Rude Dudes

[fishhunter]

What is up with all the rude fisherman latley, I feel like I'm elk hunting the coast range. Been fishing out of Troutdale and I'm just amazed. No one even says hi anymore, really takes the fun out of it. Had a guy tie up 2ft from the boat on sat and never said a word, had to put the bumpers out and everything. Any good reason for this, Is it a feeling of competition or what?

I know, it's getting amazing. I've had to
go from the nicest guy on the planet to
give me one boat width on either side
of me...just the way it is.

Hang in there. Some of us just care
about fishing and DO leave room and
try to make sure everyone enjoys
their trip.

******

[Gone Fishin]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves... I just hate it when you're trolling next to someone who's looking right at you and you give them the friendly "hello", and all they do is STARE BACK AND NEVER EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU'RE ALIVE !

This really, really gets to me, at least they could do is acknowledge you're existance on this planet.

So here's what I do...

After the inital greeting with no response I just say "hello" a little louder, (maybe they didn't hear me).

No response still... "How ya doin'" still louder.

No response? "Hey, ya doing any good?" practically screaming at the top of my lungs!

At this point at least you'll get some response, might not be the kind you want, but at least they know you're alive!

My clients and myself are out to have a good time, we won't let some stupid $%#@!*& ruin our day!

People like that in my opinion should stay home...they're certainly not having any fun!

[fishhunter]

I really don't get it, we all like to fill our freezer, however sportmanship comes in many shapes and sizes. The worst fishermen I saw this year were down on the South Santiam at Fosters Dam, I had some guy with a broken foot (I found out later) threaten to shoot the drift boat next to me. Thats crazy! I told him I was calling the Cops and he ended up leaving, to make it worse he had 2 little boys with him. I still don't get it.

[Moleman]

Ahmen.....I was on the Wilson this past winter with my 4 yr old. (He tagged 8 steelhead!) There were about 5-6 boats anchored in a line below The Guide Shop. I saw one guy hook a fish. So i waited abit...he lost it and I then continued on thru. I didn't even drop my oars in the water as I go by.....the guy who lost the fish gives me HELL for sliding by too close. I couldn't get behind the boats, what was I to do????? So we exchanged pleasantries....On by we go. I dropped the plugs in at the top of the next hole, and my son manages to catch a steelhead right in the rapids in 4 pulls of the oars. I did look back to see if the jerk was watching (he wasn't). We managed to get 4 that day and I never saw him again. Any suggestions on what the right thing to do is?

------------------
"TMM"

[Gone Fishin]

Hey TMM,

I think you did the right thing, and a jerk will always be a jerk! Not much you can do but scratch your head and wonder.......

Last year I took my wife and daughter down the Wilson and just below "Windy Point" down on the corner is a bankie fishing next to the rapids, I swing in tight to the bank trying not to dip the oars in his water, when the guy starts yelling about me going through his hole. I told him I couldn't pick up my boat and carry it around him.....My wife didn't think it was worth the argument, and it wasn't......but, HUH????
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE ???

[This message has been edited by Gone Fishin (edited 08-30-2000).]

[Pilar]

I have a dumb question for you driftboaters out there. What is the proper etiquite for drifting past a bank guy with your drift boat. I bank fish upper reaches of coastal streams so I don't see many drifters.

I have seen quite a few boats go by on the lower Wilson. Most of them pass right at my feet. I guess that makes sense since they aren't rolling right over the water that holds the fish I'm chasing.

As far as rude dudes go, yeah what he said. I think its alot like bears fighting over that rock in the river the salmon swim by. If you put enough pressure on a fishery it brings out the worst in some people.

My pet peeve is a guide sled full of penguins (yes they look like penguins!)trolling for salmon in close quarters. You know who you are. The guy driving the sled is going against the flow of boats and is busy bs ing with his customers instead of driving. All the while the perp. is avoiding eye contact with the boats he is running down. That leaves anyone in the sleds path to power out of the way or face a collision or 6 or 7 rigs dragged across their gear.

This happens more and more every year at places like the ghost hole in TB. An air horn aimed at the guys head at the closest point of passing is my usual response to this @$$hole behavior. The bend is your friend!

[Wet_Willy]

Pilar,
I try to get close to the shore so as to not drift through the hole and just drift on by w/out rowing if possible. I tell 'em I'm gonna come up close so I don't mess with their fish, if that's okay. In a boat, I've got a lot of water I can cover and I don't want to mess up the limited spots bankers have access to. MM, nothing you can do about that fella. Sliding by close without oaring is the only way to go. Jerk's will be jerks regardless of what you do. GF, has it right on. You're not likely to get shot for being too nice!!!

[Jeffhead]

Ran into one while we out with RT on the Columbia yesterday. Had been anchored up for awhile and another boat had come from one of the other hog lines below us and anchored up about 200 feet away towards the middle of the river, nice people, no prob. About an hour later 2 guys in a big ol' Bayliner motor in between us go upstream to drop anchor, start to drift over toward us, figure that one out move back upstream and drop anchor, now thier lettin' the current take em', they get sideways and thier headed for the other boat. The driver finally figures that he better start up the motor when he's almost into the anchor line of the other boat, just misses it with the prop and almost runs into the other boat, ends up anchored about a boat length or so below both of us, pops out and says to the guy in the other boat "hey is it OK if I anchor here and fish"??? What a DOUGHBALL!!! I guess that ya just run into the mentally challenged sometimes eh???
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

[This message has been edited by Jeffhead (edited 08-31-2000).]

[Pilar]

Hey Wet Willie! Thanks for the comeback. If you drift through the Josie hole in Jan maybe I'll toss you an adult beverage as you go by. The bend is your friend!

Yep, I know the boat. SO....now Jeffhead
and RT see what I mean up close and now
even though I've retired from being the
"sheriff" around the hog lines, it makes
one want to come out of retirement every
trip. These guys are the same ones my
Dad lost a huge fish because they were
right behind us that time too.

Can you say bobber down and mean boat
bobber?

****** AKA "The Albino Rhino"

We love you McGillaweld, come help us
sheriff again on "YOUR river."

Good posts on an important subject. I like your take Wet Willy, because I think communication is such a key to keeping overcrowded rivers more pleasant to fish. Since some less experienced bank anglers aren't aware of the proper etiquette of quietly drifting by in close so as ont to disturb the fish out in the slots, I too alert the bankie that I will slide by close in for that reason. All kinds of situations can be averted or at least improved by good polite communication. As for those lockjawed grumps Marty, how about putting on one of those pair of black rimmed glasses with the big nose and mustach then ask him if he's having a good time yet. If he still doesn't respond, keep a fullsize 5'4" blond blowup doll on the deck of your boat and lift her up and shout to grump that his "quiet" sister is having a good time in your boat today. .... or maybe not. - RT

[Steve]

Might as well get my $ .02 in,,always seems to be a B-10 one guy who is a magnet in front of you who trolls North / South rather than up or down stream...and while you are waiting for them to decide which way to go, gets closer and closer. I have sat patiently with the motor out of gear waiting for these guys to get on with life and then they turn around and come back again....does my boat smell bad or something and the buzards gotta circle.??

[Mrdorkfish]

Ok people .....the forming of a hog line, When you get up real early to get the spot that has produced 3 fish in 2 days...drop anchor and settle in, shouldn't people that plan to fish next to you stay even with the back of your boat? I'm finding it very upsetting to have boats anchor a few boat lengths below me but next to me. Just wondering.

Mrdorkfish

[Pete]

And then there are the freighters, sitting at anchor, which broadcast crummy radio over their PA system so loud that two guys in a boat a half mile away can't carry on a conversation. The M/V Grand Slam is not my favorite ship these days.

[fishhunter]

I forgot to tell Gone Fishing, you crack me up dude