Can Fishing Bring Out the Worst in You?

[numbskull]

The deleted thread was interesting. Two guys who know each other. One gets to a spot first. The other is put out and gets nasty. Things escalate. Friendship's get ruined. We all sympathize with the victim, but I suspect most of us have been on the other side to some degree or the other. Let's have a poll and come clean.

[BigFish]

I knew that thread would be gone......Gawd forbid someone who acts like a Jack-Wadd get called out for his actions!

[Nebe]

Awe man... I missed it.
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[UserRemoved]

Shame its someone here. Yea nebe I think it's pretty common in alot of stuff.
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[BigFish]

Someone who ought to know better and be ashamed acting that way!

[The Dad Fisherman]

You won't see us North Shore guys acting like that ........

[BigFish]

Yak Rats have floating rocks......thats the way to fish!!!

[JohnR]

Larry,

I'm not taking sides on this particular incident. What happens if there is more to the story or not? The communication has already been shaped and peoples minds had pretty much been made.

Hopefully the parties involved can work it out without too much conjecture from the peanut gallery.

Back to Numby's question. Yeh, its brought out some bad in me, espeically when I see a vehicle parked where it wouldn't have been if I hadn't show that person in the first place. Go one step further and reflect on the same if someone else showed me the spot

Maybe we rationalize we'll only have limited dances with the girl and get all territorial and chancy, and make calculations of risk and reward which are different then we would otherwise do in a normal situation. Something more primal? Competition, fear of Loss, KOTH?

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Yak Rats have floating rocks......thats the way to fish!!!

Wrong, Larry. Boats get worse than shore spots in my experience...... by a long shot. Kayakers are far from immune.

[Fishoholic]

I've wanted to throw timmy in a few times but only because he was out fishing me (badly).

[Stewie]

It wouldn't work TJ, the stork would just swim back with that big Timmy grin on his face.

or worse yet, with a big fish in his teeth.

[Sea Dangles]

God forbid the hero of Team SB gets what he deserves.He got a pass last fall when he tried to jump the spot where Fireman was pounding large,now he gets another pass when he harrasses Rick at pretty much the only spot he fishes regularly.Do as I say,not as I do...Did Fireman threaten the hero? No,just shake your head and wonder.Why did the thread get pulled?Shouldn't people be warned there is an a hole in WPT?Even if it's a fellow SB'er?

[BigFish]

I agree with SD! People need to be held accountable for this behavior!

[Raven]

how you treat others
is the most important
thing there is...no matter
what your doing.

[The Dad Fisherman]

There's an A-Hole in all of us...no matter what we are doing. Thats what makes us human (Try Driving w/ me some time )

Whatever the 2 of them workout is all that matters....its between them...not us.

[Fishoholic]

Originally Posted by Stewie

It wouldn't work TJ, the stork would just swim back with that big Timmy grin on his face.

or worse yet, with a big fish in his teeth.

So very true!

[numbskull]

Seems to me there is some tradition to being a hard man jerk out there. A law of the jungle primal type of thing. Almost sexual. You defend your turf and intimidate the upstarts. Drive off the challengers to your harem. The bigger and meaner the better.

It becomes almost expected of fishermen as they reach their peak, the act of intimidating or humiliating others as a sign and privilege of what you have "earned". A tradition that becomes an accepted behavior for the very best fishermen, and one that many up and comers are quick to emulate as they seek status and self-approval through the sport.

I note a strong tone of this in many magazine articles (C Soares in particular) as well. The talk of charter guys running others into the stones, all part of the initiation to the sport, and fair play once you've earned your place. I think it has close parallels to hazing and bullying in other phases of life. I think many of us buy into it at some point in our fishing lives.

[BigBo]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

There's an A-Hole in all of us...no matter what we are doing. Thats what makes us human (Try Driving w/ me some time )

Whatever the 2 of them workout is all that matters....its between them...not us.

That's true to an extent, but people can also change. Unless an event occurs and they are publicly exposed they are unlikely to though.
I think many folks here know the person in question regarding this event, but I believe this behavior will just continue unless things are brought to light. Don't just sweep it under the rug.

[fishbones]

I'm glad I missed the deleted thread.

Finding someone fishing my spot doesn't bother me much because there's always somewhere else to go. I even met someone from this site who was really nice when I was fishing one of "my" spots and realized it was also "his" spot, probably for longer than I had fished it.

What brings out the worst in me is people who don't respect the fish or the area they fish. Last night, I was fishing the canal with a buddy and we split up for a while. I ended up within earshot of a couple of loud younger guys who were talking about how one was going to keep a short fish until the Coast Guard showed up and measured it and made him return it to the water. I didn't realize the Coasties measured fish at the canal? Anyways, I moved further away and when I went back by their location later, I picked up a bunch of plastic bags, hook packages and a water bottle. For cryin' out loud, take it with you or put it in a trash can. It's not like you're having to carry 50 pound of crap back to your car.

[FoliFish]

Personally, I think fishing brings out the best in me. Gives me time to think about all the important things in life. My family, friends, career, health, etc. It helps me relax so I can focus in this stuff...the real life stuff. I guess some folks let the fishing experience become a fantasy world, or a new reality and it takes over. If that reality is disturbed its like the end of the "world", the world they create to escape shortcomings in real life.

Based on what I was part of last night, I can see it certainly brings out the worst in others.
D

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by numbskull

The deleted thread was interesting. Two guys who know each other. One gets to a spot first. The other is put out and gets nasty. Things escalate. Friendship's get ruined. We all sympathize with the victim, but I suspect most of us have been on the other side to some degree or the other. Let's have a poll and come clean.

Things definatly change.. that's for sure... "friends" tend to get a little more secrative if not down right testy...this seems to happen more when you have to work a little harder... I have a life long friend who is retired , thus he has more time on his hands than I do( yes I'm jealous)... he seems to make a habit of calling when he's finding it tough for bass ( or cod and haddock for that matter)... he and I fished together for years, he knows a good deal of the places i fish, he just does not want to invest the time and fuel to go and try them... , since his retirement, he no longer fishes with me, but when he can't find fish during the day, he'll check my boat for evidence ( blood ,scales,flies, general disorder etc.) knowing that i wont wash it or stow anything when I get in @ 2Am and need to leave for work @ 6:30 the next morning.. then the calls begin...at this point, I haven't heard from him since mid winter when he sends me pictures of all the trout he is catching ice fishing while I'm at work ( an invite to join in on the fun is never made)...at that point i have no choice but to LIE about the bass fishing.. because if i dont, he'll be in my way next time, more than likely with a buddy ( kid on the dock too lazy to get a real job and THINKS he's going to get rich selling stripers )... most people that know me learned a long time ago not to ask, I just think he feels entitled... I normaly dont tell anyone ( well maybe one trusted friend, because they haven't invented a torture nasty enough to get him to talk) or ask anyone whats going on one way or the other.. it keeps things peacefull... if the area i want to fish is conjested... I'll move on.. i like running the only diner in town... I just dont want to be forced out by someone i know.. it's a big ocean.. I'll find more fish.. sometimes just not as close...

Recently a member here PM'd me about fishing together, he's a real good guy... but i declined because he fishes out of a Kayak... I still have a few places that are a 'yak free zone, i told him i want to keep it that way.... I felt bad, I truely did.. but I knew, if I took him to the spots that were hot at the time... I'd have a armarda of 'yaks there the next time I wanted to fish.. been there done that..... so.. the moral of the story is.. when it comes to fishing ( bass fishing in specific) I'm just another S.O.B. on the water....

[piemma]

Look we are all guilty of some transgression at some point in time. Years ago RIRockhound and I had guys following us around because we were catching large. We started taking 2 trucks to throw people off.

It happens. I had a former surf partner who I taught the ropes, go behind my back and pull 3 30# fish out of my honey hole and never told me until weeks later. I was fishing in another location hammering 20s and invited him. he said he was busy. yeah, busy catching 30s in my spot. So it was simple, we never fished together again.

[BigFish]

Some people forget where they came from....someone showed THEM how and where once upon a time whether they believe that or not!

[HanoverStriper]

I didn't see the original thread, but think I get the idea.

I have never been pissed off about getting to a spot and seeing someone I know there. If someone I don't know is there, yeah, I could get pissed

If I bring someone to one of my spots, I better have a good idea about the person's character before doing so. If we get into some fish, would I expect them never to go back??? Not a chance, and they could expect the same from me .

If you want to fish alone all the time, then don't bring anyone with you (my inner Yogi Berra talking).

[BMEUPSCOTTY]

I gotta say, I'm kinda shocked we are talking about who we obviously are... I'm thinking there is either more to the story or they are pulling our legs about a "confrontation"... The apparent (alleged) perpetrator showed me that spot and was very friendly and helpful when I started fishing around here... I just never really took him up on invites... To much like work to me but I was grateful for the hospitality regardless.
.. Doesn't sound right
... Are we sure we know the id of the accused??
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[Rockport24]

I think it definitely brings out a kind of primal animalistic behavior in all of us. It's funny when you think about it, most aren't trying to make a living on this or feed their family, it's mostly just supposed to be fun, but we are all human and that is just the way it is...., just look at how heated poeple get if something bad happens on the golf course, or at a ball game, or anyplace esle that is supposed to be fun....

[Fishoholic]

When money is involved it can truly show the worst in a person. I'm not talking about this particular instance, just many others I've seen in the past.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Seems to me there is some tradition to being a hard man jerk out there. A law of the jungle primal type of thing. Almost sexual. You defend your turf and intimidate the upstarts. Drive off the challengers to your harem. The bigger and meaner the better.
.

I'm going to quote myself, because that's what #^&#^&#^&#^&s do.

I think, however, I'm on to something with the Freudian crap.

Sex is important (until after you have teenagers, anyways). We are wired to reproduce at all costs (which explains marriage, and expensive restaurants). Passing on genes (i.e.sex) drives animal behavior. We are all animals (except Sauerkraut who is related to mold). Animals compete for mates, and try to collect and keep as many mates as they can find. This means they are wired to challenge for, fight for, and defend what is important. It is also why it sucks to wear glasses, but that is another story.

Well for a lot of us, fishing is important. The more important it becomes, the more likely it will trigger the same anti-social behavior that animals use to defend their sexual interests. Which, of course, means the best approach is to get laid before going fishing. Barring that, it is best to fish alone. I hope you find this helpful.

Next week we will discuss expensive reels and penis envy.

[slow eddie]

i do get a kick out of this "secret spot" stuff. there isn't a place on the striper coast that hasn't been fished hard in the last 50 yrs. i have had guys in their 30's tell me about "their" spot. i haven't the heart to tell them i was fishing the same place, under the same conditions, 50 years ago.
perhaps it is the little boy in all of us.

[RIJIMMY]

I'm not competitive so a lot of this stuff doesnt make sense to me. There are a handful of people I am happy to share info with. I'll call them when I have some news but I try not to cross a certain line. I attended a gathering with some guys on this site who in my opinion are some of the best canal fisherman there are - Prior to this year, I had fished the canal and never caught a single fish, and yet I never asked any of these guys for info. I had ample opportunity drinking some beers to pick their brains, Im not comfortable doing that. I've seen guys come to this site as newbies, buddy with some good fisherman and next thing you know they're pounding large. Good for them. Its not me.
I really appreciate some of the people I've met on this site, I marvel at how incrediblly nice many of these people are. I received a few calls this year that put me on to fish at the canal, I really appreciated that info and the people that called me had to put up with me giggling like a school girl since I was so damn excited. Fishing still does that for me. I hope I wont lose that, its the only reason I go. I really have no clue what my point is........