Need to blow off steam

[zip 0]

I just need a good rant so here goes.

 

I know it's been discussed here several times,but etiquette in the river is just one of those things people just don't give a rat's ass about.

 

The section of the Chattahoochee I fish used to be wonderful!There are multiple sandbars to wade to when the water is lower,there is good aeration and supports multiple species and it's beautiful!

A couple of years ago when this whole hipster movement took off the city put in an "urban" whitewater rafting thing.I wasn't opposed to the whole idea,hell I even tried it when it opened...but when they started giving the fishermen a hard time;things changed.

 

1-They closed off a section of river where the best bite was for stripes early summer.Why?Because they want to launch their rafts from that point...okay whatever,but why not use the boat launch an eighth of a mile down though?The owner finally gave us an answer as to why...PETA.I won't go any further on that as to avoid anyone overly analyzing it as political,but yeah...anyway.

 

2-Same company ran a zip line across the river-don't care,didn't do it,done with those folks.They did however start ferrying those people back across.Again..whatever.In the spring time the catfish run so I fish on the sandbar with a pop out chair and cooler.The guy who was running the ferry actually told me (Not asked) told me to move my line so he could moure the ferry where I was...with a quarter mile of sand in the other direction!!!!So I called DNR for them having interfered with a lawful activity.

 

3-Yesterday I was tossing flies at shoal bass on the same sand bar,no ferries today though.Im minding my own business and notice a few hippie kids paddle up behind me on those stand up boards.Appparently the hippie rafters do stand up boarding too.They seemed polite at first asking questions until they decided that they were going to go through my tackle box!When I turned around I was dumbfounded at what I was witnessing.I said the first thing that popped into my brain housing group,"WTF ARE YOU DOING"! To which one replied in a somewhat permi-stoned voice "Just checking out what you had going on in here,man"...I then proceeded to weave together a string of obscenities so vulgar that it would have made Pop-eye the sailor man blush.They were all pretty upset at the vulgarities I had just spewed and left,thank God.

 

I guess I just don't understand where these stupid kids get this entitlement from.Are they born stupid or without common sense?Do they know they are stupid and lack said common sense?Since when did the opions of a few outweigh that of the many?Do they have any clue what it's like to actually work And not have mommy And daddy pay for everything?And why in the hell do men think it's a good idea to wear yoga pants!?!?!

These are dark times,gents and true outdoorsman are dying breed. Thanks for listening and all the best!

[Rocco 0]

Throw in a few boorish fishermen and you would have hit for their cycle-- abusive land owners, local governmnet catering to one user over another with sordid political overtones, and the doings of the entitled spawn of the entitled class!

 

There is so little quality moving waters and so many ways of ruining it..... And the ways to ruin it are proliferating faster than the species itself.

 

Rocco

[ben bell 0]

if THEY can make your day unpleasant which it sounds like they did, maybe you won,t come back and it would be all THEYS..

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

It sounds like they were NOT raised with the understanding that you respect others from the 'get go' and allow that respect to diminish depending on how an encounter goes.

 

I just do not think there is enough respect for each other these days and that translates down the generations.

 

<sighs>.... PEOPLE - A$$holes!

 

BCT

[essequamvideri 0]

I am in total agreement. I put the blame squarely on our generation that has been perpetuated through our school systems and organized sports. If we allowed other people to enforce rules of our society, and allow our children to go out and make up rules to game they make up in their neighborhoods, well maybe, just maybe, we might have another generation that would have values similar to our.

 

Unfortunately, too many parents think it is not right for a teacher to teach our children what it is like to be a contributing member of society, and that there are consequences in life. God forbid that a teacher reprimands a child for actions that are unnecessary or unwelcome, because there would be a multitude of upper management that would be involved.

 

And when did we get to the point where our children can be anything. I suspect neither of those young men (going through your tackle box) you would have wanted doing anything in an operating room, including moping up after an operation. Or perhaps I'm really glad they don't work as an engineer at some place like Boeing. Or better yet I'm glad they don't work at my bank.

 

Then we send our children to these organized sports where you will get a trophy and ice cream if you show up to a couple of practices. Then some parents use this as a free babysitting service to do other things that want to do. And all hell is going to break loose if the coach speaks to their child in a ruff tone or, this is more than likely the case, little Johney tells mom that he didn't like the way the coach yelled at he. Because he wern't doin' nothin' wrong. "Well let me show you how to take care of this!" and off she goes with Johney in toe. The reality of the situation, Johney was out hitting other kids with a stick and the coach had to scream at him to get his attention. But Mama can't fathom her precious little Johney would do anything like that and informs the coach that he is wrong and it must have been someone else.

 

Sorry I've gone on a rant also. My bad, but it feels good to get that off my chest.

 

Michael

[zip 0]

I'm glad there are other folks out there who feel the same way.Friends and family think I just get grouchy from people encroaching on my fishing spot.

But today is a new day so I'm not gonna let it bother me.As my grandpap always told me "Don't let the bastards get you down".

[Steeldrifter 0]

I feel your pain Steve. I am not just saying this I mean it with 100% truth and honestly, but I hate even getting out of the house anymore. I've always been a very much introverted person, being around people drains me and I need my alone time to recharge. Anymore though the basic IQ and common sense of society has simply plummeted right off a cliff. People are rude, entitled, selfish, have no common curiosity, and just generally miserable people to deal with. It sad to say that but it's the truth. And it's not just kids/this generation, it's teens, 20 somethings, 30 somethings, even all the way up to some older folks.

 

Personally I show courtesy & respect to others unless they give me a reason not too, I hold doors for people, I don't jump in front of people or act like everything is about me, and when on the river I give other people their space and don't crowd them at all. Sadly people that do what I & you do are few and far between anymore it seems.

 

One of these days it'll just be me and a few old cats and some fish tanks living in an old cabin down by the river with me sitting on the porch tellin' folks to stay off my lawn!

[mikechell 0]

I thought I replied to this thread already ... I guess not.

 

My Wife and I have a saying. Either of us can go first with, "We hate people." The other then responds with, "Yes, we do."

Although it's said as an "inside joke" ... we usually aren't joking.

Drivers who aren't paying attention

Drivers who think they have the right-of-way when they don't.

Drivers who seem lost and are blocking traffic while they "get their bearings".

Drivers who cut in front of you, then get mad because you're too close on their ass.

Other drivers, in general, usually.

People who don't show common courtesy in stores, or on the sidewalk, or at a restaurant.

People who have children and don't even try to control them.

People who get up in my face because I DID shut their kid up. (Yell in his face and made him go hide behind his mother ... but he was quite after that!)

Children who aren't disciplined.

Parents of children who aren't disciplined.

The list goes on and on.

 

There are a thousand reason people, today, are easier to hate than to like.

And we do, indeed, hate people.

 

It's not "them" and "us". It's people and us. "Us" includes anyone we like ... and that list grows and shrinks as people show their true selves and are no longer one of us.

Particularly for me ... children are permanently on the list of "people". Unfortunately, some of "us" have children. Fortunately, I am not required to spend large amounts of time with the little people.

[Poopdeck 0]

I live and fish in a very populated area. Yes I enjoy my alone time on the river and much prefer fishing only during the non summer weekdays where most times I'm the only boat out. But, I go when I can go which includes summer, weekends, and holidays. I mainly fish an area of the river where two tubing companies operate and is used by every rowing team one can imagine from team to single skulls at high school, college and club levels as well as seniors and dragon boats. Hence my tolerance is extremely high and believe that my fishing pastime does not trump anybody else's form of enjoying the water. Yes jet skies have earned a special place in my craw but I'm also tolerant of them except for the ones operated by a kid who, if not for the jet ski, would probably want to search my tackle box. I also don't believe that a rower or tuber or kayaker needs to be fluent in fishing courtesy just because I like to fish over rowing or paddling.

 

I've drifted and fished in among dozens and dozens of tubers with hundreds maybe thousands a day drifting through one of my favorite SMB stretches. I can say it has little to no effect on the fishing and I frequently catch fish in the middle of them. They actually will cheer us on and in most instances they are a friendly bunch that are not unenjoyable to be around.

 

With all that said, without warning that kid would have only had his hand in my tacklebox for a split second. It would not be up for discussion.

[Steeldrifter 0]

 

I also don't believe that a rower or tuber or kayaker needs to be fluent in fishing courtesy just because I like to fish over rowing or paddling.

 

Gotta disagree with that sentence there poopdeck. It's no different than any other situation where it involves other people. If you drive on a public road then you need to know the laws. If you hunt then you need to know the rules of hunter safety and trespassing laws in the woods. And if you use a public river then you need to know how to share the river with other recreational users. If paddlers can knowingly disrupt my ability to fish properly then does that give me the right to disregard their ability to enjoy paddling by wading out in front of them and casting across the center of the vessel they are in?

 

If someone is going to use a public water then they should 100% know the rules, laws, and curiosity you show other users. To do differently is nothing short of selfish behavior IMO.

[ben bell 0]

Poopdeck, that,s my experience too..i used to fish a state park pond in delaware..good size, maybe 200 acres..in the summer it was a mad house..they rented everything that floats, but they stayed out away from shore, too many stumps..i fished the shoreline and stumps and usually flipped jigs and plasic worms..there were canoers and paddle boats always comming over to look at the short guy in the tube..i would just say don,t run me over, they would laugh..the fish fish came into the shore to feed anyway, maybe to get away from the heavier traffick off shore..i had some of my best days fishing under these conditions and pretty much to myself..other fisherman stayed away because of the noise but the fish were used to it..they still have to eat.

[zip 0]

I'm not against sharing water by any means.I am, however,against sheer stupidity and ignorance from someone who does not want me fishing because of political or personal views-which is essentially what pissed me off in the first place.

 

PD-They may not need to be fluent in fishing etiquette, but common sense would generally show it's little head and say "Probably shouldn't paddle or motor over his line" or "Probably shouldn't go through someone's things because I might get smacked up side the dome".Again-one of those things that's lacking in today's society and generation.

 

I am like Mike and Steve-People piss me off so I generally try and avoid them,but if I should bump into someone I try my best to be polite And render them the same respect I would like to recieve.We do have that one thing in common after all-love for the outdoors.

[mikechell 0]

My worst reaction to someone who didn't respect my "space" was when I chucked a large Zara Spook (yes, I was bass fishing from my boat) across the bow of a jet skier who kept running circles near me. He was doing about 40 when my line caught him across the arms and chest, and it almost cut into him as it drug over him. Fortunately for him, the lure whipped out and flipped off in front of him, because I'd have set the hook.

 

The burns across his arms and chest were bleeding as he yelled and screamed at me.

I told him, "If you're boating within casting distance of me, and making a commotion, I'm casting for you !"

 

Funny ... after his rant, he sped off and I never saw him again.

[xterrabill 0]

if anyone ever asked my wife "what would your husband like to do?"

she will answer "live 50 miles from the nearest person, in the woods with furry critters and fish"

if they ask her "why?"

she will answer "because he thinks animals and plants are more courteous than people"

[cphubert 0]

WOW I thought I was the only hermit around, I like dogs better than most people. Many young people today think everything is about them. After retiring from the navy and entering the civilian workforce I had been counseled about my social intercourse i.e. looking people squarely in the eye when I talk and how the younger workforce feels threatened by my forward demeanor (I wasn't in their face or event talking loud)

 

Thank god the manners I experience from fishermen on most streams are still in tact. Zip I might have upended someone going thru my tackle or at least expressed my indifference at a close personal level. I don't have much to say about political or personal views and try to refrain from them. I try to respect opinions and am usually polite enough to walk away from most and remind myself why I fish alone or with a dog.