Dam Area Weekend Report

[bobby b.]

12 hours ago, m&m said:

Abk, thanks for the report. I was down this past weekend but had too many projects to do so I did not get out. I did manage to set up my rods for next weekend though. Deep crank, square bill and a bone colored deep jerk bait.  I too think it will be cranking time soon.  I also have the usual go to things tied on. 2 kinds of Ned, fb jig, db WP, frog. 

I will be around the dam area too. Hopefully I can get bit. 

Mike

Mike, I sent you a PM.

Bobby

[vernon]

49 minutes ago, bobby b. said:

I tell them how I feel about it - if I don't they will never know - my wife thinks I'm rude when I do that and some day I'll get my old butt kicked - I don't expect a behavior change but just maybe some day if they hear it enough, the light bulb will go on but either way I've expressed myself.

Kathy is usually the same way - always telling me to calm down and let it go lest I end up in the ER.  You know the, "Are you really expecting to get in a fight out here in the middle of the lake?"  Well, last week things changed.  Dramatically.  It was so bad that I was having to tell HER to calm down!  We were making the turn from the James back to the west towards Big M to the east of the exposed island there at the mouth.  Two guys in a white Champion cut between us and the island and THEN cut back directly in front of us to head south back down the White.  I swear, there's no WAY they were more than forty or fifty FEET in front of us when they made this brilliant maneuver.  We were running about 40 - 45 MPH and I had to completely shut it down to avoid either running into them or burying the bow in their wake.  Then nail it again to get the bow back up before the second opportunity to submarine their wake presented itself.

Both literally waved casually kind of like you do on the highway when somebody graciously allows you to change lanes in front of them or enter the flow of traffic from an on ramp.  I'm pretty sure there were being smartazz because  NOBODY is that stupid.  At any rate, my bride (at the top of her lungs) began spewing a tapestry of obscenities their direction that would have made any longshoreman proud.  Then wanted me to chase them down!  Fortunately, when one of us completely loses our mind, the other tends to remain sane enough to keep said lunatic out of jail.  This time was my turn.

While this was by far the most egregious (and life threatening) example of the week, it was certainly not the only time that rude and stupid showed itself proudly.  

In fact, a fine young man and his family that were down for the first time from Ohio were absolutely in shock at the behavior of other boaters.  He told me that if anybody tried half the stuff that he witnessed last week where he was from they'd find themselves in jail or shot.

Too bad.

[Bill Babler]

Sounds like a great trip outsides the Tom Foolery by others.  If you guys are ever here and want to watch our Tigers, just come on over, you know the address.  Fantastic game on Sat. nite.  This team will ruin someones year in the SEC.  Hope either Florida or Tenn.

[abkeenan]

1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

Sounds like a great trip outsides the Tom Foolery by others.  If you guys are ever here and want to watch our Tigers, just come on over, you know the address.  Fantastic game on Sat. nite.  This team will ruin someones year in the SEC.  Hope either Florida or Tenn.

Good to see you back Bill. Hope all is well and you are on the mend.

You are 100% correct about our Tigers and that we should jump up and bite someone unsuspectingly in the SEC. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't SHOCKED that we are better than I had anticipated. I had faith in Odom but just figured it would take a couple of years to get the ball rolling again in the right direction after the debacle last year (both on and off the field). That loss to UGA on Saturday was a heart breaker but it sure gave the squad a boost in confidence, and maybe more importantly the fan base. I have buddies much more in tune with the MU football program than I am and they said there were a lot of recruits at that game. From all accounts that game made a good impression on them and hopefully lands us some quality talent going forward. 

If only the basketball program could follow their lead that would be great.....but that isn't likely to happen. Poor Kim Anderson. Just set up to be the fall guy for a couple years.

[abkeenan]

3 hours ago, bobby b. said:

I tell them how I feel about it - if I don't they will never know - my wife thinks I'm rude when I do that and some day I'll get my old butt kicked - I don't expect a behavior change but just maybe some day if they hear it enough, the light bulb will go on but either way I've expressed myself.

I have a bit of a temper and don't have a problem with confrontations. But as I get older it is getting better. I get very angry while driving when people just drive like maniacs and put others on the road at risk. My wife yells at me all the time about it. I have young kids so I need to cool my jets on the road rage and also in the boat. Sure I would love beach the boat and go at it with some of these yahoo's. But you never know when you cross the wrong yahoo with a gun or weapon that would leave my family without a husband or dad. It's really not worth it anymore. I don't like being disrespected on the water by jerks and letting them just get away with it. But, lots of water and spots to fish and less time to do it wasting it on the losers of the lake.

[bobby b.]

4 hours ago, bobby b. said:

I tell them how I feel about it - if I don't they will never know - my wife thinks I'm rude when I do that and some day I'll get my old butt kicked - I don't expect a behavior change but just maybe some day if they hear it enough, the light bulb will go on but either way I've expressed myself.

The other thing I thought I would do some time when asked by the rude fisherman if I was having any luck I would respond "not catching too many today, only been at it for an hour, and only have had 9 keepers, with one 7 lb LM and a 4.5 lb SM, yep, pretty slow today".  When asked what I was using, tell them the lure most likely not to work and then watch them dig it out and tie it on.

[Donna G]

On 9/20/2016 at 7:06 AM, bobby b. said:

I tell them how I feel about it - if I don't they will never know - my wife thinks I'm rude when I do that and some day I'll get my old butt kicked - I don't expect a behavior change but just maybe some day if they hear it enough, the light bulb will go on but either way I've expressed myself.

I don't disagree.  IMO some of these anglers (and golfers) are clueless.  If you don't say something...politely...how can you be sure that they aren't just dumber than rocks when it comes to fishing etiquette?  You'd be doing them and the world a favor.  All of our glaring and swearing under our breath will have no impact.  Not saying stir up a fight.  Just make a stab at explaining.  If that doesn't work, just thank your lucky stars you're smarter and nicer than them and move on.

[ryan]

OMTT guys are for the most part stand up fellas, Scott and Sutton run a great tournament and really emphasize sportsmanship.  Sorry you had a bad experience.

[Champ188]

8 hours ago, ryan said:

OMTT guys are for the most part stand up fellas, Scott and Sutton run a great tournament and really emphasize sportsmanship.  Sorry you had a bad experience.

I have no doubt that Scott and Sutton are good tournament directors. I've known their dad for years and he's a fine man. I also agree that most OMTT participants are good sportsmen, including being courteous.

We all know that small faction of "others" is out there and that they seem to be growing in number with every passing year. It's a shame that common courtesy has fallen by the wayside, but there's not much denying that it's gone for good with some folks.