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

[bassmaster]

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

[davidsa]

I might not mind giving him the spot but it is out of kindness and not obligation that I would do so.

Tournament fishing is the only sport that I know of that is done in public space. Can you imagine a football game where the fans could wander on the field or the players in the stands.

[863 bassmaster]

You think there crying now wait a few weeks when the ky lake tx starts

[davidsa]

You think there crying now wait a few weeks when the ky lake tx starts

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.

[know1]

I don't really pay much attention to tournaments or pro fishermen, but I sometimes do catch some of the shows on ESPN just because it's fishing and a couple of times now I've heard a pro whining to the point of being pathetic. Each time it was Aaron Martins.

[Shimano4Life]

I will give Martens credit: He is a great fisherman. However, he is the biggest CRYBABY in fishing. He acts like an absolute child on some matters. Martens should have yielded to the angler on his spot. He has enough experience fishing.....he could have found another spot easily.

Then badmouthing the poor fisherman under his breath! I wish he would have said it loud enough for the man to hear. Just goes to show what kind of character he has for others. He'll be sarcastic and hateful at a tone not loud enough for those he's addressing to hear, but will showboat in front of the camera and say what's really on his mind. When talking directly to the guys, he's just as polite as he can be..........SPEAK UP AARON!

Like I said, Martens is a great fisherman............and even better, a baby. I understand these guys fish for a living, but the "other guy" has just as much a right to be on the water. After all, he paid for his fishing license and buys his equipment -- its not given to him like the pros.

[bassmaster]

I will give Martens credit: He is a great fisherman.
Like I said, Martens is a great fisherman............and even better, a baby. I understand these guys fish for a living, but the "other guy" has just as much a right to be on the water. After all, he paid for his fishing license and buys his equipment -- its not given to him like the pros.

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

[Shimano4Life]

I totally understand the moral and ethical argument at hand. We can agree to disagree on the subject. However, I'm not gonna feel sorry for someone who is going to cry about it. Martens is a coward......bad mouthing Byron Velvick under his breath at Falcon last season, now badmouthing guys like us. I would move if it were an angler that I liked.

[Tim_T]

The biggest difference is if you found that spot, or did you do what some of these local fools do and follow an angler around, watch him catch fish, and then purposefully go out and beat him to that spot in the morning. Huge difference and most of the time, it is one idiot local trying to go out and "beat the pro" See what happened to Jeremy Stark last year.

[Duayne]

The biggest difference is if you found that spot, or did you do what some of these local fools do and follow an angler around, watch him catch fish, and then purposefully go out and beat him to that spot in the morning. Huge difference and most of the time, it is one idiot local trying to go out and "beat the pro" See what happened to Jeremy Stark last year.

I think this is the key here. I'll equate it to the guides on Cumberland. Those guys really are putting food on the table by fishing day in and day out. No sponsors to speak of (that I know of) in a very competitve business. I'm not saying the pro tourney fishermen do not earn a living, but the guides make much less and there is less room for error.

I haven't seen it in a while but it used to be very common for weekend warriors to wait at the edge of the no wake zone so they could follow the guides to their spots. I am SURE it still happens but I haven't seen it of late. I've always respected their craft and what they are doing and I don't bug them. I do talk to a few, but I never even ask for a report and they rarely give any info without solicitation. I may ask how the bait catching is, or such, but otherwise I leave them to do that that it is that they do.. LOL

BUT If I go though my logs, and put what I know into my own plan, and that plan means I end up fishing the same waters as a guide, then so be it. If its too tight and they are there first, I'll go to plan B. If I am there, and its too tight, I'm not gonna give up a spot and I've never had a guide ask me to. They don't "own" the spot and neither do I.

The only exception to this was when I hired Lance Sasser for a day. My father-in-law, God rest his soul, wanted to striper fish and I had not been on the water in a few months. I wanted to make sure he got a quality experience and I was afraid to take a chance on blanking like I normally would. Anyway, Lance took us to a spot I would have NEVER dreamed of for that time of year and my now deceased F-I-L proceeded to have a ball. I figured it might be his last trip and it turned out that it was. The next day we went out on my boat and I went to a totally different spot because I didn't think it was right to go to the spot Lance was fishing since I would not have found it on my own.

[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