Jump to content

Is courtesy dead?

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

Some people are balloon knots, except the people on this site. Well, maybe a few of us are balloon knots too. I've done dumb things myself, mostly through ignorance. But some people are just plain old stupid. Or they don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. Selfish prix. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything mentioned in the OP I have seen from boaters, kayakers, canoers, and rowers alike.

 

I can't tell you the number of times, while shore fishing, canoers and kayakers will paddle over top or paddle straight through where your lines are positioned; many times just to ask how your fishing is going. I tell them everytime, it was great until you went over my lines.

 

Boaters can be just as bad though. Just a week and a half ago on memorial day I was fishing a shore line that my buddies and I frequent, I was clearly visible, my rods and lines were clearly visible (I use high visibility line). A pontoon boat with a bunch of weekend boaters comes by, parks right in front of me just 40yds away and drops there anchor smack dab on top of my lines snagging one with his anchor line and drifting into the other with his boat causing it to get hung up on the bottom.

 

One night my buddy and I are night fishing and this guy who runs the only bowfishing guide service on the Allegheny pulls up right on top of our lines and starts trying to shoot, eve as we where yelling to him that our lines were right where he was heading, still, he came in lights blazing and everything (apparently he did this to a bunch of kids as well). Since we were fishing a shallow inlet flat, in should be understood that that kind of disturbance will destroy the fish activity in that location as the fish are easily spooked when feeding in the shallows. I told him off when he came to within 30ft of us, but he acted like the typical boater who thinks they are untouchable. Let's just say he wasn't so tough when I caught up with him at the boat ramp and he wasn't in the safety of his boat. The PA fish and boat commission had a talk with him in the end though; he (this same bowfishing guide) nearly ran over me and my buddy on a separate night while we were wading along some shallow shore lines casting for walleye. I guess we were not the only people he was pissing off either. Now, when he sees any shore line angler, he steers clear by no less then 200yds.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If courtesy were dead I would have put a rock into the 2’ searchlight on the boat that pulled up at midnight,50’ from shore, trained the light on me and my buddy, and those aboard started fishing.  

Instead, I politely shouted that they needed to turn off their f’n nightlight. 

Cant believe how many people are scared of the dark.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most people are actually quite thoughtful and courteous, however, there is always the occasional 'challanged' person that doesn't understand or care about proper etiquette.  This goes for all things in life.

 

As a surf caster...  I've had boaters see me pulling in fish and get close enough that I could smack them upside the head with a piece of tin.  I've had yakers go within 10 feet of pier 10 guys are throwing bait chunks off of.  Let us not forget the Jetskier who just ruined the evening by spending the last 2 hours running up and down the shore at 50mph that 100 guys are plugging off of during a weakfish blitz. Plently more as well.  The one constant that I always see though...  the problem boater always feels the beach goers are to blame.

Edited by Klaim147
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎6‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 2:44 PM, Paul E said:

If courtesy were dead I would have put a rock into the 2’ searchlight on the boat that pulled up at midnight,50’ from shore, trained the light on me and my buddy, and those aboard started fishing.  

Instead, I politely shouted that they needed to turn off their f’n nightlight. 

Cant believe how many people are scared of the dark.  

I think I saw this balloon knot anchored mid-channel the other day trying to act like a runway light.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So as a follow up to this thread, the last two weekends, same old BS. A week ago we were fishing the same lake as we were in the original post, there were 3 other boats on the water, and we all dispersed to our favorite spots, and then another boat launches, and these two guys in the boat started trolling (?) in less then ten feet of water up against the shoreline where we were all bass fishing. Round and around he went. Just kept circling the lake.

I had no idea what this guy was doing, and after watching him for a while, I guessed he didn't either. He went back to the ramp, and then let his boat just sit there for what seemed like an eternity.  Idiots at play. On the other hand, another fellow pulled up on the ramp as I loaded up. Pulled off to one side, a pleasant exchange. the usual how'd ya do, good morning to be out etc. We need more of those.

Father's Day weekend hit another lake up in the northwest corner, launched around 530am, worked a shoreline, or just off the deeper edge of it, had one boat about 500 yards ahead last time we saw them for the day, another boat working the opposite shoreline, never saw them again.

 

Saw another boat launching, seemed like they took forever, so here we are fishing, and we here this boat engine hit around 5k rpm. We were already quite a distance from him, but had the sound of hitting your throttle while you're in neutral, til we saw this boat nearly go over the dam. Been fishing over 50 years, and have never ever seen that. Funny as all hell!

Then same boater heads in our direction under power, leaving a nice wake to rock us around and to announce to all fish he was there, sets up about 100 ft away and starts his drift. Using his outboard, not his trolling motor. He was actually drifting towards where we were fishing.

All day long it seemed where ever we were he was, using his outboard instead of a trolling motor.

 

Then were were working a weedline coming out of a cove, and here come a group of 'yakkers right through the lily pads. Had they gone 10 ft farther out they would not have disturbed the spot. But right smack through the middle. At this point my son started yelling out to them to no avail.

We saw so much stupidity in one day to last the rest of the year. A guy playng with his dog in the water at the ramps, while two boys were swimming at the ramp. two pwople at once trying to back down the ramp ( one lane ).

 

Maybe it's me, maybe in my quest to try to stay as far away from others I feel others should live up to that standard too?

Through the years I have met a bunch of friendly people out on the water. Share bait, tips, towed kayaks. Good natured joking among other guys fishing close by, but thhis year has been the total opposite of anything I have ever seen before.

I've often said, Stupid should hurt, if it did, there's be less stupid people around.

FWIW I usually launch pre dawn fresh or saltwater, and I'm putting my boat back on the trailer before the weekend warriors arrive at the ramp.This year that method doesn't seem to be working,
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to register here in order to participate.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...