Takes guts…………….

Saturday morning my son and I were fishing a railroad bridge on pool 8 when this bassboat comes in out of the fog. There are four sets of pilings on this bridge and we were on #3 heading for #4 when the boater asked if we had fished that piling yet. We said no and he asked if they could fish it. We told them that is why we were there, to fish it. The boater said “OK”, then the “tool” in the other seat says, “Are you in a tournament?” We said that we weren’t. To which he replied, “WELL WE ARE!!!!”

As far as I know when you buy your fishing license there is not a sign there that says you have to give way to anyone that is “in a tournament”. I even went as far as to check the rule book…………Nope, nothing there either!! I know that not all tournament fishermen are like that, but it sure leaves a “bad taste in your mouth” when you run into people like that. I can see why Watts feels the way he does about the “tournament trail”. It only takes a few to ruin it for a whole group of people.

they should have gotten there earlier

The tourny guys were wrong. If you were there first they should have moved on. It’s part of the game. Whether the recreational fishermen are in boats or on the shore you don’t encroach on their area, you move on. Most tournament anglers aren’t like that. I know when I am out there I am wearing the colors of my sponsors. I wouldn’t do anything like that to reflect poorly on them. Plus, I wouldn’t do that because I wouldn’t want someone to do it to me.

I’ve had it the other way. A couple times while competing in tournaments I’ve had recreational fishermen troll between me and the bank while I was fishing the bank. I’ve noticed a lack of courtesy by guys on the water in the last couple years.

Jason

There are some guys that just have no respect , Idont think it has anything to do with the fact that they are tourney guys probaly just a jerk.

The tourney guys were WAY out of line. That’s some bush-league garbage in my opinion. None of the tourney guys I know would ever pull a stunt like that.

Besides, if you need those bridge pilings for a tourney, you may as well pack it in.

Quote:

---

The tourney guys were wrong

---

Technically the boater did the right thing by asking if he could fish the spot. I always here people preaching that no 1 person owns the water – sometimes an area can be shared. At least the guy asked!!

He was told no (which was fine) and unfortunetly it was the partner that ended up being a jerk and they ended up exchanging words. A Jerk is a Jerk period. Can’t do much about it. Sorry it happened that way though.

On a side note – Most everyone was at the BFL in Wabasha or State at Winneconne…and there were no local tournies based here either.(no MSBC etc)

BUT..

I did hear there was some kind of club thing going on here by a group from Fountain City area??…..

Plus I agree with Blue – If that’s all they had – they had nothing

fishers of men
Genoa Pools 8 and 9 Genoa Power Plant Landing Jul-21-2007

Next time pull up close, pull out your camera and snap two pictures. One of the boat with both people. The second of the boat registration. Be sure they have no doubt that you are shooting the boat registration numbers. My guess…….they are gone with in a minute.

If they hang around, post us the pictures of the inconsiderate S.O.B.

There is no excuse for bad manners.

Quote:

---

Saturday morning my son and I were fishing a railroad bridge on pool 8 when this bassboat comes in out of the fog. There are four sets of pilings on this bridge and we were on #3 heading for #4 when the boater asked if we had fished that piling yet. We said no and he asked if they could fish it. We told them that is why we were there, to fish it. The boater said “OK”, then the “tool” in the other seat says, “Are you in a tournament?” We said that we weren’t. To which he replied, “WELL WE ARE!!!!”

As far as I know when you buy your fishing license there is not a sign there that says you have to give way to anyone that is “in a tournament”. I even went as far as to check the rule book…………Nope, nothing there either!! I know that not all tournament fishermen are like that, but it sure leaves a “bad taste in your mouth” when you run into people like that. I can see why Watts feels the way he does about the “tournament trail”. It only takes a few to ruin it for a whole group of people.

---

What did they do? Did they pull in and fish it, or leave?

Also, yesterday I was flipping a shoreline, and a couple that were panfishing pulled in and started fishing the first tree right in front of me. Took guts I guess, I was just wondering if I should now hate all panfishermen, or just chalk it up to one idiot (or likely, not even an idiot, just someone who for some reason was inconsiderate), or maybe not apply it to all panfishermen?

Quote:

---

fishers of men
Genoa Pools 8 and 9 Genoa Power Plant Landing Jul-21-2007

---

If these guys were members of the Fishers of Men, they should take time to read the web site and figure out what this organization is all about. I have to say the boater was not the problem, it was the lugnut in the seat next to him. If the tournament was a draw your partner format, the boater was just unlucky. If he chose that partner, he is just guilty of poor judge of character.

Still trying to figure this out. All that happened was the guy in the back of the boat had a big attitude and made a stupid comment right? Or did they ask, get the answer, and yet fish the spot?

What the guy said was stupid, no doubt. Really stupid. But now we are talking about taking pictures of the guy and moreso, of his boater’s boat and registration numbers (who actually did the RIGHT thing and asked first)? You would think someone had almost killed someone with a boat, or at least cut someone off fishing. Is it just me, or is it a wee bit of overreaction going on here? If I took a picture of everyone who said or did something stupid on the river, my camera would be full of pictures, and I would probably have to take a pic of my own registration numbers someday.

Now, if they continued on and fished the spot after the conversation I retract my statement. But to think bass fisherman are the only ego-centric people on the river who think they deserve to go where they want when they want, it’s laughable.

Quote:

---

If these guys were members of the Fishers of Men, they should take time to read the web site and figure out what this organization is all about. I have to say the boater was not the problem, it was the lugnut in the seat next to him. If the tournament was a draw your partner format, the boater was just unlucky. If he chose that partner, he is just guilty of poor judge of character.

---

Just trying to help narrow down the tournaments that were on 8 this weekend

Quote:

---

I know that not all tournament fishermen are like that, but it sure leaves a “bad taste in your mouth” when you run into people like that. I can see why Watts feels the way he does about the “tournament trail”. It only takes a few to ruin it for a whole group of people.

---

This speaks nothing about “tournament people”. It only speaks to one more idiot on the water. It could have just as easily been a recreational fisherman. You said it yourself, “I know that not all tournament fishermen are like that”. Thankfully, not all recreational fisherman are like that either. We all know there are plenty of idiots in the world, and some of them fish. To try to make the connection between tournament anglers and bad behavior on the water is pointless. Call out the one guy on the water. That’s fine. But he’s not representative of any group, except a group of idiots.

I agree with MossBoss. For one thing where you were fishing is almost like a community hole on Pool 8 anyways.
Myself, I can’t believe they didn’t just keep going

There is plenty of room on pool 8 for everyone!

This started out to be a post about how the actions of a few can affect how a group of people are looked upon. I made it quite clear that the boater was class enough to ask about fishing that 4th pier and said OK when we told him we were fishing it. The only reason this post was started was the attitude and clear look of disgust from the guy in the non-boater seat. I apologize if I scratched the “thin skin” of some of the tournament players and vendors here. I stated that I realize not all tourney guys are like that and am sure there are “panfishermen” that behave the same way. My point is that panfishermen don’t have an image as public as that of a tournament fisherman and are less likely to have a lasting effect on anyones opinion of them.

Quote:

---

fishers of men

Genoa Pools 8 and 9 Genoa Power Plant Landing Jul-21-2007

---

wow why the heck would you lock up for that?

if you’re gonna lock up, fish “the goods”

sorry to hear about the jerk Jim

I personally have seen people do much worse things, some were what you would call “bass fisherman,” many others werent. Some guys weren’t even fishing..Point is there are jerks everywhere on the river. Common factor with all of them is the same words come out of my mouth every time I come across one of the bone heads!!

RKD Jim, Maybe you are thinned skinned, huh? I understand how it is to have someone come in on you and cut you off or whatever trips your trigger. The fact is though is that it happens alot of the time to many people. I am a bass fisher and tourney fisher. Like most, I do not cut people off, etc. But I am not thinned skinned for replying to your post, in fact you made me laugh and chuckle. I didn’t decide to respond until you made your last comments.
If all I had to do was get on here and whine about everyone that upset me on the water, you guys would have alot of stories to read and alot of stereotypes to sort through. I won’t even start though. I could run down every species fisherman, age groups, ethnicities(sp?), etc.
IMO, singling out tourney fishers, posting the “bad” things they did is like a tourney fisher singling out the guys that always do good and accusing of cheating or being jerks. (IMO) It comes down to a jealousy thing. Go ahead and rant and rave how you don’t care and are happy doing what you do. But if you were, would you have to get on a public form and be a hater, or would you be content with yourself and what you’re doing and shrug it off. Don’t get me wrong folks, to each his own, do what you like. Tourney fishers are no better than anyone else, in fact, many are problably not squat compared to the weekend panfisherman.
It just gets old people. PM the other people you know don’t like what you don’t. You guys can have a hay day.

E.R.—-

Quote:

---

RKD Jim, Maybe you are thinned skinned, huh? I understand how it is to have someone come in on you and cut you off or whatever trips your trigger. The fact is though is that it happens alot of the time to many people. I am a bass fisher and tourney fisher. Like most, I do not cut people off, etc. But I am not thinned skinned for replying to your post, in fact you made me laugh and chuckle. I didn’t decide to respond until you made your last comments.
If all I had to do was get on here and whine about everyone that upset me on the water, you guys would have alot of stories to read and alot of stereotypes to sort through. I won’t even start though. I could run down every species fisherman, age groups, ethnicities(sp?), etc.
IMO, singling out tourney fishers, posting the “bad” things they did is like a tourney fisher singling out the guys that always do good and accusing of cheating or being jerks. (IMO) It comes down to a jealousy thing. Go ahead and rant and rave how you don’t care and are happy doing what you do. But if you were, would you have to get on a public form and be a hater, or would you be content with yourself and what you’re doing and shrug it off. Don’t get me wrong folks, to each his own, do what you like. Tourney fishers are no better than anyone else, in fact, many are problably not squat compared to the weekend panfisherman.
It just gets old people. PM the other people you know don’t like what you don’t. You guys can have a hay day.

---

My response is……….(see two posts up)

HAH!!!!!
You guys need to fish Lake Minnetonka for muskies just “ONE TIME!”.

You have bass fisherman, pan fisherman, walleye fisherman, sailboats, jet skis, waterskiers, cruisers, and pontoons all either driving or anchoring on “your spots” that you want to fish!

Or, the bass fisherman, pan fisherman, walleye fisherman hook a muskie right in front of you on their little gear.

It happens everywhere. 99% of the people don’t even realize that they cut you off or “took your spot”, so no need to get excited. When the 1% does it on purpose, then I’ll inform them.

Just the other week on Tonka, I had a boat with 3 inexperienced “anglers” drop anchor within 75′ of me and began panfishing. Realize that I cast about 125-150 feet. When I gave them a “wake up” cast that landed about 10 feet from them, they all shrieked that a MONSTER fish jumped next to the boat. It was then, that they figured out they cut us off and moved. No harm done, no nasty words, nobody upset. They figured it out.

WOW Gary….and you didn’t even throw up a rant a rave post

sheesh, Tony and I had a fun time on Nagawicka Sunday with the same things you mentioned Gary.. some 40 bass boats on the lake, probably half of them concentrated in one semi small area, panfisherman everywhere, a dozen or so sailboats on the sub 1000 acre lake, jetskis tubers, waterskiers, you name it. Try fishing a sand flat in 4-5 foot of water with about 30-40 yds between you and the next bass boat. you are drop shotting and the fish are very finicky. All of a sudden a mastercraft with a wakeboarder goes right between you and the bassboat, and burns the flat, all the water you were about to fish and just keeps going like nothing. And this is a lake that has 90 ft of water all over the place I just don’t get why people have to be like that. But they are and we move on.

Wait till you hit that lake on a busy day Cade

Just out of Milwaukee, Madison, Pewaukee and Delafield itself, you are in the heart land of major dollars.

I think you guys that fish tournaments are totaly missing the boat here. Its not about cutting someone off or sharing water. Its the fact that this chit bag announced that he was “IN A TOURNAMENT”, I don’t give a damn if your in a tournament or not. Last I checked that didn’t give the excuse to do whatever you want on the water. This sounds like some guy who has little experience fishing tournaments and does not realize every move he makes will be scutenized by the rest of the fishing public. As tournament fishermen we need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions even though a-holes come in all shapes and forms.

Quote:

---

I think you guys that fish tournaments are totaly missing the boat here. Its not about cutting someone off or sharing water. Its the fact that this chit bag announced that he was “IN A TOURNAMENT”, I don’t give a damn if your in a tournament or not. Last I checked that didn’t give the excuse to do whatever you want on the water. This sounds like some guy who has little experience fishing tournaments and does not realize every move he makes will be scutenized by the rest of the fishing public. As tournament fishermen we need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions even though a-holes come in all shapes and forms.

---

THANK YOU!!!!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel…………

Our club had a tourney on 8 on Sat…hope it wasnt one of us. However, from what I could tell we all went south at takeoff from 7th St. Nobody mentioned anything at weigh-in either about any clashes with other fishermen.

Quote:

---

I think you guys that fish tournaments are totaly missing the boat here. Its not about cutting someone off or sharing water. Its the fact that this chit bag announced that he was “IN A TOURNAMENT”, I don’t give a damn if your in a tournament or not. Last I checked that didn’t give the excuse to do whatever you want on the water. This sounds like some guy who has little experience fishing tournaments and does not realize every move he makes will be scutenized by the rest of the fishing public. As tournament fishermen we need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions even though a-holes come in all shapes and forms.

---

Oh please. I thought the majority always does hold itself accountable. Get off the band wagon Hall. Go drag your electric cord around town. Go to the bass forum and get another roast on.

I pulled my extension cord down the road once!

I have no problem pulling my cord around town.

At least I’m not racing up and down Broadway in my Prelude…

One dip-chit does not make the entire group a bad one.

RKD-Jim, I read it as he was just sharing a “happening” that peaved him off. A place to vent or what ever, many of us have done the same thing here. I take no offense. I did not read it as an indictment on all of Bass Tourney guys.

As my Ma often said…”if the shoe fits”

It doesn’t fit me or many, many others here. Really not sure what some of the hub, bub is about?

JHall I would be happy to share a ride in your boat even if the cord is hanging out the back!

The cord hagin out back just shows me he was in a BIG hurry to get to the water and fish!

Can’t knock a guy for dat.