Sad day for KY anglers

[smuckey41]

it is all about respect. i see it to much everywhere people disrespecting each other. it is a shame. i fish the kbfn and local tournaments to. and in both i have ben cut off and it makes you mad actualy realy mad just like in a car. it is like being at the store and your about to grab a peace of gum and somebody grabs it before you. take a step back look around and see your at a gum store and that wasnt the last peace. it is respect. i would love to be down there and watch them and take my 5 year old son so he can see the guys he has ben watching on t.v. since he was born. mark some spots there on and bring him back and fish them another time and even go find or own spots and fish a little let him get some autographs and see it all in real life other then on t.v. but my wife is working and no baby sitter for the other 3. he also fishes tournaments with me to he loves this sport. we teach or kids to have maners and respect for people. so we need to practice what we preach. treat people how you want to be treated show respect and the world will be a better place. i fish to get away from the bull crap of every day people and society and now it is starting to carry over to fishing it is pretty sad.

peace, love, fish,and rock n roll

chuck

[elnutsmalljaws]

Since I am not a Pro, a local, a regular tournament fisherman, and barely good enough to earn my amateur status, I am now officially saying it is legal, moral and plain out ok for me to follow all of them around and not only GPS their spots but flat out troll in right beside them and cast the same lure within 2 feet of their cast and take my chances at catching fish. Works for me.

2 sides to every story in this topic. These same guys that are griping about being followed and GPS'd have done this at one point in time themselves and if any of them say differently, they are probably telling an untruth. One way to eliminate this is to remove all GPS units from all Professional boats during the tournaments and let them get out their maps and compuses and do it the "old fashion way". We all know this will not happen, too much $$$$$ involved in every aspect of this information age. Another way to eliminate this is to let them all carry high powered rifles with scopes on board and give them free will to shoot anything that comes within 150 yards. I figure that most of these guys like to hunt in the offseason so this will give them a chance to site in their guns to get ready for the upcoming season with a little "open season on GPS'ers".

It is just me and I can be as rude and crude as the next guy, but I can't see myself pulling up next to someone and BEEP BEEP their points in front of them. Not to say I won't drive by them and pull out my map and look to see what type of contour they are fishing in hopes of duplicating the "pattern" somewhere else. With all the spots that Dave Stewart, Steve Headrick and John Davis have given me on Ky, Barkley and Dale Hollow in the past, I have found 10 times that many by trying to "Pattern" these same areas that have produced fish. Fun to do and just as you guys that like to catch fish on lures that you make or tie (I have never done that), I find more gratification in catching fish in my own spots that I have found versus the ones the above named Pro's have given me. Don't get me wrong, most times I will try their initial spots first to see if the pattern starts but will fish more of my own spots before the day is gone. Just my opinion like everyone's else, we all have one.

[davidsa]

The june tournament circuit in KYL just stinks in my opinion. I wish all the big series would go elsewhere. In my opinion, these things just create conflict and crowds. Who cares who is right or wrong, I'd like to see the thing avoided at together.

I can understand why some might want to fish tournament but fishing to me is about the solitude of the outdoors and tournaments can really mess that up. Think about the word peace and quiet then think about this entire thread. How sad.

[Col Forbin]

I don't think the tournaments are going elsewhere. I love them here. It is huge chunk of money brough in for our local economy. Not only that, all of the big names in the elite have commented on the quality of kentucky lake. KVD said this is now one of his favorite lakes, and one of the best structure fishing lakes around. I would say they would be back very soon. FLW tour has a stop scheduled for june of next year. The Elite guys and FLW tour guys are all great guys. All of the run-in's I have had with jerks in tournaments have been from your smaller tournament circuits. These Elite guys know that they are always in the spotlight, and anything out of line could cost them sponsor $$$$.

[brucehampton]

I am STILL of the opinion that courtesy and respect are GOOD THINGS. I don't want someone cutting me off a point or moving beside me to fish the same small area and wouldn't do that to another. One of the reasons I believe fisherman have no problem doing this is they have been taught this from others. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN NOR IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. THIS IS NOT OLD SCHOOL......THIS IS THE ONLY SCHOOL. Can we not treat others like we would want to be treated ?
Life / fishing is not about ME.....it's about US on this planet together.
Tournament rules should insert respect for others and courtesy on the FIRST PAGE IF NOT ON THE COVER. Let's not continue teaching this ME attitude to the next generation.

[buzzking]

"If you want to here me whining about a local GPSing my spots even though my spots were shown to me by a different local...... Log on to G-man's Garage.com.......I'll be glad when the pros leave....they may be fishing for a living but they are the rude ones. Had a friend that I share stuff with on KY call me wednesday and said if you caught a fish you would have a wrapped boat in your lap in 2 minutes. Everyone worships the ground these guys walk on b/c they think they are the worlds greatest anglers....they fish a ton so they are good....but I promise you about 75% of them are relying on locals for their knowledge....and I'm sure it goes on everywhere....

[LarryG]

In all my years of fishing, I have been to one weigh in, the walleye one at cumbnerland over 10 yrs ago.Mostly to see the bag limits and to see how theres another way to fish this big lake. Some of these guys were just as skunked as I was on a lot of my trips, did I learn anything? yes walleye fishing is much better on natural lakes.

[DJD]

Been around a few Pro's over the last 20 years and they are no different than any other group of people. You have the good the bad and the ugly. Now throw money (big money) into the mix and the problems start. These guy's are working on the water and it's a different side of them compared to what we see on t.v. The good ones are good business men with a nice supporting cast of Sponsors. Speaking for myself I view what they do as entertainment like any other sport. I don't worship them or place them on any higher platau. More power to them for what they do because I wouldn't do it.

[ryan_ekubass]

BRAGGER....

i believe u have fell and bumped your head..... i am a tournament angler in the BFL and some local tournaments and i think that you have the wrong impression about tournament anglers. Tournament angling is no different that football, basketball, or any other sport for that matter.... when they call my number and i blast off.... it nothing but cold chills and total focus until i come in for weigh in.. no i dont cut no one off but i will pull in a good 100 or so yards infront of somebody sometimes i even like to pull in behind someone and catch the fish they left or missed.... see what some people dont understand is that we are fishing for some big money and i dont know about u but 8 hours on the lake and 10,000 dollars aint that bad.... but i dont think it is fair to knock tournament anglers....

and about everyone gps'n pro's places... i would do it as long as i wasnt fishin against them but its like anythign else... if its a legal way to gain an edge on the competition... go for it....tournament angling is a cut throat sport...... gps'n isnt no different than lookin at a guys rods to see what he has tied on....

[CTFSHWHISKER]

just because they gps a spot within 25yards don't mean they'll catch the fish.
no one "owns" spots.locals on nolin and rough are fishin the same spots beachum and long are and we're still getting spanked.driving by and gps'n a spot is fine to me,but go drag trees and buld piles all day and ride by to see a guy who hasn't broke a sweat to help parking his boat by almost every one and gpsing them,then when i asked him if he would help since he was gonna fish em,and i was not trying to be rude just wanted help, he said f that i can just mark em when your done...rudeness and jackbutts are abundant but there are some nice bass fisherman,catfisherman,crappie fisherman..

[jonasseed]

I agree with ryan.......Seems like somone opened a can of worms here.........

[flippindrew]

I believe it is absolutely wrong to mark a spot because you saw someone else catching fish there. Reguardless of pro, guide, recreational angler etc. If you didnt put the work in to find the fish, in my eyes you may as well have them caged up. I just dont understand the pride in that.