What would you have done?

[Ufatz]

I am pleased to see some action FINALLY taking place. Let's hope for the maximum fine,  which is still a pittance for a darned misdemeanor charge.

Sorry, but I'm not buying this dudes story. He needs to have a meeting out behind the barn with a couple of guys I know.

[FM_Mike]

.

Sorry, but I'm not buying this dudes story. He needs to have a meeting out behind the barn with a couple of guys I know.

I agree, maybe we can have him swim and I can chase him with my boat until he can no longer swim and watch him struggle to breath.

Then, just because I couldn't let him die, save his sorry arse. Doubt that would really teach him a lesson though. People like that have no conscience.

Mike 

[delcecchi]

I agree, maybe we can have him swim and I can chase him with my boat until he can no longer swim and watch him struggle to breath.

Then, just because I couldn't let him die, save his sorry arse. Doubt that would really teach him a lesson though. People like that have no conscience.

Mike 

 

I am of the opinion that he was just clueless as to the effect he was having on the deer, but then again I am sort of an optimist. 

He wanted to get a good look and inadvertently spooked the deer and it died. 

He was stupid and deserves to be punished for his stupidity but what would be the point of his doing it on purpose?  Unless of course he was evil, that is the other possibility

[Ufatz]

Stupid and evil.

[delcecchi]

Stupid and evil.

And you know this how?  You know the guy?

[icehole10]

This has been a big story here locally. The lake that this happened is approximately 60 miles east of the F/M area, so it has been a hot topic.  I don't know the culprit, but his story of how it happened, sure doesn't seem to jive with the witnesses. According to one of the witnesses, when he asked him what he was doing, his response was " what do you think I am doing, I am a deer killer". If that is true, then yes I would say that his actions were stupid and evil!!

[Ufatz]

One does not have to personally KNOW a person to judge whether they are stupid and evil if they commit acts that are stupid and evil.

Adolph Hitler was not a personal friend of mine either.

[delcecchi]

I still find it hard to believe that this guy would do something he had to have known was unlawful in front of witnesses and acknowledge what he was doing so blatantly.   But it sure could have happened that way. 

[LindellProStaf]

Could also be the the most mind numbing example I've seen of "lack of situational awareness".  I see it all of the time at Wally World.  People that don't have a clue of what is happening around them and how they affect it, usually negatively.  

[JConrad]

You showed class!!!  Good for you!!!  

[redneckdan]

I run a home built wooden boat with a UHMW skid shoe and an old johnson 30hp tiller. I prefer fly fishing in frog water if the situation allows.

One of my favorite spots is a lagoon on the other side of a very shallow rock bar. I draw 1 1/2" under the flat bottom. To get into this spot I jump up on plane then kick the motor up and coast into the lagoon. Usually a good spot for crappies, pike, smallies, never seen anyone else fish it.

One weekend a tourney was held on that lake. Like the OP, I didn't know until I got to the launch. I headed straight for my favorite spot thinking it would be calmer. I got there and start absolutely KILLING the bass on streamers stripped just under the surface.

Someone in a go-fast boat sees me and tries to come roaring over. Guess he didn't know about the rock bar. ka_BOOOOM! Say buh bye to the lower unit on that 250hp. Sheared it clean off. So he starts cussing me for not warning him about the hazard! He got turned around and limped back with his trolling motor.

Guess he spread the word about the fish cause here comes 3 more go-fast guys. They stop short and start working in with their trolling motors. They can't even get close before their v-hulls are pounding off gell coat on the bottom. They lined up as close to the bar as possible and try pitching buzz baits over the bar, they couldn't reach. They sat and watched me catch fish after fish while they got skunked. Finally they left in a huff.

 

That day, the tourney guys were jealous of the dirt bag in the cheap boat...

 

[Mike89]

Redneckdan, that's a great story!!  I love it!

[live4chrome]

Bassholes, should have given them your fish then called him in for cheating.

Edited November 26, 2015 by live4chrome

[jdime]

Yesterday I decided to try out Lake Waconia looking for some bass. I got to the launch at 6:30 or so and the public access was packed with tournament anglers. I went and grabbed a pop from the gas station with the intention of going to a different lake , but decided they would be gone shortly so I headed back to the landing. I waited until they took off from the landing to get ready to go, in an effort to stay out of the way. I'm not a real experienced boat handler or fisherman, so I decided this would be best. I launched my boat (not the nicest one on the water, which we will get to in a short while ;-)  ) and headed to a weed line that had nobody on it. I don't know the lake very well, but there were boats everywhere on the lake. I wanted to stay out of the way. So I positioned my boat so the wind would blow me directly down the weed edge. About 300 yards down it would hit the shoreline weed edge and I would make a "right turn" to continue following the weed edge. After about a half hour of drifting down the weed edge a boat comes flying up past me over the top of the weed edge and parks just to the left of the "right turn" and proceeds to get his gear ready. He is off to the side, not in front of me at this point. I continue to fish. As I'm nearing the "right turn" this guy starts his trolling motor and literally cuts me off in the corner and begins to fish along the weeds. If I had not changed my course I would have hit him. I easily could have hit him with my crankbait had I tried to. My question is, should I have made a comment? Should I have moved locations like I did? Is this just "part of fishing" and deal with it? I thought it was pretty rude of the guy. 

 

My second story of the day leaves me wondering what's with these tournament guys? At any rate. After I moved I went over to a reef. I started working one end and there were a couple boats anchored about 150 yards up on the other end. I noticed a boat drifting towards me. I had just caught a nice 18 1/4" so I decided to spot lock and let the boat drift past me. We were not in danger of hitting each other but I decided to let them go as they were in the tournament, I assumed. I used the spot lock on the trolling motor and continued to fish. As they get close the driver asks if I had any luck. I said yes, I just caught a nice 3.5 lber. He jokingly asked if he could borrow it and we both laughed. I proceeded to tell him I wasn't much of a fisherman but I was trying hard and I've caught a few nice ones. I asked if there was a tournament that day? He proceeded to tell me he was from some Prior Lake blah blah blah tournament or something and there was another tournament on the lake that day as well.  I said I wasn't ready to fish in tournaments yet but I was hoping to get good enough to some day. His partner then makes a comment something to the effect of (I'm not ready for a tournament) with a boat like that.  I didn't even know what to say. I actually started laughing. All I could think about was what an arrogant guy he was. I ended up leaving that spot as well. 

 

So I'm sitting here thinking about the events that transpired yesterday and I was wondering if this is really what fishing competitively is like? Do I need thicker skin or should I have made a couple comments?  I am more curious what other angler's opinions are on this.  Nick

Good read. The o.p. is out there enjoying himself and jerks are out there buzzing around him like flies. See the contrast? You don't have to say anything, just keep enjoying yourself.

I would never fish for competition. Why ruin it?