# Careful how we represent "ourselves"!



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

I wasn't going to post this, but as I sat here tonight thinking about what I witnessed this evening, I felt I must express myself. Let me first start by saying that I am a boat guy first. Pier guy second. I used to fish almost exclusively on the piers when I lived in Alpena, and now I fish almost exclusively by boat that I live on the West side of the state. So, I do know both sides. And yes...I know this "topic" has been brought up a lot of different times, and I'm not trying to start a fight between "sides". I just want everyone to stop and think before portraying "us" as something we are not. Now on to the story....

My wife and I visited a West Side pier tonight to catch an end of summer sunset. I must admit it was hard seeing all the boats out there, and all the guys fishing on the pier and me not either being out in the pack. Or casting away with the rest of the guys! But, sacrifices must be made. There were so many boats out front I couldn't believe it! It was quite the cluster. That's not the problem. Here is the problem...The pier was LOADED with people that don't have a clue at all about fishing, and specifically salmon fishing! Tourists out for a casual stroll on the pier and enjoying the unbelievable Labor Day weekend we are experiencing. A couple sat down next to my wife and myself and he heard me talking about the fishing because my wife had asked a question and I was telling her. This gentleman asked some questions and I was telling him how they use the cast nets to catch Alewives which they use for bait, and how the rigs with the big pyramid sinkers work and all was going fine. Until THE MOMENT. All the pier guys were being VERY courteous to the boat guys. As a matter of fact everyone on the end of the pier were using bottom rigs and no one was even casting spoons. Well, a boater with a full spread of equipment came right across the front of the pier. And I mean right across. I cringed just knowing what was going to happen next. One of the pier guys said, and he only had to say it in a normal talking voice because the guy in the boat was so close, "We have lines out here". The "sportsman" in the boat replied by saying, "You better start f#$%ing reeling then". The verbal barrage started. There were onlookers from 8 months old to 80 years old, and you could just see the shock on their faces as the streams of profanity flowed from this "sportsman's" mouth. I wanted to climb under a rock. I was so embarrassed. Here I had just propped us, the fisherman up on a pedestal to this gentleman sitting next to me and his next question was, and I quote..."Do all of YOU guys act like that?" And then I heard the other onlookers. "The police should be called". "There are women and children out here". "What wonderful individuals"....It went on and on. I assured more than one person that there are the occasional idiots that ruin it for everyone and give everyone a bad name. I think they believed me as there were no other confrontations over the next hour I was there. The only other thing I witnessed was boat to boat interactions. I loved how a charter boat was running right down the center of the channel, turning in front of or behind whoever he wanted, and then heading right back out the center despite the grumblings from the other boaters. I didn't know that having a captains license and running a charter business gave you the right of way over everyone else!! This is a charter captain? I would never want to be on that boat. I heard an onlooker say, "Why does he keep doing it? He is the only one doing it." 

I was truly embarrassed tonight, guys. We need to think as a group out there. We are trying to protect our rights as sportsmen and fishermen and we need to do it together, not apart. I would bet that more than one witness to the shenanigans tonight will tell someone else and that person will form their opinion as well. And you know the story will be told TEN times worse than it really was. Because it makes a better story! Hell...I'll bet by the time the story is told that there were firearms involved! Okay...Maybe that is pushing it a little, but you guys know what I'm talking about. Right? Please stop and think before displaying an action publicly that you may regret later. Some individuals may not regret actions like that at all. But as a sportsman and a fisherman, I regret your decisions. I was going to include the name of the boat of the said "sportsman" but decided that would add to the problem, not the solution. 

I'm sure that someone is going to light me up for this post. I'm a big guy. I have broad shoulders. Lay it on me. Let ALL your frustrations out on me. I'd rather take the brunt of it than to have innocent bystanders have to partake in an experience that they received tonight. 

Thanks for taking time to read my ramblings. I tend to get a little long winded when I'm talking about something that I believe very strongly about. 

Brandt


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## takemfishing (Apr 26, 2008)

That did get you riled. 12:45 am! 

I agree with you. If you have to get that close to the wall you have jumped the gap from going out and fishing to have a good time; to doing whatever it takes to get a couple more fish to stroke your ego. If your hobby is yelling and confrontation then I pity your family around you. 

To those that run into people like that; do your best to forget it and make sure you don't let a few keep you from doing something you enjoy.


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## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> I wasn't going to post this, but as I sat here tonight thinking about what I witnessed this evening, I felt I must express myself. Let me first start by saying that I am a boat guy first. Pier guy second. I used to fish almost exclusively on the piers when I lived in Alpena, and now I fish almost exclusively by boat that I live on the West side of the state. So, I do know both sides. And yes...I know this "topic" has been brought up a lot of different times, and I'm not trying to start a fight between "sides". I just want everyone to stop and think before portraying "us" as something we are not. Now on to the story....
> 
> My wife and I visited a West Side pier tonight to catch an end of summer sunset. I must admit it was hard seeing all the boats out there, and all the guys fishing on the pier and me not either being out in the pack. Or casting away with the rest of the guys! But, sacrifices must be made. There were so many boats out front I couldn't believe it! It was quite the cluster. That's not the problem. Here is the problem...The pier was LOADED with people that don't have a clue at all about fishing, and specifically salmon fishing! Tourists out for a casual stroll on the pier and enjoying the unbelievable Labor Day weekend we are experiencing. A couple sat down next to my wife and myself and he heard me talking about the fishing because my wife had asked a question and I was telling her. This gentleman asked some questions and I was telling him how they use the cast nets to catch Alewives which they use for bait, and how the rigs with the big pyramid sinkers work and all was going fine. Until THE MOMENT. All the pier guys were being VERY courteous to the boat guys. As a matter of fact everyone on the end of the pier were using bottom rigs and no one was even casting spoons. Well, a boater with a full spread of equipment came right across the front of the pier. And I mean right across. I cringed just knowing what was going to happen next. One of the pier guys said, and he only had to say it in a normal talking voice because the guy in the boat was so close, "We have lines out here". The "sportsman" in the boat replied by saying, "You better start f#$%ing reeling then". The verbal barrage started. There were onlookers from 8 months old to 80 years old, and you could just see the shock on their faces as the streams of profanity flowed from this "sportsman's" mouth. I wanted to climb under a rock. I was so embarrassed. Here I had just propped us, the fisherman up on a pedestal to this gentleman sitting next to me and his next question was, and I quote..."Do all of YOU guys act like that?" And then I heard the other onlookers. "The police should be called". "There are women and children out here". "What wonderful individuals"....It went on and on. I assured more than one person that there are the occasional idiots that ruin it for everyone and give everyone a bad name. I think they believed me as there were no other confrontations over the next hour I was there. The only other thing I witnessed was boat to boat interactions. I loved how a charter boat was running right down the center of the channel, turning in front of or behind whoever he wanted, and then heading right back out the center despite the grumblings from the other boaters. I didn't know that having a captains license and running a charter business gave you the right of way over everyone else!! This is a charter captain? I would never want to be on that boat. I heard an onlooker say, "Why does he keep doing it? He is the only one doing it."
> 
> ...


Fabulous post Brandt!

It has been discussed and argued over and over before. Despite who was "in the right" there is NO excuse for that type of behavior or language - ANYWHERE! It is embarassing to be a sportsman sometimes - when others act that way. 

The people that act like that are the same people who make idiots of themselves and at high school sports, or who belittle waitresses or other service workers. They only look out for themselves and don't care what anyone else is doing or thinking. There is NO cure for these morons! Unfortunately however, they can be found anywhere. It just so happened that they were in the boats and on the pier that night. SAD! :sad:


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

You are right on. I only hope you "reached" the "problem individuals" with your post.... 
Never fished from piers much but do the walls and bridges and shore as well as from a boat.
There is plenty of water to fish from a boat, there is no need to crowd the landlocked fishermen, or other boaters for that fact!


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## Pierfishing (Jul 30, 2007)

For all they guys in boats who have all year to fish out in the lake, I think they need to give the pier guys a break. Some people don't have the money to buy a boat and is the only way they can enjoy catching fish like salmon  trout is off the piers. Alot of people these days don't care anyone but themselfs and should really think of what they say and do and how if may affect people. I think the guy in the boat wouldn't be to happy if someone passed over his line!


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## walleyekillr (May 7, 2009)

I think that guys out in boats DO need to give the guys on the piers a little bit of a break. I am one of the guys who fishes 99% of the time out of a boat expecially for salmon. I see alot of guys running up on the guys who are on the pier. There needs to be more respect. The guys are out on the pier trying to catch a fish like me and you but have VERY limited space to do it. Dont get me wrong i HAVE ran into alot of jerks on the piers but i have run into WAY more jerks on boats. Most guys on the piers are alot more social, and kind than guys in boats. I can see both sides, give the pier folks a little room guys........ They are alot more limited on what they can do. Us (boaters) have thousands of miles of water we can fish :lol:. Dont get me wrong i am up in the combat zone this time of year and have had some yelling but nothing to do with pier guys. Only when charter dinks cut 10ft infront of me  Good luck out there guys


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

I have a bad temper so I avoid combat fishing entirely piers rivers or in the boat I leave the crowd as fast as I can and find another place to fish.


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> My wife and I visited a West Side pier tonight to catch an end of summer sunset. I must admit it was hard seeing all the boats out there, and all the guys fishing on the pier and me not either being out in the pack. Or casting away with the rest of the guys! But, sacrifices must be made.


Sound of whip here......:lol:

The world is full of a..holes. Its sucks.


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

"Sound of whip here...."

You have no idea how RIGHT you are!! :lol:


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## JasonCarp (May 9, 2005)

As a fairly recent boat fisherman, all I can say is you have the freedom, use it. I don't fish at 6ths street, I don't fish on the pier. I love the freedom that comes from clearing the pier heads and running! Finding my little spot out there that gives me the solitude away from the a-holes is what I love about having a boat or a 4 wheel drive truck. 

If you want to fish that close to the pier, fish from the pier!


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## adjusted3 (Feb 3, 2003)

It's worse.....I waS at Inalaunch in Manistee for the weekend. A little kid, about 13, was casting in front of our campsite on the river......I actulally gave him a few baits off my boat. He had been there for about an hour and a river boat pulls right up in front of him and weighs anchor. Right in front of where he is fishing!!.....Sorry, I let the boat know that he infringed on this kids space, They could not care less. After a few "Strong" words, they moved and gave the kid back his run. 

My point is it is not just the lake, it applies to the river as well. we need to keep our ethics in check, pay attention to everyone fishing, even the kid on the bank. 

Mark


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## fishdog9 (Dec 29, 2006)

:help:thats why i stay away from the whole mess, its something that you cant aviod, there is always one bad apple that JUST DONT GET IT!!!!! its not relaxing woring about getting into an argument over catching a fish, i go fishing to get away from the BS of life.....its a great example of it consuming someone so much that Kearly wrote a short noval about the whole thing... its our duty as outdoorsman to be the bigger person in these situations,,,,,it just gets old.....


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## hunting man (Mar 2, 2005)

I would have posted the name of the boat. Peer pressure works wonders


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## no thyme (Jun 25, 2009)

what an a## H&%$ !!!! end of story!!!! move out a few hundred yards!! :yikes:


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

hunting man said:


> I would have posted the name of the boat. Peer pressure works wonders


I almost did, Hunting Man. But cooler heads prevailed. I don't want to add to the problem, just bring attention to it.


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## walleyeslammer1 (May 29, 2009)

I agree, I saw the same thing this summer, big named charter boat in frankfurt Murphys LAW always cutting people off screaming at me for doing nothig in front of his customers what a class act!


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

I fish for Steelhead in a close Public Park. When the weather is fair, even in winter, people bring their children for a walk and senior citizens amble around there too. You should here the language that "Fishermen" yell to each other around there. "Hey, I got a effin' fish, how many effin' fish you got , HA HA." I mean it's loud. Those seniors live in a senior complex, right across the street. When they complain about something it usually gets done. They had night fishing stopped, because there was too much noise. They got the picnic tables we gather at removed from one area, because they were intimidated by the language and the guys hanging around there. It may not be long before they put some more severe restrictions on fishing there, if these morons can't control their language. Anyone who yells that kind of stuff when there are women and childen around in just a Social Pariah and should be barred from the area. You guys that fish Huroc Park know what I mean and if you're an offender, you are giving us all a bad name. I often feel like calling the cops down there to stop that garbage, before we all suffer for it. Do any of you remember the Canoer that was prosecuted for yelling profanities on the Rifle River, years ago. What was his sentence? I don't remember.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

hunting man said:


> I would have posted the name of the boat. Peer pressure works wonders


Peer Pressure......interesting.


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