# Had to walk away...



## E_Lin (Jun 30, 2011)

I have to work tonight, and after getting physically wrecked last night on the job I spent most of my day sleeping. So in the end we were looking at maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours of fishing, tops. We went to our usual spot at Heritage Park. We don't have a lot of choices, with my wife's legs being as bad as they are.

So anyway, we walk up to the bank where we normally fish, and see a few people fishing downstream about 30-40 feet away. No big deal, we have fished there with other people in the same spots lots of times. We set all our stuff down and start fishing. Immediately this jerk walks up to my wife and tells her we can't fish there, because that is where his wife is fishing. I looked around to be sure I didn't miss anyone, and true enough, there was no one fishing within 30 feet of us in either direction. I explained to him that we just walked up, and saw no one here, so how were we to know he had "called" this spot for his wife?

Then he into this spiel about how his wife just caught this great big fish right where we were, and she was off somewhere getting it off the hook or something. I pointed out how that was fine and all, but maybe you could have just asked us nicely to leave room for her instead of telling us we had to leave the banks of a public park that was otherwise unoccupied? His attitude and word choice made my wife pretty upset, so instead of fighting him for the bank (which seemed appropriate, given his middle school antics of "calling" the bank space), I decided we would go ahead and fish somewhere else.

During this whole time, there was no sign of his wife, until we picked up our stuff and left, at which time she released the apparently dead fish into the water. Must have taken her a long time to get the hook out, I guess. Maybe if she had done that where she caught it, instead of walking 40 feet away and leaving an open bank to confuse us with, the fish would have survived. It looked about a 6 to 8 lb drum.


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## postalhunter1 (Jun 5, 2010)

I am sorry that happened. I have been disrespected like this before also. Once while hunting in Wayne National Forest and the other at Nimisila Reservoir. It does leave a sour taste in your mouth, I know. I always try to give people the benefit of doubt. Maybe they really need the fish to eat? Maybe they have had a bad day today? Maybe they have just had to fight for everything in their life? Although it is getting harder to make excuses for other peoples rudeness.....


God, Family, Work, Hunting.....


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Walking away was prolly the right thing to do man...good call


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

E lin i've fished there never caught nothing


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

It takes a big man to walk away.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

this is just my opinion, and even tho it is very hard to do sometimes, but its always better to walk away from someone like that given the choice to do so. you just never know what kind of crazy you are talking to. and 20 or 30 yrs ago i didnt have near as much wisdom as i,ve gained as i,ve got older. you did the right thing.

i was up at berrien springs in michigan snagging for salmon. you had to wait for a spot to open to get a spot to fish. kinda like the island area on the maumee river during the walleye run. i got hung up and broke my hook off. for some reason i turned my back to where i was fishing and tied on another hook. i turned around and 2 guys had walked out a couple of feet past me and started fishing. i thought about just casting out past them and start jerking. but i decided a fishing spot just wasnt worth somebody getting hurt. and i wasnt worried about myself, as i was carring my desert eagle 41 magnum.

but i,ll admit the guy could have shown alittle more class about the way he saved his wifes fishing spot. but i believe you did the right thing. there is just to many places to fish to have to fight someone for that one little spot.
sherman


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## Matulemj (May 29, 2012)

You did the right thing. Just say your peace and walk away. Don't let it get physical. As a cop, I now realize it gets you no where, the winner of the fight is always the one to get stuck with the assault charge it seems like. 


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## inrll (Apr 6, 2012)

Way to go man, you did the right thing.
I had a very similar thing happen to me this spring with my wife and kids there. Even though I was shaking mad I was able to walk away to show my kids how situations like this should be handled.


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## Dandrews (Oct 10, 2010)

Even though you might have second guessed yourself, you did the right thing. You never know what kind of screwball youre going to run into out there.


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## E_Lin (Jun 30, 2011)

Yeah, I don't mind walking up on a spot and finding out someone was already there. I had no problem with walking away and going somewhere else. What really bothered me was the guy's attitude. I didn't think about it at the time, but when I pointed out his wife was not in the area, he actually asked me if I expected her to get the fish off the hook right where she caught it! I guess it was just such an absurd question I couldn't really process it at the time...

It just bothered me that we had to go somewhere else in limited time. My wife's legs are really getting bad, and she struggles just to get to where we are sometimes. I can get to anywhere just about to fish, but there are only a few places on the river she can get to physically. There was plenty of room for all of us to fish there, and that guy wanted the whole bank for his wife. That is what bothered me more than anything.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i think most of us know how you feel, and the reasons it upset you so bad. i always just say there is that 10% that just dont get it, and sometimes were the ones who has to pay for there stupidity.
sherman


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Sounds like you did the right thing, Im usually a real dick when it comes to stuff like that with me having to get the last word in...(Foot in mouth disease) and its gotten me into a lot of trouble over the years, LOL

One solution is to get a boat, would help with wifes legs and physical ability as well as it being easy to move somewhere else because even in a boat, if someone sees you catching, you can bet they will start coming a whole lot closer then youd like....

Salmonid


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

E_Lin said:


> Yeah, I don't mind walking up on a spot and finding out someone was already there. I had no problem with walking away and going somewhere else. What really bothered me was the guy's attitude. I didn't think about it at the time, but when I pointed out his wife was not in the area, he actually asked me if I expected her to get the fish off the hook right where she caught it! I guess it was just such an absurd question I couldn't really process it at the time...
> 
> It just bothered me that we had to go somewhere else in limited time. My wife's legs are really getting bad, and she struggles just to get to where we are sometimes. I can get to anywhere just about to fish, but there are only a few places on the river she can get to physically. There was plenty of room for all of us to fish there, and that guy wanted the whole bank for his wife. That is what bothered me more than anything.



i'm 5 mins away next time you head there shoot me a pm


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## zooks (Feb 4, 2011)

The credit is all yours. I grew up with the words "Discretion is the better part of Valor" thoroughly implanted in my brain by my parents. You were right. Rise above the situation - no need being a jerk like the other guy - and it just increases the tension. Taking the high road is always a winner. Hard to swallow, but much better for everyone in the long run.


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## leftfordead88 (Oct 22, 2007)

I would never take my wife fishing. 


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## monsterKAT11 (Jun 20, 2004)

Sounds like it would have done him good to walk away from that conversation with a few less teeth.


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## littleman (May 10, 2012)

I always take my wife fishing,night fishing if the fish isn't on the love is even on the boat thats why I married her she loves to fish go boating an camping my best friend an with benifits lol


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## sbluestubes (Jul 22, 2011)

The world is full of idiots. You and your' wife are decent friendly people and I look forward to running into you guys again.


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## E_Lin (Jun 30, 2011)

I appreciate the comments. The guy made me feel like I was in the wrong for even showing up to fish there, and part of me was wondering if I was overreacting. But even my wife asked me later if there wasn't supposed to be some kind of "code of ethics" among fisherman. I guess that stuff just happens. I just haven't run into it in a while.


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## E_Lin (Jun 30, 2011)

sbluestubes said:


> The world is full of idiots. You and your' wife are decent friendly people and I look forward to running into you guys again.


Was that you that day at Heritage with the camo hat?


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i would really love to see that guy and his wife on the maumee river for the walleye run,LOL. just thinking out loud. because there is not a foot of space between fisherman in places where the eyes are at. and usely everybody gets along just fine sharing the water.
sherman


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## PARK92 (Apr 21, 2012)

yea it would be funny to see someone down during the run to say "i was saving this spot". lol people would just laugh at this dude and start casting. anyhow sorry for your unfortunate night of fishing. the world is packed full of dumb asses


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

littleman said:


> I always take my wife fishing,night fishing if the fish isn't on the love is even on the boat thats why I married her she loves to fish go boating an camping my best friend an with benifits lol


I'm with you there brother!

Now I think we have to que the 



! 

"
And it dont matter if we sit forever
And the fish dont bite
Jump in the river and cool ourselves
from the heat of the night
Baby get ready

Ooo ooo ooo

You and me going fishin in the dark
Lying on our backs and counting the stars
Where the cool grass grows
Down by the river in the full moon light
Well be falling in love in the middle of the night"

Well, you get the idea!


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## littleman (May 10, 2012)

backlashed said:


> I'm with you there brother!
> 
> Now I think we have to que the 'Nitty Gritty Dirt band!
> 
> ...


Great song my friend got to love it after listening to that I'm ready to go fishing in the dark:F


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## sbluestubes (Jul 22, 2011)

Probably had my 1st Marine Division hat on had a blue tackle back pack on we talked for a couple of minutes about the Bass Pro lure you were using.


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