Angler Etiquette

[loudcherokee]

So, youre watching a guy fish, see him get hung up, try to get unsnagged and ends up snapping his line. Then later you cast and reel the guys lure in, and hes still there. Do you give him his lure back?

I ask because this happened to me today. Got my good black n blue buzz bait hung underwater. Did everything I could to unsnag before I wrapped the 30# braid around my glove and started pulling to straighten the hook and the line snapped.

These guys are fishing down the bank, and reel my buzz bait in. One reeling turns to his buddy "Hey want a new lure?". I called out and said hey that's my buzz bait. They turn their backs and say "its mine now" and chuckle.

I was fuming, but decided a $7 buzz bait wasnt worth it and packed up and left.

So, do you guys play finders keepers, or would you give the lure back?

LC

[ChrisAW]

I'd have willingly given them another lure, like a 1oz tungsten weight upside the head.

[cast_and_destroy]

I'd give the lure back.

That's very rude of them to just take your lure right in front of you...but you did the right thing by not being confrontational...its just not worth it.

[flechero]

I'd give it back.

 

It will come back around on that guy, it always does.

[aceman387]

I would give it back.I always stop and unhook a shore fisherman when i see one snagged when i am out in my kayak. 

[BassinLou]

I would have gladly, given it back to you. I know that good lures cost $$. Those guys were.... What rhymes with bricks?? ... you get my drift.

[Darren.]

I'd help out if I were in my yak and they were shorebound. Sure. What those guys did, as flechero said, will come back to them someway, somehow.

 

And you were smart for controlling yourself and walking away. Never know what kind of crazies are out there, even on the water. I've met them, too, and they're downright rude, mean. I confronted some once, but fortunately nothing escalated, and I caught a 3lb bass right in front of them. So justice was served

[bassguytom]

Karma is a *****. Not worth getting into it with them.

[ROCbass]

If I saw someone break it off I would give it back no questions asked, without them even needing to say anything or ask for it. If I was fishing in the same area but didn't actually see them break off and they said it was theirs I'm not sure if I would take their word for it, especially if it was a nice lure. However, I'd probably still give it to them just to avoid a potential confrontation even if i didn't necessarily believe them. 

[derekxec]

i would give it back also BUT if it was the other way around i wouldnt expect it back or get mad if someone didnt give it.....i lost the lure and obviously i wasnt able to get it back so if they didnt get it i still wouldnt have gotten it back 

[Matt Jungblut]

i would also give it back no questions about it.

[DogBone_384]

I've never come across that situation, but I'd be inclined to give it back to its owner. I work hard @ 2 jobs, if I want a new lure, I can go buy it myself.

Lastly, I teach my family to be nice & treat others how you Ike to be treated, pretty simple.

[MO_LMB]

Yeah that guy was a ******, I'd give it back.

 

On a more serious note though, how exactly did you get your buzzbait hung-up? lol

[mddrew88]

I think I would have walked over and asked for my lure. Anybody feels tough out of arms length. I'm betting they would have caved. 

 

But anyways, sounds like there was more of them than you, so you did the smart thing. Yeah that's pretty stupid what they did, then again maybe karma will bury those trebles past the barb for ya next time they use it.  

[Quillback]

Definitely I would give it back, so would about 99% of the human race.  The jackass that took your lure probably has some size issues and has to compensate by being a Richard.

[tomustang]

If there was a grace period when I found it and someone lost it ie. left already than I'd keep it.

If you were there and got snagged I'd help you out.

[aquaholic]

There are plenty of jerks in the fishing world. I think everyone on here would of given you that lure back. Like previously mentioned is 7 dollars really worth throwing down for? I probably would called them some choice words but i wouldnt drop the fisticuffs over a lure.

[flyfisher]

Did the guy see you lose it or you just assuming he did because he was fishing nearby?

 

Personally i would have given it back but i also wouldn't have asked someone else for the lure back if i saw them get it.

[ww2farmer]

That's an a-hole move on his part. I have gone out of my way while fishing creeks from my boat to help shore fisherman get their stuff back that they have snagged in trees. God forbid I ever fall out of the boat, or break down while out there, I would want some help, and the last thing I want to have is someone say "tuff luck buddy, remember the time you........"

[loudcherokee]

I figured most here would give it back. I would too if the person that lost it was still there. Ive reeled in other lures before myself, and kept them, but not the same one I just watched someone lose.

I wasnt about to fight over it. I know better and like I said, it wasnt worth it over a $7 lure.

It was just the principle of the matter that ticked me off. Yes he seen me lose the lure. Common courtesy I expect would have been to say "hey you want that lure back you just lost" instead of the immature "its mine now" comment.

I got hung up on a buzz bait because on that cast I had a backlash, so while I was picking that out, the lure sunk. I had cast right over a tree in the water that I catch most of my bass around. Of course, I got snagged somewhere down there when the buzz bait sunk.

LC

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Sadly, manners and common decency are sorely lacking in the world in general. You're right in being the bigger person but nothing wrong with putting people into check when they mistreat you or others.

[tomustang]

That's an a-hole move on his part. I have gone out of my way while fishing creeks from my boat to help shore fisherman get their stuff back that they have snagged in trees. God forbid I ever fall out of the boat, or break down while out there, I would want some help, and the last thing I want to have is someone say "tuff luck buddy, remember the time you........"

Well that's not very jerk-like

[CayMar]

My buddy and I were fishing recently. He casted a rooster tail out into some junk and lost it. I casted unto the area a few times and ended up snagging his rooster tail on mine. I handed it to him, cast out again, and lost mine. There was an awkward moment where he wasn't sure whether he should get me the lure I had retrieved or not. I wouldn't take it. The way I see it is what's yours is yours and what's mine is mine.

[martintheduck]

About a week ago I spent $20 on a lure retriever and have saved myself 3 or 4 $6 lures so far. Go buy you one man. Well worth it. (I have thought for the longest time "those things are a scam... but NOPE... they work!!!!)

 

 

As for the situation at hand - I would have given it back, sure. No big deal. I hope if someone reeled in one of my $8 deep cranks they'd give it back!

[loudcherokee]

About a week ago I spent $20 on a lure retriever and have saved myself 3 or 4 $6 lures so far. Go buy you one man. Well worth it. (I have thought for the longest time "those things are a scam... but NOPE... they work!!!!)

As for the situation at hand - I would have given it back, sure. No big deal. I hope if someone reeled in one of my $8 deep cranks they'd give it back!

Ive thought about one of those, but have read that they dont work for bank fishing since you cant get on top of the lure.

LC