Watchin Aaron Martins WHINE at Guntersville.........

[Bass Addict 170]

I didn't say Martens wasn't a complainer. The "other guy" does have a right to be there. BUT it has absolutely nothing to do whether or not you have a sponsor? Fact is this guy FISHES FOR A LIVING. It is how he FEEDS, clothes, and provides shelter for his family. I can't believe that most people wouldn't give up a spot if the pro had been fishing there? It is not who has a right to fish there...we all have that right...but morals or ethics plays a factor. If you kept fishing there and the pro that asked you to let him fish it because he had been fishing it....there is a possibility that in this day and time you could cause the pro to lose big money...enough money to make or break him. All of these guys are not independently wealthy, they are fortunate enough to fish for a living and to some one money place could be the difference in being able to pay their mortgage. In other words, just because of PRIDE, some folks would take a chance away for some guy trying to make an honest living by fishing. These guys are not saints as none of us are either but they deserve a chance to make a living by us not being in the way. I mean let's face it, this was one day and one spot?
Tim
bassmaster

I do see your point about feeding family and stuff like that, but if we're all gonna start talking ethics and morals, how about these weekend anglers who lack all repect for other boaters. We don't hve the time or patience to know every angler, and just making an exception for one pro is kinda hard to do. I personally fish some tourneys, and try to be repectful of hoever's on the water, no matter the money at stake. I think first come, first serve applies on public lakes. And after the many rude encounters I've had fun fishing from tourney guys, who wanna cut you off or swamp someones boat because they lack courtesy for others makes the decision to give up a spot kinda hard. Just my opinion.

[GeoFisher]

Agree! Intentionally following a pro and trying to take his spot is an embarrassment to the state. Forget tournaments for a moment. What if I followed a weekend angler around on the lake some Saturday and took his spots. Instinctively we know this is not cool but somehow some think it is OK is a persons boat has a sponsors wrap on it.

If these guys followed him around in practice, and then took his spot......OK......but I don't believe that is the case......had it been, he probably would have said something about it.

I believe the guys on "his spot" got there before him......Different ramp, camping, whatever.....

Bottom line......If I'm on fish in an area and a tourney guy comes in complainin about 100k on the line and you're on my BEST spot......I don't give a RIP.....sorry.

BUT........if Aaron found these spots earlier in the week and the guys fishing it has been following him around........ALL bets are OFF.......

BTW......it was cool watching the tourney........these guys can FLAT out hammer fish.

Later,

Geo

[Jbyrd]

The guy did win.....even with somebody on his spot. This happens all the time. As far as I'm concerned, I would back out and find me another spot to fish. This is their livelihood. The way they make a living, feed their kids, pay their mortgage,etc...I'm not gonna get in the way of that. I do feel like anytime this happens, the pro should be courteous and politely ask. I'm sure that no matter how they were asked, some people would still be offended and refuse to move. Not sure why but probably pride, but everybody's got an opinion. Mine is let the guy have the spot, give him a chance to better his paycheck. The lake is to big and I can find me another spot to catch some at. I wouldn't get in the way of anyone trying to make an honest living. The only way is if I were fishing against them and I was fishing there first.
See ya'll on the water,
Tim
bassmaster

OH PLEASE !!! Dudes a millionaire Don't start that feeding his kids crap.. He don't own the lake and it was funny the other guys where already saying I bet Aaron is crying someone is on "MY SPOT". He always whines if he can't have the whole lake to himself. Rest of them just went on and fished...

[Shimano4Life]

OH PLEASE !!! Dudes a millionaire Don't start that feeding his kids crap.. He don't own the lake and it was funny the other guys where already saying I bet Aaron is crying someone is on "MY SPOT". He always whines if he can't have the whole lake to himself. Rest of them just went on and fished...

Skeet Reese was one that called him out on that one! Makes for good times...LOL

[bigwormy]

well, if i found the spot, i would probably stay. however, i might oblige and let the man fish if he was polite about the situation. saying that, i fished the same flat with matt reed for two days and he never once complained or asked that i moved. this could be because we were there when he came upon us a couple hours into day 1. my boat and my brother's were both fishing the same area. we were on vacation and it was an 8 hour drive.i was also recently laid off so i was ready for this trip. alot of stress at home. honestly, combine this with as many fish as i was catching, it would have been hard for me to move. this was the best spot i had ever fished in my life and we found it totally on our own without the benefit of pros. it outfished most spots 3-4 to 1. i really do not know what i would have done had he asked us to leave???? i mean i work all year to go to take this trip so why would i want to give up my spot to a guy that fishes a new huge lake every week? he can work a "real job" like most of us cant he? there are other ways to provide for your family.

[mayracing]

Id just tel them to show me the deed that its there spot or shut and move on down the lake.

[bassmaster]

OH PLEASE !!! Dudes a millionaire Don't start that feeding his kids crap.. He don't own the lake and it was funny the other guys where already saying I bet Aaron is crying someone is on "MY SPOT". He always whines if he can't have the whole lake to himself. Rest of them just went on and fished...

ALL of these guys are not millionaires. Besides, I wouldn't want to take a chance to better themselves away from noone including a millionaire. He has the right to complain, just like we would (and have) complain in the same situation. I agree with TimT on this also. Good discussion. And Shimano4life, we can agree to disagree. I just don't see it as "so what the guys a millionaire?" I wouldn't take an oppurtunity away from any of you guys or a millionaire either.

Tim
bassmaster

[GeoFisher]

ALL of these guys are not millionaires. Besides, I wouldn't want to take a chance to better themselves away from noone including a millionaire. He has the right to complain, just like we would (and have) complain in the same situation. I agree with TimT on this also. Good discussion. And Shimano4life, we can agree to disagree. I just don't see it as "so what the guys a millionaire?" I wouldn't take an oppurtunity away from any of you guys or a millionaire either.

Tim
bassmaster

He has a RIGHT to complain..........you gotta be KIDDING........he has NO RIGHT to ask someone to leave a spot......period..........PERIOD.........

Man....this CRAP REALLY fires me up.........

Tourney guys think they own the lake......and the run up on you all the **** time.

I had a guy last year in a Yellow Bullet boat on KY lake tell me he OWNED the lake, and to get off his **** point.........EXACT WORDS..........and I was 200 freakin YARDS down the bank from him......

Yes, my friends........most tourney guys I've met on the lake have been TOTAL BUTTS...........sorry....but that is the FACT.

Later,

Geo

[BigPoppy]

This one could go back and forth for days. It has been a while back, but a friend and I were doing some red fishing on a brackish water lake in LA, now for those who have never fished salt water in shallow condititions it is not really if you are going to catch fish or not, it is a matter of what kind of fish that you will catch, there are tons of fish there but the Reds were the target for the tourny guys. The pros had a blast off at 0600 about 40 miles away and these folks did not run one but at least two motors at a time, giving them at least 400 HP to rocket around us poor dumb amatures running our carolina skiffs with 40 straped on the back. We had fished this same cut for about a week and knew we were going to take a few specks and maybe a red or two. Well here comes super dave (no name connected to this board or any members of this board!) He pulls up along side of us and then proceeded to tell us they had scouted this hole all week and we needed to move out so he would stay in the money, Now had he ask we would have let him have the hole but he said it was their spot, and we should move. This cut was at least 50 feet wide bank to bank and it was a out going tide so the shrimp were easy to catch and so were the fish. we were two away for our limit and said guys as soon as we tagged them we would be on our way, this was the gulf of Mexico, not a 10,000 acre lake. when we said wait a few this dude fires up and proceeds to blast through the cut back and forth killing everyone's chance of getting a few more fish then he waked a wave over our bow and had the nerve to tell us if we stayed he would flood us out. Now it is guy's like this that make it a pain on both sides. He was one of a hundred with the nerve to say this was HIS spot. man ask me and I may move to let you in and maybe I won't, but to say this is how they make their living and put food in the mouths of their kids, then they should have more than one spot to fish. As some one else mentioned these are public lakes. first come first serve, if I see a sign saying private waters, stocked by the FLW, Bass Masters or if the lake is owned by a sportsman club then I should not expect to fish there, but hey if it is a public lake and there are two or three TV crews taping the event, you got to figure that there are going to be some guys following the crowd and getting a free lesson.

[SlopFishin]

Tough doghnuts, Aaron. It's a 75,000 acre lake. Find another spot. Just because he's fishing for cash does not make him more important than a weekend hack like me. I work hard all week in a stressful job and work many weekends as well. Have not had a day on the lake for 3 weeks due to work. When I DO finally get out there it's "me time". And trust me, my "me time" is worth as much to me as any tournament cash is to a pro. It's how I recharge my batteries. Having said that, I do understand that these guys in the FLW and BASS are trying to make a living. If, for some odd reason, I'm on one of their honey holes and they ask very nicely I'll probably back off and let them have the spot.

One more thing, this does not apply to weekend patch pirates. Stay away. You're annoying when you move up on me acting like you're a pro.

[bereabasser]

Actually,im pretty tired of hearing all of the same guys on here whine about every stupid thing the tourny guys do.Its freakin stupid,you cant do nothing about it so why get on here and run your mouths about it.

[tracy]

being a tournament fisherman myself he wouldn't have even had to ask. If I were fishing for fun or prefishing for my own tourn. And I saw a Pro or any other person that I thought that was fishing a tournament that day I would step a side and watch maybe learn something to help me out someday.

A lot of these guys were probably following and watching the first 3 days of the tournament then moved in there before Aaron could get there that morning to see if they could out fish the Pro. It happens all the time.

sure it is public water but think how YOU would feel if it were reversed. Take it from me some of my fellow weekend tournament guys and fun fishermen are about as cut throat as they come.

Bottom line everyone on here at some time or another has complained about getting to where you wanted to fish and someone else already being there, or some butthole cut me off.