Tournament entitlement?

[billmac]

I don't spend a lot of time on waters hosting tournaments, so this has never happened to me, but I hear talk of some lakes / rivers where there is a tournament practically every week.  Do non-tournament angers frequently get pushed off their spots (or at least asked to leave) by tournament fishermen?  Obviously no one has to go if they don't want to, but I was just curious how often this happens.

[Team9nine]

All the time. No, they rarely get asked, more just “pushed off” or “infringed upon,” but it works both ways, with tourney guys always complaining about recreational boats cutting them off or getting too close, so it all equals out in the end.

[Tennessee Boy]

It certainly happens.  Once I was fishing a spot and a boat came off plane, trolled to within about 15 feet of me,  and started casting to within a few feet of where my line was.   The guy on the trolling motor looked at me with a look of shame on his face (he so close I could see his expression) and said "were fishing a tournament".  I just pulled up and left.  I'd already fished the spot for 30 minutes or so.  If he had asked nicely,  I would have left and would have told him how long I had been fishing and if I'd caught anything.  I think most tournament anglers know better but they have high hopes for the tournament and have probably paid a hefty entry fee so they put their morals aside.  I've felt the disappointment of going into a tournament knowing you're on fish only to find a boat setting on the spot that was going to win the tournament for you.  It's part of the sport.  I've never asked someone leave a spot and I've certainly never moved in on anyone.   

[Jig Man]

I try to fish 100 days a year and have for a long time.  I’ve never had that happen to me.  If I did I believe that I would say look me in the eyes and see if I give a —— what you are doing.

[Captain Phil]

I've been fishing tournaments since the seventies and I have never had anyone run me off a spot or have I ever asked anyone to give up a spot for me.   I have had a few non tournament anglers offer to leave so I have a better chance of winning.  I am not bothered by other anglers fishing close to me.  I would rather deal with that than one idiot on a jet ski. ?

[gim]

I don't fish tournaments.  I'm not against them, I just don't have the time or commitment level to do it.  I can certainly see the greediness getting to some of these guys.  Their competitive drive is what feeds the beast.  Sometimes that causes them to take more desperate measures than what they normally would if they were simply fishing recreationally.

 

What it doesn't permit anyone to do is be a jack ass though.  There is a code of ethics that every angler, whether they are in a tournament or not, should be following.  If there is a boat on your spot on the final day of the contest, tough.  Don't creep in there and try to push them off.  I need a buffer when I'm out there.  If you are within casting distance of me, that is too close.  I won't cut someone off or sneak into their bubble myself, so I expect the same treatment in return.

 

I should mention that I rarely run into trouble like this from tournament anglers, much less other recreational anglers.  The trouble I often receive is from recreational boaters that show almost no respect for distance or other watercraft out there.

[Scott F]

I don't often fish tournament waters but I've run into my share tournament anglers (bass & musky) who've intruded on my space basically telling me to get out of their way as they were in a tournament. I remember leaving one spot where the musky guy got very close so I made the biggest wake possible with my motor trimmed up as I left. One of the many reasons I'm not a fan of fishing tournaments.

[David 7]

This comes to mind.

 

 

[scaleface]

Not just tournament anglers but I have had recreational anglers come fish exactly where I'm at . One time a fellow cut me off to fish a tree I was approaching . Then afterwards he bragged "Last week I caught   a six lber out of the tree I cut you off at . "  I think some guys judge fishermen  by the craft they are in and if its not up to their standards , then they view them as   second class anglers and thus they can justify  treating one as such . I can only imagine what the kayakers put up  with .

[Tatsu Dave]

I don't push or crowd a spot and don't put up with it either, was in Md. fishing the Dundee when they had a national tournament coming up. Fishing a weedline and noticed a bass boat coming up behind us slowly, son said what do ya think? I said don't own the water but if they act special or try to push us out it will be an event (thanks A-Jay love that term) they came up to us and it was Larry Nixon and Gary Klein. Larry was polite and started cutting a wide swath around us, he looked over and said hows the fishing? I replied it never was too good right there but told him a spot to hit as they left the area that usually holds some good fish. Last words were none of you guys will win if you fish here, go up to the flats or run down the bay to eastern shore. It was won on the eastern shore up a river and Zel Rowland hope that is correct almost won it at the flats. Local guys just know.......

[PourMyOwn]

I've experienced tournament entitlement, or I've been on the receiving end of it. A 150 dollar entry fee is no reason to be inconsiderate.  I have a lot of money wrapped up in my boat and truck too. 

[Captain Phil]

Tournament fishing can be addictive.   This can affect your attitude toward others, even those you love.  When I was young, all I thought about was winning tournaments.  I was consumed with it.   I prefished every weekend leading up to the tournament and every weekend that followed.  My wife and son often fished with me, but I found myself angry when things didn't go my way.  When I started traveling, it kept me away from home for a week at a time.  I called home often.  My wife supported me, but I could tell she was unhappy.  One night I called home and the phone wasn't answered.  I called back at 2 AM and still no answer.  After that, I reevaluated what I was doing.  No tournament is worth losing your family over.  Everything worked out as I have been married for 57 years this November.  You may not be so lucky.  

[volzfan59]

If someone identified themselves as fishing in a tournament and asked nicely to fish my spot or let them have a stretch of bank, I would probably yield to them. On the other hand, if they demanded or had some attitude, they'd be out of luck.

 

I've mentioned on here before that while trout fishing (wading) a guy asked politely to move around me. I told him to have at it and wished him well.

[TnRiver46]

On 8/21/2021 at 11:48 AM, billmac said:

I don't spend a lot of time on waters hosting tournaments, so this has never happened to me, but I hear talk of some lakes / rivers where there is a tournament practically every week.  Do non-tournament angers frequently get pushed off their spots (or at least asked to leave) by tournament fishermen?  Obviously no one has to go if they don't want to, but I was just curious how often this happens.

A tournament Practically every week? It’s guaranteed for there to be several every week, not just one. I’ve had plenty of tournament anglers pull up and fish right next to me, lost count of how many times about 20 years ago 

[Bluebasser86]

It happens with tournament guys, recreational fishermen, and recreational boaters. 

 

My last kayak tournament I got cut off badly on 2 different occasions by recreation boat fishermen. One claimed to have not seen me in my chartreuse shirt and orange kayak and was kind enough to fish down the bank that I had just been down. The other jumped right in front of me and fished the same direction I was going on one of my best spots. He saw me, I wasn't tucked into the shoreline or anything, he just didn't care. 

 

Then I have completely oblivious recreation people like this. I know @A-Jay has a good one from a run in with pontoon.

 

[Hammer 4]

Some years ago, I was fishing during a WON tourney at Lake Hodges, and was doing pretty well, as I've always done at Hodges. Anyway, I had 3 or 4 guys that were in the tourney come by and very politely asked if they could " fish through " in one case I was pretty much done in one spot , and told him yes he could. The other times even though I wasn't done with a spot, I gladly gave up my spot, figuring these paid $$$ to enter, and were trying to get some or all of the $$$ back, I was glad to help them.

As a side note: When I saw the results, had I entered I would have wound up in 3rd place, I got a kick outta that. The winner had you been following some of the shady folks went down in flames. 

[Darth-Baiter]

Once. Only once. 
 

I was dodging boats with my kayak and found a wide open spot. As I went by some (guy #1) guy in a boat says loudly,” that guy has no idea what he’s doing, he’s just zigzagging around”.  I started getting into them. The fish got bigger and bigger. Another boater (guy #2) eased up next to me and asked if he could fish nearby. “ hell yes!”  Him and his co angler and I started hauling them in. 
 

Guy #1 was so annoyed. I landed the biggest fish of that session with a 4.5. It was fun being amongst all the nicer boat guys.  I seriously didn’t know what I was doing. I only fished that spot because it was open. 

[rangerjockey]

I have no problem leaving for someone in a derby and I've had guys leave for me. 

If everybody's in the derby it's time to negotiate. 

 

[Krux5506]

I try to avoid tournament days on my home port. Last thing I want to do when out trying to enjoy a morning of fishing is get heated because some guy sees me catch something and then wants to fish on top of me, or try and chase me out of a spot.

 

On the other hand I've had some other very friendly interactions with tournament guys on the water so all in all it just depends on the individual. I know the feeling of being totally zeroed in on the tournament and disregarding practically everything else so I do try to be understanding of that. 

[J Francho]

No one owns the water, and asking someone to leave is wrong.  Any tournaments I've been in such behavior would be considered unsportsmanlike and grounds for disqualification.

[ajschn06]

On 8/21/2021 at 11:47 AM, Tennessee Boy said:

It certainly happens.  Once I was fishing a spot and a boat came off plane, trolled to within about 15 feet of me,  and started casting to within a few feet of where my line was.   The guy on the trolling motor looked at me with a look of shame on his face (he so close I could see his expression) and said "were fishing a tournament".  I just pulled up and left.  I'd already fished the spot for 30 minutes or so.  If he had asked nicely,  I would have left and would have told him how long I had been fishing and if I'd caught anything.  I think most tournament anglers know better but they have high hopes for the tournament and have probably paid a hefty entry fee so they put their morals aside.  I've felt the disappointment of going into a tournament knowing you're on fish only to find a boat setting on the spot that was going to win the tournament for you.  It's part of the sport.  I've never asked someone leave a spot and I've certainly never moved in on anyone.   

 

I would have grabbed my anchor, tossed it high in the air, and made as much noise as possible splashing into the water where he was fishing.  Might have accidently crossed his line and got tangled too so he had to waste some time dealing with that... whoops...

[flyfisher]

With a ton of HP restricted lakes around me I fish from a kayak and I rarely run into tournaments.  I have had a few people get close to me on one lake that has a tournament pretty much every weekend but I keep doing what I was doing and didn't pay them any mind.  

I have had some people buzz a little close on rivers in catfish tournaments but I'm cool with it as long as they stay on plane.

 

[Smalls]

Sometimes it's not just recreational anglers getting pushed off. There was that tourney that Wheeler tried pushing a kayaker off his spot, who was coincidentally fishing a tournament, as well. 

[GaryH]

In all my years of tournaments or recreational fishing have I ever asked anyone to move or have I tried to push someone off a spot. 
Ive had some get what I thought was a little to close but never close enough to cause a altercation. The last thing fishing or hunting needs is in fighting. The anti’s would love it. 

 

 

[BassNJake]

This happened a couple weeks ago to a TN angler and allowed him to win $200,000 on the FLW pro circuit: 

 

Literally, as I pulled up, there was a guy in a Jon boat that was slinging a topwater and he was like a half a cast away from my fish. I don’t think he knew what was there, but he was really close to finding out.

“He was a total class act,” Washam said. “I pulled up and said, ‘Good morning.’ Of course, I was going to ask him as politely as I could if he minded giving me a little space for a couple hours. I didn’t even have to ask, he picked up the trolling motor and left. He came back as a spectator later, and come to find out, he works at the sheriff’s office in La Crosse.”

 

 

https://majorleaguefishing.com/pro-circuit/washam-wins-tennessee-pro-takes-home-title-championship-belt/