R-E-S-P-E-C-T - combat fishing in tournaments

Post by **WB Staff** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:36 pm

The next morning, before takeoff, I was talking to one of the Clear Lake Generals in charge of combat zone "Echo Zulu"....

http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/libra ... ml?id=4954

Terry Smith · Post by **Terry Smith** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:36 am

STAY OFF MY WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

never mind you can have it I never catch fish there anyways!!!!!

elfish16 · Post by **elfish16** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:39 am

respect seems to have died off these days. I've seen tournament guys to guides to local weekend warriors jumping people's spots who have done very well in tournaments. Sadly, there is NOTHING you can do and you have to suck it up, but it's happening a LOT on my home waters. Just have to keep fishing and like this article said, "have a sense of humor" with.

But the days of respect for your fellow angler seems gone! Granted, there are a few out there that get that notion, but its becoming a lot fewer and far between.

ppantera · Post by **ppantera** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:30 am

Definitely not much respect on the water anymore. The one that gets my blood boiling is for a guy to idle right up next to me when I'm fishing deep open water ledge and within a boat length of me he hits the waypoint mark. I've even had guys mark the waypoint stop their boat and throw into the same spot as me. Nothing you can do about it but laugh it off.

calfisher71 · Post by **calfisher71** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:56 pm

I have delt with this so many times. Most orgs have eliminated the rule , since you really cant measure the distance. I will say event recenlty we fished a event, came into a protected area. We could have cut in front of another boat by 100 yds minimum, but decided not to. we crossed and fished a other spot. we watched the team flat out wack-em where we decided to stay away, and we were strugglling bad. It was tough to watch. We fished close to them in the same area never coming too close to them. We cheered them on when they caught 2-3 quality fish and wished them well. On our way out of this protected zone we have to pass them on our way out, we tell them from 100 yds plus we are going to fish our way out, but not stop on their area. Being totaly respectfull of them and where they are getting bites. Keep in mind we dont have to do this there is no rule...on ft apart.... We motor up 200 yds from them and we get a few good bites, so we turn the boat around and they trolling motor over on high en twords us and say, I thought you were leaving, I say we are.. he says then why is your boat pointed this way, "were fishing this entire area!" a 200 yd stretch plus "a point a pocket, a flat, a pocket" OK now this pissed off 2 Really Big dudes that were being extra polite and respectfull of their area. At the end of the day, I know there is no rule on space. It sucks but when you fish for money you have to be aggressive, though I choose not too be a DIRK, I should have cut them off the first time well past them and changed the whole game. The one guy on the boat was a dirk. I have had many events where anglers cast on top of my line, but ask and are polite and we work it out. But is for Money,so we just need to deal with it or not fish events with cash prizes.