Go Home

[GREENTRITON]

I met a real nice older gentlemen at the Aunts creek ramp on Table Rock yesterday, he told me to GO HOME. He was in a old truck pulling a tin rig. He passed me on the ramp . I was droping my wife off at the ramp so she could take one of the last rides on her JETSKI. I am a family man first bass fishing second. We own a jetski and a Fish n ski boat so we can enjoy the lake all year. I have never met so many rude people this year, Boaters, Jetskiers, Tubers, and Fishermen who think they own all the water. You think we could all just get along and enjoy the awesome Table Rock LAKE?? To the older guy, We will be on the water anytime we can go. Mabey it is you and your bad attude that should stay HOME..

[Champ188]

That's a case where the old guy definitely should have kept his feelings to himself. Privately, I too wish there were no jet skis, wake boats, tubers, etc. For that matter, I wish there were only a handful of fishermen other than myself. But you have a right to use the lake as much as I do.

Where the real rub comes in is when recreational boaters infringe upon the rights of fishermen by crowding them, operating their boats dangerously, etc. But that's another conversation.

There are grumpy old goats everywhere. Heck, I'm one sometimes. To heck with him. Enjoy the lake. It belongs to all of us.

[Quillback]

Yep, what Champ said, probably the guy had a bad day fishing and may have been buzzed by a jet ski or two while he was out on the lake. Don't let him ruin your day.

[Flysmallie]

Make sure he knows he's number one and continue on with your enjoyment.

[Phil Lilley]

I love meeting people like that...

I'd walk up to him, hold out my hand and introduce myself as if he never made the rude remark. Ask him how his day was going... other friendly questions.

Overpower rudeness with friendliness - they'll never know what hit them. If they blow you off, smile, turn, shake the dust from your heels and go on knowing you did a good deed.

Be thankful.

[ness]

Words to live by there, Mr. Lilley.

[Blazerman]

My sister has a condo at LOZ. I was talking to her the other day to see about availability as it is almost time for me to start hitting the lake again for fall fishing.

She asked me if I was fishing any tournaments this fall and when I said no, she said good, those guys in their bass boats are crazy. Her place is right be PB2 so she gets to see a lot of them. She said they fly around like maniacs and could care less about how close they buzz by or where they go. They think they own the whole lake.

Guess it is all in your perspective.

[Alex Heitman]

Blazerman that's exactly why I advise people not to buy a bass boat from a tournament angler. They know they are getting a new boat in a year or two and run the piss and out of there boat and don't take care of it. Not all are like this but a good majority are.

[Phil Lilley]

We have the same issues on Taneycomo... most boat operators are nice. Only takes one or two per outing...

[J-Doc]

I love meeting people like that...

I'd walk up to him, hold out my hand and introduce myself as if he never made the rude remark. Ask him how his day was going... other friendly questions.

Overpower rudeness with friendliness - they'll never know what hit them. If they blow you off, smile, turn, shake the dust from your heels and go on knowing you did a good deed.

Be thankful.

Very true and good advice.

While we all have our perspectives, the old man probably wanted some quiet time either away from life or just wanted to enjoy fishing without being disturbed as we have all experienced by jet skiers. This year, the jet skis have not bothered me at all. Not one incident. The wake boats........there's another topic.

I say enjoy your time and don't sweat it. We have all been the old man at times. It just happens.

And as for bass guys not caring, that's probably true. There are a lot of jerks that are as bad as the walkers when it comes to waking boat docks and others. I've seen them take off from the back of narrow coves lined with docks and the dock owner yelling slow down as they plow a massive wake past the dock. That's worse than a wake boat on open water in my book.

We all need to respect the other guy, give each other space, operate safely, and enjoy the freedoms we have while we can.