Unfortunate incident with fellow angler.

[WildmanWilson]

It would be tough not to put a 4 oz. sinker on and start to throw it and see if he wants to fish in your line of fire. I have a hard time walking away from rude idiots. 

[toni63]

Troll quietly over, ask them how their day has been so far, "catching anything?" etc. Be nice, pleasant, tell them what you learned with your jaunt in that creek, wish them a good day fishing and the best of luck then troll away quietly until you are far enough off not to disturb the fish before firing up your outboard and heading somewhere else.

 

I have often found being nice to jerks can lead to some very interesting conversations, not confrontations. And if they don't feel like talking, leave quietly anyway. Bottom line is you can only be responsible for your own actions, not someone else's. Take the high road.

 

To me, you just never know how badly things might get if you confront and stand your ground, and its not like they are threatening your life or lives of your family. I can be right, but it won't matter if I am dead right. Pick your battles, and this is one where there is nothing good going to come from trying to out jerk a jerk.

 

And the video thing? If you seriously want a confrontation, pull out a camera and start pointing it at people like that. Like a red flag to a bull, so you're just adding fuel to the fire if you do. Now, if you have a go pro or something like that mounted and its running anyway, discretely, that's another story and probably worth sharing. But making a point of doing it deliberately at the time so its noticeable, well, with some folks you may as well just whip out a gun and point it at them. Just not worth the aggravation or risk.

[frogflogger]

You did right - life is far too short and fishing time too precious to let some nitwit ruin your day - I always figure they are motherless and had no one to teach them manners - as to being armed - once fire arms are brought into the equation all bets for a safe and sane ending are over.

[.ghoti.]

Kudos to you for taking the high road. I always try to keep one thing in mind when confronted by morons.

 

Never try to argue with a moron. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. 

[Choporoz]

You handled it right, IMO.

 

I experienced similar....My wife and I rented a big Carolina Skiff with a trolling motor on a big lake we'd never been on.  Same situation, we were meticulously working back third of a narrow creek; pitching laydowns.  Couple guys in a beautiful Z21 roar into the bay and proceed to troll right on through us...between us and the bank...My blood was boiling and simply yelled "excuse me!"....the back seat said "Oh...are you guys fishing for bass?"...Like they didn't know...and even if they were too stupid to figure, what difference would it make???   My reply was clipped by my better half.  She proceeded to engage them very loudly with a non-stop stream of questions, comments, ect.  MUCH better approach...they didn't last 3 minutes of that barrage....she and I laughed our ***** off as they motored on out

[the reel ess]

23 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

You handled it right, IMO.

 

I experienced similar....My wife and I rented a big Carolina Skiff with a trolling motor on a big lake we'd never been on.  Same situation, we were meticulously working back third of a narrow creek; pitching laydowns.  Couple guys in a beautiful Z21 roar into the bay and proceed to troll right on through us...between us and the bank...My blood was boiling and simply yelled "excuse me!"....the back seat said "Oh...are you guys fishing for bass?"...Like they didn't know...and even if they were too stupid to figure, what difference would it make???   My reply was clipped by my better half.  She proceeded to engage them very loudly with a non-stop stream of questions, comments, ect.  MUCH better approach...they didn't last 3 minutes of that barrage....she and I laughed our ***** off as they motored on out

Yes! You see, since you weren't in the $50K boat, you have fewer rights than they. There's a definite snobbery that permiates the expensive boat crowd. Not all, by any means, but a select few, would run over their mothers to fish a spot before everyone else gets to it. Then they prefer to roar out of the creek past everyone they beat to it rather than idle. After all, there are other spots to ruin. My dad would always say "I hope he hits a stump" when they would do that.

 

[jamey1e]

Thinking about this situation a little more I'm kind of proud of myself for just leaving it alone.  I have a horrible temper and when telling my wife about it she made the comment "I can't believe after that I didn't have to come get you out of jail".  It saddens me that people can be this inconsiderate and talking with a few buddies yesterday we all agree this sort of behavior is increasing everywhere you go.  

[Scott F]

Last time it happened to me, some tournament musky guys pulled right in front of me close enough I could have flipped a jig easily on to his front deck. My reaction was just to say out loud, "Really?"  I took a picture, that I later sent to the tournament organizer, trimmed my motor almost out of the water, and made the biggest wake I could while I pulled away. I guess that is what as known as passive aggressive. 

[geo g]

You showed great restraint by doing things the way you did.  I don't know if I could have been that restrained.  In retrospect you did the right thing.  Its amazing how these low life's justify living the way they do.  At some point it is going to catch up with them!

[Spider]

Honestly, I feel you did the right thing.

 

I had one of these rude fishermen, I was fishing the Fox chain of lakes "Northern IL.", There was an tournament going. A Ranger boat saw me and two buddy's fishing a bunch of Lilly pads and accelerated directly towards us, turned at the last second and nearly swamped our boat. We were soaking wet.

 

There's no telling what will happen.

 

Never provoke these kinds of guys, it is not worth it and you could end up injured or worse.

[Gundog]

Can't say I would recommend throwing anything at his boat or him. Even if its a cast. Whether its a lure or a sinker or anything else. Just remember you can be charged with a crime if you do. He has a witness and you don't. Best just to let it go. People like that are in the minority. Again, think about all the good, friendly, polite boaters out there that you have met and don't let one idiot make you do something you may regret. I'm sure that rude boater knew what he was doing would tick you off but its up to you if you react. If you get angry he spoils your day and he wins. If you ignore it and enjoy your day out, you win. 

[Logan S]

The guys that cut you off like that are simply showing you that they don't have any other options and don't posses the skill set to do well in their tournament without 'their' spot.  My typical response is to simply keep doing what I'm doing and then move on if they make that impossible...I rest easy letting them have the spot because they obviously need all the help they can get .  

 

More often than not I find myself skipping ahead of those types by the end of the day in the one place where it really counts....The tournament standings .  

[Choporoz]

8 minutes ago, Logan S said:

The guys that cut you off like that are simply showing you that they don't have any other options and don't posses the skill set to do well in their tournament without 'their' spot.

could be...or could be that they're just ******* *****

[Tmmytomato]

Yes, that has happened but usually not that blatant. Partner and I were fishing a tournament a few years back working down a bank as you mentioned and had a boat jump in front of us by about 25 yards, knowing we were heading that way.  I had a good bite in a bush in prefish that I did not set on - sure enough they tossed into the bush I was working towards and pulled out a five# which I just know was the same fish.  Words would not have mattered - but they were guys I knew well. 

[lonnie g]

you just prove that there are more good guys than not.  ive never met you or know you. but I would fish with you any day!! my dad always told me that when you see or here something that you don't like. just remember that you don't want to be like that. or don't do or say anything to any one that you wouldn't want to happen to you. I guess you would almost have to feel sorry for the other guy. I would hate to think a person goes thru life with that kind of demeaner. if nothing else you have taught younger anglers the proper way to handle situations. A PLUS!!

[gim]

I think you did the right move with a restrained reaction.  Considering you were outnumbered 2 to 1, you made the smart move to retreat.  Its war out there sometimes.  Next time show up with the calvary and you'll win.

[N Florida Mike]

Ive had a lot of similar incidents.When I was 18 I was fishing in close and another teen that was on the bank with some girls I knew threw a wet towel at me when my back was turnt, hit me in my sunburned back.He was laughing until I jumped out and went up and whipped his butt.

I would not recommend that nowdays.But back then you fought and it was over usually.

Ive had to pray hard to overcome my temper and now I usually leave before I get riled up.

You did the right thing.

[K_Mac]

My mom used to tell me, "argue with a fool and you're liable to act like one." It took me many years to have enough maturity to actually follow her advice. As others have said, life is too short to fight with idiots unless they give you no other choice. Well done.

[Oregon Native]

Just a week ago fishing an underwater island marked by a red river marker a guy in a boat was heading right at us while we were fishing....well...he had his work cut out for him as it stopped him cold.  Felt both sorry and disappointed for him.

P.S.  You did good in just turning away....I might of looked up and said ....GOD...this ones yours please....you handle it.

[VAHunter]

I had an incident many years ago almost just like the one you described.  I was throwing lipless baits on a flat leading into a creek.  I fish in a jon boat.  Had a guy and his buddy in a glass rig run right beside me on plane, then come off step and stop within a cast in front of my boat, directly where I was casting.  I looked at the guy in the front and said there's no way you are going to fish there, right?  You are literally sitting where I am casting.  He, too, gave me the eye.  His partner never even stood up to fish.  He just sat in the back of the boat with his hand over his face.  I made another cast (without much thought to accuracy) and it bounced off his outboard.  He didn't care much for that, but he left.  No, I don't own the water either, but I have enough respect to find somewhere else to fish when somebody beats me to an area I wanted to try. 

[jimf]

It happens to everyone, and it's unfortunate.  You absolutely did the right thing by leaving.   I admit when I was younger I would not shy away from a confrontation, but now I've arrived at that stage in life where I just don't feel like wasting my time with that.  My time on the water is too precious, that and I'll find other water and catch my fish.  

 

 

[scaleface]

I know  a lot of people with real  nice boats and gear but not much fishing experience .  Sometimes they just dont know any better . In a large tournament I marked  a river channel with  buoys . I caught two keepers then before long    two competing boats     stop and start fishing my markers . There was one on each buoy . 

[Bass Turd]

I would go passive aggressive here. Take the rod and reel you need new line on and cast it right in front of his trolling motor. Then yell like a maniac that you just hooked a 10 pounder while his trolling motor spools you.  

[Clinton john]

 

You did the right thing sir.

 

Some people were just never raised with manners and now that they are grow there is no hope for them to learn.

 

I have had a few run ins on the water and have been able to just let it go and find fish in other water, and that's not a easy thing for me to do.

 

The only time I lost my cool was two seasons ago I was in my flat fishing with my youngest girl, when a guy in a brand new ranger comes rolling up trolls up between us and the bank and sets his power pool.

 

I ask him to move because me and my lil girl is fishing this spot for bream, he tells me I have no right to the water because I don't own a bass boat, we through a few words back and forth, while my lil girl is asking me to leave, at that point I call him what he is and told him his dad should have beat his butt more when he was young.

 

He whips around and tells me to take my fat butt and my retarted kid ( my lil girl has a speech problem) and get are he was going to sink my boat.

 

I told him really, I pulled up and packed started the motor and eased up and cut his fuel line on both ends and told him good luck fishing today sir and rolled out.

 

I don't think I was right but it sure felt good.

 

But I think you the best thing sir.

[Hez]

53 minutes ago, A5BLASTER said:

he tells me I have no right to the water because I don't own a bass boat

 

 

Unfortunately, I get the same treatment 90% of the time in my jon boat as well.  I have had people in bass boats fly by me so fast in a canal it nearly tipped my boat.  Countless times I have been fishing a bank...and someone in a bass boat just come and try to be a bully and cut me off directly...while I'm trolling down the bank.  It really ticks me off sometimes.

 

Most of the time I can bite my tongue.  Only once have I had to say something to someone...after they cut me off 3 times within an hour.  Total disrespect.  

 

I try to be considerate of other people in every facet of life...especially being on the water.  Sometimes people are just ignorant to certain things -and they mean no harm...just need to be educated.  Other times...people are just being jerks...those are the ones I hate dealing with.  

 

OP - you did good by being the bigger man.  I can only hope I make the same positive decision when faced with that situation again, as I know I will be.  

15 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

 

Ive had to pray hard to overcome my temper and now I usually leave before I get riled up.

 

 

 

This is something I have to work hard on every day