bullets and fishing

[blanked]

there is an interseting thread going on about how fishermen have been shot at while fishing texas lakes.

many fishermen are responding by carrying a gun with them when they fish.  is this only in texas???

where else??

[Cephkiller]

It's never happened to me, but I gotta say if I'm shot at I think getting the heck out of there might be the best course of action.  I believe in self defense as much as anybody, but there isn't much cover in a boat.  The guy shooting can run and hide while he takes pot shots at you.  The boater is stuck.

[Tenka]

On a non-serious note, i think i would modify a M60 mount to fit in the forward light post position,  they can run all they want, not much out runs a 7.62mm of lead and all 600+ little friends a minute.( i know i fires faster but i don't remember how fast)    ;D

Seriously if i thought i would happen, i would be trying to break the boats max speed limit.

[Gatorbassman]

I had to pull my gun out a couple of years ago. I don't usually carry it but this time I did. I was out on Clarks Hill in my little boat and two guys in a larger Jon boat came around the point several hundred yards away. I thought they would go around me considering the opposite bank was over a mile away but instead they headed straight at me and stopped right where I was casting. They asked me how the fishing was and I said it was fine until they parked right where the fish were. The hair on the back of my neck was standing on end by now and they slowly motored closer to me. I was blessed with good hearing and I heard one whisper to the other "Does he have anything? It was at that moment I reached in my bag and pulled out my 9mm and placed it on my deck where they could see it. They instantly motored up and continued on their way. I have no doubt that they wanted to rob me. I know now why I grabbed my gun before I went fishing that day.

[cpvenom]

That's a chilling story. I sometimes where a large BUCK hunting knife on my hip when I fish because of people like that. Its sickening where violence and crime is turning up nowadays

[Gatorbassman]

I often think what I would have done if I wasn't armed. They would have had to get by a 7'6" Heavy Flippin stick with a 1/2oz jig and a yellow paddle in order to get close to my boat but I am glad it didn't come to that.

[RecMar8541]

I also carry at times, and unfortunatly, more often now.  A few years ago as my Mom and I were leaving a mall we were approached by two guys.  They asked politley for a few bucks, and frankly looked like they needed it.  I opened my jacket to get out my wallet, and made sure they could see my holstered pistol.  I gave them a 5 they thanked us and moved on.  I often wondered.

I have a colt defender in .45 acp.  

like the old saying goes better to have and not need then need and not have.

Recon

[Catt]

3 or 4 years ago there was a rash of thefts going around Texas lakes in which ten of thousands of dollars in tackle was stolen out of boats at various hotel, motels, & marinas. Apparently there was a gang behind this and they would target places where tournaments were being held. Local police and Texas Rangers broke it up arresting I forget how many; recovering some of the tackle stole. It was also rumored they stopped by boats on the lake, had the occupant dawn PFD's jump over board and take the whole boat.

[T-rig]

I can't believe what I'm reading!

[Red]

no guns involved in my story(thankfully) but in 2001 i was living in harker heights while i was stationed at ft. hood...got up one morning to go to work and my trucks passenger side window was smashed out....my expensive CD player was fine,along with my couple hundred CD's...my 2 rod/reel combos were fine....but my big huge tackle box was gone!!!..every piece of tackle i owned was in that box, including a few home made lures i was very proud of cuz i had actually cought fish on them.  it really sucks when you lose ALL your tackle....i couldnt afford to just go out and replace it all..it took me several years to replenish my tackle...but i am glad there wasnt any guns involved...some of your stories here sound pretty d**n scary

Cliff

[RobDar]

there has not been any shooting that I know of...

but apparently Michigan has enough problems with fisherman being harrassed that the Michigan DNR put a blurb about the law and that harrassment is an arrestable offense right on the front page of the fishing section of their website.

[flechero]

I thought the stories were going to be of bank fisherman on rivers where it can appear that you are tresspassing but actually withing the law and riverbed...  

I carry almost daily anyway so if I go fishing, I don't remove my weapon when I go fish.  I've never had to, or even come close to an on-water confrontation, but have had several close calls at out of the way boat ramps in the early morning/late night.  Had I not been carrying at those times, I would surely been robbed or worse.  Sadly this world has become a place which I feel a need to carry a weapon.

Thinking back, there was a thread last year asking if anyone carried while on the water, the responses were interesting and there were several pages of posts if I remember correctly.

[fishbear]

I have never had any issues here in Georgia, but did have one back in Washington State while Winter Steelhead fishing on the Kalama River.  Seems a couple of guys wanted my fish worse than I did.  At least they hit me more times than I was able to hit them before they left with my 7 lb.  metal mouth :-/ .

I almost always carry now, when I do anything in the outdoors.  It seems you have to worry as much about 2 legged predators as you do about the 4 legged ones or the ones that slither on the ground.   I like to think people are good, however, I am gonna protect myself and mine from the ones who are not.

[Guest avid]

Very interesting thread.

I think hand guns can sometimes make the carrier feel like he has a special power, but it is the gun working it's mojo on you.

Kind of like the ring in the Tolkein books.

That being said, I know whay y'all mean about being in outta the way fishing spots.

I was walking down a fire break not too long ago heading for a remote pond.  It was 10 miles from nowhere.  I suddenly heard a voice.

"Goin fishin?" he said.  I nearly jumped out of my skin.

I mean it was kinda obvious what I was doing.

Anyway this guy seemingly came out of nowhere and I got an eerie feeling that I was being "sized up"

I did not have a gun.  But I put my hand around my back and under my jacket and just held it there.

I don't know if he had bad intentions or not.

I don't know if my bluff prevented a bad thing,

All I know is that he wished me "good luck" and walked back into the woods.

I cancelled my fishing trip on the spot, and was never so happy to get into my truck in my life.

[T-rig]

Avid, I would have had a heart attack if someone did that to me ! If I didn''t have a heart attack , my first reaction would of been to throw a punch! I can almost hear that voice out of the woods saying: "Going fishing". Gives me the shivers!

[RecMar8541]

Avid,

I would agree in some cases, carrying a weapon could escalate a situation.  Case in point, what if the man you met in the woods was worried about YOU?  Maybe he was coming forward to size you up, because he saw you as a potential threat?  A weapon carried by either of you, or both, and both precieving the other as a threat could have turned ugly.

Makes a good point for all of us who do carry, do not be foolish in brandishing, could escalate something that would have remained dormant.

Carrying a weapon does not make one tough, nor does it make you super human, it just makes you protected, and the best protection is no confrontation at all.

[grimlin]

I'm glad to say i never had anything that scary to happen to me.Looks like now the crooks are figuring out that tackle,rods and reels are worth some money.I fish some very scary ghetto looking lakes here and haven't had a problem yet.I thank the good lord for that.

[captbob]

Grim: Was dis "getto lookin' lake"?? Where da crack dealers be hangin' by de ramp?? Any lake with security cameras ain't worth fishin', I'se outta dere.

[flyphisher #]

Most the time, unless you are in a boat, if someone wants to take you out, they will before you ever have a chance to know they are there. Especially in situations like Avid described. My main tournament partner has been shot at on a couple of occasions by a guy that lives 3 miles down the lake from him, Man has post-tramatic syndrome and freaks out when someone fishs a point that comes off his property...this is a huge public lake, and has a problem w/ loud outboards....I think he moved though.

I am thinking hard about a CWP and am in the market for a handgun between now and xmas.....This area is getting bad. Some of the backwater I fish are places someone might be growing weed, cooking or doing meth..meth crowd is resourceful and desperate.Its really getting bad in this region...I dont so much mind the pot farmers, most of them kinda blend into the woods.....Its the geeked up tweakers that scare me. I used to do alot of hiking to flyfish for trout, had several times knowing I had a weapon would have made me feel better, water sources in NP's tend to attract weirdos.

One homeowner here on Oconee shot at some guys running jugs that were near his dock, two blast with a shotgun. He was charged but I think just fined. 2 hours earlier It would have been guys fishing a night tournament who may have been hit because of where they would have been standing. All the snowbirds moving in on the lakes here, it really makes me pay attention to the docks i fish at night, now....Senility, firearms and ignorance can be dangerous....

[Pa Angler]

There's an old saying about never pull a gun you don't intend to use if you pull it you'd be better ready to pull the trigger. Bluffing may cause more harm should the other person have one your into it deep at that point.

[bassdocktor]

Along the same topic. When the Classic was in Chicago it was a problem faced by the anglers. Several of the pros were shot at with automatic weapons as they went down the river. Not sure how many people remeber that so I thought I'd post it up. Also, unless you are a police officer no one in Chicago should be carrying since you aren't allowed to own handgun in Chicago. This is because all guns must be registered and they stoped registering handguns quite some time ago.

bassdocktor

[grimlin]

Grim: Was dis "getto lookin' lake"?? Where da crack dealers be hangin' by de ramp?? Any lake with security cameras ain't worth fishin', I'se outta dere.

crack dealers yes,hookers nope...lol  : Liquor store right next to the lake..never saw a such thing till i moved here in Michigan.

[tbone31]

   WOW !!!!!!            This is amazing to me I have fished for years mostly from a boat and never even thought about carrying a gun, or for that matter being robbed on the water. But I'm glad I read all the responses, it has opened my eyes. Probably still will not carry a gun be I will be more alert to other people.

[Gatorbassman]

WOW !!!!!!       This is amazing to me I have fished for years mostly from a boat and never even thought about carrying a gun, or for that matter being robbed on the water. But I'm glad I read all the responses, it has opened my eyes. Probably still will not carry a gun be I will be more alert to other people.

That is the best thing to do. I still don't carry a gun on the water but I do make sure I stay alert.

[Rattlinrogue]

I had an incident several years ago that could have ended in foul play had I not been carrying.I started for the lake around 4 AM.There's usually no traffic on the roads at this time.A car got behind me and followed me right off my rear bumper for about 5 miles.When I turned off to go to the lake it turned and continued to ride my bumper for around 3 miles to the lake .The car follows me to the launch ramp(which is deserted) and pulls up right beside me.There wasn't a boat attached to this car just tinted windows.I was spooked and glad that I brought my Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum.I just showed it to them and cocked the hammer.The car took off.If I'm fishing early,early morning by myself I always carry(now a p89 9 MM.)