Fishing etiquette

[txdyna65]

Im not sure this belongs in this forum, but since Im in Texas and it was on a Texas lake Im putting it here.
I took my son fishing today, which is a rare occurrence since our work schedules dont mesh. Anyways, we are out sitting on this spot out fishing deep catching several bass.
I cant count how many boats cruised by slowly watching what we were doing until one that did seen us catch one. Sure enough they motor over near us, drop the trolling motor
and start casting in the same area we are. They were just far enough from us that we couldnt cast to their boat, but their baits were landing in the same spots ours were. I finally said something to them, the response I got was, we are fishing a tournament, are you in it, I say no, so they just keep on fishing. What kind of BS was this? I finally picked up a 1 1/2oz carolina rig and was trying to snag their lines. This went on for a good 20 min before they finally left, and of course they blew out right where we were fishing. I know Im venting, but is a 20 boat club tourney that important to be an ******* to other anglers on the water?
I was going to try to turn the guy in, but decided it wasnt worth it. We ended up having a great time and caught right at 20 today. My son caught his personal best too, so despite the incident it was a good day.

[Chautauquanuy]

Last year I was fishing a dock when a boat pulls up on the same dock. I throw my hands up in the air and the driver of the boat that pulled up on me asked if I was fishing a tournament. When I said no, he said that he was and he needed fish as he needed points badly. He said I was fishing his favorite run of docks and that I shouldn't mind moving. Well I was pissed but due to health issues, I was in no position to push the issue so I left. He pulled up maybe 20' from my boat.

I asked him where he launched and it was where I launched. I decided to call it a day as the lake had 4 tournaments on it. At the ramp parking lot, I saw 2 guys and asked if they were associated with the tournament. They said yes and I described the boat to them. They laughed and said he had to be Tim. They said he hated bass fishermen who were not fishing tournaments, They had the balls to laugh. No apologies, no nothing.

While most people are respectfull, there is a minority of complete dicks. Which he was. Still pisses me off.

[Delta Bass Fool]

Stories like this is just one of the many reasons many people don’t like bass boat fishers.

[fishwest]

They were in the wrong all the way. Sadly it seems many people think this ok now.

[Stompy]

Why I fish mostly during the week and work on weekends. Or tell them "yes, I'm fishing a tournament" if they ask.

[Dubee]

Just tell them to f off. Not all guys fishing tournaments are aholes. Just some people in general are.

[txdyna65]

Im not knocking tournament fishermen. I fish a few each year too. Ive just been seeing this alot lately and not just from tournament guys and just dont get how people can do this.

[Debra Hengst]

TX, that is definitely a "Potlicker", more and more are doing this and think nothing about it, no respect is increasingly common these days. Cannot tell you the times I've been tried over the years, and still am, but I have always stood my grounds. Glad you had a great day with your son topped off by him catching his PB.

Debra

[Nutoy]

Sounds like a typical day on Rayburn or Toledo.
I've had this happen more times than I can count while I was fishing a tournament, especially on Rayburn.
I by no means have anything against High school tournament fishing. It is definitely better to get our youth involved in something besides video games and hanging out in malls.
But sadly, too many of these kids are learning that this behavior is acceptable, and are being taught this by the "captain", which is usually a parent or someone that should know better.
I hate fishing a tournament on Rayburn when the High school youth are pre-fishing for their tournament the next day. Multiple times I've had them(their captain) leave a spot from several hundred yards away and pull up within 10 feet of my boat when I was catching fish on a offshore hump, and throw to the same spot I was casting too. When I said something, I'd get the "It's public water" excuse.
I guess I was raised different.

[CaymasMan250]

I’ve fished all the lakes y’all are talking about and none are as bad as Kentucky Lake. We had at one time 6 boats casting within feet of our boat. We experienced it last year so we were aware of how things go. They will run on pad WOT within feet of you, it was irritating as hell but we will go back.

[Tim W]

Iv had the same issue on Fayette County.. I call em "spot Pirates"

[BSSCT98]

I usually don't respond to post like this but the same ones on the lakes are on the highways. I don't get it why everyone is in a hurry or has to be near you when fishing a lake like Sam Rayburn or Toledo Bend. I guess the obvious is that they don't know what respect or etiquette is or they can't find fish.

[Bobby8]

Bunch of idiots on the water. When they come in on you, put the trolling motor on high and pull up along side them. They will whine a and cry but leave soon enough.

[WAWI]

Just put your head down and fish, I occasionally fu someone but beyond that there isn't much you can do without getting in trouble

[CaymasMan250]

Just put your head down and fish, I occasionally fu someone but beyond that there isn't much you can do without getting in trouble

I like your theory on boat ramp etiquette!

[J Price085]

Im not sure this belongs in this forum, but since Im in Texas and it was on a Texas lake Im putting it here.
I took my son fishing today, which is a rare occurrence since our work schedules dont mesh. Anyways, we are out sitting on this spot out fishing deep catching several bass.
I cant count how many boats cruised by slowly watching what we were doing until one that did seen us catch one. Sure enough they motor over near us, drop the trolling motor
and start casting in the same area we are. They were just far enough from us that we couldnt cast to their boat, but their baits were landing in the same spots ours were. I finally said something to them, the response I got was, we are fishing a tournament, are you in it, I say no, so they just keep on fishing. What kind of BS was this? I finally picked up a 1 1/2oz carolina rig and was trying to snag their lines. This went on for a good 20 min before they finally left, and of course they blew out right where we were fishing. I know Im venting, but is a 20 boat club tourney that important to be an ******* to other anglers on the water?
I was going to try to turn the guy in, but decided it wasnt worth it. We ended up having a great time and caught right at 20 today. My son caught his personal best too, so despite the incident it was a good day.

Must have been on Fayette. That’s the norm there, tournament or not.

[Tromanoski]

Iv had the same issue on Fayette County.. I call em "spot Pirates"

Well I have had that as well on that lake but I realize it is a very small lake so I try to make room. What I don't like is someone cutting in front of me by less than say 50 yds when they see I am definitely heading in that direction. If they are coming towards me from being further down the bank, that is a different story. I have had guys come up and fishing a marker that I had tossed out. I even apologized to one guy one time because I had to leave and had to pick up the marker. We both laughed. Now if it was a big lake I would more than likely have a different attitude about it.