Have you ever had a run in with a Anti-Fishermen

[J Francho]

Jesus was a carpenter.

[slonezp]

I met the man who owns Lake Michigan. Was pier fishing in a marina on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin a few years ago, which I have fished for 30 years when an older gentleman approached my son first, and then myself. He brought me over to his dock (about 50 feet away from where I was fishing) and showed me the sign that said private slip and then told me how his wife is sick blah blah blah and he doesn't want me fishing near his slip. He said "You're fishing in my back yard, how would you like it if I  sailed in your backyard" OK fine, we left our previous fishing spot and started fishing on another pier. Well about 10 minutes later the dock boy came by and said we can no longer fish on this pier and would have to go. It's true, those with money can get whatever they want.  

[U.W BronzeBack Hunter]

Unfriendly Incidents:

#1- Canoers/Kayakers: Was out in the middle of a huge natural lake with the bass boat, but this time trolling for some deep water salmon.  Was in the process of finding a good spot with the fishfinder when we make a very slight wake near a kayaker who happened to pass by.  He yells out "HEY! NO WAKES!" (we're in the middle of a lake.  no wakes?  you got to be kidding me man). My dad yells "WELL crap YOU!"  I yell "WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE F*CKIN LAKE SEARCHING FOR SALMON.  GO PADDLE TO SHORE YOU B****".  we were mad because the same day, we've already had around 10 kayakers/canoers telling us to stop making wakes (we were going around 5mph).  what did they want us to do?  take out the d*mn trolling motor?

#2 - Skiers: Everybody has had those moments with roudy water-skiers and skiboats (most of the time involving slightly drunk frat boys).  My fishing buddies always joke about shooting flare guns at the skiboats that make one too many trips near their boats.  At times, i wish for a real gun.  But i must admit, sometimes the extra wakes and waves get fish to bite... no joke  especially with weightless senkos, the extra underwater comotion gives the senko that extra little wiggle that gets smallies to strike

#3 - Dock owners:  Was pitching jigs near this one promising boat dock when the owner came out with his dog and started throwing tennis balls like 10 ft away from our boat so his dog could fetch.  but i knew that he wasn't REALLY out there for that...

#4 - Racists:  First of all, i'm asian.  anyways, i was at this boat launch area when i was putting some of the trout i intended to feast on that day into an icebucket from the boat's livewell.  i hear this caucasian gentleman behind me whispering to his son "go check how many fish that asian over there has" (legal limit 5, i had 3.  i was fishing in a part of WA state that's known for having a disproportionate amount of KKK members).  his little 5 yr old son comes up right next to me and looks into the icebucket.  at that moment, i was furious that THAT ACTUALLY JUST HAPPENED.  i turn around and stare right into the man's eyes.  he turns around and walks away...

#5- Perch:  Whenever i'm searching for bass with finesse softplastics, these guys always steal the show!

[Fish Chris]

Interesting thread.

I haven't personally had a PETA person try to stop me from fishing, although like many here, I have has people who "mistakenkly believed" they owned certain parts of water around their docks, etc, try to stop me.... and that has led to some interesting situations.

But anyway, I've seen it mentioned throughout this thread, about different states protecting a fishermans rights.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't the fact that your holding a fishing license "in any of the 50 states" make it illegal for anyone to interfere with your fishing ???

So, what would I do ? Well "IF" I were not sitting on top of a giant fish at that moment..... and "IF" I was thinking clearly, I'd first put down my pole. Next, I'd be REALLY friendly. I'd "ACT" like this person was really making a lot of sense. I'd try to get as much info about this person and his / her agenda..... Most importantly, their name and location they could be contacted. Heck, I'd even try to get them to believe I wanted to join them  :

Then I'd contact authorities > Which is when my ranting and raving would start ! As I'd absolutely demand that this person be arrested for interfering with my legal rights !

IF the officer(s) tried to be lazy.... or give me some crap that they "warned them".... I'd then get on the cell phone to an official or two (good acquaintences of mine) at the highest level of the Ca DFG, so that they could have a word with each other.

I'd make it clear that this PETA member "WAS" going to be arrested, or it would be the officers A-$$. (I'd try to do that in a smooth, tactful way of course

All in all, I think the whole thing would make for a very interesting day :-)

Otherwise, PETA members can just stay the heck away from me, and their won't be any problems ;-)

Peace,

Fish

[AverageJoeBass]

Great thread!  I was Googling for my own state and came across this web page that has the laws listed for quite a few states and thought I would share.

http://www.huntsab.org/hunter_harassment_laws.htm

[WRB]

I have more trouble with guides, tournament fishermen and wake boarders. The anti fishermen/women are more passive aggressive and work behind your back, whereas a guide that wants his spot or a tournament bass fishermen who arrives at his spot, wants you to leave immediately. I have had a constant running feud with local "guides" for about 30 years, who soak live bait on big bass spots and catch everything possible. They have the legal right to fish, it's just a difference in ethics.

The young gun tournament guys are all about themselves and care less about anyone who happens to be on "their" water. The fact they don't have the attention span of a gnat means they run and gun, so are gone in a short time. You just need to let it be, it isn't worth the time to argue with them.

Wakeboarders, fish a different area or lake. If the water sport people are in a closed or restricted area, then call the authorities.

WRB

[farmpond1]

The young gun tournament guys are all about themselves and care less about anyone who happens to be on "their" water. The fact they don't have the attention span of a gnat means they run and gun, so are gone in a short time. You just need to let it be, it isn't worth the time to argue with them.

If they give you too much flack, you can always go to the officiating folks and inform them of the harrassment.  I certainly wouldn't "give up" my spot for anyone just as I wouldn't expect them to give up theirs.

[WRB]

The rule, at one time was 200 feet from any other tournament boat, today you get very close without a rule infraction. The issue is common sense and good sportsmanship. Most tournament fishermen are courteous, some are not.

You may have the right to cast under someones dock, just remember most dock owners have had problems with fishermen around their docks, making them less tolerant.

When I was a youngster I had very little common sense and zero patience, it takes time to appreciate other peoples rights.

WRB

[done]

    I'd have to say this year so far, tournament fishers are the worst. First, on a public launch, they park like nimrods blocking half the parking spots in their hurry to get out on the water. On a public launch they set up a tent in the lot taking up half a dozen or more parking spots (when there is more than ample room off the lot in gravel or gassy areas). Keeping in mind, these guys do not "reserve" anything, they just plan it within their own org and show up and do this.

Once on the water they are completely inconsiderate.    

   Last weekend on 4 occasions had some dude fly into where i was fishing, coming within 8 ft of my boat and cut me off where I was trolling. They will block main channels, run at high speed well within 15 ft of you.

I hate to be rough on fellow fisherman, but seems tournaments on Lake Wylie bring out the worst in people.

The other issue I have had people fishing on the docks. Now, I have been on the shore for a while befoere I got my boat. I did occasional fish from the dock BUT when a boat came I got out of the way QUICKLY. On our launch these guys set up a dozen poles, tie them to a dock and walk away. The dock is posted "No fishing from dock.". I cut them some slack but they started getting real bad, I called the police. On one occasion I was coming in late at night and ran over 3 or 4 poles that were on the dock.

Anyway, sorry for the venting. It is stuff that can just put a bad mark on an otherwise awesome day.

[sammy1]

here in san diego we get the peta freaks all the time dressing in fish suits and putting hooks in their mouths. they do demonstrations near san diego bay. morons! i have never dealt with one personally but here the san diego city lakes are ridicoulous. last month i was kayaking and worming this point with another boat. these four chicks come paddling by in their kayaks and pass right between me and the other boat. one of the girls actually bumps the guys dropshot line and freaks out. luckly one of the girls passed on the outside and me and the boat decided she was the smart one. that same day my dad was fishing in an American Bass West tournament and early in the morning a bot came right by my dads probably 10 ft away. my dads partner pitched his ika into the guys boat and the guy got all ticked off and said, you think you own the lake! the guy kept on going but it was still a d**k move.

[nboucher]

Interesting comments. Far from being bothered by anti-anglers, I'm always surprised how supportive most people are over my fishing addiction. I work at a university and live in a town that I'm sure has a lot of anti-hunters and anti-anglers, but not a single person has ever tried to discourage me. No doubt a few think less of me because of the time I spend on the water with a fishing pole, and there are a few people with whom I sense I should just avoid the subject, but the vast majority of people at least pretend to be interested in my fishing stories. I think even people who are squeamish about fishing like to see their friends and acquaintances doing something that makes them happy. Heck, I've even had one family on a pond I fishpeople I'd never spoken to beforeoffer to let me keep my kayak in their garage so I wouldn't have to haul it over every time I go fishing there. I think the loudmouths get all the publicity, but I'm convinced that most people are tolerant and friendly at heart.

Except for jet skiers, that is.

[nickb]

One of my neighbors, (a very cranky old lady) always acuses me of tying-up to her seawall. I've never been closer than casting distance from her property, but every time I'm out there fishing, she comes out screaming at me that I'm "disturbing her fish", or trespassing. I just smile at her and keep fishing.

Falcon

You're disturbing HER fish? Haha. What a joke.

[done]

One of my neighbors, (a very cranky old lady) always acuses me of tying-up to her seawall. I've never been closer than casting distance from her property, but every time I'm out there fishing, she comes out screaming at me that I'm "disturbing her fish", or trespassing. I just smile at her and keep fishing.

Falcon

You're disturbing HER fish? Haha. What a joke.

Give her a call about 2 am in the morning and tell her she needs to go quiet down her fish, tell her they are jumping around getting water all over YOUR seawall and waking the kids up.

[LCpointerKILLA]

Sort of in an indirect sort of way I guess I did.

I was fishing a tournament at a lake that is always crowded with summer activities.

It was maybe 40 minutes until weigh in and we were fishing near a no wake bouy marker. Apparently this lake had one boat owner who thinks he owns the lake, and apparently it was his duty to annoy every fisherman on the lake all by himself.

So this guy keeps getting closer and closer to us as he is towing a skier. Finally he cuts between us and the bouy which was only 40 feet away. I had just casted and figured he would turn to the outside of us, but nope, he went right over my line.

All of the sudden my reel is smoking! The boat caught my lure and was pulling out line! All of the sudden the line broke and the skier fell face first into the water.

Now I dont know if the skier caught a foot full of hooks or not.

I reeled in my line and got out my heaviest jig that I had and just waited for that guy to come back. I was going to test my casting skills on a moving target! Well he never came back around and he tied his boat up and went inside his cabin.

My boating partner wanted to go over and sabotage his boat but I didnt think it right.

good thing that skier was alright or those people would have probably sued you broke

[LCpointerKILLA]

Interesting thread.

I haven't personally had a PETA person try to stop me from fishing, although like many here, I have has people who "mistakenkly believed" they owned certain parts of water around their docks, etc, try to stop me.... and that has led to some interesting situations.

But anyway, I've seen it mentioned throughout this thread, about different states protecting a fishermans rights.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't the fact that your holding a fishing license "in any of the 50 states" make it illegal for anyone to interfere with your fishing ???

So, what would I do ? Well "IF" I were not sitting on top of a giant fish at that moment..... and "IF" I was thinking clearly, I'd first put down my pole. Next, I'd be REALLY friendly. I'd "ACT" like this person was really making a lot of sense. I'd try to get as much info about this person and his / her agenda..... Most importantly, their name and location they could be contacted. Heck, I'd even try to get them to believe I wanted to join them :

Then I'd contact authorities > Which is when my ranting and raving would start ! As I'd absolutely demand that this person be arrested for interfering with my legal rights !

IF the officer(s) tried to be lazy.... or give me some crap that they "warned them".... I'd then get on the cell phone to an official or two (good acquaintences of mine) at the highest level of the Ca DFG, so that they could have a word with each other.

I'd make it clear that this PETA member "WAS" going to be arrested, or it would be the officers A-$$. (I'd try to do that in a smooth, tactful way of course

All in all, I think the whole thing would make for a very interesting day :-)

Otherwise, PETA members can just stay the heck away from me, and their won't be any problems ;-)

Peace,

Fish

Those people will be the first to come out back and tell you that you can't fish their dock, but let me assure you they would let their dog poop in someone's yard and be offended if you told them to get off your property.

[Redhed]

never had an issue fishing now hunting is a different story. i work at a very liberal university (shouldnt be too hard to guess) and there are tons of liberal @#$%@'s  that go to school there. one day on the bus going home i mentioned that i bow hunt.. it was on from there. the looks, the scorns heck one almost tried to spit on me. it wasnt good

[South FLA]

never had an issue fishing now hunting is a different story. i work at a very liberal university (shouldnt be too hard to guess) and there are tons of liberal @#$%@'s that go to school there. one day on the bus going home i mentioned that i bow hunt.. it was on from there. the looks, the scorns heck one almost tried to spit on me. it wasnt good

From North Carolina, dude I figured most of the student body would be outdoorsmen.

I remember reading about a European country that made ti illegal to sport fish, since it was considered cruel to trick fish and hook them. So if you were fishing as a catch and release fisherman you would be committing a crime, since you were maliciously hurting fish by hooking them for your pleasure. Although, I occasionally run across women, haven't met a man yet, that use that line of reasoning.  

[Redhed]

never had an issue fishing now hunting is a different story. i work at a very liberal university (shouldnt be too hard to guess) and there are tons of liberal @#$%@'s that go to school there. one day on the bus going home i mentioned that i bow hunt.. it was on from there. the looks, the scorns heck one almost tried to spit on me. it wasnt good

From North Carolina, dude I figured most of the student body would be outdoorsmen.

I remember reading about a European country that made ti illegal to sport fish, since it was considered cruel to trick fish and hook them. So if you were fishing as a catch and release fisherman you would be committing a crime, since you were maliciously hurting fish by hooking them for your pleasure. Although, I occasionally run across women, haven't met a man yet, that use that line of reasoning.

i thought the same till i started working at UNC. UNC is probably the only school in the state that is this liberal. well unc- ashville would be the other. there are  some outdoorsmen but most are the blind voting liberal hypocrit kind. dont get me wrong its still a great school just not for outdoorsmen ;D

[whitwolf]

i thought the same till i started working at UNC. UNC is probably the only school in the state that is this liberal. well unc- ashville would be the other. there are some outdoorsmen but most are the blind voting liberal hypocrit kind. dont get me wrong its still a great school just not for outdoorsmen ;D

[done]

i thought the same till i started working at UNC. UNC is probably the only school in the state that is this liberal. well unc- ashville would be the other. there are some outdoorsmen but most are the blind voting liberal hypocrit kind. dont get me wrong its still a great school just not for outdoorsmen ;D

Go to work at State, Redhed...There will never be that problem....lol

As a side note......My daughter is going to unc In August.....Will they still cash my checks If down on the memo part I write unc sucks.? lol j/k..

[J. M. Richardson]

In response to RW on page one.

I live in Wisconsin and it is actually state law that if you are transporting a deer back home it must be visible. I don't agree with this rule and don't understand it. But it does let you see how well the season went with other hunters even if i am not hauling home a monster buck

[J. M. Richardson]

Haven't had too much anti-fishing flak besides the occasional people who will come out and stare at you as you fish around "their water".

Do remember a time a couple years ago while I was still in high school though. Teacher asked who would be gone friday before opening of deer season (big day in Wisconsin). I was the only kid in class that raised his hand. Teacher asked if it was for deer hunting, and one girl turned around and blurted out "I hate you." I just smiled I said I'm still going hunting this weekend.

Another interesting fishing story, not anti-fishing, but actually some respectful people:

I was fishing a lake called Pine Lake and found this nice property that had a wood retaining wall and next to it a boat garage (prime fishing spot). My uncle and I were just floating along fishing it, about the same time I hooked up on a good size bass and was fighting it out of the shallows, the boaters who parked their boat in the garage showed up. They were really nice about us fishing there and patiently waited till I landed the fish. They were even impressed by the size of the bass I caught.

Just goes to show you have all kinds of people out there, it just seems to go better when everyone is respectful of each other

[J. M. Richardson]

I also agree with Redhead

I am currently attending Iowa State University and have found much disdain for some of my hobbies/habits.

Example:

I usually carry a pocket knife (no big deal - never know when you might have a use for one). One day I'm at work and have to cut some zip ties. I couldn't find a scissors and I mentioned to the girl I was working with (art major and vegetarian) that I forgot my pocket knife at home. She looked at me like I was a crazy madman and asked me why I carried a knife. I said you never know when a situation like this might arise where I had a use for one.

It's amazing the attitudes that many college age students have. Many of them seem not to care about the outdoors/outdoorsman.

[basspro96]

There is a video on youtube that shows there "S.H.A.R.K." program going onto a duck hunting field in ULTRALIGHTS! PLANES!  flying in low on the duck hunters scaring away all birds. Thats how far they go. But eventually they will do it to the wrong person in a ducks field. And "accidently" the guy will shoot there sorry butts down or there butt dead. I hope it never comes to that. I just hope Law enforcement catches them and puts there sorry butts in jail.

[WNC fisherman]

As a few others have noted, my worst experiences have been with fellow tournament fishermen.  

A few years ago, our local bass club held it's top 10 fish off on Lake Lanier just north of Atlanta, GA.  It is a very large lake, so there are usually several tournaments going on each weekend.  This particular weekend, there was a tournament being sponsored by one of the large marinas on the lake.  There were approximately 300 boats in their tournament.

The fish had been biting back in the head of the coves, but after a heavy rain and cooler weather, I found the fish biting a crank bait around the mouths of those coves on rocky banks.  By 10:00 am I was culling.  As I was fishing the left side of the entrance to a beautiful cove with a couple of nice docks and a large creek, a very nice Ranger bass boat almost washed me ashore just so that he could beat me into the head of the cove.  I just crossed over to the other side of the cove entrance and kept fishing.  With one of my next casts, I hooked a 4 lb. 10 oz. largemouth.  I raised it up, turned it around a couple of times and dropped it into the livewell and returned my smallest fish back into the lake.  

The other fisherman came back out of the cove with his trolling motor.  He explained that he was fishing the large tournament and hadn't had a bite all day.  He asked me if I could tell him what I was catching my fish with and in what areas I was finding them.  Very politely, I said "NO" and kept on fishing.    :-X

I ended up winning our club tournament that day with 14lbs..  The ONLY other fish caught from our club was a 2 lb. 10 oz. largemouth.