Pondering Question....

[gobbler]

I have never fished a tournament either. I think mainly because it seems to be stressful. When I go fishing, I try to relax. Although I get a little stressed early in the morning when the top water bite is going good and try to catch as many as possible before it quits. I have enough stress as it is, I just want to go out and catch some fish and shoot the bull with my brother or one of my friends. I've got no problem with you guys that fish tournaments. I was taught to respect someone else's water by my dad years ago when I was a kid. But just for update purposes... what is the appropriate distance you can move in front of someone (like on a stretch of riprap). I'm guessing it is about 250-300 yards unless they are coming up on a point on similar structure. The last thing I want to do is be a ******* on the water and tick someone off. I can't stand wave runners or someone who runs up to a point 100 yards up the bank from me. Am I in the ballpark of being right or am I way off?

[buzzking]

When I rec. fish or practice, I like to run around a lot, looking for the best bite, plus the 'rude REALLY likes to eat LOL. when it comes tourney time I'll either fish close to the ramp if I can catch re-treads or make one run to my best location, drop TM and camp out all day. I have met rude fishermen in Z21s and 12 ft john boats chasing crappie, doesn't matter, a-holes are a-holes. The only difference is people usually in a tourney are generally in a hurry, its a rush, thats why people do it, and Im sure at times they make bad decision, we all make bad decisions, thats not going to change

[MLTSPCS]

Some of the tournaments also have off limits areas around the no-wake zones and the general area around the launch ramp. I don't know why I ever make any runs, tournament or not. Zero is Zero whether it's @ the ramp or 20 miles away.lol

[RoadToad]

I've never fished a tournament, but I don't think that tournament or non-tourney fisherman have a monopoly on rudeness. And a lot of it comes down to education. It wasn't that long ago that I might have passed a little too close to somebody with my gas motor running, thinking it was okay because I was at idle speed. Now I know better, and stay back further with only a trolling motor going. I haven't developed more respect for others, just a better understanding of fishing etiquette. That said, I have noticed some tourney fisherman getting a little over-possessive of "their" spots. I guess that's natural; after all, there's money involved!

[kc]

I don't agree completely with any group not having a monopoly on rudeness. While there are bad apples in any barrell and while pleasure boats with skiers and jet skis can be as rude as it gets I have fished all my days and it is so easy to see fishermen who are fishing a tournament and they are usually (as a group) the rudest of the bunch. This time of year when the fish are back in the creeks here they come wide open flying by everyone washing them on the banks in the "quiet waters" racing to their spots. Same thing when they leave. I usually idle past boats and out of the quiet waters before I take off. These are also the same guys who will pull 100 feet up the bank in front of you because their mission is more important than yours. I know some non-tourney fishermen are rude also but when tournament time is going on the rudeness factor goes up 10 fold so it is not rocket science to understand which group is bringing it on.

That is one of the things that has made fishing in general much worst over the last 10 to 20 years is the unprecendented growth in tournament fishing. I guess everybody's got to be a pro.

kc

[DJD]

And you guys wonder why people don't like tourny fishermen........

Speaking as one of the few who doesn't fish tournaments. The rest of us really do not appreciate being run over as we are coming into a marina when a tourny releases . Now there are ways around this, we try to avoid tourny fishermen when we are on the lake, if we know there is a tournament, we use a totally different marina. I know this will ruffle some feathers,but, you guys have a bad name among people who fish for recreation only. I know that this would be putting some of you in a category that is unjustified, and I apologize for that, but, as a whole, tourny fishermen think that they own the whole lake while their tourny is active, they WILL run over you, they get very upset if someone in "their spot", they are the most unsafe people on the water, & are generally the most ungrateful people on the water. Just a thought from a Non-Tourny fisherman.

The topic on tourny fisherman should have it's own thread....My thought is that i agree that some tourny guys cross the line (has happened to me many times) but many more pleasure boaters cross the line. I fish tournies, fish for fun and just get out with my daughter and out of all the outings i have in a boat i usually see that if there is a problem at the ramp or on the water it's not a tourny guy. There are some facts about tourny guys and gals that can't be dismissed. Most know how to load and unload their boats quickly, most know the rules and regulations of boating, creel limits and safety equipment for the boat. I could give example after example on how jet skiers, pontoon boats and other pleasure craft have done me wrong but i won't, i just wanted to say that it's never a one sided deal.

[RoadToad]

The topic on tourny fisherman should have it's own thread....My thought is that i agree that some tourny guys cross the line (has happened to me many times) but many more pleasure boaters cross the line. I fish tournies, fish for fun and just get out with my daughter and out of all the outings i have in a boat i usually see that if there is a problem at the ramp or on the water it's not a tourny guy. There are some facts about tourny guys and gals that can't be dismissed. Most know how to load and unload their boats quickly, most know the rules and regulations of boating, creel limits and safety equipment for the boat. I could give example after example on how jet skiers, pontoon boats and other pleasure craft have done me wrong but i won't, i just wanted to say that it's never a one sided deal.

True, this thread has drifted off-topic, and yes, rudeness happens on both sides. To reply to Danny's original posting, I think we all do the same thing sometimes, want to distance ourselves from the launch point, when that can sometimes be a great spot to fish. Again, I'm not a tourney fisherman, but I know that at Guist Creek, there isn't a bank around that hasn't yielded up a nice bass at some time or another, including those ones just to your left off the launch ramp, inside the No Wake zone. Funny, but I've never had to fight over those spots with anybody fishing a tourney!

Good Luck to all of you, no matter why you're out there fishing. Yes, we CAN all get along!

[crazyfishinnut]

danny I grew up fishing Big Bone lick on the mighty Ohio out of a coleman crawdad. John from then dixie sprting goods put on a thurs evening 4 hour deal. Me and my partner bought and paid for our next boat (small jon with 10hp ) after winning 18 in 2 years. When my current club now fish Barkley I can drop my troller after a 2 minute run and fish all day with out running. just all depends on what and how you fish.

[mhall]

Danny I have caught fish off of ramps so many times it's unreal. When I was a kid I fished Guist Creek as we had a camp there for 17 years. I started as a very young boy with a 10 foot jonboat and an ole shakespeare trolling motor on it. I sat in the front and had the trolling motor mounted on the front. I ran a long wire to the back where the battery was so the boat would weigh out therefore I wouldn't take water in the front as this little boat was very light, LOL. I fished the rock bank right across the lake in front of the marina as all the Shelby County Bassmasters would launch, point and laugh at me and fish everywhere but there. This was the early 70's, I can't tell you the fish I caught off of that bank, and I didn't even know what I was doing. Man that brings back memories, my Dad would sit on the point of our trailer camp site and watch me and I really thought that was cool when he would see me haul one in and yell to me way to go son. I sure miss him and those times, but I digress. Point is you don't have to run a tank of gas to catch fish that's for sure.