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

[Dave Stewart]

No reason to give myself a warning....I did not in any way slam you....obviously if someone disagrees with you, you consider it a slam. Slamming is when someone gets personal and directs a comment that is demeaning to someone else or some business. No where in my comments did I direct any such type comments to you, if you think I did so...you need to quote the actual phrase where I slammed you. I asked for clarification of your comments, especially since you were quoting certain professional anglers who do subscribe to the idea that no one else should be on the lake when they are fishing one of their tournaments. As far as your giving up a spot to one of these guys because they are out there making a living, that is your choice. I have on many occassions given up spots to some of these folks that were in contention to make a lot of money during their tournament, when they either acted like a professional and asked me to do so or they (in many of these cases) sat off at a distance obviously wanting to fish where I was but was professional enough not to move in on me uninvited. But, I do not believe that these folks (nor me) should in any way expect that they have a right to move in and demand anyone to leave a spot because they are fishing a tournament or in my case guiding someone. I have never moved in on anyone....even when they were on a spot that I wanted to fish or may have run some miles to fish...just because I am guidiing (making a living). I have had on a number of occasions had someone in a tournament or practicing for a tournament...including some of these top level tournaments....to move in on top of me and my clients without so much as a "hello", much less a request to allow them to throw in the same spot as we are fishing. It has already happened twice this year....once two weeks ago and once this past Friday. I will not tolerate it nor should I be expected to tolerate such unsportsman like manners as this, just because they are fishing a tournament...for a living or just for fun. As I said before, the Golden Rule goes a long way here...on both sides.

[bigwormy]

Dave,
I have been waiting since last Thursday to reply.. no computer at the lake.. I have two issues with your comments. First is that at NO TIME did I say or hint that we should shut the lake down and hand it over to the pros.. including you! What I said was basically if someone needs a spot and they make a living fishing, I would let them have it. YOU of all people should understand and respect that. Do NOT put words in my mouth. If your going to try to make me look like an idiot, get what I say correct.
Which leads me to my second issue.. Maybe I mis-read your blog about not slamming people and YOU would not tolerate it. Is slamming trying to down someone for their comments? If so, you better moderate yourself instead of threatening us what you will do if you catch us doing it. Give yourself a warning. I have no problem if someone strongly disagrees with my opinion but, do as I say, not as I do does not work! If you are offended by my words, feel free to give me a warning or delete me! Ed

LMAO!! if u dont agree with Ed, your opinion *****!! if i were at barkley with the pros and i made it to my spot first, the pro can wait as i too would have spent a lot of moeny to be fishing at barkley. say what u will about the pros, but they had to have money to get started so i dont by them feeding their kids with this. if i had to win to feed my kids, i would not be taking my gamble on it, i would get a steady paying job and ensure my kids would eat!

[DJD]

This is getting good! It's actually pretty easy....either let the guy/gal fish the same spot as you or move on. Things get accomplished much easier when respect and permission is given. I venture to say that not every encounter with an angler will be the same since people are so different. I don't care....I can control what I do and just react to what they do. This started as a pretty good thread but has morphed into something else.

[GeoFisher]

I have done my damnest to stay away from responding to this thread but guys if you think there is more than 25 guys on the ELITE series making tons of money you are sadly mistaken. Most of the guys are barely making it and if they lose one more major sponsor they wouldn't be fishing it next year. I would venture with entry fees taxes, gas hotel or campground food insurance the list goes on and on it takes upwards of $75,000+ to fish an ELITE season and i am not counting if they enter any of the opens to requalify either. Some of you need to wake up and see it isn't a bed of roses these guys have. I didn't even mention the time spent away from some of their familys for weeks and months at a time (priceless)

AND I Should CARE..........WHY...............

[bmck25]

This thread won't die, LOL! Here is my two cents:

Some tournement fishermen(some not all) consider themselves superior fishermen than nontournement fishers. They believe they are fishing for a purpose; money. They will do what ever it takes to catch fish, even if that means intruding on another boat. The bigger the pots get, the more ethics get thrown out the window. Unfortunatley these sorry few stereotype the tourney guys.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum. Some nontourney guys have had a bad experience with tournement fishermen. They become irritated and loose respect for the tourney guys. They begin to believe the stereotype and lower their ethics when dealing with tournement fishermen. Maybe stealing a spot or encroaching on their water, even if it is not the same fishermen.

I believe most fishermen are honest people who care about their fellow enthusiast. Sometimes hairs get pulled but that is part of life. I know that I have had just as many bad experience pleasure fishing as I have had tournement fishing. The good thing is these experiences are few and far between.

[huntstyle]

I just love it how some are whining about a guy whining. Hypocrite much?

[BassBandit35]

whining about a guy whining. Hypocrite much?

Funny, exactly what I was thinking when I first read the original post.

[kc]

As much as I have grumped about tournament anglers lack of courtesy on this board I will disagree with one point you made. You said that some tournament anglers consider themselves superior fishermen and I agree with that point but I disagree somewhat with the point about the bigger the pot. Although this whole thread has been about the pros and their spots I think for the most part they are pretty professional and respectful with a few exceptions of course and they are fishing for the biggest pots. The group of tournament anglers that display the most rudeness are the "pro wana-bees". These are the guys fishing the mid-level tournaments that are for decent money and the tournaments are not small tournaments. The guys in the little club tournaments I think are more casual about the whole thing but those weekend mornings that I get out early and hear a steady stream of boats flying down the lake for 45 minutes (not a small tournament) I know the rudeness level is heading upward for the day. I also agree with your point that most fishermen -- tournament or pleasure anglers are good people. It is a shame that the few rotten apples can spoil it for the rest.

I will leave with one more comment regarding courtesy on the water. I agree with Dave and others that the golden rule is the way to go. I would have no problem giving up or sharing a spot with someone who is respectful and asks. This past weekend I was on a bluegill nest with a couple of gigling teenagers having a blast when a boat eased up on us that obviously wanted a piece of the action. They started talking to us and we shared some info and laughs and the nest was quite large so I pulled to one end and let them have the other. There is plenty of water and room on the lakes for all to fish but when someone acts like a jerk one way or another then how do they expect they will be treated in return?

kc

[jcb]

I just love it how some are whining about a guy whining. Hypocrite much?

Funny, exactly what I was thinking when I first read the original post.

That would make sense if calling someone out for whining, like Geo did, was whining. If you're ready to call that whining, I know some parents of 5-year olds who might disagree.

[smljaw]

Do they still whine at 5? Man, I've got a few years left before the whining stops!

[huntstyle]

I guess I just don't understand why this would bother someone so much? So the guy whined about a local on the spot he was fishing. So what? Does that effect you in any way? Did it even effect the local who was on that spot? No, and no. The guy didn't leave. And at least Aaron didn't start bumping into the guy's boat and cutting in front of him, or anything disrespectful like that (which someone else in that tourney did). He still gave the guy space to fish. All he did was ask the guy if he minded letting him have the spot. When the guy said no, Aaron was understandably upset about it, because he had a lot on the line.

My point is, why get angry over something you have no control over, and doesn't even effect you anyway? Pick your battles! ENJOY life! There are kids in Somalia with nothing to eat. So quit ur bitchin!

[jcb]

Better not let Peter catch you talking that heresy here!

I hear ya on "pick your battles." The original poster would know, I reckon, whether he was angry or just expressing a strong opinion. We all have certain things that get our goat.

For better or worse, part of our American celebrity culture is to gripe and moan about what celebrities do. For what it's worth, I bet BASS would rather have someone complaining about their fishermen than ignoring them.

I have a kid with nothing to eat too. Forgot his lunchbox in the car for the 23rd time this year, so off to school...