911

[Top Dawg]

Originally Posted by evis102

To be honest it is the first confirmed fist fight on the water I have heard of. I really hope it's the last, all we need is sheriffs slow rolling around the lake like they do at Contraband.

Exactly my thoughts. People think they own the lake. Maybe we should go to a Lottery so there won't be too many people on the lake! Come on people it's just fish.

[ckinchen]

Originally Posted by Top Dawg

Exactly my thoughts. People think they own the lake. Maybe we should go to a Lottery so there won't be too many people on the lake! Come on people it's just fish.

This is all a natural progression of aggressive behavior. Once it becomes "ok" to run a figure 8 around someone's boat and take it to that level there will always be a guy out there that is not willing to back down and takes exception to another person's aggressive acts. I have heard many people on this site talk about casting top water lures into someone's boat, running circles around them, etc... While some people may be the passive type and back down, there are a great number of people out there with perhaps nothing to lose (or significant power) that will absolutely stand up for themselves in all situations. I am constantly embarrassed by some of the comments that I see on here.

Until we get back to fishing for fun and relaxing on the water instead of constantly expecting and anticipating the next "pilgrim" to cause you a problem these types of things will only get worse.

Just my opinion.

[Reefman]

Originally Posted by ckinchen

. I am constantly embarrassed by some of the comments that I see on here.

Until we get back to fishing for fun and relaxing on the water instead of constantly expecting and anticipating the next "pilgrim" to cause you a problem these types of things will only get worse.

Just my opinion.

Great comments here.
I compete everyday in business; when I'm on the water I think about nothing else but finding and hookin' a spec. I have no desire to get into turf battles on public waters. If I sense uneasiness from other boats in my proximity I leave to find other areas to fish. I really don't mind sharing an area with another boat or two if we're on a school in a tight area. Often the constant catching of fish will keep the school aggressive and biting. Just tell the other boats what you expect and how to anchor or drift the school in a polite manner. Works great.

Anger, aggression, entitlement are emotions best left in the truck and not in a boat.

[bull1134]

Originally Posted by Reefman

Great comments here.
I compete everyday in business; when I'm on the water I think about nothing else but finding and hookin' a spec. I have no desire to get into turf battles on public waters. If I sense uneasiness from other boats in my proximity I leave to find other areas to fish. I really don't mind sharing an area with another boat or two if we're on a school in a tight area. Often the constant catching of fish will keep the school aggressive and biting. Just tell the other boats what you expect and how to anchor or drift the school in a polite manner. Works great.

Anger, aggression, entitlement are emotions best left in the truck and not in a boat.

amen!

[MathGeek]

I think all would do well to remember that the competition is with the fish, not with other anglers. I remember fishing the jetties down at belle pass last summer. We anchored about 50 yards from the next boat down. There were mullet everywhere and the bull reds were hitting them, so of course, we try and net some mullet. The next boat down had already caught a red or two on the mullet and when they saw what we were doing, they asked us to come alongside of them so they could give us some of their mullet. I thought the waves were too high for a safe exchange of that sort, so I thanked them and politely declined. But my point is that the boat next to us was incredibly friendly and wanted to help us catch fish more than they were worried about us intruding on their space.

We've fished jetties at belle pass on a number of occasions and it seems like 50 yards or so is the "polite" distance apart that the boats tend to anchor. If someone complained and wanted a bit more room, I'd certainly give it to them.

I've never had an issue with boats getting uncomfortably close in big lake, but we tend to fish the weekdays and find something else to do on the predictably busy days, or we fish the cameron jetties instead where we've never had a problem finding a good spot at least 100 yards away from the next boat. With the stiffer tides at the cameron jetties, I prefer to give other boats a lot more room, and there tends to be more room there for the boats to spread out.