how to handle rude guide

[Justice League]

I got the chance on Saturday to sneak up to trout fish for the morning while my wife went shopping. The streams were very crowded but I was making the best of it. I had just gotten into a nice pool with about six or seven rainbows. When a guide came out of nowhere and started pushing his client into the pool I was in (just for info sake I fish in small streams near Ashville, NC). I gave them a look and the guide said something like you do not own this hole and began casting showing the client what to do. The client really looked like he did not know what he was doing and I do not blame him one bit for what was about to happen. Well the client who was about thirty feet behind me got off a good cast and the fly hooked the back of my vest. Well he just about jerked me down he pulled so hard. The guide started yelling at me saying that if I would just get out of their way this would not have happened. Well I waded over to shore and did not say a word grabbed a handfull of rocks and thre them into the pool and watch all the nice fat rainbows run out of the pool. I just smiled and waved as I walked away. My day was done I was so mad. On the ride home I really felt sorry for the client because this is what he thinks fly-fishing is. I know I did not handle the event the best. I also know that I deserve that beacause I was fishing on the holiday weekend and knew that all the idiots were out and every once a year trout fishermen would be out. How would everyone have handled this?


Thanks
Jason

my signiture does not work for holiday weekends

[J Castwell]

I have considered offering a 'small packet of gravel' for just such emergencies to those signing up for Friends of FAOL. Think I still might.
Problem? What problem?,,,

[modocdan]

Hey there Jason.
Well that just shows there are fools and knotheads out there. We gotta deal with'em, but we should never join 'em and be one. Hard as that is. I can't guarantee what I'd do in that spot, but I would cut the fellas leader, and get the fly outa my vest later. I would splach and stomp my way back to shore. I would walk away most likely, and give the "guide" a scowly look and shake my head. Then I'd probably walk off a ways , probably down to the next likely spot, sit down on a rock, breath in God's clean air, and cool off.
Then I'd probably tie on my new fly and start swingin' my flystick.............No use lettin a plain ol' idjit ruin my day fishin'..................................ModocDan

[raw69]

I have had a similar experience. Once the "guide" had wandered into the pool assuring that neither I nor his client would catch any fish, I packed up and started to leave. As I left the pool I turned to the client and said, "When your guide finishes teaching you how to cast, ask him about fishing etiquette. Although something tells me he doesn't know what I'm talking about." The client then apologized in a very kind manner. My reply was,"Maybe you need to give him a lesson."

My favorite response as I'm leaving is to say to the client,"Maybe you should find a guide that knows what he's doing, instead of one that has to steal spots from a rank amateur." That one usually gets a good sputter from the guide.

I fish for the love of it and usually just leave rather than ruin the karma of the day. It can be so hard to do. I know I'm just there for fun and the guide is there to make money, but these are public waters. It just doesn't cost much to be polite.

[ELKHUNTER]

Jason it happened to me and I responded pretty much the same way you did except I added a few choice words directed at the guide. I was steelhead fishing a local stream a few years back when a guide and his clients put their drift boat out in front of me like I wasn't there and started fishing right in front of me. I picked up several large rocks and threw them into the hole. This so called guide proceeded to start swearing at me until I told him that the next rock was due to come his way.

Rocky

[CRAPPIECAT]

Jason, and others,

This has never happened to me, at least not exactly. First I'm sorry, but, I think I would have handled it the exact same way as you did Jason. And raw, thanks for the tip about the guide knowing what he is doing.....I'll keep that in mind, if I ever have a need to use it!

[jeffnles1]

I've never had it with a guide but I have had it happen with other fishermen and hunters. Typically, I just walk away and forget about it. No need to let someone else ruin my day. My free time is far too precious to allow a jerk to take a single moment of it away from me.

Once, I did find a deer hunter sitting in my tree stand and the guy got prettty "mouthy" with me when challenged. He was in a stand with a loaded gun, I wasn't about to stand there and argue with him. I did, however, walk about 50 yards down the deer trail around a bend from where he was sitting and urinated in the middle of the deer trail. I knew the area and any deer heading his way would have walked right past the spot I "marked". His hunt was over before it began. (and yes, I did manage a deer that year on my alternate stand)

That's the only time I've ever done anything like that. I just don't like to mess up my own day.

Jeff

[jeff98390j]

Having guided myself in the past, the best thing you can do to "get back at em" is to make sure the client knows his guide is a rude A##HOLE. Clients do not usually tip A&&HOLES. Hit the guide where it hurts most, the pocket book! My old boss used to tell me that even if i am in the right, if the client thinks i am an A##HOLE, i wont get tipped, and i should move on and find a more peacefull location. No client likes to pay to be in a hostile environment. No client likes to pay to watch his guide get in a fight over a fishing hole. Most people avoid confrontational situations, let alone pay to have someone else get them into one.

I think you did the right thing. Rest assured that the guides client, whom the guide put into a situation to hook you with a fly, will not likely ever go out with that guide again.

Have fun, Jeff

[Jim Sentell]

Jason;

Ya done good....the reason we have ignorant SOB's in this, and other sports, and all endeavors for that matter, is that we "excuse" their behavior. This then gives them a pass to hone their ignorance and become even more obnoxious.

The only mistake I see you made was cut the line at the tippett; should have gone up about 3 feet on the line...see if this "guide" knows how to spool new line!

Keep up the good work. Jim

[racine]

That guide and client both owed you an apology. Short that I may have done the same thing but not after returning his rudenes and careless behaviour. I wouldn't be looking for a fight but unless it was private water that he owned personally, then you have the stream rights as a matter of courtesy. I'd ask for his company name, his name, etc... of him or his client and go from there. I'm not generally confrontational but it sounds like you got the last laugh.