Etiquette or NOT?

[fishbum]

DO NOT MOVE this is for non Tournament Anglers as well..

Today a couple of good ole boys decided to fish against the tournament fishermen. Came to the ramp curious about what was going on asking about the BFL National Championship out of Louisville.
They then took off ahead of the gentlemen in the tournament and proceeded to fish some water in Harrods Creek. NOW... they themselves were not fishing a tournament.. just fun fishing.
When POLITELY asked to allow one of the tournament anglers to fish a bank they refused and proceeded to put 3 fish in the LIVEWELL and not release them back into the creek. As it ended up the Angler caught fish and did well but the upshot is this..
To me.. this tournament benefits everyone especially the anglers who were in my opinion being rude by continuing to fish water after being asked politely to allow the Amature Angler fishing for $100,000 to fish it. Beyond that is the simple fact that when local anglers are polite it reflects well on the community and helps in bringing tournaments like this to town. This helps provide tax money to Louisville and to Kentucky and the FLW is as I understand it making a nice contribution to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Am I wrong in believing that a basically rude answer to the request and continued fishing was out of order and unethical especially when the boys were not fishing a tournament and proceeded to put the fish in the livewell.
(They SAID they were not fishing a tournament)
This is for all anglers to chime in...
Bank Anglers in another situation were NOT asked to move, so I can not tell you what that situation would be.. but most bank anglers do not fish for bass.
Jim Dicken

[cumberlandguy1]

Let's see....how would you feel if the tournament angler was fishing the area and the non tournament angler asked them politely to move? I say who ever is there first has the right to fish it. Doesn't matter if you are fishing in a tournament or not. If I'm catching fish, why would I move? The Ohio River is tough enough. Just because you are fishing a tournament doesn't give you any special rights. As a matter of fact, most people here are so soured by the rudeness of the tournament guys, that they wouldn't move even if they were not catching fish.

[MsgMills]

Tournament or not, the Tournament guys should not have asked the non-tournament guys to let them fish the bank in the first place. It doesn't matter, to the non-tournament guy what's at stake, he's out to have fun and part of that fun is catching fish.
The tournament guys should have kept quiet and just followed the guy down the bank and not said a word in my honest opinion.

[redneckshadrap]

Tournament or not, the Tournament guys should not have asked the non-tournament guys to let them fish the bank in the first place. It doesn't matter, to the non-tournament guy what's at stake, he's out to have fun and part of that fun is catching fish.
The tournament guys should have kept quiet and just followed the guy down the bank and not said a word in my honest opinion.

If(when I get a chance) I'm fishing at a lake and I'm on fish, too bad. I will not move either.

Billy

[smljaw]

I have to fully agree with the above opinions as well. It's not an etiquette issue at all. If I'm going to drag out of bed at 4:30AM to be on my spot then I'm going to fish it til I'm done. I think I would have had to laugh at someone asking me to move so they could fish the spot I was on.

Very interesting topic. I'm interested to see what other people on this board think... Anyone?

[buzzking]

See Im just the opposite on this, I go by treat others how you would be like to be treated, when Im pleasure fishing or practicing, as long as the tourney angler is courteous I will give him the first shot at a spot, because at some point in the future I would like someone to return the favor. Personally I think these guys that showed up at the BFL deal are real donkeys, the type with the mentality "let's go check it out and show these boys how to fish" shortly followed by his partner agreeing with a "Get-R-Done". The BFL was generous enough to bring a tourney of this size to louisville and generate publicity and business to the area and the very few limited creeks around L-ville get pounded by some donkeys that wants to show he can catch fish like the pros. Of course, thats just my two copper coins

[RoadToad]

I believe proper etiquette would be that if someone's fishing in a spot you want, you stay back a respectful distance until they're done, or go find somewhere else, tournament or no tournament. Why does someone who might potentially get paid thousands of dollars for a day's fishing have more right to a particular (public) spot than I, who am paying out the yin-yang for the privilege? You know all those "take me fishing" commercials we see on TV? Funny, but I have yet to see one that says, "Take me fishing... so I can make big bucks!" Fishing is all about FAMILIES HAVING FUN, and if anything, the tournament guys should yield to the guy who's out there teaching his kid to fish.

[LarryG]

This ia a make believe question isn't it? Anyone dumb enough to even ask a question like that, isn't smart enough to drive a car, or afford a boat, but it did test out human kindness. but then you never know what to think when you watch some of these tournament anglers.

[Dave Stewart]

Here is my two cents. I have encountered this situation a number of times here on Ky Lake during FLW, BASS and other big tournaments. Here is how I handle the situation...if the tournament angler approaches me and introduces themselves and explains that they are fishing a national level tournament..ie...big dollars such as is at stake in the All American that is referred to here...I will (with permission of my client if I have one in the boat) give up the spot to the competitor. If the tournament angler just comes up and tries to muscle in on my spot..we will have words and I will explain to them that they are not going to fish this spot..and if they continue to try to do so I will cut them off or take other actions to keep them off the fish. To me it is all about manners...either you have them or you don't..and if you don't you are not going to fish my fish.

Do the folks that did not want to move have that right to not move..of course they do....but if they (like me) know the body of water and can go find some fish somewhere else, why would anyone be such a type person to deny someone from a chance to make 100,000 dollars and launch themselves into a full time fishing career as has happened so many times with the All American winners.

I guess it is all in how you look at it....myself, show me some respect and I will show you some. I am not going to tag all tournament anglers as disrespectful any more than I am going to tag all the just for fun anglers as disrespectful just because I encounter many of them that want to move in on top of me also.

[fishbum]

This ia a make believe question isn't it? Anyone dumb enough to even ask a question like that, isn't smart enough to drive a car, or afford a boat, but it did test out human kindness. but then you never know what to think when you watch some of these tournament anglers.

This actually happened today on the river. The Angler was very polite, asked nicely explaining the situation and the Angler was basically rude.. ACCORDING to the Camera Boat Driver who witnessed it. What upset me was that the boys made a POINT to take the fish out of the creek when they did this. Putting the fish in the live well. Why do this when you are pleasure fishing..?????
NOW IF YOU Are the person in the Stratos who did this reply here please.. I would like to hear both sides.. HOWEVER, my feeling is that if someone is polite and asks nicely and I am fishing for pleasure not money, I would give the spot up, and sit back and watch.. hoping to learn something.. OR At least release the fish so other anglers had a CHANCE to catch them.!!!
DO NOT get me wrong. The water belongs to whomever is there first. Still what is better for the Sport or for the Community of anglers?
Being polite in an effort to show hospitality and gratitude for the tournament? OR Catching a fish one day.
Points to ponder:
More tournaments in Louisville means more anglers get to fish locally giving them an edge.. including the guy in the Stratos who apparently is a Tournament fisherman at times.
I have back seated ( Observed) In 5 ot 6 tournaments over the years including the WFL tourney in 2000 on Taylorsville. In that tournament people got out of the way so PRO's could fish. Why not help another Amature who is fishing for MORE money than the Pro's were fishing for.
At a KBF tourney on Ky. Lake guys would ask if the angler was fishing the tournament and would give way to him... because he was fishing for a spot on the BASS Masters Classic Team. I even saw a boy fishing a tournament for money give up a spot so a KBF guy could fish it.. without asking.. just moved... after asking if the boy was fishing the KBF.
Why is the Ohio River Different and why is it that the manners on the river are different from the tournaments I have worked in the past?
Jim Dicken

[oldmanboat]

I think it is bad etiquette for the tourney fisherman to even get close enough to even ask a guy to move so he can fish a position. If he is a pro he should be able to catch fish that a amature missis just the opinion of a simple ky boy

[VMAXX]

Myself I would have gave way before being asked but I am a bfl angler and know whats at stake and hope others would treat me the same,I'll agree with buzzking probably some local that went out and said I bet we can catch more than these guys...on the other hand I wouldnt have bothered to ask them to give it up either