I pulled the topic because folks were miss-quoting, making up quotes, making groundless accusations and basically lying, fighting, being disruptive and trying to instigate something. Anyone offended by this please leave.
JC,
Sorry you had to pull the post. I understood where you were coming from with the post. Some just do not understand the memories and good times you use to have on that river and then when you get a chance to go back to it and see how it is being used now, is very hard to take and understand. Oh, well, I understood and I figured it would be taken wrong when you first posted the story. I guess I was hoping others would understand where you were coming from.
Sorry it worked out the way it did.
I pulled the topic because folks were miss-quoting, making up quotes, making groundless accusations and basically lying, fighting, being disruptive and trying to instigate something. Anyone offended by this please leave.
What a description! Are you sure you didn’t blow that way out of proportion? That sounds like an aweful lot of things that folks did wrong…hardly ever does anybody see that over here.
Hopefully I didn’t mis-quote you,
Spud
Unfortunately, it’s the same story on just about any navigable stream that doesn’t require a hike-in. Small craft on small waters, motorboats and jet-ski’s on the larger ones. After all that churning and burning, any self-respecting trout wouldn’t show its dorsal until well after dark. Charging use fees for small motorless craft might cut down on it some, but I’m certain wouldn’t return the streams to what we remembered. Us old duffers can’t do the hike-ins like we used to, so it narrows things down some. I’ve been spending more and more time in the pontoon, on lakes and ponds than I used to. Fortunately, when the weather cools in the fall, the bikini and aluminum hatch falls off abruptly, and the fish start looking up again. All’s once again right with the world.
Although nobody loves a conflict/fight more than me; all them floating things is another reason I call small streams home.
Bikini hatch…hmmm…do they shed those exoskeletons when they emerge?
Bamboozle, as interesting as the bikini hatch might seem to us true nature lovers, it is all too often accompanied by the pestiferous “inner tube in a Speedo” hatch; which is worse than Canadian mosquitos for causing alimentary distress.
regards,
Ed
I always miss the fun! Lol!
Gee Jim… what if everyone leaves?
I certainly sympathize/empathise, but for me “little brooks” have provided a great relief. And they’re much easier to wade :-)! Even tiny brookies are beautiful. That’s why God made 2 wts.
Bill
I left the Fish-in on Friday partly because I knew what I was in for on the weekend. I fished the Muskegon River at Croton dam a few years ago. By noon on Saturday the party flotillas were coming down to the point it was absolutely dangerous to be in the river at all. I’m amazed that more kids aren’t drowning every year up at Grayling. I saw very few life jackets, even on little tiny kids. We’ve got some of the same thing on our Mad river here in Ohio, but the vast majority of the boaters are respectful of the fly fishermen. Sadly, there are always a small number of people tanked, or people who have never been in a canoe and can’t steer the thing at all. I think you should at least have to take a course or something before you man the paddles.
Eric
I don’t think we’ve ever had a problem here in Ga. On the rivers and lakes, we give waders a wide-berth and try not to disturb them.
Now on white-water, that’s a different story, but you couldn’t wade or fish the waters that we shoot (Class V+ rapids). We shout, scream (and sometimes pray), but we have to, to hear each other over the water noise.
Of course, that’s just the ones I know personally. I guess I can’t vouch for others I haven’t seen. I haven’t heard anyone complain here. There ought to be enough room for everyone.
As far as being tanked up, that doesn’t happen very often here. If you are caught in a water-craft with alcohol, or in an apparent inebriated state (yes, they will breathylize you on the spot), it’s an automatic DUI, just like if you were in a car. And they don’t care if you were in a jet-ski, sailboat, canoe, kayak, or even a float-tube. They deal with DUIs rather harshly in this state. You’ll be doing a lot of walking for a while…after you finally get out of jail, that is!
Semper Fi!
I am primarily a canoer, and that is my main fishing craft. Most of what people run into are ignorant weekend warriors. They just don’t have a clue, then again some folks are just plain jack!@#es. When I am paddling down a river or narrow bayou and come upon somebody fishing, I always make verbal contact and then ask which side I should pass on, then I move on by as quitely as possible and then ask how the fishing is. I have never had a bad experience in doing this, and I live in Texas, and believe me we have our share of abrasive personalities. A little common courtesy goes a long way, it is common sense and just plain nice to do so. I don’t understand why more folks don’t it. I have got to to know a lot of really nice folks just by being considerate.
I have also had a bunch of kayakers paddle right in front of where I was fishing, again most are just ignorant about fishing and don’t see the problem of paddling by. I have kindly mentioned that it is a good idea to a fisherman a wid berth when paddling by, the next fisherman may not be as nice as me.
Now don’t get me started on jetskis!
Seems like its the same everywhere, but isnt the best fishing in the morning and evening in the summer? I used to fish the battenkill in New York quite often in the summer. I fished the morning, when the chumslick got thick I took a nap on the stream bank. Started to fish again when the spinners started to dance. Its all about sharing, well thats what my kindergarden teacher said.
I guess I just can’t see the distinction between canoes flying down through with a bunch of idiots in them or kayaks flying down through with a bunch of idiots in them. A canoe passing through close to me going noisily by would make me just as mad as a few kayaks going noisily by. Either way, the fish are put down.
I’m with you JC!
There is a river near where I live that I used to enjoy when I was younger. I can’t take my kids there now because the drunken,lascivious behaviour of the new patrons of that place are beyond the pale and I don’t want my kids subjected to it.
It’s sad and disgusting.
I can’t say for sure, but I think most states now have statutes against boating while drinking and public intoxication. If people are acting up, then call Law Enforcement and have them removed. After all, you are in the right. I wouldn’t let them have my piece of the outdoors. It could be a good lesson to your children as well. Let them see what happens to people when they act stupid.
Just a thought. Good Luck.
Semper Fi,
Gig
I think I see what JC’s getting at now. He said it was aesthetics (he probably spelled it better than I am). Aluminum canoes just aren’t as offensive to his eyes as those tupperware kayaks are. I said tupperware, not him. Maybe he’s serious… I don’t know. But you guys are definitely overthinking this whole thing. His article cracked me up. One of my favorites.
Paddle on!
Diane
Well since Diane said it first I will join in now. I thought the article was humorous also with a note of the serious. I also like the tupperware part of your post Diane. Could’nt have said it better.
Some of you guys ought to come up to the Skagit when the eagles are here. Now I ain’t got anything against eagles but if you’ve seen one you have pretty much seen 'em all and all they do is sit up in the trees waiting for something dead to float by in the river. Anyways, every manner of floating craft out there can be found on the river with its pilot gawking at the eagles. They really hate those of us that use jets to get around. Of course a lot of the other fishermen do to. I guess we all **** each other off.
Well, remember… I wasn’t squakin’ about people or behavior, just seeing ‘eskimo’ boatlets bobbin’ about on MY DARN RIVER!
I can sympathize, JC…but unfortunately, we all know you do not own the river. 