|
|
Posts: 6
| Fellow muskie hunters,
I live in the Madison area and frequently fish the chain. In the past couple years, fishing pressure has increased exponentially. I have seen, and (unfortunately) been a part of a couple verbal altercations. After yet another one this morning, I am going to publicly make a resolution to NOT lose my cool again. Like most of us, I'm out there to relax and enjoy myself. It doesn't matter if I was in the right or not...maybe I wasn't... I lost my cool, and that was wrong. So I'm going to publicly make this resolution so maybe others can join me, and HOLD ME TO MINE!  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 181
| The morons were out on vermilion this weekend as well. Surprisingly I kept my cool lol. I had a friend along and didnt want him to think that is what the sport is about. My dad made the comment the other night that those kind of people are driving him away from the sport. Its supposed to be relaxing afterall..
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 292
| what was it that set you off? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 720
| Booger,
Its a shame that people don't get it. If I cut someone off or did something that was out of line I can assure you it was an accident. I would correct my misstep immediately and throw out an apology and leave it at that. Confrontation on the water or at the landing is just not what this is about. I learned my lesson about four seasons ago while fishing with my daughter on a another "Chain" famous for poor behavior and attitudes. I'll make this short. This occurrence ended with me acting like a complete jackass in front of my daughter making her cry and asking me to take her home. I did. On the way home I promised her she would never see me act like that again. I can't remember ever feeling so angry and then so stupid about somebody cutting me off.
I have to this day and so far kept that promise to her. I agree with you whole heartily about it not being worth it. Like the others before have said its not what fishing and the outdoors is suppose to be about. |
|
| |
|
| We were on a lake a while back and had a game plan for the morning. We were out midlake fishing a spot and a boat went by and headed into a cove. We finished the spot and headed to out next which happened to be on the same shoreline the other boat was on but about half a mile away from the cove these guys were in. About half hour later we met the other boat along the shoreline I asked hows it going and they pretty much went ballistic claiming that we cut them off and how they watched us do it. I was speechless didn't even know how to respond. They blew out of there all peeed off. I have never been confronted like that before and it really bothered me. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | I don't get into any altercations any more. You can't fix stupid and engaging stupid leads to more of it. I move on, move around, or a pleasure boater just ignore it, move on, you won't accomplish anything. |
|
| |
|
| I was fishing a shoreline on the chain I live by and I had a boat slide 30 yards in front of me and we continued down the same way and I was mf'n this guy to no end and suddenly I had a fish on which ended up being my pb a 48" and then after the release I looked over and smiled and asked him if he caught anything and he said some choice words to me and took off. |
|
| |
|
| As the sport grows, it becomes apparent how many of the people out there chasing the fish are not really having any fun. Either too crowded, not enough action, other people mishandle the fish, people cutting them off. I am pretty amazed at how miserable much of the modern muskie world is. BR |
|
| |
|
Posts: 581
| What's interesting and something to be mindful of is how boat etiquette can differ lake-to-lake, region-to-region. My local waters are the Madison-Chain and it's not at all uncommon for boats to be working the same weedlines. With the amount of boats and limited number of "known spots", it's almost impossible to NOT have multiple boats in relatively close proximity to each other. Generally, we give each other enough space and most guys get along just fine.
Meanwhile, I was up north a few years ago and saw another boat far away up along a shoreline-related weedline, where I wanted to start casting. This boat was far enough away that I couldn't even see whether the guy was casting vs. panfishing, and if he was casting, I couldn't even tell which direction his boat was working. I started well away from him, but working the same weedline generally in his same direction. Eventually, I did see that he was casting the same weedline, working toward me. Our paths eventually crossed and the guy started chucking his bait at me while going crazy-ballistic-foul-mouthed. (He had his young son with him in the boat, too, who I felt very sorry for). I tried to be reasonable with the guy, but apparently he believed that he had laid claim to the entire east side weedline of a ~600 acre lake...(which I thought was a bit over the top...but anyways...).
The point is that on the Madison Chain there would have been no issue whatsoever. (I didn't think that I was in the wrong in the above circumstance either)...but obviously, up north on smaller lakes and with fewer boats, its good to keep in mind that the other anglers aren't as accustomed to the "combat fishing" that we've become more accustomed to on metro waters and the definition of "courteous" might be a bit different as well. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 159
| Good post---
Man to think men are having altercations about fishing spots, being cut off, etc....its hard to believe!
But as a younger guy in my late 20s I have been there as well.
Something about Musky fishing that brings out a competitive nature---ie...pride--that allows the worst in people to surface.
One of the best Musky guides out there I know has a great strategy---when its even a question about cutting off etc....or someone coming on to a spot you are working...he just leaves and moves to another spot----no questions asked---gives up the spot and moves....
Hope you can stick to your resolution!!- I am with you!! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1220
| I think BenR is painting the crowd with just a tad too much tar. I'm like everybody else who primarily fishes a metro area lake and therefore does it in a crowd. I recenly had the everday issue with a pontoon that motored between me and a shoreline that was a half-cast away. Then they stopped right smack-dab between me and the shore and began a friendly chat. They were totally oblivious to the fact that I needed to stop fishing altogether and really would have rather fished. The fact clearly, however, is that they had NO CLUE what commom courtesy would have dictated. My response was to act as it I were just as happy to take a break for a chat as they were.....just totally nice people who have no idea whatsoever. A lot of the cut-offs are similarly innocent, guys who have no clue to what a lot of us "wised-up" guys know not to do...except for when we are being A-holes on purpose. As for the "mob" however, I find us to be a really fine brotherhood of pretty fine people. My whole interest in fishing tournaments and other events (like I've said many times) is clearly not because I am very good at it. It's that the musky group as a whole is worth getting to know, worth hanging out with, lots of fun and primarily made up of guys who would give you the shirt off thier backs. |
|
| |
|
| You da man , Junkman, well said... How blessed are we just to be out on the water, some people only dream about gettin after them fat girls... Take a breath and count the blessings, thank You, Lord ... |
|
| |
|
Posts: 174
Location: Ontario | I saw another fishing boat last week. It was a mile away. You guys fishing on highways ? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 246
| I fish in high pressure lakes. Some people are just either clueless or asses. I have stopped getting upset at any of them. Twice this weekend I had guys go right in front of me as I was working a weed bed, both of them came from across the lakes and just start going at it. One other guy came up behind me and started chatting and told me he raised a fish not too far in the direction I was headed a couple hours before and actually asked to start fishing behind me about 100 yds. I couldn't believe it. I fished a bit further and then let him try on that fish because I was in shock someone asked that on this lake. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | ckhawkeye51 - 9/2/2013 8:22 PM
Its supposed to be relaxing afterall..
Ummm,. Muskie fishing is not to relaxing,...unless you're trolling.... Crappie /Pan fishing is relaxing.
BenR, speaks the truth when it comes to a lot of Muskie fishermen. He didn't say anything about everyday boaters,.....but Marty is also right when it comes to treating someone who obviously doesn't have a clue,......
It's all about respect of other Human Beings......You want to cut me off, go ahead,... I'll move.... It really isn't worth the stress to get bent out of shape.
Jerome
Edited by Top H2O 9/3/2013 9:57 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: MN | I have been cut off twice this season between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on a 2000 acre lake by the only other boat on the water. I may cuss under my breath but altercations are not worth it. I have had my fair share of run ins duck hunting by guys who think they own a spot on public land and I know how it can ruin a day. I have seen too many muskies caught on a spot right after it got pounded by another boat to let it slow me down.
Like Junkman says most pleasure boaters are clueless. They usually don't get the hint until you launch a bait off the back of their boat to hit the propwash. I think muskies get used to boating traffic in lakes with a lot of pleasure boaters so it probably doesn't affect fishing much.
I can only remember one time I was really upset and it was because the guy was clearly doing it on purpose to upset us. He cut within a cast of our boat, went right through the middle of the weed bed, and got in front of us. We did not say a word but the guy could tell we were not happy. His reaction was to give us a stupid smug smile like he was happy that he made us upset. It wasn't our first time running into this bozo and he is a rich yuppie that lives on the lake and thinks he and his $80,000 boat own the place. I figure Karma will catch up with guys like that. |
|
| |
