WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

GBOUTDOORS · 05-22-2005, 07:54 AM

Ok friday night I took an old friend out to a local river for a few hours of pluging and trolling . We were on the river by 4:00 and into fish at the mouth of the river right away. We got a few rats then we each picked up a keeper (his first in years) no one else around as the mouth was rough. As the tide got full I headed up river to a spot I knew might hold some bigger fish if we trolled a few deep holes. We get there again all alone we make the first pass and he gets a 21# fish, in the thrill of it he lets out a yell and two seconds later another boat comes around the point and askes how big the fish was. I said what fish

he then startes to plug the area but out of my path so we set up to make another pass and this time we each get a fish around 15#. The kid is still trying but not even getting a hit. Next pass my buddy gets another fish 15-18# . This time the kid startes up and takes off leaving us to the fish and never getting in the way at all. Well next pass we are both on to fish (both nice keepers) another boat comes over watches us pull the fish in. These two guys are flyfishing they watch me turn set up for my next pass and we hit another nice fish half way thru the hole. As we are getting the fish in they start up pull up to were we just caught the fish in the middle of our pass and start to cast. I head to the other end of the hole turn to make the next pass and they are just sitting on top of the hole so we make a little jog around them as we pass them we are both on to nice fish again. The whole time we are going past them they keep casting almost hitting us with there back cast. We turn to make another pass and one of them is on to a rat but it is all over the place so I stop to let him get it in so now my fishing has been inturupted. Now here is my question these two saw how we were fishing but still felt it was ok to set up shop in the middle of my pass. I did not stop trolling but the rest of the night we had to change our pass to keep away from them. Should I have just kept to my pass and pushed them out of the way as we were there first or gone over to them and gotten into it with them about how they just F%^&* up our fishing by cutting into the middle of our pass? We did catch 10 keepers from 12 to 21 pounds even with them in the way but the bigger fish were in the hole and we could not pass over it again after they cut in. What would you do?

Roger · 05-22-2005, 08:02 AM

They were ignorant (or worse) and you were a gentleman and true sportsman for avoiding confrontation. You did the right thing, and I don't blame you for being irritated.

BTW, I'd have done what you did and maybe I'd have explained the situation in a non-angry matter of fact way. Possibly even explain how you can both fish the area, if possible. I don't want to second guess you though, I wasn't there.

BigFish · 05-22-2005, 08:04 AM

Introduce them to fishing etiquette! First politely explain to them and ask that they move....if that doesn't work, run circles around them and spook all the surface fish away.....they will leave!

nightfighter · 05-22-2005, 10:00 AM

Incoming!!!!!! Bank sinkers! "Sorry, I'm new at this!" Works on the beach when feeling encroached. There is a small percentage of "corinthian" fly rodders who consider their art so much more diffecult that they want to monopolize the WHOLE proximity to the fish..... nudder idiot who hasn't a clue

BigFish · 05-22-2005, 10:05 AM

Said it before and I will say it again....4 ounce Hopkins.....the gentle persuader!

4 out of 5 ticked off surfcasters recommend it!

capesams · 05-22-2005, 10:25 AM

In my younger years [ in a boat] I would have just gotten up and moved to another spot...///thinking if they saw you move there wasn't anything worth staying for////and not wanting to let them know it was a good spot////

now being much older...I don't give a rats rump..I leave slowly into the sunset..turn around and go almost full bore right back at them coming as close to [but not hitting them] leaving them my wake to eat...you screw up my fishing,,I repay the favor....they need to learn and talking just doesn't seem to cut it anymore with the people.

Goose · 05-22-2005, 10:28 AM

You stop the boat, cast right in there direction. I've done the other way around and its effective but just make sure that if you do hook up to his line you get his lure to boat with nife in hand.

nightfighter · 05-22-2005, 10:42 AM

Can't you just hear the sound of lead banging off their hull? And the look on their faces?.... priceless