Well, What A Bad Way To Start The Season

[GrundleLove]

PREFACE: So This local pond area is also a park and the people who live near it think that the leash laws and signs stating they need to pick up after their mutts don't apply to them..and needless to say they know me..and I voice my opinions on this matter a number of times. I mean, I don't hate dogs but when I am trying to fish and one jumps in the water and splashes around 3 feet from me..I mean come on..so yea..I hate this dog "click" that frequents there.

So, after many dreadful few days of me going down my local fishing spot ( which they literally just pulled a dead body of a guy in my town out of last week..very sad especially since I saw it all happen. long story.) after work for an hour or so, looking to pop my cherry on the year. I literally have been throwing everything I have at this pond, trying different locations, lures, hell I was even doing TOP WATER at one point...trying everything.

So after I called last cast to myself on a long bridge that runs across the pond ( I will attach a pic of the bridge so you can get an idea) I snap up my ringer..my crank to all cranks. My Fred C Youngggggg Big-O. Cast that mother out, and did work. After 4 full maybe 5 rotations of the spool BAM. hit. Fish on.

So at this point I'm going ballistic because I literally have been trying so hard to break the ice this year, and there is was. I get it up to the bridge and luckily I was using my braided rod with 65lb test because this thing was still fighting and it was probably 2lb...2.5...a modest first of the year. So what's the first thing I do? Lay down my reel and get ready to take a picture with my phone to post on BR of course...

I lay the fish down, get my camera out, line up the shot and before I even knew what was happening...some god d**n mutt dog runs behind me and GRABS THE FISH.

Then takes off down the bridge.

I LITERALLY LOSE MY *****. The dumb woman is at the stop of the monument steps ( as seen in picture) saying " Riley! ...oh Riley.." Like it wasn't a big deal!!

So What do I do? Put my phone down and sprint after that dog like I was running the combine. I swear to god fastest I ever ran. Dog. Tackled..hard

I pry my bass out of its mouth and its bleeding profusely and its clinging to life.

With rage in my eyes I take the dog by the back of the neck skin and walk him back to his stupid owner with the dying fish in my hand.

I get to this moron and she sees the fury in my face and still says has the nerve to say "Don't grab my dog like that!" And before she can be all mad at me for whatever reason..I lose my mind.

I will save you the expletives...but it was bad..

I made her look at the , now dead at this point, fish in my hand, and she has the nerve to say "Well it's just a fish...he's a dog you can't get mad"

Then I go off about the leash laws. Tell her to stay right there. And I call the police. Which is a good thing because you can literally see their station from the bridge. Within 2 min the cops are there.

Luckily, the cop was an avid fisherman and runs the kids fishing derby every year, I tell him what happened and he gives her a ticket for not having the dog on a leash and then slaps her with some wildlife endangerment ticket that was like $400 bucks or something because then went bananas on the cop and he threatened to arrest her for disturbing the peace if she didn't shut the hell up....which she did.

The cop apologized, tipped his hat and told me to throw the fish in the water for Bob ( the GIANT turtle who is like 100 years old) So I did.

So was I wrong with how I handled this? I don't think so, that dumb woman should obey the laws. It felt good tackling her mutt, I'd do it again if I could. If you can't train your dogs, keep them on leashes

So anyway, That's the story. Not a good start eh?

[hookingem]

That is a an epic story. I'd be pretty ticked too about the fish dieing. I can't say I would have called the police, but I also completely understand your frustration. On the bright side at least you got the first fish of the year out of the way. Tight lines Go get another!

[zenyoungkoh]

Sucks about the fish dying but what you did was really great and brave!!

[Bluebasser86]

I'd say it wasn't going too far because you know if her dog would have grabbed your bait and got hooked she would have gone off on you and probably wanted you to pay the vet bill.

[SirSnookalot]

Over reaction !

I would have found it humorous and probably forgotten about it 10 minutes later.

True the dog should have been on a leash and getting the hook away from the dog was good, but I would not manhandle someone else's dog. It was only a 2lb fish, had you just released it the incident would not have happened and the fish would have lived.

[GrundleLove]

Over reaction !

I would have found it humorous and probably forgotten about it 10 minutes later.

True the dog should have been on a leash and getting the hook away from the dog was good, but I would not manhandle someone else's dog. It was only a 2lb fish, had you just released it the incident would not have happened and the fish would have lived.

I can see now that it may have been an overreaction...but it was one of those "lose your temper" moments. It was such a combination of stepping in dog crap earlier that week ( and all the time) at the park because they dont pick up after them..and them always running up too me and barking or jumpin in the water or sniffing my legs while i shore fish. It gets annoying, and the fact that i was not catching a d**n thing helped. It was one of those "i snapped" times...i'm sure you all have had them.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I would have lost it too. I mean there is no excuse for that. Leash laws are there for a reason. I had a cop pin my old rott against my garage with a gun drawn on it, after it had jumped the fence. He said she was being vicious after he cornered her. I got fined for her not being on a leash. Granted it was hysterical reading about it. Still that's a rotten way to start the year.

[J Francho]

The moral of the story.....don't lay you bass on the ground.

[CStan442]

hahaha... that was a great read! Good for you. I would call that outing a success

[grimlin]

Good thing is you can actually laugh about this now. I have to admit It is a funny story.You did the right thing by calling enforcement.I would have had a nice long talk to that dude and let him know those dogs are running around like that a lot.Because it sounds to me like nobody is enforcing the law there.

[SirSnookalot]

We have dogs running on the most of the beaches at dawn in South Florida, not only leashless but it's a $500 fine ( I think) for dogs to be there in the first place. The police say nothing, most of the dogs are having fun are not and causing any problems, I like playing with the dogs while I'm fishing. I did have a dog keep swimming out to my top lure wanting to retrieve it, I was just worried the dog would get hurt.

[JamesH]

Now see, if well took charge and stood up to people like this woman. Who just ignores laws because it interferes with her so important life. If more people put the $500 smack down on them life in general would be more worth living instead of burying the rage inside until it pops out somewhere it doesn't belong.

Bravo to you and keep us posted on more encounters with the useless kind.

[Fat-G]

One time my dog was tearing up a neighbor's turd or a dog. I thought it was pretty BA until I realized Dixie would have killed it. In a time like that when your adrenalin is pumping, you can do some crazy stuff. With one arm I grabbed my dogs neck fat and just ripped her up in the air. It was pretty sweet. She weighs like 110.

Awesome that you tackled the dog, props to you. I really love dogs, I laugh and play with them when they swim near me when I'm fishing.

[bassnleo]

IMHO you handled the situation poorly.

You could have also been cited. Judging by your story and actions, harassment, disorderly conduct, and possibly cruelty to animals, comes to mind. Not to mention being bitten by a dog unfamiliar to you.

You're walking a fine line with the owner also. Would you have done the same thing if it were a male owner? I'd venture to say no. If it were my dog and you treated it like you describe, you may have ended up with more than you bargined for.

The dog owner desereved being cited, but if I investigated the incident, you would have also been.

[Grey Wolf]

I'm a dog fancier but you did the right thing !!!!!!!!!!

[GrundleLove]

IMHO you handled the situation poorly.

You could have also been cited. Judging by your story and actions, harassment, disorderly conduct, and possibly cruelty to animals, comes to mind. Not to mention being bitten by a dog unfamiliar to you.

You're walking a fine line with the owner also. Would you have done the same thing if it were a male owner? I'd venture to say no. If it were my dog and you treated it like you describe, you may have ended up with more than you bargined for.

The dog owner desereved being cited, but if I investigated the incident, you would have also been.

I wish It was a male owner. I was in the mood to scrap. I dont like these people thinking that this park is their own personal backyard and that the rules dont apply to them. Its bull.

Cruelty to animals? Ever see a mother dog carry its pup? By its neck.

P.S. How many dogs do you see running around with rabies? I like my chances.

[Daniel My Brother]

So you flip out and tackle the family pet.

She flips out on you.

You call the police.

The fisherman cop gets offended and writes her hundreds in tickets.

All because of a 2 pound bass.

Are there any adults in Massachusetts?

[CWilliams]

I think it was all because the owner of the dog decided that the rules/laws do not apply to her or her pet. If everybody puts their heads down and ignores things like this, next time it could be the hand of a kid that is eating a sandwich. Leash laws protect everyone, including the dog.

[bassnleo]

I wish It was a male owner. I was in the mood to scrap. I dont like these people thinking that this park is their own personal backyard and that the rules dont apply to them. Its bull.

Cruelty to animals? Ever see a mother dog carry its pup? By its neck.

P.S. How many dogs do you see running around with rabies? I like my chances.

YOU are the one who asked in your original post if you handled the situation wrong. I gave my opinion. If you do not want dissenting opinions, don't ask.

You tackled a dog over a bass. Then you grabbed it by the neck and took it to the owner. This after you were already "ballisitc" over not catching a fish. Had you injured that dog, without cause (defending a bass, really?), you could have been charged with cruelty. In our state your actions may have also bought you a disorderly conduct citation at a minimum.

Next, you take it upon yourself, with the police station close, to tell the woman a bunch of explicatives. Textbook harassment and depending on what you said in public, disorderly conduct.

Have you ever seen a serious dog bite? I have and rabies are the farthest thing from the victims mind. I've seen dog bites from a variety of breeds, none are pretty.

In the mood for a scrap, that's great, get charged with assault also and all over a dog grabbing a bass you laid on the ground.

What you should have done is called the police when the dog did what you allege it did.

[Ern]

Honestly, I like the story.

Harrasment. On the part of the Dog owner. Hence the leash law. Maybe if the dang dog had grab a baby flopping on the ground you wouldn't be catching crap over tackling the dog and draggin it to the owner. Or maybe if people didn't think dogs are people, too...

Personally you should have throw the dog in the lake. If the owner ask why, tell her it was fetching a fish!!

[FL_Sharpshooter]

It's never the animal's fault, it's always the irresponsible pet owner's fault. What you did is just IMO (except the part of you grabbing the dog, but hey you were angry, so it happens). Hopefully that fine makes an example out of her to everyone else.

[J Francho]

Dogs are property. Touch my property, and you got a problem. Not saying that you can let them run free, just saying.

[GrundleLove]

Let me start by saying that I appreciate all the comments and respect everyone for theirs,

That being said,

It wasn't about "omg 2lb bass how could you do that over a 2lb bass" It was never about that. It was about 1. my frustration building through out the week. 2. These people who think the park is their personal back yard and the rules do not apply to them and 3. The safety of the fish, I practice catch and release and respect all fish, the last thing I wanted to see was the fish die. Which is what happened.

ANY WAY

So I head back their last night and snap my first of the season. I caught 3 total in a 15 min span. 1 chain pickerel, and 2 small bass. The funny part was, is that my "incident" with this bimbo had apparently traveled through their little dog circle and when I went their I held my head high as they all gave me the ULTIMATE stink eye, could care less.

Apparently the fish gods decided I was worthy of some fish. IT started off HORRIBLE. My Berkley 12 lb test line sucks and keeps breaking on me. Which caused a jig of mine to fall off the shore. I could see it down there but instead of getting wet, I try to use my grandfathers old school lipless crank to grab it. After about 10 min of this i said screw this and just tossed the crank into the water. Bam. Pickerel.

Shocked, I walked down the shore line, next cast...Bass....

Walk 15 more feet down the shore. Bam Bass again..

So apparently this crank ( as seen in picture) is awesome because I tried my new fancy lipless and didn't catch a thing..but this thing is so metallic it looks just like a shiner.

I will hit up the pond today after swapping out those rusted trebles from the 1940's with some new ones and see how I do. I will also try and get a picture of these dog people so you know what I have to deal with.

[Bass_Fanatic]

I like dogs, but in the end...they are just dogs. Here is how I rank the worth of creatures:

1. Normal Human beings (me and you)

2. Retarded Human beings (people who deserve to be punished for being stupid)

3. Cruel Human beings (Saddam Hussan)

4. All animals

5. All plants

6. Roaches

7. Cats