Dont be like that guy

jmac7469

I have run boats all my life. Many years ive spent more time on water than on land. I've seen almost everything good, bad, and ugly happen on the water, but today well today was a new one. This morning I was anchored on a very small piece of live bottom. I mean really small its about 25 ft by 4ft at the most and with the wind direct I was able to lay on it perfectly. No big deal picking away at some mangroves catching a few short grouper, all the usual stuff. Been sitting there an hour or so and at this point im hust wasting the last live shrimp I have, when a bay boat starts to approach me. This guy pulls right up to me within 10 feet or less, and throws his hands up and says " well I guess you're just gonna sit here" I laugh out loud because its the better response instead of what I would have done 10 years ago. This guy circled me for a good 45 minutes before finally moving on. What an a$$hole. Dont be that guy ever. If someone is on a spot go somewhere else. Its uncalled for to act like this. Most individual spots aren't big enough to properly fish with 2 boats anyway. Some are of course, but dang guys lets all give each other space on the water. 

Soda Popinski

best advice i can give this weekend is....stay home.  it's going to be a show out there. 

cowpen

I wish you'd post a picture. It would be fun to give him a taste of his own medicine.

MulletMaster239

Nah, really isn’t any use dirtying your hands on entitled googans just let em be, he is likely struggling as it is hence the attitude and thrashing someone’s spot they were already fishing at.  To try and repay a googan you will curse your own self.

Been plenty times I just leave a spot and head elsewhere when a googan swarms in.  If you think it’s bad while boating, it’s twice as bad from shore because access becomes more limited each passing year and nowadays more like each passing month..then you’re getting a double dose of googan, other people on land, as well as the boats.  First fishing lesson my dad taught me, give people their space, I was very little at the time.  But that always stuck with me.  

There is still good etiquette out there though I’ve seen it myself, have had plenty people veer off as they pass through while I’m fighting a fish without saying a word to em.

larrywitt

Nice going guys  as forum members you expressed the right attitude.
 Thank goodness you are who you are and not him you are the better person.
  A tip of the hat to you.
larrywitt 

nhkev

I've received crap being on both sides.  During Red snapper season I went out to a spot that has produced for me all year.  I left the ramp at 3:30 am and was in position (anchored) at Sunrise and was the only boat there.  I caught a few decent ones and my secret spot wasn't as secret as I thought it was.  there were 20 boats there by 9am.  Mind you there is no artificial reef or wreck there.  I had other boaters crash into me,  yelling at me that I shouldn't be anchored.

Last week I went to a 7 mile long reef where I had multiple marks.   Just so happened that the drift was down the reef.  We motored about 1/4 mile in front of 1st mark and most of the time we would drift a couple miles down the reef, and then motor back up to our original spot.  We did this for hours with no problems and again as day went on started getting busier.  If we started drifting near another boat we moved off our drift to not interfere with them if they were either trolling or anchored.  after about our 7 or so drift we went to our original starting spot between 2 other vessels that were a little more than a football field away in each direction.  Then we started our drift.  one of the boats changed their heading from facing away from us to directly at us and started motoring towards us.  they got 50 yards then 40 then 30 away.  When they started getting close we gave our horn a single toot to make sure he saw us.  He started screaming at us that we had to give him room to work.  I said " you were the one that changed your heading"  He thought we were trying to take his spot , he said "there's a whole ocean you don't have to fish here"  We told him we've been doing the same drift all day.  He then challenged me to a fight and to meet at his Marina.  What an ****

larrywitt

So SO Sad  you can imagine what this persons life is like with an attitude like that.  So SO sad.
larrywitt  

tileman

I bet if you put a couple pumpkin slugs in his hull he'll never do that again 

FIT_Hockey

"There is still good etiquette out there though I’ve seen it myself, have had plenty people veer off as they pass through while I’m fighting a fish without saying a word to em." - that is very true!

We've all been there.  I've also been the one to make the mistake.  Came under a bridge the other day and snagged some poor kids line.  I saw it right away and looked back to see him holding on for dear life as I spooled him.  Caught it quick and got him his whole rig back without incident.  I was impressed by how polite the young man (late teens maybe) was.  It was a weekend, and I wasn't looking when I went under the bridge.  Both of us could've gotten upset at the other.  But we were just polite humans, and both left with a smile.

Fishing and boating are supposed to be fun! It can also be really a stressful thing, and everyone's got (at least some) ego.  Just wish more behaved like that young man on the bridge - understanding and cooperative, with a little humility.

I see the opposite all the time too.  My wife gets more upset about it than me.  She sometimes wants me to blast a horn (or a finger).  I just shrug my shoulders and explain - "Hunny, they probably don't know better.  And if they do, they just don't care, and I can't fix that".

So much peace in accepting it and moving on with your life.  Consider it part of the challenge!

Kayak_Pete

Very nice philosophy of life.  I'm afraid I'm more like your wife, but would like to be more like you.  I frequently tell myself it's not malice, but ignorance or self-absorption, but there's way too much of the latter.

larrywitt

FIT_Hockey said:

"There is still good etiquette out there though I’ve seen it myself, have had plenty people veer off as they pass through while I’m fighting a fish without saying a word to em." - that is very true!

We've all been there.  I've also been the one to make the mistake.  Came under a bridge the other day and snagged some poor kids line.  I saw it right away and looked back to see him holding on for dear life as I spooled him.  Caught it quick and got him his whole rig back without incident.  I was impressed by how polite the young man (late teens maybe) was.  It was a weekend, and I wasn't looking when I went under the bridge.  Both of us could've gotten upset at the other.  But we were just polite humans, and both left with a smile.

Fishing and boating are supposed to be fun! It can also be really a stressful thing, and everyone's got (at least some) ego.  Just wish more behaved like that young man on the bridge - understanding and cooperative, with a little humility.

I see the opposite all the time too.  My wife gets more upset about it than me.  She sometimes wants me to blast a horn (or a finger).  I just shrug my shoulders and explain - "Hunny, they probably don't know better.  And if they do, they just don't care, and I can't fix that".

So much peace in accepting it and moving on with your life.  Consider it part of the challenge!

Very well said we all are not prefect.
larrywitt