Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 Hey Guys, I'm sure some of you watched the flw tournament this weekend on lake Seminole. At one point B-Lat moved off his spot and started sight fishing. But, when he returned to his spot 2 high school kids where on the exact spot he had been fishing the last 4 days. Seems to me they must have been watching and poached his spot. What's everyone's option on this? I believe he handled the situation very well.
Derek1 Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 I think if he left it doesn’t mean it’s his spot and no one can use if he wants to come back to it. That said I would probably move out of the way for a pro tourney going on. 5
Super User Sam Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 So what can you do other than to turn to violence? It is part of the game. If the teenagers wanted to be jerks then they will be jerks. Just do what I do when this happens: go find another place. 2
Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Author Posted March 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Sam said: So what can you do other than to turn to violence? It is part of the game. If the teenagers wanted to be jerks then they will be jerks. Just do what I do when this happens: go find another place. Agreed if your dealing with locals on a Sunday afternoon fun fishing. But, when your fishing for 100k its a big difference. 4 minutes ago, Derek1 said: I think if he left it doesn’t mean it’s his spot and no one can use if he wants to come back to it. That said I would probably move out of the way for a pro tourney going on. The kids did move out of the way without argument which was good. They had their faces blasted all over national TV. Embarrassing for them. 1
Super User Sam Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Rip_lipz said: Agreed if your dealing with locals on a Sunday afternoon fun fishing. But, when your fishing for 100k its a big difference. Totally agree, Rip. But it is part of the sport. Not a nice part, but it exists like fumbles and interceptions in football or bad calls in basketball. Part of the game. The tournament guy could pull up close to the other boat and start to fish, giving the teenagers a chance to move on. Otherwise, there is nothing you can legally do. The water is open to all, even guys fishing for $100,000 or out to have a good time.
Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Author Posted March 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Sam said: Totally agree, Rip. But it is part of the sport. Not a nice part, but it exists like fumbles and interceptions in football or bad calls in basketball. Part of the game. The tournament guy could pull up close to the other boat and start to fish, giving the teenagers a chance to move on. Otherwise, there is nothing you can legally do. The water is open to all, even guys fishing for $100,000 or out to have a good time. I find it insane that someone would do that during a huge national tournament. At least let them weight in before you go jump on that spot. I wouldn't want my face broadcasted all over the TV. If they are local kids I'm sure they'll get a whole lot of backlash from local anglers. 1
Brad Reid Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 I didn't see it, too busy watching Rick Clunn making a big comeback in that recent tournament. Wow! Many sports have some unwritten rules. One of the worst? Many of you may recall from the past that Olympic Ice Skaters who narrowly miss a gold medal at one Games . . . are, more or less, favored in the next by the judges. It's as if they have to really screw up to not be awarded the gold. Ouch! In competitive fishing, there are some of these sorts of unwritten rules. In one tournament, YT video caught Scott Martin in a heated verbal exchange with another competitor when on a subsequent tournament day, the other guy got to a place first, was fishing it. Scott just moved in and accused the guy of poaching his spot as I recall. The other guy defended himself by saying, he too, at some other earlier point in the tournament, when Scott wasn't there, had fished it. It all seemed crazy to me. First come, first serve seems operable to me. I really don't get someone thinking they own a spot on the water. Teenagers? Unless they have been enlisted to block a particular angler, to purposely interfere, I'd just consider them to be yet another obstacle that all pro anglers have to deal with . . . equally. Pro anglers/officials COULD promulgate actual rules for competitions to eliminate some of these situations (between themselves, not so much private anglers on public waters); but, my guess is the pro anglers actually prefer some of these unwritten rules, don't want them codified so to speak. Brad 3
Derek1 Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 I don’t fish tournaments so I don’t really know what the propor etiquette is for that situation. So I would think I can fish A spot with no one in it. If a pro came by during a tourney and was polite I would move. But if he came by huffing and puffing and being rude about me being in his spot while he wasn’t there I would certainly not move. I didn’t see it so my comments are about the situation in general. I would certainly not be happy about being put on camera to be embarrassed either. They don’t own the water. 9
Super User Jigfishn10 Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 I didn't see it, but if the lake is just opened to the tourney then the kids shouldn't be there otherwise it's open water. You say the kids appear to have been waiting until the spot opened which is subjective, the kids are in high school, maybe they saw an opportunity to get a fish of a lifetime? Can't blame the kids. Sounds like they got the point and politely moved, but "poaching" his spot seems a little harsh to me. They're just kids fishing. If my kids just got into that much trouble in HS I'd be one happy parent. 2
Super User flyfisher Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 Not sure if you can poach a spot really. I mean he wasn't fishing there and the kids decided to fish that spot. It is what it is. I honestly feel like the pro asking the kids to leave his spot was a jerk move myself. I don't care if you are fishing a 100k tourney or not, you don't have any more right to the water than anyone else. 10 1
ike8120 Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 Kids will be kids, If it was posted that lake would be closed to the public that is a different story.
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted March 11, 2019 Global Moderator Posted March 11, 2019 These pros find the best spots on the lake or fish the best community holes on the lake. Thinking they're the only ones that know about the spots is laughable. Unless the kids sat and watched him catching fish and moved in as soon as he left, I don't really see how it could be considered poaching. Even then, there's no what for them to know he was going to come back to fish it again later. I've been on lakes with big tournaments on them while I was fishing. I fished, and caught fish, but never off anything I was aware of being a pros "spot" and never felt bad about what I was doing. My BIL and I had Ike roar up on us at Grand during the first Classic there. We backed off the spot and watched him fish with everyone else, which he did for about 2 minutes before he took off again. We continued fishing and promptly caught a nice keeper off that spot. The way I see it, he had just as good a shot at the fish as I did and he's the pro, he shouldn't have any difficulty catching fish behind a weekend warrior. Crossed paths with plenty of other anglers and never had any issues. I've always gotten out of their way and let them fish. I understand they're trying to make a living, but I'm also doing what I enjoy doing. Baseball players have to deal with fan interference, it's part of the game. 4
Super User OkobojiEagle Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 Since he's a pro fishing for a big paycheck... how much did he pay those kids for "keeping his spot" for him? oe 3
nascar2428 Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 First off, he left the spot. The kids had no way of knowing that he was going to come back. Second I'm surprised at how many people are taking the screw the pro route. In the end it all worked out, B. Lat is all class and now has a national tour victory to prove it!! 2
Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Author Posted March 11, 2019 9 minutes ago, flyfisher said: Not sure if you can poach a spot really. I mean he wasn't fishing there and the kids decided to fish that spot. It is what it is. I honestly feel like the pro asking the kids to leave his spot was a jerk move myself. I don't care if you are fishing a 100k tourney or not, you don't have any more right to the water than anyone else. He didn't ask them to move, he just told them it wasn't cool. He handled the situation very well. I have seen some anglers act really childish. I totally agree, they don't own the water. I feel the locals have more right to the spots than the Pros. 6 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said: These pros find the best spots on the lake or fish the best community holes on the lake. Thinking they're the only ones that know about the spots is laughable. Unless the kids sat and watched him catching fish and moved in as soon as he left, I don't really see how it could be considered poaching. Even then, there's no what for them to know he was going to come back to fish it again later. I've been on lakes with big tournaments on them while I was fishing. I fished, and caught fish, but never off anything I was aware of being a pros "spot" and never felt bad about what I was doing. My BIL and I had Ike roar up on us at Grand during the first Classic there. We backed off the spot and watched him fish with everyone else, which he did for about 2 minutes before he took off again. We continued fishing and promptly caught a nice keeper off that spot. The way I see it, he had just as good a shot at the fish as I did and he's the pro, he shouldn't have any difficulty catching fish behind a weekend warrior. Crossed paths with plenty of other anglers and never had any issues. I've always gotten out of their way and let them fish. I understand they're trying to make a living, but I'm also doing what I enjoy doing. Baseball players have to deal with fan interference, it's part of the game. Don't quote me but I believe Latimer did say they where watching him fish for a while, then as soon as he left moved on to his spot. 1
bagofdonuts Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 He should be cool about it. The only reason they make 100k in a fishing tournament is because there selling merch to other fishermen.
Super User Choporoz Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 "His spot"?!?!?! I am floored by this idea/mentality. Either close the entire lake to anyone other than competitors, or ....fish somewhere else. I don't care if the purse is 100K or five bucks. Public waters means exactly that. I also don't care if the locals watched him fish it and rolled in after he left it. Though....I am probably the only person that ever fished a spot after seeing (or hearing of) someone else having success there. 11
Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Author Posted March 11, 2019 2 minutes ago, Choporoz said: "His spot"?!?!?! I am floored by this idea/mentality. Either close the entire lake to anyone other than competitors, or ....fish somewhere else. I don't care if the purse is 100K or five bucks. Public waters means exactly that. I also don't care if the locals watched him fish it and rolled in after he left it. Though....I am probably the only person that ever fished a spot after seeing (or hearing of) someone else having success there. I am really enjoying everyone's point a view. I agree, if your on the lake and see someone pulling up 20lb bags, then they leave! Not every day you get a chance to smack some big ones like that. These tournament guys have their own unwritten rules, they would like for them to apply to the weekend warrior.
Super User TOXIC Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 This isn't the first thread about interactions with "pros" on the water. Seems to be a recurring topic lately. Each pro handles themselves differently and some are more cool headed about it than others. There is a "pro" big name fisherman who will forever be on my voodoo list to lose. He went out of his way to try and ruin some of my closest friends lives even going so far as to send video to one's place of employment and getting attorneys involved all because he came from over 1/2 mile away on opposite side a community area to confront a flotilla of 5 boats that are friends of mine who were drifting and just having a good time fishing together. I know plenty of "pros" and this was the most disgusting display I have ever heard of on the water. 1
Rip_lipz Posted March 11, 2019 Author Posted March 11, 2019 1 minute ago, TOXIC said: This isn't the first thread about interactions with "pros" on the water. Seems to be a recurring topic lately. Each pro handles themselves differently and some are more cool headed about it than others. There is a "pro" big name fisherman who will forever be on my voodoo list to lose. He went out of his way to try and ruin some of my closest friends lives even going so far as to send video to one's place of employment and getting attorneys involved all because he came from over 1/2 mile away on opposite side a community area to confront a flotilla of 5 boats that are friends of mine who were drifting and just having a good time fishing together. I know plenty of "pros" and this was the most disgusting display I have ever heard of on the water. Toxic Some voodoo magic just happened, I was actually reading one of your comments on another thread about tackle sales, then you commented haha! Anyway, I am very surprised these guys conduct themselves in such manners. At what point does their sponsor say something to them. That can't be good publicity for the label.
Hawkeye21 Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 1 hour ago, flyfisher said: Not sure if you can poach a spot really. I mean he wasn't fishing there and the kids decided to fish that spot. It is what it is. I honestly feel like the pro asking the kids to leave his spot was a jerk move myself. I don't care if you are fishing a 100k tourney or not, you don't have any more right to the water than anyone else. Absolutely nothing wrong with politely asking someone to move if you're in a tourney. If they tell someone to move then I have a major issue with it. All it takes is a simple explanation as to why you'd like them to move and if they don't want to then just move along. Anyone that fishes in tourneys or watches them on TV should be understanding enough. 1
GReb Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 Why not just fish elsewhere that weekend and let the pros have it? Seems obvious to me 1
Super User TOXIC Posted March 11, 2019 Super User Posted March 11, 2019 20 minutes ago, Rip_lipz said: Toxic Some voodoo magic just happened, I was actually reading one of your comments on another thread about tackle sales, then you commented haha! Anyway, I am very surprised these guys conduct themselves in such manners. At what point does their sponsor say something to them. That can't be good publicity for the label. I honestly don't know but as far as I'm concerned this "pro" was sooooooo out of line (and his wife and his publicist and his business partner) that I can never support him in anything he does or the baits/rods/reels or any product he hawks. 1
The Bassman Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said: These pros find the best spots on the lake or fish the best community holes on the lake. Thinking they're the only ones that know about the spots is laughable. Unless the kids sat and watched him catching fish and moved in as soon as he left, I don't really see how it could be considered poaching. Even then, there's no what for them to know he was going to come back to fish it again later. I've been on lakes with big tournaments on them while I was fishing. I fished, and caught fish, but never off anything I was aware of being a pros "spot" and never felt bad about what I was doing. My BIL and I had Ike roar up on us at Grand during the first Classic there. We backed off the spot and watched him fish with everyone else, which he did for about 2 minutes before he took off again. We continued fishing and promptly caught a nice keeper off that spot. The way I see it, he had just as good a shot at the fish as I did and he's the pro, he shouldn't have any difficulty catching fish behind a weekend warrior. Crossed paths with plenty of other anglers and never had any issues. I've always gotten out of their way and let them fish. I understand they're trying to make a living, but I'm also doing what I enjoy doing. Baseball players have to deal with fan interference, it's part of the game. Really enjoyed reading this. It just reinforces my belief that everyday guys with hands on experience are much better information sources than high profile pros who are mouthpieces for their sponsors. Really doesn't reflect topic but your experience brought it to mind. 2
Drew03cmc Posted March 11, 2019 Posted March 11, 2019 3 minutes ago, GReb said: Why not just fish elsewhere that weekend and let the pros have it? Seems obvious to me Honestly, why alter your plans? Their tournament does not give them ownership of the water. If they behave like a-holes, out them on all forms of media. I'd probably set a camera up, just to have my own backside covered. Go fish. 2
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