Why can't people just be nice.

[bonz_d]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

I love that attitude. We'll show'm! Let's throw a 75' roostertail at'm or pass by throw'n a wake big enough to swamp'm. We'll teach'm to share the water that we can go anywhere we want and as close as we want.

I believe boaters with those kinds of attitudes and actions should be thrown of all waterways. They are dangerous to themsevles and everyone else on the water.

When you see an anchored boat why is it that you feel then need to pass by as close as you can? I really don't need to see what color tow rope you are using. A couple weeks ago we were almost swamped by an idiot that insisted on passing within 100' of us while we were anchored. We actually had water come over the transom because of the waves. No we were not in the middle of the lake or in the normal traffic lanes. We were in a bay in about 2.5' of water and about 150' from shore. This idiot passed twice between us and the shore while pulling a water skiier and waving as they went past.

If the village patrol boat would have been on the water that morning I would have tracked them down and reported it.

Also, I do not have a thing against skiers, tubers, or pwc. We have a ski team that performs on our lake all summer and there are many nights we go to watch, there are also some jetskiers out here that are very talented and I love to watch them also. I just do not understand why some of them feel this need to use anchored boats as some kind of pylon! I don't care if it's a small fishing boat or a large pontoon with a family picniking. If they are not underway then stay away! Again, I don't need to see what kind of sunglasses you are wearing.

You want to share the waterways, then share them unselfishly and safely.

 

[tcgobucks]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

This thread brings up a question I have...and it occured again last weekend. Now let me say that I would never deliberately do anything to these people because I don't think that anyone driving a powerboat should mess around...just as you wouldn't buzz close to someone in your car just because they parked in a stange spot.....

that being said....here's the question.

We boat on a river that's 20+ miles long and in most spots it's 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide. Why do the people who feel like anchoring and taking a swim always seem to pick the busiest spot on the entire river and anchor right IN THE MIDDLE???? If someone (preferably the guy who does it every week) could explain this to me I'd sure appreciate it...lol

 

[smokintoad]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Bonz_d

Are you serious?

I thought it was pretty clear we were joking.

Its like throwing a cat in a pool. You kinda smile thinking about it but you wouldn't really do it.

 

[asm_]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Hmmmm.... coming from the fisher man end of the fence, I'll give my point of view.

After fishing all day all over the lake without much luck, frustration does sets in after a while. And now, if every other boat that cruises by is always asking if you have caught anything, it just adds to the ever rising frustration level. Of course, I would have never lash out at others, regardless if I had a bad day fishing. However, I generally would prefer to be left along, catching fish or not. After all, at least for me and possibly for many other fisher man, fishing is a way to get some solitude that we don't usually get any other day of the week. Oh, in case if you are wondering, I don't also usually anchor near busy traffic either.

Now, on the other hand, I see more inconsiderate ski boat, pwc on water every day. Hmmm... where do I start. how about zoom by at full throttle less then 50' away when I am anchored within 10' from shore. PWC pulling tube with no observer, or should I say no driver, since the guy on PWC is watching the tube, instead watching where he is going... How about boater that come so close to shore and snag all the line form the shore fisher man and kept on going when the guys on shore ask him to stop. And yes, he heard us yelling, because replied, 'I don't care about your fishing line, my boat is more important'.

B

B

 

[bowler]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Had to join in,

Where we boat we have to be nice and equally tolerant - we literally boat on top of one another. Our ski zone is home for numerous wakeboarders, skiers, tubers (more than anything else), fisherman and self propelled! See the pic below. With that little room we have no choice but we all manage. Plus the shores are lined with moored boats. What's a man to do!! You guys are have it easy with all that room!

D

 

[ziggy]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

wow, this thread has me thinking it's the end of the world for that fishing guy.... not...

i find most folks to be nice. if treated nice. not all mind you, but most. some folks just have a bum attitude in general... fishing or not.... for them i say. too bad so sad and go on my way hoping that things get better for them...

i mean really. if he's out fishing and not catching anything, it's his own fault he didn't bring enough beer...


fwiw and for the record (so everyone knows), i'm just kidding about the beer...

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Old Grumpy Man On the Water comments:

You people today, with yer fun, tryin' to enjoy yerselves. In my day, we were miserable, and we liked it. We didn't boat fer fun. Our mothers sent us out because we needed to eat. Now look at ya. Having fun. Driving boats on the water. Ya should find out what rowin' is like. That'll learn you. Get off my rock, you little sons-of-b--ches! I know where you live!

.

HAHAHAHA!!!! You must have heard my father talking to me when I was a kid. It seems every speech I recieved for being mischievious sounded similar to that.

The poor guy was having a bad day. He was probably just annoyed at his poor abillity to catch a fish( I have been skunked a time or two).

Your buddy was right the water is there for every body to share but personally I don't believe it is a reason to act selfrighteous. he truth of the matter is if you don't want to hear what someone has to say, or you need to feel defensive about their words don't ask and you won't get your feelings hurt.

There may have been a less respectful boater than yourself nearly swamped him prior to your being there and was commenting about them and not you.

You could have said something like "I am sorry you feel that way, have I done somethig to offend you" which could have cleared the whole thing up by putting him on the spot and making him explain his comment.

If he was refering to you we'll never know, we can only assume, because of a breakdown in communication.

I prefer to find out if and why someone is upset with me so I can evaluate my actions and responses to see if I was the root of the problem, I'm not saying it would change how I felt but I would at least know what I had done to upset someone (Incase I wanted to Pi%$ them off again )

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

My wife and I frequently fish at the mouth of a river that carries boat traffic 8 miles up river so we expect to have traffic go by and we generally get at least a wave, a nod, or some idle chatter. The vast majority of boaters (fisherpeople or not) have the common sense to slow down (some more than others) when they pass a boat whose occupants are fishing. It is the lunatics in the go-fast boats which are generally piloted (or aimed) by people whose heads are filled with mush that go by full-tilt and look at you like you are blocking their path. Slow to moderate speed by passing boats may indeed be just what's needed to get suspended fish to move as was the case with "Grumpy" in this post. I have an old phart in my golf league that I swear slams his hand in the door a few times before he shows up on league day. Grumpy as hell and when he loses a ball or breaks a tee. Love to beat him! Some folks have a bad day -- others are just continually cranky.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Bonz_d

Are you serious?

I thought it was pretty clear we were joking.

Its like throwing a cat in a pool. You kinda smile thinking about it but you wouldn't really do it.

Sorry, you may have been joking and no it wasn't clear to me that you were but I am serious and the sad part is that I actually witness this happening too many times and even to think this way in jest gives out the wrong signal and has no place because some idiots think it and then actually do it.

Just as it's wrong for me to think I should tie on the heaviest treble hook I have and chuck it at'm the next time by.


If I'm anchored and you want to cruise by and ask how it's going I don't have a problem with that but my question is always why do you have to do it so close that we could shake hands as you're going by?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

A passing wake that rocks the fishing boat causes the fisherman to jig his line, which helps him catch more fish than just sitting still. The motor going bu chases the fish over to the side where the fisherman is sitting. If you rock it hard enough and spill his beer, he will be a safer driver.
Too bad he just doesn't appreciate the helping hand.

 

[smokintoad]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Agreed bonz_d,

sometimes "tone" gets lost here.

Boating (and life) has changed over the years. Its all about me, me, me.

Gone are the days when everybody waves at each other. As goofy as that little gesture was, it was a symbol of camaraderie that we were all in this together.

I still wave and smile...everytime, if I don't get one back, that is their problem not mine. I am still on my boat

 

[Purecarnagge]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

on another thread didn't we have a fishing guy say he would rather people go flying by at full throttle than slow down and swamp him?

You can't win em all anyways, just have fun its why your out on the water to begin with!

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

You know everyone, the only problem with this thread is that the real boneheads aren't here to read this. The sad part is that it's only going to get worse on the smaller lakes as traffic increases.

Where I grew up many years ago we used to be able to waterski on the Fox River in Illinois. Even on the weekends! Today I don't go anywhere near it. On the weekends now they actually get waves breaking over 1.5' high seawalls.

I usually don't wave on my lake because I'm too busy holding the wheel with white knuckles. As an example one evening we were headed back in at about 3/4 throttle when we got cut off by a boat pulling 3 kids on a tube. Scares me to death to think of wat might have been if one of those kids would have fallin off.

Some people do not belong on the water just as there are some who don't belong on the hiway but yet they are there.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

Reading threads like this makes me realize how fortunate I am to be able to fish 30 miles offshore. Keeps 99 percent of the bone heads about 29.5 miles away from me .

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

My wife and I frequently fish at the mouth of a river that carries boat traffic 8 miles up river so we expect to have traffic go by and we generally get at least a wave, a nod, or some idle chatter. The vast majority of boaters (fisherpeople or not) have the common sense to slow down (some more than others) when they pass a boat whose occupants are fishing. It is the lunatics in the go-fast boats which are generally piloted (or aimed) by people whose heads are filled with mush that go by full-tilt and look at you like you are blocking their path. Slow to moderate speed by passing boats may indeed be just what's needed to get suspended fish to move as was the case with "Grumpy" in this post. I have an old phart in my golf league that I swear slams his hand in the door a few times before he shows up on league day. Grumpy as hell and when he loses a ball or breaks a tee. Love to beat him! Some folks have a bad day -- others are just continually cranky.

Are you fishing in no wake zones or right off the channel? This question comes up a lot? If you fish off the channel in a non no wake, would you expect all boats to slow? Just interested in opinions from all sides on this topic.

 

[TMoNeE]

Re: Why can't people just be nice.

To the OP, how close were you to this fishing boat, and how much room did you have to pass. If you had a mile to go around him, and passed within a fishing lines length away, there might be cause for his response? If he was tied up fishing in the heart of the boat traffic area, well then he is getting what is to be expected.

The channel was probably 55 feet wide where we went through, and he was about 10 feet off shore and we passed probably 20 feet away from him, any further and we would be dragging the shore. We were going as slow as the boat can possibly go, idling through. We were being as courteous as we could be.

He was just being a jerk