bigmossy

So I just got back from doing a little night catfishing this evening and had a small incident at the lake. It's a 2,000 acre local public lake (southern Ohio) and my wife and I left the house early, at about 7pm, to be sure we'd get a good spot. It's Saturday evening, so we get lucky; no one's there and we set up. A little before dark a huge family of people show up and set up about 20 feet to our left. That's fine, no problem we fan out our 4 lines to the right and continue to fish after dark sets in. A little while after dark another group of people show up and begin setting up to our right. Out of courtesy, I explain to them that because of the people to the left of us we have our lines fanned out to the right and I get out my flashlight and show them where my nearest line is. They don't say a word. So I think they didn't hear me so I tell them again. They don't say a word. So they get rigged up and begin casting out and I tell a guy "for your information, you just cast over my line". I finally get a response and it went something like this: "it's the law, you have to cast straight out, just like bowhunting, if you don't like it call the law and ask them". Well I bit my tongue and sat there in disbelief. Does anyone know what these people were talking about? Was I wrong to cast out to my side, fishing deadline? I haven't got a clue how this relates to bowhunting either?? How should I handle this in the future??

Chuck7

Tough Stuff man

If you would have asked me this question last fall my answer would have been different..and after nearly losing my job..[8D] God has set me free from dealing in anger..it just aint worth it..

So ..here in June 27th..2009 if a family set up within 20 feet of me..to my left..I'd think that family was very rude..and I would have said nothing BUT simply packed my stuff up and went home. The family to the right..you did the right thing..a confrontation is not worth it..it's tough but you did the right thing. God bless you and I hope He leads you to a better spot....or better time to fish.

I ran into that situation hunting last year twice..in spots you would never imagine anyone finding..[&o]I simply climbed down the tree and left.and felt good about not screaming at them.

Sincerely,
Chuck7

m.t.hands

it also against the law to harass another fisherman, i would have gone ahead and called the law,,, one time i had a guy come out to the end of his dock with a shotgun, not illegal which was because it was not within the city limits, but he told us we could not fish around his dock and that if we didn't leave he would call the police, i told him not to worry about it, that i would go ahead and make the call for him... when i pulled out my cell phone you have never seen so much craw-fishing in your life[:-]..i think he had a change of heart and had decided not to call, oh too bad, cause if we had let it go he probably would have tried it on somebody else[&o], but they did not do anything to him just wrote up a report and informed him that he may own the dock, but he does not own the water, and then told him it is against the law to harass fisherman

we only saw the guy maybe three more times, he was always so nice that sugar wouldn't melt in his mouth, but everytime we wanted to fish around his dock he had to drive some nails that had backed out[:@][:-][&o], i could kind of understand his gripe about people leaving baits/hooks stuck to his deck with his grandkids running around, but most fisherman take great effort to retrieve every bait, i know i do[&o]

if your in the right, do whats right. i would be willing to bet there is no such law about casting straight out in any state[&:]

Champlain Islander

Sounds like those people were deadbeats and especially at night with the likelihood of booze or drugs it is best to back away and try another spot or go home. Sportsmanship comes into play here and they certainly didn't have it.

Oneshot7

Thats exactly what I was thinking. I would confront them next time, I would have confronted the first family about it. If I can cast to your boat and I havent told you to get that close then your gonna get talked to.

Chuck7

I would confront them next time, I would have confronted the first family about it. If I can cast to your boat and I havent told you to get that close then your gonna get talked to.
Brent

And what is that going to do??Not a darn thing.I don't care how big you are folks don't scare easy these days..they will cuss you out to your face and there aint nothing you can do about it..I use to freak on people all the time..call their bluff etc.etc..by God's grace I haven't been shot or fired..
sure, there may be a time I will have to protect my wife or a child..BUT over a spot to hunt or fish..nah...diffently not worth it.Somebody touches my wife..yeah..there dead..but not over a fishing spot..I use to confront folks all the time..till it almost cost me my job last December..it aint worth it..

m.t.hands

this can be done in a non-confrontational manner, they asked if you don't like it call and ask, i got no problem calling and asking, the guy that came out with the shotgun was probably 65-70 years old living in a 500,000 dollar lake home, he never pointed the gun at us and, never really felt a threat, but when he said he would call the game warden, and i knew the law regarding his boat dock and the water surrounding it, i wasn't about to leave and let it slide, if every land owner got wind of that and could get by with it, well you could say goodbye to all your fishing and hunting, where public and private property lines meet[&o].... if the guy had said something like "i'm gonna blow your head off" or fired a shot off, i might have felt reason to leave, but i'm still making the call

you knowa lot of people just don't know/understand, i thought i had seen everything that could possily happen on a boat ramp, till the other day a guy backs down the ramp, with the cover still on his boat, had to put the plug in, romove cover, put depth finders on, take tackle and rods from back of truck and put in boat, forgot life jackets, and then walked up to the store about 150' away and bought two bags of ice then put the boat in, and had left his transom tie downs on. i know people have to learn but you would think someone with a 30k dollar boat would know a little about boat ramp etiquette[&o]or at least do a little research[:@]

i have pulled up and somebody be sitting on a spot i wanted to hit, well they were there first and i got no problem letting them have it, if you don't have but one spot your in trouble already and need to be looking for more stuff to fish, but by the same token, if i'm setting on a spot and you pull in on me, first thing i'm gonna ask you is "dang buddy did i get your spot???" if they are not good at taking hints then , i'm gonna make you feel bad at least, just for being that stupid and inconsiderate, i can do this without getting ugly, and i can assure you, if i was there first and i'm not gonna be able to fish it, neither are theyespecially folks that like to fish the bent rod pattern[:@]it aint cool and i don't pull in on others, most lakes are big enough you don't have to be in that tight of quarters anyway

]

Oneshot7

I never said it was going to be a physical confrontation Chuck, I just want to let them know my feelings on the subject. There is a chance that the first family just didnt know any better. I have been aroundlong enoughso Ican pick and choose some situations where there has to be something said, like MT said, I just drop hints to them to let them know my feelings, as soon as they get out of hand about it, I let someone else handle it, like the wardens, but this has never happened. I guess its just experiences from the past where confrontations have done some good, and I know what your are saying, but I have never been the type to blow up on someone at once, I go about these things gradually, but I am sure not going to let someone push me out of a spot, thats what they want, thats what they feed off of, and until someone tells them differently, they will keep doing it. Just a difference of opinion on the subject between us, I shouldve explained it better I suppose.

Chuck7

I never said it was going to be a physical confrontation Chuck, I just want to let them know my feelings on the subject. Brett..hey I'm your freind man..I only said what I did because I don't want to see you making some of the same mistakes I did..Fact ..I have to confess I nearly got into a mess yesterday over someone leaving a shopping cart beside my car..When I got inside WalmartI had to whisper ..Lord please forgive me..and I was serious..my mild confrontation stold my peace and joy for a few minutes..


Honestly..I used to get picked on everyday at school..so alot of mylater in lifeconfrontations is a result of me not running anymore but standing up for myself..and honestly driven by hate..and bittereness..The bad thing is..it's a bad habit..and a yell turns to a push..which I did last year to my principal..[&o][&o][&o] [&o][&o][&o]I'm telling you..it can grow into a demon..

And yet theres a time to go nuts..but over a shopping cart......or a fisihng spot..NO and if this stuff shakes us ..we will see alot more of it until we learn the art of walking in humility..

There is a chance that the first family just didnt know any better. I have been aroundlong enoughso Ican pick and choose some situations where there has to be something said, like MT said, I just drop hints to them to let them know my feelings,

as soon as they get out of hand about it, I let someone else handle it, like the wardens, but this has never happened. I guess its just experiences from the past where confrontations have done some good, and I know what your are saying, but I have never been the type to blow up on someone at once, That is good Oneshot7..I reccond it boils down to the diffintion of the word confrontation ..


I go about these things gradually, but I am sure not going to let someone push me out of a spot, then back to the question..and how are you going to do that..by words?? I doubt that very serious..usally it ends with a mess.


thats what they want, thats what they feed off of, and until someone tells them differently, they will keep doing it. Just a difference of opinion on the subject between us, I shouldve explained it better I suppose.

no..you did an excellent job explaining it..and I used to think just like you all the way to 54 years old..but when you got a real good job ..and are under the spot light 24/7 ..you learn to refrain youself..especially when there are no other jobs out there..not only that..MTHands sent me a very good set of CDs ..and in it contains skills on overcoming evil with good..

Now..I'm not perfect...so I hope I'm not trying to look like that..I'm just saying I 'm doing better than I used to. Before when someone would pull out in front of me on the road..I'd blare down on the horn...roll down my window and shout at them ..now I just slow down and watch our for them alot better.

now get out there and catch some fish ,,Rocky.

Chuck7

MTHands..
Your problem is that you use to be a boxer..and like my son..you can back up your words .The trouble is..like my son..if you end up punching someone you could do some serius damage and even death..I'm being serious here..the more reason ..to humble yourself and overcome the negative with a positive.[8D]

You know the Word says that evil will multiply in the last days..so this stuff should not surprixe you one bit..Save the dynamite for when it's really needed..and you say but I was going to go about it nicely..well most people don't want to be confronted period..will see where you are coming from and call your bluff..your too strong man..and I'm too nuts..and Oneshot7's arms are too long.be a man..suck it up but don't go to jail ..bubba may be bigger than all of us.[8D]