toni63

Been there in May this year. It was awesome!

Guess things are different where you live. I have multiple places to hunt and fish that are not dependent on government providing them. If the only places I had available were public I’d probably think like that too.

I'm not sure why I would care whether or not someone else takes up fishing at all. It is basically a solitary pursuit, if you bring a buddy along to socialize fine but socializing isn't fishing. It's socializing. You can do that over a beverage in your backyard, you don't need to be in a boat with a rod in your hand casting to do that. Sure, you may enjoy the time hanging out with your friend, but that isn't the point of fishing. And I really don't understand this mentality of "introduce more people to fishing, it's the future of the sport." Really? So we have to have a bunch of people with rods in their hands for the fish to be in the water? We need people doing it for it to continue? Reservoirs and lakes will wither and die if we don't have thousands of people fishing? Seriously? I can pretty much categorically state that our natural lakes and rivers, along with the man made reservoirs would be much healthier, safer and more enjoyable if less people were interacting with them, not more. If you are going to make this about the health of natural habitats, keep people out, not attract even more to tear stuff up. I started fishing with a zebco 33, a hook, a sinker and a bobber and a coffee can with worms in it I dug up in the back yard at a pond next to our house. Catching catfish and bluegill. I graduated to better stuff and now have a boat and whatnot. But its not like any portion of my enjoyment of my fishing past time is reliant on other people doing it. Or the condition of the places where I go to pursue that past time is in any way improved by more and more people being there with me. I'm not selfish, I am happy for everyone to pursue whatever activities they enjoy. But I just don't think that fishing or the places where we go to enjoy it in any way are dependent on, or improved on, by having ever more people there doing it. In fact, I would have to pretty much agree that if you want to ruin the pleasure of fishing for future generations, just keep expanding the amount of people doing it on the limited amount of lakes there are on which to pursue it.

Ill give them a shot too, never know, maybe they can spec out the glass to something common. I just can't believe "Garmin glass" is some kind of special glass they have made just for that unit (regardless of the Garmin customer service person telling me it was "proprietary" there is nothing special about that touch screen glass). Most of that stuff, even when they decide on specs, they source common materials in common readily available sizes to avoid additional cost.

You cannot have my whopper ploppers. I have caught some very nice fish on them. So, that tells me they worked when and where and how I fished them. But it doesn't tell you they will work if and when and where you might decide to fish them. Doesn't even mean they will work the next time I do the exact same thing. See, this is the joy of fishing. There is a way for it to frustrate everyone.

Thank you, and thank you. I just ordered screen protectors for the 93 and my bow 106 and will call Clear Cast.

So just some FYI, I put a new UHD 93SV on my console 2 weeks ago and inadvertently smacked the screen with a crank bait 3rd time out with it and it busted. So I was kind of surprised the screen wasn't a little tougher than that, then to top it off I contacted Garmin asking if this was something they could repair (my fault, I busted it, happy to pay for it to get fixed) and got told no, they don't fix that kind of stuff, just buy a new one, you're out of luck. Just some FYI if you are considering buying one. I don't have a lot of experience with these companies generally, and this is the first time something broke that I wanted fixed. The unit still functions just fine, but I will not risk it in the rain cause that will probably fry it completely. So its just going to sit in a box until such time as someone comes up with a replacement screen option I guess. Anyway, another $1000 later, I have a new one on the boat. Just putting this out there if it may be useful information for others.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was THAT what he was doing???????? Want to know the real IRONY? My point is not to waste your time with a fool and yet silly me, here I am........ So I guess I should take my own advice at this point. Have a really fantastic weekend.

Sorry Oc, I couldn't resist... lol

Judas went from that place to another and hung himself. And Jesus said, "Go and do likewise." Cherry picking a text and putting sentences together out of context proves nothing. But if it amuses you, feel free.

Ok. I take your point, if I could care less I could have just ignored this whole thread. But I see a trend on this forum of more and more threads popping up griping about what other people do, so I figured I'd stick my two cents in and say maybe just avoiding them might be better for you. What I do notice is people who tend to think its their job to show other people how to act generally don't like it when someone else tells them they could be wrong. And they don't see the irony. And you know what? I could be wrong on all that too.

I probably should have phrased it "I don't think I am everyone else's Mommy and Daddy." I just deleted the rest of what I had posted because I really don't care. Have a great weekend.

If its serious enough, call law enforcement. In every other situation, let the fool act a fool and go your own way. You don't prove anything more than you are a fool if you go confronting people about how they are acting in public. If its bad, call a cop. If its just "you don't like it" then leave. You aren't the world's mommy and daddy.

What I dont get is who made it your job to tell other people how to behave generally? If someone is being a jerk and acting a fool, my plan is not be around said fool for any longer than is required by work or duties. I encounter morons every single day, at the store parking lot, on the lake, in my job, etc. It isn't my job to be the world's "behavior cop" any more than it is yours. I have found that fools are going to be fools no matter what you say or do, and if you start trying to correct them, especially in a public setting where there are other people around, chances are the fool is capable of raising the stakes to a level you might not have thought possible and then it's "more fool you." Just keep your eyes and ears open and at the first sign of any "fool" acting foolish near you, get away from the fool as fast as you reasonably can. In fact, when I go fishing, I avoid all people at all costs unless I just can't avoid it at all. Staying away from people you don't know and trust is the best prevention of getting into conflict with fools that was ever invented, in my opinion. And running as far and as fast as you can away from fools acting like fools prevents unintended consequences for you. I don't need a gun. I have eyes, ears, a brain and two feet to carry me away or keep me away from fools acting like fools. My brain inside my skull is the only "concealed carry weapon" I need.

Reading some of this stuff they should just set up an octagon at the Ramp.

Covering water? Really? Here I thought they really were clueless anglers in need of assistance with their location spotting and WOT.......;) To the OP, an amusing and well written short essay on your day fishing with your wife. Your last line should have been enough of a clue that none of what you said was really meant to convey "My wife and I were SO ANNOYED at the antics of these guys" but instead a humorous satire for the rest of us non-professional clueless anglers to get a smile from, while still making your point that some of what they did was uncalled for and rude. Thanks for posting.

Couple summers ago I was in the same rut. Why bother, when I just don't catch all that much when I go? I figured out the problem wasn't me, it was the lakes I was going to weren't particularly good bass lakes. After talking to some other guys who fish them, I discovered most of them saying the same thing. 5 years ago you could catch fish there, nowadays not so much. So even though they were close to home, like 20 minutes after I leave I am on the water, if the lake stinks, its not much fun trolling around for hours catching nothing or next to nothing. But I am fortunate in that there is a great bass fishery about 100 miles from here, so instead of going frequently for a few hours, I carve out entire days to go to that lake instead. So now I only get out a couple times a month, but at least I have success every time I go. For me the trade off is less time fishing for better quality fishing and I find that works much better for me. So to sum it up, it might be worth skipping the lakes that don't produce for ones that may be further away but you'll enjoy the fishing a lot more when you do go.

Ask before shooting videos or taking pictures and posting anything to your social media accounts. If this guy is a tournament guy, he doesn't want to share with the world, he is just sharing with you. And if he finds out you put stuff out there without asking him, it may be the last time him or other guys even think about taking you with them. I'd say if you aren't sure whether to bring 3 or 5 rods, one or three tackle bags, your big plastic cooler or a small coolie bag with a few drinks and some snacks, etc, opt to go for the least amount you can. If you make a good impression this trip, there may be more and he'll let you know and you'll figure out what the rules of the road are fishing with him. And as I am getting to this topic pretty late, hope you had a good time if you already went.

No one forces you to buy it. Personally I could care less what other people spend their money on, none of my business. If you go and buy a ton of crap and rarely if ever use it, that was your choice. I have 13 guitars, 4 amps, 4 different speaker cabinets and thousands of dollars in effect rack equipment, home studio equipment, etc. It all gets used at some point of other, but mostly I use one guitar, one effect rack and one amp setup 90% of the time, and I use 2 other guitars for specific songs/styles that we play from time to time with the same amp/effect rig. The other stuff is there so I can do what I need/want to do in a given situation. Some people look at me like I have three eyes and two noses when they see the gear I own, one friend looked around and said "when you leaving on tour?" But I dont sit around pondering "hmmmm..... have I just made my hobby too expensive for no reason? Couldn't I just use one guitar, a couple pedals and one amp all the time instead of having to have a slide guitar setup for 3 songs a year? Am I overcomplicating this and wasting money? Is the guitar playing community just making this too expensive with all these choices out there luring me into spending money on stuff I will never use or is only slightly different than what I already own and use?" Now if I spent money on something and it never got used in any situation, it would be sold to someone who would use it. No point in it gathering dust in my house when someone else would be using it all the time. But again, it isn't everyone else that made my guitar hobby expensive. It was me. My choice. So my advice, if you think, as your initial question asks, that this sport is made difficult and expensive for no reason, then that is for you to figure out. But No, no one is making this any more expensive or difficult than you choose for it to be. Personally I LOVE the wide range and variety of things that are out there for me to ponder over buying, but just because the umbrella rig is out there and works in certain situations doesn't mean I am going to buy it. For the record, I own NO umbrella rig stuff at all, for the very reason you posted this. I don't see that it would be useful where and when I fish to the point that I just had to have it because I would use it. The truth is I wouldn't. I dont need an umbrella rig any more than I need an expensive bass boat or a big OB or thousands in electronics. I dont have that either.

I think if you win 2 big tournaments fishing next to the launch because the motor was so old it wouldn't run in the cold there's a little more luck than skill involved. Just sayin...

And notice this is all hanging on the wall.... not off a hook. I have told people before, the most expensive fish fillet in the world is the largemouth bass, considering the thousands of dollars spent per pound that ends up on a dinner table.

I think most fisherman need to remember to buy what they are capable of getting the most out of within a reasonable price range for their level of expertise and frequency of use. Im at the point where I don't want cheap because it doesn't last or get the job done, but I'm not a pro so I don't need the best like they have either. I try to gear what I buy to what I will actually use and what is reasonable for my level of ability and my reason for fishing, which is just recreationally, not competitively for for a living.

Kind of off topic, but still relevant, is my friend who's dad "retired" from working (he was a Mac Tools guy) for two years before he told his wife he retired. He had been stock car racing on and off most of his life, and when not racing he went to the track with his son who raced too, but his wife was never interested. He had a shop where he ran his business out of, and his race cars were kept there the various periods of his life when he had them. Well he was in his early 60's and decided to quit smoking so he figured he'd need a hobby. So he bought a modified and put it in the shop and didn't tell his wife. Then he figured he made his money, enough to retire, so he sold his Mac route and retired, and didn't tell his wife. So every day he would get up and get dressed "for work" in his Mac tools stuff and drive off to the shop and work on the Modified, and then on Fridays go racing with his son, but his wife was none the wiser because there was never any change in his daily routine. Of course, when he crashed it one night that all changed, but he managed to pull it off for a couple seasons before it caught up with him. He's in his late 70's now, and you can still see him pedaling his modified a few times a year and he is still married to the same long-suffering racing widow who loves him anyway.

Just a thought but if he has dementia how did he remember where he put the gas can??

Reading all the responses I don't know who to be more afraid of; overly territorial dock owners or the Johnny Rambo anglers who think shooting everyone they have a problem with is the one size fits all answer to disagreements. Makes me very thankful I have places to go fish that aren't heavily populated with either.