres out there and he didn't have to fish on top of me. I also told him he need to go and find his own fish like a real fisherman and not rely on other people to do it for him. That just made him more mad. I then told him he was like a coyote. Let someone else do his work for him. Question is what would ya'll do in this situation and how to better handle it?

[VietVet68]

<chuckle> Years ago I found a Muskie Jitterbug on a bargain table, it remained unused for several seasons. Then one day while still fishing I had a water skier trying to see how close he could get, I let it go until I could see that it was intentional. I then took the "Bug" out and put it on one of my "flippin" sticks.
I then proceeded to launch it about 10 yards out in front of him, that ended that! After some thought, I cut the barbs off of the gang trebels just in case.

Now days you cut me off or encroach within a unreasonable distance, and you will get a real good at my "bug". I don't know how many have seen an incoming Musky Jitterbug, but I'll guarantee it will get your attention. I have only had to use it twice....but it worked very well both times.

I can remember years ago when most all respected your right to a reasonable amount of water, today many won't even respect your right to breath.

[TAE73]

People should give others respect of the area they are fishing. I have had people come and tie up to a tree no more than 10 feet from me. How rude do people have to be, give each other space. I dont care if its 5 acres or 100,00 acres. If you wanted to fish that spot you should have gotten there before me. If you was there I would move on down the lake to another spot. I told a friend of mine one day where I was catch some fish durning the spawn. Next day I was back there fishing, well he shows up instead of fishing behind me. He motors on around me, knowing that I was headed in that direction and started fishing. It really burned my butt, not that I mind helping a friend out fishing, but there has to be some kind of curtisy. It only gets worse during the spawn and summer time. I am growing really fawned of fishing in the dead of winter. Less people and no skier or pleasure boaters or water fleas, I know they have as much right as I do. But learn to give respect to others and treat others like you would be like to be treated. I do feel fortunate to have a boat to go on any part of the lake, but someone is bank fishing I give them all the room that I can.

Just a few weeks ago, I was fishing in a real narrow cove not much wider than 30 feet. A guy was BASS FISHING with his wife seating in the back seat reading. I hear her ask "where you goin?" Him "around this boat and into the back of the cove" Has he passes me ask me if I was catching any. I was nice and said yes a few, as I was saying this I hooked a nice crappie. I chucked it the livewell, I headed back to the front of the boat next thing I hear is the sound of the rod box flinging open and tackle boxes opening. The guy procceds to get his crappie tackle out and started fishing. I was so pissed I could have spit nails. I was really happy when I fished some water that he had fished and hauled in a 12" crappie. I made sure I hooped and haulder about that for him to turn around and look. Served the jerk right!

[whizkids]

I agree with Moose but I don't like it. The water is free and public domin for all to use. When I started fishing boats wouldn't come in the same cove with you. If you watch fishing shows on TV or see the magazines you will see tournament professionals fishing virtually nose to tail. It is a different culture today. I now fish crappie tournaments and it is not unusual to have 15 to 25 boats in an area. You just have to adjust. A good attitude on my part seems to help other folks attitude.

[Big George]

He should be thankful you were a nice guy I know some that would have sent him home with his teeth in his pocket personally I never let it bother me to much cause they cant catch crappie like me or you can

[Kenny]

I agree with what you did lovetofish..I too am pretty easy going and would most likely not have said anything but when he had the nerve to get on you that would have done it for me too..I agree that avoiding trouble is the best but sometimes a jerk just has to be told that he is a jerk....

[big "E"]

I posted about a similar incedent when I was setting brush piles in a cove.A fella came around the bend saw what I was about to do and rolled right over my marker buoy and punched it into his gps then smuggly smiled at me and shrugged.I asked him if he had any luck and he said not until now.I too am a docile person and avoid conflict because I believe like other that confrontation wont solve a thing and will most times worsen the situation.But this guy really got me riled.My 7 year old daughter said , loud enough for him to hear her " daddy , that guy just stole our spot."From the mouths of babes......

[ak-moose]

i would get with some of these navy guys and ask how to rig up a magnetic or motion sea type mine......