Norm M Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 I was catching some fish when a guy comes up and stands off to the side of me . He is where I could see him but not interfering with the spot I'm fishing. I nod, say howdy and he just stands there. After maybe 40 minutes he finally speaks and asks when I am going to be moving. I asked him why should I move, you can see I'm on fish.He says where he comes from and especially in his family if a true sportsman sees someone waiting to fish that spot, it was customary for the real gentlemen to immediately and graciously leave so the other sportsman can have a chance at some fish. He also told me I was in violation of the five fish rule. I asked what was he talking about. He said that after another showed up and was waiting you were obligated to leave after catching five fish. Once again the custom where he came from and as practiced amongst his family. I told him he must have been smoking hash if he thought anyone would buy that line of bull****. He became quite indignant that I would imply he used dangerous narcotics and that he was less than truthful about expected behavior amongst sportsmen. I told him around here sportsmen are expected to find thier own fish and not bother folks with damn fool notions. He replied I wasn't a sportsman or a gentleman. I told him that a true sportsman and gentleman would not expect someone to give up a spot they found just because some yahoo can't find fish on his own. If he needed help, I would have been glad to offer it before he started this nonsense but now he could damn well go hire a guide to help him find fish. He left in a huff, telling me I left him no choice but to report my unsportsman like behavior to the authorites. Anyone ever hear of this five fish rule ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Nope ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 HUh! I would say the " don't lean over my shoulder " rule would apply here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy K Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Never heard of that one. I have been asked to move before, though. Fisherman walked up behind me and stated, "You are my spot, I come here all the time." I attempted to explain that I doubted he owned the forest preserve and since I got there first, he would need to wait. He then began casting from a very close distance to me. Rather that make a big deal, I just moved down the river after the "wind" took my lure over his line a few times. I swear it wasn't on purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Never heard of it, though I have heard of things like it. On a famlous salmon river in Maine there is a well known holding pool where the anglers line up to take turns. By gentleman's agreement, each angler gets 5-10 minutes to fish the hole before the next guy steps in. That's a five minute rule. Nobody ownes the hole; and this way everyone gets a shot at it in a reasonable amount of time. Obviously the guy blindsided you with a rule that does not exist on the waters you were on. Next time find out where he is from. PS he was nice because as noted a lot of others would have started fishing right next to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotth Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 you sure run into some winners..haven't heard of that one..took him 40 minutes to ask? just like those guys you ran into last year and said they were you and localyocal..wish i would have seen that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 I've never heard that one before. Don't feel bad about the situation. That guy had the problem and you didn't do anything wrong. If he has some gentleman rules among his family and buddies he needs to keep that between him and his buddies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 he needs to keep that between him and his buddies. I wouldn't think the guy has any buddies or anybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 The practice of giving ground to another fisherman applies ( if it even does anymore these days) to river fishing for salmon or steelhead which usually hold in prescribed locations ie "lies."After fishing one of these holding areas for awhile the proper thing to do is to move on so that another has a chance to test his skills there.It doesn't apply to any other species or venue. I had a similar experience floatubing for trout at the club I belong to a few years ago.From previous outtings I knew the trout #s were low. I had already tried all the usual spots that day to no avail & finally found a good pod hanging in one small area.I was having a great time c&ring them when a beer swiller pulled up in his boat insisting I relinquish the spot to him.I wasn't about to give up the only spot in the entire pit that held fish especially to some half drunk jerk who would've kept everyone he caught limits be damned.He was pissed & made some idle threats to cast at my tube with one of his lures.i just kept c& ring them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm M Posted July 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 The sad part is, if he had been decent about it, I would have helped him out. Now if he offered two or three Bens................................................. Finders fee/ guide fee whatever. I'd move and offer to take my wife out to dinner later. Prolly be enough left to but some rattle baits. Any woman who puts up with as much time on the water I put in deserves to get treated right. Which she does, I'm not that dumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I bet the fellow grew up in eastern Wisconsin, because I've never met fishermen like those from WI where they will literally pull up within a few yards of your boat and start casting right over your lines if they saw you catching fish through their BINOCULARS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I had a situation like that in Eastern Wisconsin where a guy came up to where I was fishing and began casting so close to me that he was actually rubbing shoulders with me. The good news was that he couldn't have caught a fish if his life had depended on it. I didn't offer any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.