What I feel is an alarming trend

[jcb]

Have you not noticed that when somebody responds to somrthing somebody else said it goes back to their original post instead of going on page 7

Near the top of the page, right above the first post on the page, look for "Display" and change from threaded mode to linear mode.

[Fishin is life]

Im always on my phone and dont see that option but that would fix it. Thanks jcb

[BlaineCreek]

i came across this site and post and figured i would offer the solution i found to this problem.
three years ago i came to the same level of frustration with tournaments. it was to the point i sold my small bass boat and decided i would try something i had never done before. i started looking for places to trout fish. while doing this i soon realized the rivers and creeks i was fishing had ample bass in them.

once i figured out the difference between lake and river fishing (technigues and patterns) i started catching a lot of bass. last year i caught more bass than most people will believe until i show them some of the pictures.

i would still like to lake fish some, but fishing back waters combines a lot of whta i enjoy about hunting into fishing. you get to get out deep in the woods and the only thing around are the animals. many times i have stopped fishing long enough to watch a nice group of deer drink/play in the water.

i will say, your odds of catching really large fish are less, however i have caught 2 five pound fish, 3 four pound fish and many, many 2 and 3s. these are not guesses, but weighed on a digital scale. i use much lighter tackle than i used to as well. catching four pound bass on 6 lb line and a light spinning reel is more fun that i ever had on heavier tackle.

switching over to stream fising has been awsome for me. it brought the relaxing part of fishin back, i catch more fish, the nature is even prettier, it is good exercise, it is much cheaper (minimal tackle, no boat), and it also opened me up to fishing for other fish from time to time (trout, muskie, catfish). i still bass fish 90 pct of the time, but i will stop for other fish some times.

so yes, i did give in and leaeve the lakes to the tournament mess, but i have been better off for it and i am now a much better angler as well.

once final note, i decided to sell the boat not because i was passive and didn't want a confrontation, but the opposite. the run-ins were excelating between me and the tournament guys. so i decided to pull the plug on it before it got out of hand. by the way it sounds, some of you are at this point as well.

[mhall]

Blainecreek...great first post and welcome to the site....Hey about those streams, creeks and back waters...Shhhhhhhhhhh be berry berry quiet.....

[DJD]

Most that know me on here know that I fish Cumberland a lot. What I'm seeing this year has me somewhat concerned and I will get slammed for this but I am going to say it anyway. I know it is a huge lake but how many tournaments should be held on a given body of water per year. Lakes like Nolin, Rough Taylorsville ect..how many? Is there a thing called too much?

I was there this past Friday and I have never seen so many KVD wanna be's in one place in my life and on a week day no doubt. I tried being friendly with two ass wipes in Halcomb's parking lot and they acted like I had three heads and wasn't about to give away their big bad tourney pattern for I assume they were pre-fishing for a Saturday T by the way they were acting. Don't let the fish-n-ski non wrapped boat fool ya I probably could have helped the bungholes but screw'em I walked off after the rude behavior. Got cut off twice and once I say out loud...''REALLY...NO REALLY'' and they acted like punks laughing. Young guns all full of themselves..real bait slingers, LOL.

I'm gonna just say it and I really don't care what I get afterwards so here goes. I am getting to the place where I hate tournaments. If it was up to me they would be sanctioned and regulated. Are they good for fishing yes to a degree but I don't like where its going at all with the rude asses and non caring for the lakes. I have buddies that tourney fish all the time and they won't like me saying this stuff but I had to vent it out.

Friday I was catching a nice smallmouth in a very tight spot one hand dip net the other the rod. I about got washed out of the boat only for these two squirells to notice I had a good one on. They pass me and turn around and wash me again to see me net the fish I guess to see what I caught it on. I looked at them like are you serious....they slam her again and take off.

Go ahead call me everything in the book I have been called much much worse and I ain't a bit skeered. Thank God not everybody acts like this but man its starting to get bad in my opinion.

Have a nice day this is how I feel.

I hear ya man.....I started fishing bass tournys in the early 90's in Central Florida. We had idiots back then as well!! Jet skiers pleasure boaters, tourney guys and fun fishermen all had their bad examples. I think it has become worse since society's manners as a whole has taken a turn for the worse. JMO

[RayP]

The majority of my lake fishing are 5-6 day trips. I usually plan to check in on Sunday afternoon and check out Friday morning to avoid the craziness.

I've seen a lot of incredibly rude and unsafe behavior from EVERYONE on the lake and I try my best to avoid it. I prefer to night fish in the Summer and even that has become kinda dangerous at times.

I used to do a lot of Winter fishing but the past couple years have been horrible with all the polar vortex fronts rolling through and then the high water. It's almost May now and I haven't had the cover off my boat yet.

When I finally do get back on the water nothing is going to keep me from enjoying every minute of it. I already expect the worse from every encounter I have from the time I leave the house. The drive to the lake, the boat ramp, and every spot I choose to fish I expect there to be a jerk waiting for me to show up. Are there any "cool" people on the lake anymore?

I have a good string of private ponds that I can fish and catch a whole lot more and better quality bass than ANY lake in the state...but I still like to get out and fish from the boat and try to figure the fish out.

I do occasionally fish with one of my "crazy" buddies who won't take a slight from anyone and truly doesn't care what happens next. It's all done to try and get a laugh out of me but I'm usually the voice of reason..."hey man,just let it go". I often want to hide in the bottom of the boat when he starts messing with people. Every trip with him has many memorable moments but i can only take it once or twice a year.

Anyway, Have fun out there and do unto others and we'll all get along.

[raporter]

Just a sign of the times. It is not just the kids who have no respect I have had a pontoon full of seniors(Of which I am one)come between me and the bank when I was about 50 feet off that bank.

[gocards40]

Right on the money. I live on the water making a living bass fishing. I see and experience people with no sense of etiquette virtually every day out there and it seems to be more so the past few years....and they are in bass boats, pontoon boats, pleasure boats etc....I don't see it coming anymore from tournament angler than I do others. I mark it up to their upbringing....seems less folks are taught manners and respect for others now days than in the past.I will however also say majorty of those out there are respectful..just seems more not now than in days past. Kind of like driving in traffic now day..more people weaving in and out of traffic and cutting folks off etc.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I would like to say the more you are on the water the more of this you will see but I have seen similar situations on small lakes, big lakes and rivers. I have had guys in kayaks paddle right next to me on small lakes and 20 foot bass boats do the same at taylorsville. I guess when the guy in the kayak does it you tend to think he does not know any better and the guy with the 50,000 dollar rig should.

[Crankinstein]

Fellow bass fishermen, my name is Crankinstein and I am a derby fisherman. I started just fishing them for fun, I then became hooked. It doesn't affect every person the same but it consumed me. I went broke, lost my 1st wife, gave up my job, separated from my family. I am better now and now just fish for fun. I admit that when the derby was on the line you had better not be close to MY spot, slowed me down or got in my way. I had the idea that derby fishing was my way out of the middle class. it didn't pan out. I quit enjoying the art of fishing only the drive to win.


As I said, not every fisherman is the same, but a lot of you got it just as bad. Next derby picture your grandma crappie fishing in every boat you see!! If you cut them off or send them a big roller to break loose their anchor, get help!!! I did and enjoy fishing again. I can even fish a open derby now.

Crankinstein

[pointer]

Wow! Eight pages! Is this not slightly a topic of some significance? I have a couple of questions about this topic.
What platform does everyone think would be able to reach the masses, to affect how people think about how they conduct themselves with respect to how they affect other folks on the water? How many times do fishing clubs and other tournament organizations actually talk about, or encourage proper etiquette on the water, or at the ramp for that matter? How many times do, what I consider the leaders in freshwater fishing, Bassmasters or FLW step up and actually discuss courtesy? I agree that there are folks who make foolish, inconsiderate and even reckless decisions, while on the water, or at the ramp. Folks from all walks of life. These folks may be new to the sport, ignorant of etiquette or so wrapped up in winning, that they just push other folk's (wrong) buttons. I love the sport and hate regulation. I sure would like to see some leadership, at all levels, from organized fishing to take some serious steps to relieve several of the pressure points mentioned in this thread. Otherwise, I think things are going to boil over into something that none of us want. We can all blame, fuss, cuss, deflect, etc., but somewhere, somebody needs to accept that things aren't as they should be, and demonstrate some real leadership for improvement.

Mike

[kstonich]

I moved from the west coast a while back and its the same discussions on the fishing sites out there. It started with wave runners then the high powered fishing rigs. Now there are jerks in every phase of water craft operators.
When I was taught to operate a boat I was taught safety and respect for others on the waters were key to keeping waterways safe and enjoyable for everyone it wasn't about me it was to be considerate of everyone on the water
Society is turning into a me-me mindset, its all about me what I'm doing. There is no us anymore.Its not just on the water. I dread parking my truck ear anyone as I know someone s going to not care about others and ding my truck.
Regulations won't do anything
I sees to be that we as a society are on downward spiral of poor character.
Remember when being of good character was important. I still do

[DJD]

Wow! Eight pages! Is this not slightly a topic of some significance? I have a couple of questions about this topic.
What platform does everyone think would be able to reach the masses, to affect how people think about how they conduct themselves with respect to how they affect other folks on the water? How many times do fishing clubs and other tournament organizations actually talk about, or encourage proper etiquette on the water, or at the ramp for that matter? How many times do, what I consider the leaders in freshwater fishing, Bassmasters or FLW step up and actually discuss courtesy? I agree that there are folks who make foolish, inconsiderate and even reckless decisions, while on the water, or at the ramp. Folks from all walks of life. These folks may be new to the sport, ignorant of etiquette or so wrapped up in winning, that they just push other folk's (wrong) buttons. I love the sport and hate regulation. I sure would like to see some leadership, at all levels, from organized fishing to take some serious steps to relieve several of the pressure points mentioned in this thread. Otherwise, I think things are going to boil over into something that none of us want. We can all blame, fuss, cuss, deflect, etc., but somewhere, somebody needs to accept that things aren't as they should be, and demonstrate some real leadership for improvement.

Mike

Yeah that would help some people understand there are rules to live by but others won't care. The days of a polite, considerate, compassionate and helpful society is on it's last leg. Seems like professional bass fishing has copied more than marketing/uniforms from NASCAR. They have adopted the me first, go fast and to each his own attitude as well. That stuff bleeds down to the young folks and they think it's cool so when they get in a situation on the water they can try and be like "ike" or "ish". Do I think the guys on the pro trail are responsible for how it is now on the water? No, I don't, but I think a pro-active approach to how things should be handled is a move in the right direction. If the pro organizations don't get pro-active then they will have nothing but problems in the future.

Lakes are more crowded, people are more stressed, instant media feeds cloud peoples judgement and make them want to be noticed and on and on. In a nutshell it comes down to the "Golden Rule" Treat others as you wish to be treated. It's tough to do but it's the only way we can change things.

I choose not to fish tournaments anymore so I cut a big part of my stress on the water out and I enjoy myself more...that works for me. Now it's fun fishing with buddies, kids or family. Time on the water that way is more enjoyable to me now.