[livetofish]

I don't post that much, but I do read and listen to everyone, and I keep most everything to myself and let it go. But have to say something about this person. They when so rude I almost let it ruin my day.

I was out on St. Clair on Sunday and was faced with the most un-sportsman like person I have every meet. We had got to our spot and was all alone for over an hour when 3 boats came flying in 2 boat gave respect and stayed about 100 feet away, but one came in and stopped right when they seen us catching fish. When we asked for a little room all we got was a bunch of lip, also this person came within 2 feet of hitting my boat

, they used the excuse that they had a broken tolling motor. If that is the case then they should not be drift when someone is tiring to hold a spot. The worst was when my partner told that he should have used his big motor to move to avoid hitting people; the reply back was a threat to do bodily harm to my partner. I think RUDE un-sportsman people like this need a very hard lesson in manners and what respect for other means. A person like this makes it hard to be nice to others that are decent respectable fisherman. Like one of the other boats, he came close enough to talk but still gave respect for the water we were fishing. To this person I say thank you and had a good time talking to you. Also hope to see you back on Lake Orion on Wednesday nights.

 

[smallie2]

livetofish, call me (586)254-6580....... Steve

 

[Just One More]

I become very agitated when people come to close to me or other boats. Even a 100ft is too close in my opinion. Lake St. Clair is plenty large enough where you shouldn't have to come within 50 yards of another boat. Especially these cruisers that come running wide open. I even got buzzed by a fishing boat a couple weeks ago. It was about a 18-19ft Lund which didn't throw much wake, but the point is people shouldn't come that close. I was surprised another fisherman would do that. There are a lot of idiots on that lake to deal with

 

[5-Alive]

I guess we know who the culprit is.LOL

 

[h2o]

livetofish next time write down there MC numbers on there boat tell them your reporting them so it bothers them for days. If they know you got there #'s and say your reporting them they have to at least think about it and that's one way of getting justice. I feel for you and it's sad that happens probably because of alcohol. Anyways keep the faith it won't happen again for a long time but i feel for you. Try what i said if it happens again. Also keep a pair of binoculars on board.

h2o

 

[madman24]

what if your flare gun had "accidentally" went off and hit his boat?

accidents will happen!

madman himself

 

[Just One More]

A paintball gun would be a nice piece of equipment to carry

 

[Beermaster]

Paintball gun sounds like a definate winner! I can just see the little potses trying to rub out the red splatter spot off of their daddy's scarab. HAHAHA! I will definately have to add one to my arsenal. But livetofish has made a hell of a point here. It's getting out of control and these morons are needlessly endangering everyone. I think it's time to start licensing recreational boaters and put in place some serious restrictions on age of the operators, plus require everyone to complete the safety course and pass a difficult exam. It's a pain, but it's becoming a necessity. I had someone in a 30 foot cruiser heading towards me at WOT and turning away literraly 40 yards before they hit me. They think it's funny. I no longer do. Next person to do something that stupid will be greeted by live ammunition, hense I consider such action an assault on myself and my property. I am sure they'll go crying to the sheriff, but who will the sheriff believe... A soon to be fellow officer, or some kid running his speedboat up and down like a maniac. Some of you might think that I am being drastic here and over reacting. I also hate to be a hyppocrate here, since i haven't finished a safety course. But it's coming this winter. At least i took the time to learn the rules, read a 500+ page book on nautical rules, navigation, coast guard regulations etc and do all the excersizes to feel confident and show fellow rec boaters and anglers some respect! Who is for tougher regulations? We can do something together. Some of us have friends in state legislature who we all can call. Something has to be done. We can even form a non profit nautical enforcement group, swinging a deal with the sheriff and the coastguard, taking complaints, and compiling a database of MCC numbers that are habitual violators.
In turn, the authorities will sanction those boaters. It's all possible, with just a little work...

 

[Revtro]

Here - Here! I am in total agreement. Last weekend I had two cruisers come at me and not see me until the last possible moment, only to swerve, kick up a huge wake, spook my fish, then wave like they were my fellow compadres. In both cases they were not only ignorant of the fact that they screwed up my spot, but that they came close to hitting me. I wonder how such people can even get regular drivers licenses. How can these ignorant people even pass that simple 10 question exam? Then that same day I was fishing a spot for a few minutes when several boats moved right in on top of me. "Gee, I guess it must be a real drag to not be able to find fish on their own"...I thought. Lately there doesn't seem to be much difference between fishermen and recreational boaters lately. Whenever I see a fellow fisherman holding to a spot, I purposely make a wide arc around them as not to spook their fish. Of course, sometimes there are so many boats in the area that this is impossible to do, but even then I'll back down my speed and go thru the area gently. It's a good practice for all of us to get into. I just wish there was a way to educate the ignorant recreational drunks...er...boaters out there about all this.

However, I'm not sure I want to go to the extreme of shooting paintballs at them. They just might be drunk enough to try to ram you or something. I wouldn't be surprised. They think just because their boats are bigger that they are invincible. Ever notice that when a large boat and you are heading in a similar direction, you (the smaller boat) always ends up being the one who has to give way? Its as if they don't see you at all.

Ok, I'm calm now. Ahh...I can feel my heart rate slowing. Mmm...that's better. Should have had less caffiene today.

 

[No More Mini]

I hate to say it, but welcome to the most populated waterway in the world. It has been like this for many years and some are worse than others. It seems that this year has been a bad year, to the point of many deaths involving boating.

ALSO please be aware that MOST boaters are courteous to the fishing people, but it only takes one to ruin it. And most of us have had encounters with "one" or more.

Please be aware that the boaters also have rights and feel that we as fisherman infringe on them also.

So in short, keep a cool head out there. It is no place for fighting, there is plenty of water for us all and we can get along....right Alex? lol

Mini

 

[fishwacker]

a boaters saftey course should be a must before people are given the right to drive a boat! and big "tuna" boats
& bass boats alike are often guilty of being rude out there
on the big lake. (thanks to the venetian festival there were way too many drunks out there last weekend!!)
I get buzzed by both bass boats & the big ones while
trolling at .75 - 1.5 mph. it seems that no one wants to
alter their course to be courtious to other boaters.
sunday morn. I was trolling down by the delphine,
I have my girlfriend take the wheel while I check the lines
for weeds (about 1 minute) I turn around to drive again
and 100 ft in front of me a bass boat is dropping his trolling moter. Darlene tells me that he just pulled up!!
So I have to make a drastic turn to avoid hitting the morons boat with my planer board.
(he really wanted to fish that spot!)
so I glare at him as I troll by and watch him pull 2 bass out in about 2 minutes, they put on their vests and drive off! Now I am impressed by his skill and understand that
I was about to troll through one of "HIS" spots but it
does not matter if he was fishing for fun or money he is
an @$$!
I always try to give a lot of room to others out there and
I just can't understand why others can't do the same.
and as far as defensive weapons on the boat go
I am sure that the flares would scare them, but I think that a 3/8" - 1/2" steel ball bearing shot with a good slingshot just below the waterline will change there
ways for sure!! (just kidding)

 

[Doug]

Big boats making big waves doesn't bother me as much as one of my own (a fellow tournament angler), knowingly, ruining my chosen area to fish and my day.

I have not heard from both sides of the story yet, but if even half of what I was told is true, I'm very disappointed! It's all about respect, you get what you give! Young Angler's learn from the examples we show them and from the examples I've been seeing and hearing about.....the future really sucks!

Doug

 

[djkimmel]

Old 'Ben Trodder' and the 'broken trolling motor' excuse. Sure! That's original!!!

I just wonder why the trolling motor always breaks RIGHT NEXT TO SOMEONE WHO'S RAKING THEM IN?!?!

 

[Just One More]

I understand it is the most populated waterway in the world, but several times I've been the only boat around for at least a mile & still get buzzed. And even if there is heavy traffic, that is still no right to come zooming close wide open. Like Revtro said, back off on the throttle. A safety class should be a requirement. Problem is that the rules still need to be enforced. Good luck on that. The Sheriff's Dept. cannot even enforce the area at the Clinton River where they are located let alone out in the middle of the lake. If that's not bad enough, the Sheriff's Dept is responsible for one of the incidents where I was buzzed. I was trolling for muskie by the Clinton & he crossed in front of me within 50 yrds running wide open. I have also seen them throwing a wake in the No Wake Zone in the Clinton. My point is that while a lot of people do not know the rules, just as many (probably more) know them & do not care. Even if we were to form a group & record MC #'s & the Sheriff's Dept was actually interested, I still think they need to witness it. My cousin works for the Macomb Sheriff's Dept & although he is not with the marine division, I asked if maybe he could mention all the angry boaters, such as the ones on this forum, & maybe get better patrols & enforcement. He just gave me that look of "yeah, right". I don't mean to complain, just frustrated sometimes. I am glad to read the responses posted here. Helps to know there are good, respectful boaters out there. Just be safe & remember not everbody is that way.

P.S. By the way Mini, you must fish in the respected areas to only have 1 or 2 incidents. I have at least 5 every time I am out. Maybe they don't like the color of my boat. Ha Ha.

 

[smallie2]

For the record. My partner and I pulled up on our first area to fish. There were 3 boats that were fishing in that AREA. We pulled in from the south and dropped the trolling motor in and started to make our way to the north side, where NO ONE was fishing and NO ONE was catching fish when we pulled up. As we pass (on the port side) of one of the other boats "the boater" jumps on his trolling motor to keeping us moving north and starts out by yelling "come-on can you give us some room". I did let him know that we were just trolling up and around him. Just about the time we made the first cast (aprox. 3-4 boat lengths/still on the trolling motor) and also westward, I heard a pop and felt it with my foot. As I look to see if the trolling motor cable broke we started drifting back. Then the comments start up again. I mentioned to him that the trolling motor cable broke and apologized 3 times for drifting towards him as he's making his comments.

People can only apologize so many times and starting the big motor I felt it would only be disrespectfull to everyone else that's fishing. Maybe I was wrong for not starting up the big motor and driving around everyone but it happened so fast that I really didn't have time to drop everything, pull the trolling motor and move. The cable broke 2" from the barrel on the head of the trolling motor and with a bit of slack of cable in the foot pedal it caused sparks to fly on the electrical connections underneath the pedal. It's not like we were just drifting by with lines out and saying sorry.

My first priority was to make sure that we were not disturbing their fish and it didn't get personal until I asked if they were fishing a tournament too. As soon as he answered he asked the same. Once I mentioned the tournament we were in, the words out of his mouth were "typical" and "go fish another part of the lake". Now that's rude and un-sportsman like. I will not sit there and have someone yelling at me like a lunatic at me while I try to explain my situation. I'm the type of person that makes sure everything's ok if someone's having big motor or small motor trouble and give him or her the benefit of doubt, not just fly off the handle with out knowing a reason. They were just worried about their fish/their tournament and never asked why, even though I was telling him over and over he seemed as if I was just talking to waste my breath. By that time, I felt that if he or his partner still had an issue with me then we can chat at the launch, maybe he misunderstood me and maybe I misunderstood him, who knows. I will publicly apologize one last time and have even spoken to him on the phone with out his understanding, first in the above post he stated that he was trying to "hold a spot" but on the phone he admitted that they were drifting a small section (holding a spot/drifting?). This fellow angler even admitted that he was so hot headed that he never heard the words "I apologize" out of my mouth three (3) times! I do have the broken cable and would even show him or anybody else if that's what it takes. What happened Sunday was an accident and nobody can control the out come? All I hoped for was for him to let us drift past so that we can get out of their way. So let's all stop the comments unless you access the situation properly. Sorry for this incident.

 

[livetofish]

I was just going to let this go, but some people just can't. So just for the record - yes we did just boat a fish and you pulled up and stopped right on the spot where I was casting. Then you start drift right toward the front on my boat and there was never an apology at all, there was you and your partner jumping right back at us. Claiming your trolling motor was broke coming within inches of hitting my boat. Also if you were not crossing where someone is casting things like this would never happen. Give respect for where others are fishing. We never said go fish another part of the lake and I told you if you were fishing beside us I had no problem with that, but you pulled up and stopped right where you seen me and my partner catching fish. Nobody was yelling until you told me that "lets settle this on shore" now how un-sportsman is that. You never asked for us to let you drift past you start yelling right when we asked you to give us some room.

There are always two sides to a story and this is mine. This was a situation that happen and I hope it never happens again

 

[No More Mini]

Word of warning here guys....settle it in person, not in my room.

Your first and last warning.

Mini

 

[h2o]

OK guys shake hands and make-up i'm sure a lesson was learned and sounds like you both are great guys and can get over this. I think your handling this like sportsman and someday will look back at this as things that happen on a lake. I'm sure you both wish this didn't happen of course but time's now to leave it in history. I'm just trying to play judge judy. LOL. I've had simular experience's and the main thing is no one got hurt. Maybe you guy's can tell us someday your fishing together.

keep the peace.

h2o

 

[livetofish]

No problem

Sorry, Mini. I just had to vent.

It is over.

 

[No More Mini]

Good to hear....see you on the lake.

BTW if I had a dollar for everytime that has happened to me......I wouldnt need to fish! LOL

Mini