Good Deed While Fishing Or Any Good Deed

[DILLY07]

I was just curious if you guys ever have done a good deed while fishing or other good deed?

 

I have 2 good deeds last year. It meant a lot  to me.

 

One day in warm 75 degree spring day in May. I was just fishing on the bank for a bit before I go on the river with a buddy to prefish for a tournament. Anyways, I was fishing and all the sudden I hear a scream. I was like What the heck was that? I'm like looking around. So, I reeled up. Took off to see whats happening? It appears early 70's age man fell in the mud and towards the water. He sprained his ankle. He can barley walk, so I lifted him up. Hes pretty clumsy. Putting all the pressure. I didn't care if he was dirty or anything. I put him in my truck, rushed to the urgent care to make sure. Waited for his doctor. I waited for him to hear the outcome. It was just sprained ankle. I needed to leave to prefish the river. The man gave me his sons number. I call his son who lived 30 mins away from here. Gave him all the details that happened. He was glad someone was there. Otherwise, something could happen bad to him. 2 weeks later, the man gave me 100 dollar bill that I did a good thing. I declined. I gave it back to him. I never saw him again. I saw him in the newspaper. He died 5 weeks later by heart attack. I went to his funeral, I dropped my lure in his grave that I used on that day.

 

It was a kids day fishing at a community park that Iowa DNR hosted. My brother and I went there to check it out to see anyone was having fun. Oh boy, it was like Christmas to them. I walked around the park. I saw this down syndrome kid about 10 years old. I saw him wearing a Bassmaster shirt. That's what caught my eye. I I asked his mother and father if it was okay if I can talk to your son. They were fine with it. I talked to the kid for good 15 minutes. He was catching bluegills left and right. Having a blast. So, I told him and his parents that I'll be right back. I ran to my truck to get couple jigs that I make. I gave him 10 jigs that he can use later in his life. He was shocked. He went to his dad, saying I'm going to be pro someday. That dropped my heart. 

 

 

Lets hear yours.

[ABW]

If I ever see trash in the water I'll pick it up and throw it away. 

[Scott F]

In the fall of 2013, I was fishing alone in my boat when I noticed a guy standing on a dock waving me down. I went over to see what he wanted and he told me his friend was trying to leave his dock by boat and found that someone had stolen the prop while the boat was tied to his dock. I towed his boat across the lake to the boat ramp and helped him get it on the trailer. He tried to offer me some money, but I refused. When you're on the water, you never refuse to help.

[rcman74]

While fishing in Erie a young boy was nice  enuff to try to net a huge carp for me , the carp got away and the boy felt bad he missed it  . I didn't mine i was fishing for small mouth bass , he was very polite and mannered  for a young boy around 13 years old . He also wanted to know what i was using , i was using homemade spoons and he really liked it , so i got into my box and gave him 10 of my homemade spoons and he was very thankful . I hope he caught something with them...

[FrankW]

I was fishing in a mountain lake for Grayling and Lake Trout on a fly rod. We were fishing up by the inlet creek and I saw two people fly fishing in the creek. I waded over and asked how they were doing. They have only caught a couple of six inch Grayling and were not having a good time. They had rented a cabin right by the creek and had to charter a plane to get there. I ask to see what they were fishing with. They had very small dry flies and not the right choice for big Grayling in this lake. We were getting ready to leave and I had caught several big Grayling. I took them over to the sand bar in front of the creek and showed them how to catch a big Grayling with my weighted streamer. They were thrilled but didn't have any fly close to what I was using. I cut off my fly and handed it to one of the fellows as we got on our plane. I am sure I saved their trip with that fly. It was the last one I had or I would have given them several.

Frank

[fish365]

Early last spring while returning to ramp, i saw some folks on a pontoon waving. I slowed and went over and it seems they had camped on an island fishing the night before and in leaving that morning had slung the prop off. I towed them a few miles to where they put in. They offered money, which i refused and told them to pay it forward.

[yugrac]

Putting in at Prairie creek reservoir I spotted a guy on the dock with his hands in the air shaking his head.  He failed to tie his boat tightly to the dock and it was floating out into the lake, I gave him a ride to his boat.

[tomustang]

I do good deeds all the time, I just don't keep track.

[Long Mike]

If you are on the water and someone needs help, you drop what you are doing and help the guy out.  Period ... or at least I thought so until I fished Mustang Bay on Lake Fork several years ago.  I had motor trouble and started waving my arms at the next passing boat.  He pulled up close to me and said he would like to help, but he was fishing in a tournament, and then he blasted away.  I suppose that if I were having a heart attack, or was sinking, he might have tried to help, but to me, his actions were reprehensible. I wish I had had the presence of mind to get his boat ID number.

 

I've given a tow to others a couple of times and have never regretted the loss of fishing time, but then, I don't fish tournaments.  It makes me wonder.  At what point does the potential prize value of a tournament outweigh your obligation to help another?

[Angry John]

If I see kids fishing near me and I catch a good fish the go nuts. Most of the time I cut off the lure or give them some of the soft plastics I am using. Most of them don't have powerful enough rods for the jigs but they have no idea and still get a kick out of it.

[SirSnookalot]

I do good deeds all the time, I just don't keep track.

Good deeds are appreciated by the people you do them for.  No need to list them unless the recognition is important.

As it's written, "he who gives anonymously is greater than Moses".

[Oregon Native]

Got me to thinking of some of those feel good moments.  Like what SirSnookalot says.  No recognition necessary....the warm fuzzies are enough....karma isn't bad either.

[Lund Explorer]

In case Alpster comes across this thread, I can recall when I was the guy in trouble and got helped out by a couple of others.

 

We were at the 2011 Road Trip and at the end of our day I had beached my boat to wait to load it up, as the wife had taken off to visit relatives that lived in the area.  So the two of us are standing there talking when Alpster starts laughing and points at my boat drifting across the cove.  Fortunately a couple of guys had just loaded their boat up, and once they saw my predicament, re-launched their boat and motored me over to mine.  In the end I did try to pay them as a thank you but they refused.  I quickly grabbed a handful of bags of assorted Rage Craws from my boat and they did accept those.

 

I still think Ronnie wanted to watch me swim for it!

[buzzed bait]

If I ever see trash in the water I'll pick it up and throw it away. 

 

came here to say this except to add that i do not feel it is a good deed so much as a responsibility we should all share.....

[matuka]

If you are on the water and someone needs help, you drop what you are doing and help the guy out.  Period ... or at least I thought so until I fished Mustang Bay on Lake Fork several years ago.  I had motor trouble and started waving my arms at the next passing boat.  He pulled up close to me and said he would like to help, but he was fishing in a tournament, and then he blasted away.  I suppose that if I were having a heart attack, or was sinking, he might have tried to help, but to me, his actions were reprehensible. I wish I had had the presence of mind to get his boat ID number.

 

I've given a tow to others a couple of times and have never regretted the loss of fishing time, but then, I don't fish tournaments.  It makes me wonder.  At what point does the potential prize value of a tournament outweigh your obligation to help another?

I can understand your frustration. But a lot of us have a lot invested in tournament competition and time is your currency. If a person is safe in their craft, I've made phone calls or helped with small repairs, given them oil etc. Potentially harmful situations are of course different obviously. That being said, I have cut into my tourney time if it was clear I wasn't going to win. Just dumped my fish into a competitors live well, and towed a family in.

[geo g]

I have towed a number of people back to the ramp with engine problems.  If you own a boat long enough it happens to everyone at some point.

 

One Sunday my son who was 13 at the time and I were fishing L67 in the Three Pines Area of the glades.  We were almost 30 miles from the ramp when the power head went.  We were alone, and I had an early cell phone with me, sometimes it worked, sometimes not.   I have a number of emergency phone numbers listed in my tackle box just in case.  I called Fish and Game and the dispatcher said I'll try to reach a supervisor and get back to you.  She called back in an hour and told me her supervisor was going to get a boat and would come out to get me.  He came 30 miles in the Official boat and towed me and my boy back in.  If it wasn't for Officer Wolf we would have spent the entire night in the glades with little water.  He came out on his day off to get us.  I tried to give him what money I had, but he just said this is my job, and this happens all the time.  He would not take anything.

 

About six months later I saw him at a restaurant and I had the waitress bring me the bill.  It was least I could do.  I always stop and help those in trouble, I have been there and lived through it, not a good feeling...!!!!!!

[scaleface]

In the fall of 2013, I was fishing alone in my boat when I noticed a guy standing on a dock waving me down. I went over to see what he wanted and he told me his friend was trying to leave his dock by boat and found that someone had stolen the prop while the boat was tied to his dock. I towed his boat across the lake to the boat ramp and helped him get it on the trailer. He tried to offer me some money, but I refused. When you're on the water, you never refuse to help.

I have towed a lot of boats back and have been towed myself.

 

   Me and my twelve year old son rescued a drowning man out of the Arkansas river upstream of  the Royal Gorge . It was pretty harrowing. White water   is not my sport .

[Steveo-1969]

I was bank fishing and noticed a young man about 15 yo was using his spinning rod incorrectly.  He was casting and reeling with the reel on top instead of on the bottom.  I walked over and very nicely asked if I could show him how to cast and reel properly.  After a couple casts he seemed to have the hang of it, was casting farther and not having to reel backwards.

 

I walked back down the bank feeling pretty good about the karma I had just built up, looked back at him and he was again reeling in backwards with the reel on top.  Thinking about it now I should have asked him which hand he preferred to reel with and moved his reel handle for him.  Sigh...........

[Sam]

I am such a sweet guy.

 

On Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) we blasted off out of Rudd's Creek and I immediately trolled over to the bank adjacent to the ramp and started to fish.

 

Not thirty seconds later, Travis comes by me and asks if he can fish that area ahead of me.

 

Since he was in contention for Six Man Team Championship team I let him fish the area before me.

 

Sure enough, he nailed two on his first four casts. Thanked me, and ran off.

 

I never caught anything in the area all day.

[gulfcaptain]

I can't count how many waterfowl I have unwrapped fishing line off of, untangled lures that were accidently tangled and lost, or happened to be tangled with another bird. Smiling and helping out the best I can the younger kids who fish the ponds I do that ask a million questions and even after answering those have a million more. I try to remember how I was growing up and the older fisherman that had the patience to answer all my questions, take time out of what they were doing to show and teach me new things.  I try to pass those kind jestures on to the youth of today who show the same passion I did at their age. Probably one I forget about but most notable good deed, saving a man's life you had a heart attack on a charterboat I worked on.  The professionalizm of all the crew I worked with that day made a big difference in one mans life which could have ended had we not acted.  

[Catch 22]

It was March with really cold 45 deg water when I  passed an island camp site on the river. One kid was there and I spotted two more in a canoe that was overloaded.I told them in no uncertain terms that they would die if they turned the canoe over.I must have impressed them ,because they called the warden for help. The warden flagged me and  asked me to go to the island  and pick up the other kid and  the gear. Back on shore all three got a ticket for no life preservers.

I reminded the three of them it was  cheap price to pay next to a funeral.

Thinking back I should have offered help right away at first sight. I`m glad things worked OK.

C22

[Dylcook91]

Don't know if this was a good deed or not.

I rented a row boat on a near by lake and went out fishing for the day. The wind was strong that day and pushing everyone on rowboats to the far end of the lake.

At the end of the day I return to the dock. There was a mother taking her 5 kids out, but they were having trouble controlling the boat and couldn't get out of the dock. The mother calls over to me asking for help, I jump on the boat and show them what to do and back them out. I then hop outta the boat and back onto the dock when I over hear one of the kids say "can he come with us mom".

It left me wondering if I did a good thing or not, cause if they couldn't manage the dock there no way they were gonna control it out on the water with that wind. Hahaha

[hawgenvy]

My wife and I and her brother's family were visiting all our kids at summer camp in upstate NY -- this adventure took place a couple of decades ago -- and we stayed at a local hot spot called Scott's Family Resort ("Since 1869"). The place had seen better days -- had probably peaked about a hundred years ago, and by now was just a touch on the extremely musty side. There was the main hotel (where my sister-in-law drank way too much one evening and at 2am woke us to let us know that all three of our young kids were gay, which they are still not), and there were also some outer cottages that leaned quite a bit. But the place was, honestly, on a very gorgeous lake. To find something to do the first evening, we wandered over to the old entertainment room and sat in the folding chairs among a dozen other guests to hear a musician on the stage, a straw-hatted singing banjo player that could not possibly have been under 103 years old playing songs from the 1910s, along with his young chorus of 90 year-olds. The entertainment was all very good only in the sense that there were no deaths or other medical emergencies during the show. We vowed never to attend another show at Scott's.

 

The next morning I awoke uncharacteristically early (probably due to the asymmetrical mattress) and wandered down to the lake shore, where a blanket of mist hung over the clear waters, and the autumn colors of the trees  above shone brilliantly in the rising sun. A man, a black man, was trying to overturn his overturned little skiff so he might fish a bit in the lovely morning, and of course I dashed over to lend a hand. Naturally, he then invited me along to fish. It turned out he was the grand entertainment that night.  Indeed, he was the "amazing" Steve DePass, "Americas Singing Poet." He was touring all the finest country places. Anyway, we fished. We caught a one inch perch or two, but he asked a lot of questions about me, and by the end he knew all there was to know about my life. I promised I would be at his show. He was the big Saturday night attraction at Scotts.

 

I told my wife the story and she said that's very nice, but going to the entertainment hall again was out. I said a promise was a promise and we HAD TO GO. She said "no" only 20 more times, and then agreed to go. This time the joint was packed. Lots of the local showed up, too (there's nothing else to do around there anyway.) America's Singing Poet asked over the mike if I were there (I raised my hand) and sang ABOUT ME for 20 minutes, and very cleverly, and funny as h**l, and I was down on the floor paralyzed with laughter and my wife thought she must have been transported to a parallel universe because this stranger was singing things about me that nobody else knew. Apparently, this guy can make up a humorous rhyming song about absolutely anything or anyone, instantly.

 

And half the show was about me because I helped him lift his boat and went fishing with him for an hour.

[Oregon Native]

Remember once after a tournament many years ago a mom asked me to go get her son in a broken down jet ski.  I did and she asked me what she could give me....I said please just don't tell all the other boats what I did.  Ohhhhh what a look.

(He was one of those that likes to spin cookies in front of the ramp)

[Fishes in trees]

A couple of times over the past few years, at my favorite local lake ( which is full of stumps, you've always got to putt around, it is dangerous and illegal to get on plane) there have been geezers, older than me, who thought it was a good idea to go out on this 300 + acre lake with just a trolling motor and a semi=charged battery.  Very quickly, they run out of power and can't make any headway against the wind and sooner than you think they're three quarters of a mile down the lake.  These guys I've pulled back to the launch cove.   One guy I had to help get his boat back on the trailer.   One guy couldn't understand what the problem was, he'd charged his battery up  "real good" at the start of the season.   (This happened in MAY.)

 

He thought that deep cycle batteries just held their charge forever, I guess.  Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.   My good deed was that I saved him from his own ignorance.     My other good deed lately is that I always have more hand-wipes in my boat than I need, so if someone is "caught short" in the privy, I can throw them something to tidy up with.