OK I've Had It!!!

[Wiskers]

Those who know me know that I'm a pretty easy go'n guy and will usually go out of my way to help others. I also BELIEVE (being a Towboat pilot) IN GOOD MANNERS ON THE WATER. Now I'm not picking on all Bass Fishermen cause all are not disrespectful. BUT SOME ARE!!! A friend of mine was telling me about a Tournament Fisherman on Saturday here on Ky Lake, that had him block in Light House Landing, and would not move so he could get out and crappie fish. This fella is one of the nicest guys I've ever had the good fortune to meet. He sat there for 15 minutes and this guy would not move! Finally he told him that he would like to get by and go fishing. It made the Tournament fisherman mad and he made a rude comment about causing him to loose the tournament, to my friend.

I personally have had my fill of inconsiderate fishermen running close to me and shaking the heck out of me or coming in where I'm trying to fish and enjoy myself and setting that 20 footer down on top of me so close that I can tell what brand of aftershave they are wearing! Just last spring I saw a tournament fisherman swamp 2 guys in a small jon boat and the same guy threw my 8 year old grandson out of his seat and darn near in the lake. Needless to say I had a few words for him. His reply was "If you don't like it keep your boat on the trailor and fish from the bank."

The law says you can NOT block the safe passage of another vessel and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR WAKE!

So please, if you're reading this and it pertains to you, extend some consideration to others.

[fishin3]

It is not just bass fisherman but anyone on the water that has no respect for himself or anyone else. I have had people in a pleasure boat, pontoon boat, and even a jon boat come so close to me I could almost hit them in the face with the rod. I esp love the ones that idle beside you and then gun it so they think they are not making as much of a wake. I really think people need a boating course like drivers ed in high school before they can own a boat. Just cause Dad could not drive the boat does not mean Jr is going to be any better. I do know that some bass fishermen think they own the water in their high speed boats just like pontoon boats think they should be able to wake any one in a bass boat (even crappie fishermen in a bass boat) just cause they are rude fishermen. If you go up in the mountains around here you get the same thing from non-native people that think they are trout fishing in "A River Runs thur It" with their $2000 fly rod. Most guys up there catch more fish on a #6 Jolly Green Gaint nymph.(aka corn). They look down on the corn fishermen cause they are not purist. This is JMHO.

[Wiskers]

Fishin3 you're right, it's not just bass fishermen. As I said I'm a Towboat pilot and I've seen it all. I see you're from east Tn. I run the Tn. River all the way to Chatt. and I've seen just what you are talking about and I'll tell ya what, if you don't slow down around some of those homes and docks around Chatt. some of those ol'boys will pepper your boat with bird shot! I slow down!!!

I had to pass a test and get a lic. to run a Towboat so if I mess up I have to answer to the USCG. Heck I'm going to 3 days of training right now brushing up on the RULES OF THE ROAD and such. Don't get me wrong, some of the Towboaters I know should also be better mariners. But like you said EVERYONE should just use some common since and manners.

Thank's for responding.

[fishin3]

Wisker maybe I have seen you on the waterways on the Chick (upper end of the lake, river section) or the Bar. Do you have any sign or something so I would know it was your tug? If you see a little blue bumblee bee on the water just slow down and honk!! Keep it safe out there.

[crappiencali]

Wisker I feel your pain. Out here in California the leasure boaters and jetskiers are the worst. That's why I try to find lakes that do not allow them on the water. Very few but there are some. Saturday a buddy and I were fishing and a tourney guy cut us off from a fishing spot so I went around him and fished the cove. Later that afternoon I limped up to the weigh in and he confronted him. He started getting mouthy and I told him that if he didn't want to crutch up his butt he might want to shut his mouth. The non-boater that was with him and took my side saying he was rude. After the weigh in he came up and appologized, said he owed me a beer. Since the fish weren't biting I took advantage. Sometimes it works out but for the most part people out here are really rude on the water.

[dixieangler]

If you go up in the mountains around here you get the same thing from non-native people that think they are trout fishing in "A River Runs thur It" with their $2000 fly rod. Most guys up there catch more fish on a #6 Jolly Green Gaint nymph.(aka corn). They look down on the corn fishermen cause they are not purist.

I love to fly fish for bream and Specks, and I used to fly fish for mountain trout up in Georgia. I never have even smelled a $2000 fly rod. My fly gear is so low end, its lower than a snake full of buckshot. I have caught a lot of trout on corn before. Its the kind of folks you mentioned that give fly fishing a bad name. I've never seen those kind of fly fishing folks before and its probably just as well but just remember that not all fly anglers are like that.

[izzysfishin]

Guy's, it seems like we all run into inconsiderate people every trip. Alot of bass tournament fisherman seem to think they have priority over every one else on the lake, wrong. A funny story for you all. We were crappie fishin at Truman a few years ago and got into a school of bass chasing shad. Just goofing around we casted jigs to them and caught 7 from 3 to 5 lbs. Earlier we had some words with 3 different boats in the tournament so we kept the bass and made it a point to clean them in sight of the weigh in. Boy the look on thier faces and the mumbles was priceless. I think we would have taken 3rd place in the tournament...izzy

[Wiskers]

Wisker maybe I have seen you on the waterways on the Chick (upper end of the lake, river section) or the Bar. Do you have any sign or something so I would know it was your tug? If you see a little blue bumblee bee on the water just slow down and honk!! Keep it safe out there.

I rarely run past Chatt. but we do have boats that run up to Knox. I run the M/V Thomas R. Vorholt for INGRAM BARGE CO. If you ever see the ol'gal swing by and hold up a SLAB!:D

[MoSam]

Wiskers, I could not agree more with your post. I like to fish for Walleye and Crappie, I can get off the beaten path most of the time for crappie but for the walleyes I am on the main lake alot. I really have a problem with people that run right up on me or ride by ( at full speed) when i am fishing. I have been in contact with the Missouri Water Patrol over the winter about this very problem and finally after numerous calls they gave me a phone number to call when it happens and they can dispatch an officer asap and all i need to give them is the boats ID number. Since they have agreed that this is a problem on my home lake I have made every effort to help them as much as i can-- I went and bought a new boat 20 foot Triton deep V with a 225 Mercury on it for my walleye fishing! Not many green carp fishermen or skiers are gonna out run me now, a few will but not many. My 18 foot pro V Tracker with a 90 merc couldn't keep up with bigger motors but I still have it because it's a great boat and a crappie fishing machine! I figure if they get a few tickets for being rude they may calm down a bit-- maybe not I don't know!

I also agree with the comment about having to take a test in order to operate a boat.

Like the comedian I watched on TV last night said: You can fix alot of things but you cant fix stupid!!

[Rowdy]

I keep a camera in my boat if you can see their numbers on the boat call the corp or state police in Ky with the number on film i'm told they will be cited!
Rowdy