Strange Email

[Don House]

I'll put on the Jiffy Pop!!!

Make it two please and add a coke, we are going to be here for a while...

[denjac]

Make it two please and add a coke, we are going to be here for a while...

I will bring it in my boat where we visited last week.

[focused fishing]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You guys are reading me all wrong. Never did I say its right for people to look over your shoulder, knowing that you are a guide, and try to steal tips and info, and locations, follow you around the lake. Never said it. And I don't believe its right. I just think it is part of the job and industry you are in, and you better develop a thicker skin for it and some ways of dealing with it, especially on a lake like TR in summertime. Just too many people about, and its only human nature that they will get curious with your methods and try to pick up a few bread crumbs for free. Heck yeah, its nervy to follow you around on a guide trip. I would never do it in a million years, but go ahead and lump me in with parasites,

And for you guides, yes, I can appreciate the fact that you are out trying to make a dollar to put food on the table and feed your family -- all work is honorable -- we agree on that. But spare me the "adverse conditions" nonsense and the poor-me fluff about having to work (as in, fish) on your days off so you can help your clients catch more fish, and its the toughest profession out there. What a load of hooey. No one forced you into it, and you ain't down in some dark mine shaft chipping away at rocks breathing in dust and neither am I. But I sure don't go on an "entertainment" website like this, and #$%tch about my job, ask for comments, and not expect to get some honest feedback. "A non-paying client is asking me for tips on how to fish a tourney, I just can't believe the audacity of some people, and I've had my fill" Boo-friggin-hoo.

And Yoda, hiring a guide IS a shortcut. Whats wrong with calling it what it is? Can't compare your profession to a doctors because, christ, thats your health. A much more important skill set and consequences than the success or failure of a fishing vacation trip, right? Can't compare it to a financial advisor, heck, thats your retirement. Hiring a contractor to build your house? Whatever. I'd say its closer to hiring a prostitute than any of your weak analogies, but I digress, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Probably not completely nice thing to say, but I was only going for some cheap humor points. Forgive me, this place is a bit too stuffy and serious for a fishing website. Guides b'n about pros and clients. Blech!

Wow...how do you back pedal that hard and keep the chain on your bike Mr. Armstrong? Shame about the Tour de France this year.....

Never compared guiding to doctors, brokers and contractors ..... just thought the idea of getting something for nothing would work there as well..

Not in a mine shaft chippin rocks, my grandfather did that in WV for 50 years... worked himself into an early grave at 104.

By the way if all work is honorable what's with the comment that fishing could do with out Guides and Professional Anglers?

A little more back pedaling?

Yes sir, I will spare you all the b'n and the rest of the "hooey" about it being a tough profession, never said it was the toughest and never will. Said it before and will say it again I'm blessed to get make a large portion of my living in the fishing industry.

Your entitled to you opinion just like the rest of us, you just have an abrasive way of stating it, if that's your idea of comic relief most of the folks here don't get it.

This is a very entertaining and informative site, and we have allot of fun here. You sir said the fishing world could do without us not the other way around. Take a look at yourself regarding changing this from an entertaining site.

You sure seem to be hung up on prostitution........

Still looking for that name.....

[ness]

Point: focused fishing

OK Armstrong, whatchoo got?

[focused fishing]

Y'all are being fickle.

You promote yourself to the highest degree (I mean just look at the avitars) ....then complain because of the attention you are getting.

Gimme a break, having a few rookie wannabe's follow you around and pumping you for info feeds your ego...... and you know it.

Besides, you act like it happens every single time you dump your boat, and I know better.

Get over yourself Man.

I know it may be hard to believe but I actually would like to see more people enjoy the sport of fishing, I know, I know it's shocking.

And believe it or not it has nothing to do with my ego, I know hard to believe.

The more people who fish the more money in the industry the better chance my sponsors do well the better chance they will renew my sponsorship ( same with the avitar - lots of logos there) the better chance my business will be more profitable. I know it's hard to fathom that it's not about ego, it's about business but really it is........

More than willing to help a fellow angler that asks.... ask around they'll tell ya

Doesn't happen everytime we dump the boat in the water and I don't think we said it did..... just enough in the past month a comment was made on another thread.

Tried to have a little fun with this...... few folks got their panties in a bunch.......

Don't really have much of an ego to get over, this sport does that to you.

It's about the business always has been always will be.

People running over to fish close to a guide and client on fish started this, it affects a guide's business plain and simple. Yea, we get used to it and a lot of other things that would make most people put it on the trailer.

Like .....hmm....I don't know.....having someone publicly stating the fishing world could do without us or that we are prostitutes......

Yea something like that.

Love ya....Mean it.....

[crazy4fishin]

I think I see a Fox reality series on the horizon! Could be a real money maker!

[Bird Watcher]

topics along this line make me happy that I fish only for fun.

The only money that ever comes on to my fishing radar is the money I spend on gas, tackle and snacks.

I don't have to worry about the money I might win in the derby, I don't have to worry about the money my clients are paying and I don't have to worry about the money my sponsors are giving me.

That being said, I do like the way Eric handles himself.

He's not hiding behind a screen name and he's calling it like he sees it.

I can respect that a lot more than someone taking shots out of the dark behind a forum nickname, even if they did make some valid points.

I think Wrench's points about "don't complain about the publicity if you are advertising and promoting yourself" are valid.

If you go to the lake with decals all over your boat and trailer, wearing your pro staff shirts, don't be surprised if someone follows you around to find out what the hype is about.

[S&M]

Post deleted for the betterment of the members.

As well as my membership on this website.

[focused fishing]

topics along this line make me happy that I fish only for fun.

The only money that ever comes on to my fishing radar is the money I spend on gas, tackle and snacks.

I don't have to worry about the money I might win in the derby, I don't have to worry about the money my clients are paying and I don't have to worry about the money my sponsors are giving me.

That being said, I do like the way Eric handles himself.

He's not hiding behind a screen name and he's calling it like he sees it.

I can respect that a lot more than someone taking shots out of the dark behind a forum nickname, even if they did make some valid points.

I think Wrench's points about "don't complain about the publicity if you are advertising and promoting yourself" are valid.

If you go to the lake with decals all over your boat and trailer, wearing your pro staff shirts, don't be surprised if someone follows you around to find out what the hype is about.

Chris,

Thanks for the words, appreciated.

Not complaining about someone coming over to see what the hype is about, in fact most of us welcome it, that's why we where the fancy shirts, and have wraps and decals. Come on over and we'll be glad to tell you what and how were doing what were doing. That's not an issue.

BUT, if you see a client catch a fish from a distance and you come over, don't say a word and start fishing. Then we leave you follow, show up and fish the same spot the next day, etc...... that is the bent rod pattern of which we speak.

There is a little difference

Still Love Ya..... Mean it!

[ozarksfishin]

Wow Coldwater fshr, you really got Eric and Don in a froth!! I thought I would throw my 2 cents in also. I would say that 90% of the clients we take out are here about once maybe twice a year. We take them out for a day or two of fisihin and thats it, they go do other things in Branson the rest of the time. On a good week, we are on the lake 4-5 days, so we have to have more than a few spots to put our clients on fish. What I'm trying to say is that the people we take out are not locals (most of the time) so its not really a "shortcut" to fishing. Its not like they are gonna fish these same areas day in and day out, heck most of them couldn't even find their way back to the spots if they had to!! They are just here to have some fun fishing for a day or two and thats it. We don't own the lake, and most of us will not say too much if we see someone on our "spot", but is it the right thing to do?

Back in Jan., I took out Bob Harkness on Bull Shoals to pre fish for the TBF tourney. I showed him where to go and what to use for his tourney in March. Bob is from W Virgina, had never fished Bull Shoals in his life, and may never fish it again. He hired me for my local knowledge and to narrow down where and what to fish on the lake. He won the tourney and $100,000 and an invite to fish FLW for a year. He paid for a service, he did not follow me or any other guides around the lake. In the end, he took what I showed him and fit it to his style of fishing. Just food for thought.