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What would you have done in this situation?

2K views 31 replies 29 participants last post by  Matthew Gulbranson 
#1 ·
I was fishing the Cedar last year and expierenced the Ultimate river asshole. There is a section of the river about 100 yards or better long, with four good holes. I got to the river and found two guys fishing in my favorite hole, so I moved down to the next hole. My first cast brought a 14 inch cuttie flying a foot out of the water to nail my fly. Great, off to a good start. As I looked up river I saw another fisherman walking down river, he saw the holes were full and he turned around and went back up river. After about forty five minutes the guys in the hole above me left, cool, I'll head up river and fish the big hole.
I got to my spot made a few casts, and had a couple of knots in my tippet, I had only been there about three minutes. I put my rod in my vest loop, secured the tip aqnd started working on my leader. I looked up river to see the fisherman from earlier walking towards me.I'm working on my leader, and this guy stops about three feet up river from me. He then procededs to start falsecasting down river, about three feet in front of my face. He does this a half adozen times, and then makes a couple of shit casts across the river to the eddie the fish are in. I was speechless, I've never seen a fiisherman that (insert insult here). I didn't say anything, obviousley this guy was looking for a confrontation. He then proceded to go though the whole bullshhit again. Again I kept my mouth shut. Not getting a rise out of me, he walked down river behind me ,stopping a bout three feet below me. Now he starts whip casting up river in front of my face, and then casting across the river. He contoinues this a few times, now I'm starting to chuckle seeing how irrataited, this idiot is, about not getting a rise out of me. He goes through his bullshit a couple of more times, then walks off. Didn't even say good-by. AS much as I wanted to, and more worried about breaking my expensive rod, when I killed this guy, I managed not to say a word as he walked off up river. What would any of you have done if you had met this jerk. I fully expect to see him again on the river this year at some point.
 
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#3 ·
If I was big enough, I would have walked up to him with a smile on my face and ripped the rod out of his hand and threw it deep and far into the river. Or quickly break it and say "I assume you have a good warranty on that rod"?
 
#5 ·
It's one of those opportunities in life where we get to remind ourselves that if it won't make a difference in our life tomorrow why get worked up about it today. Letting our temper get the best of us and giving someone like that what they want, a confrontation, physical or not, escalates a pointless situation, lowers ourselves to their level, solves nothing and shows a lack of emotional maturity. You did the right thing, there are plenty of good fishing holes. It's YOUR day on the water to relax and enjoy the free time you made to be there, don't let an a**hole like that ruin it. Much easier to say than to do, I know.
 
#9 ·
I like Ford Fenders idea.......A unique approach and what I would assume to be totally unexpected by the intruder. "Hi, I admire your casting. Can you teach me how you do it, now, please! I'll buy you a soda later and we can chat. Do you want to hook up and fish again next week?"
 
#10 ·
You did just fine . . . years ago, we likely would have had an asshat contest, but while I'm still rather large & fit, I have tempered with age. We don't control circumstances that arise, however we do control our response to those circumstances.
 
#13 ·
In this situation I usually start up a conversation with my invisible friend, Gifford.

"Gifford, please be quiet now! Can't you see this gentleman is trying to fish?
What? No...I don't think that would be a good idea. Besides, I'll bet this guy doesn't even care where we buried those bodies..."
 
#16 ·
"Gifford, please be quiet now! Can't you see this gentleman is trying to fish?
What? No...I don't think that would be a good idea. Besides, I'll bet this guy doesn't even care where we buried those bodies..."
Too funny!

Yeah I would've shook my head, chuckled, and then asked him how the fishing is....

Life is too short to be wasting your time on a lost soul when you could be fishing instead.
 
#23 ·
Yeah, someday we fishermen are going to have to learn to communicate while on the rivers.
Everybody *knows* what proper river etiquette is, and yet somehow people on the river have different expectations, and rather than talk about it, we let it get to us & ruin one of the few chances we get to go fishing.
 
#24 ·
Jimmyjoe,

I don't understand why you stood there silently if this guy's behavior was irritating you. Other posters offered better replies than I would think of. I would have just said what was on my mind. That being, "Hi, I can't tell if you're trying to be an asshole, or you're just ignorant about how to fish around other anglers." A couple of times when I thought intruders were being jerks, it turned out they really were just ignorant, and were rather embarassed when I asked them. The actual jerks never wanted to converse, or maybe grunting was the extent of their vocabulary. Guess I'll never know.

Sg
 
#26 ·
"Hi, I can't tell if you're trying to be an asshole, or you're just ignorant about how to fish around other anglers."
Sg
Despite nomally taking the high road, I think I'd have said something like this too. Maybe it would be a teachable moment? Maybe the guy proves to be a jackass and not care what I think. Once that was answered then I'd make my next decision. Not sure what that would be but standing by as the guy casts around my head takes more tolerance that I have.
 
#28 ·
I was fishing a river one day (Little D, about 2001) when a guy was crouched down in the brush, apparently working a very specific fish or spot near the bank. He was in tan clothes and was moving so slow that I never noticed him. I blundered up behind him about 10 feet away and threw a pair of nyphs and an indicator about 3 feet from where he was crouched at. He turned to look at me, and I was in shock because I never even saw him. His response was perfect, he yelled right at me:

"THANKS A LOT DICKHEAD!"

I still laugh about it. Had I been a prick or something, maybe I would have had harsh words, or shanked him with my fillet knife. From the sounds of it, you made the best decision, but realistically you should start working out (watch Rocky IV, for workout ideas) and next time take him down.
 
#32 ·
I think you handled the situation well. Obviously he was trying to get a rise out of you, and once you start to play his game he has won. Now if his line or something else hit me while he was playing douche bag it might be a different story. I will try not to escalate confrontation, but there is always a line. Fortunately I have never had to cross it myself.
 
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