OK - here's my long-winded 2 cents - - -
I'm still a firm believer in "meat" fishing. Some-nights, nothing beats a FRESH chunk of menhaden...I don't think there's anything wrong with chunkin' one rod and pluggin' the other...as long as you respect the people and space around you. I can remember times fishing when a few other anglers would show up...and out of respect, I dropped a rod...either reeled in the chunker...or put down the plugger. I can't really see one person chunkin 4 rods though, let's face it...if a school swims by and poles start bending, your #$%#@!! I was chunking with Milo one night (2 rods a-piece) and we literally had to retire a rod because the action was so hot. It just wasn't worth it...Sure, I get a little PO'd when I get to
A spot and someone's already fishing it...whether they're chunkin' or pluggin', after all..my mind was set on fishing
that spot, it's not a personal thing against
that angler though...as a matter of fact, I'd rather have them chunkin'...that means - more than likely they're staying put...not like the plugger who'll be quick to jump on my rock if I'm getting some action.
I'll admit - it does suck when someone see's you catching a fish and decides to set-up camp 2 feet away. Do they have the right? Legally, I guess they do...morally, it's wrong. How do I handle it??..I cast like a newbie, cross and reel their line in time and time again until they get the hint. Who am I to say "your too close to me"...#^&#^&#^&#^& - I've bridge-fished for mackerel ELBOW to ELBOW...and I wasn't the first one there, I squeezed in where I could fit - (I'm sure the Newport crowd knows what I'm talking about). Why should my bridge fishing differ from my surf fishing? We tend to think that because we take fishing SO much more seriously than everyone else, we have more rights. It's just NOT the case. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what BOARD your on...how many petitions you coordinated...how many beaches you cleaned up...how many 'fish' related meetings you attended, that
other guy - has the SAME right as you, hell - you probably fought to give him that right
. You can't force anyone to do anything, you can only voice your opinion or call the local authorities...you never know what's going to happen when you make it physical. A lot of guys have BIG voices behind a keyboard....I get a kick out of these heroes....burning fishing lines, I DON'T CARE HOW BIG SOMEONE IS.....THERE WOULD BE A
WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE THAT NIGHT!!
Funny...I never run into these
tough guys.....or maybe I'm just not an offender...