This is Fastwater's post from Ifish. Please allow me to start a river specific thread with your post here FW. Hopefully it will bring out info about spots like this, and help foster some solution suggestions. >>>

FASTWATER - Member # 896 posted 09-23-2001 09:46 PM

"Was at the combat zone [likely Blue Creek &/or Barrier Dam] fishing on the Cowlitz today and saw one heck of a fight, with lots of kids around. Just made me sick, after all that has happened lately you would think we would be able to settle our differences peacefully. Just disgusting!!!! PEACE, can't we all just get along?"
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Posts: 8 | From: shoreline, wash. | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged
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Reply: FW, that's particularly bothersome to hear about on the Cow where so many fish are returning to share! The same lead throwing and some fights are happening around the hatchery bank fishery above the 'meathole' boaters on the NF. One member here launched his driftboat (talked to me today by phone) just above the bank crowds via the north side launch area and tried to normally, properly, and rightfully row down the middle of casters on both banks of this huge wide hole. Some of the mentally challenged (politically correct for ****heads?) bankies started casting at his boat from both sides of the river. This is a smaller than average sized guy, which does make a difference to animals - both the semi-human type and actual 4 legged type. One guy's lead and line lands across his boat and he bites the guy's line off. The bank criminal then says that's going to earn the boater some more lead coming his way. The boater then, within his self defense and legal carrying rights, informed this lowlife that the lead from a gun will come back at a much faster velocity, which shut the stupid guy up. I detest the idea it may have to come to guns for self-defense if the lame states don't clue in! This aimed lead slinging also happened on Sat. the 16th to 2 small guys and a young woman in a sled that carefully motored up thru this huge piece of water, compelling them to speed away thru flying lead. (I heard that others have gone to the bank to take care of risky business). Shortly afterward I slowly motored up thru there with 6'5" Ramstrong and 6' 3" Rippenlips and tough looking Spooled, and nobody casted near 4 big guys; this just after it had happened to these smaller sledders before us. What does that tell you about these chicken **** punks? They pick on innocent smaller people - they are law breaking bullies.

It would be a different scenario if some unethical dumb **** anchored his boat right out in front of already fishing bank anglers. Then if they wouldn't move when properly asked to, I see justification in continued casting right into their lines until they leave. Also try calling in a gammie to wittness the anchor jerk.

What should be done about it? I believe there needs to be more state sponsored ettiquet education targeted at all fishers; boaters and bankies. And like for the snaggers and litter bugs, more enforcement to hand out harsh citations with large fines to offenders. There is certainly no shortage of dumb ***** that will be paying big fine funding for increased enforcement! What will it take to wake up the states?!? ...

RT

[ 09-24-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]

RT,
Most County Sheriff's Departments have a reserve program for people that want to volunteer some time to supplement the regular patrol deputies. In most cases they have to work 12 hours in a month. Has anybody approached either the Oregon or Washington Game Departments to see if such a program would work? The one drawback to such a program would be giving up valuable fishing time. The other problem is that even if the gammies have a reserve program, the training would probably take awhile and would not address the immediate problem at hand. Just thought I would throw this out and see what you think.

I don't know if the game dept.'s have such a program Tony. It sounds like a good idea, except for what you mentioned about training time. And likely getting enough willing qualified participants too. But I think it has potential. There are some guys in the know on here about such matters, and hopefully they will see this thread.

It seems to me that this kind of repeated problem occurs more often on Washington rivers. I don't know why that would be. Maybe because of the somewhat corraled and curtailed opportunity of Washington angling due to Indian river netting? ... Can you or someone up there ask the WDFW if they have such a program and let us know. While you are at it, ask them what they plan on doing about the fighting and snagging and littering that is happening for sure in such places as mentioned above.

Oregon does have some of this happening in isolated spots; again, seemingly to a lesser degree. Three that come to mind are around High Rocks on the lower Clackamas, the Willamette's Meldrun Bar bankies vs boaters (also near Oregon City), and at the 'launch hole' in Pacific City on north coastal Oregon's lower Nestucca River. Some real lowlifes there that do actually act like they own the rights to fish the public launch and river there, and reportedly gang up to try intimidating 'outsiders'!

RT

My sister and her boyfriend saw this going on on the Cow.It was at the mouth of the Toutle.The Riiver is wide enough for both groups to fish.But when snaggers are throwing 3-6 inches of lead Most of the way across the river it doesnt leave any romm for the boaters.I have posted about boater etiquette on this site before.My understanding is this boater was was well within what is proper etiquette.Lines got tangled and he cut them all,including his.Thats the spark that ignited the fire.Throw in 50 or 60 guys and they just feed 0ff each other.
We just need more enforcement on the river.Plain and simple.The game Dept knows all about whats going on down here,and have observed it in action.but as of yet have done nothing about it.
g

I was down on The Cow yesterday at the Toutle mouth. I was on the other side of the river from where this happened, but got to see the whole thing. The bank guy was out of control. He threw rocks at the boater and was challenging him to come on shore and fight. I think everyone within a half mile heard him. I know one guy on our side called the sherrif, or said he did, but never saw anyone show up

I hope the boater won???

Its to bad there are a few idiots on the river that ruin it for the rest of us...

Hmmm? Sounds like a good place for a practice Flotilla. Send the little guys down first followed by a posse of us larger guys. Geez I can see a bankie which I am getting a little nasty which I have when
a boat tries fish right on top of where we're casting to fish but pitchin lead at boaters politely passin thru is heinous!

Try to find a deputy sheriff or two(especially small ones as they can be particularly nasty) who would like a free day of boat fishin....might prove interesting.

Question? Is this year worse in regards to all this crap than previous years? I've experienced combat fishin in many places before but nothing like I've experienced and heard of this year. Peace.

Cove RV Park & Tackle Prostaff(1)
Always FishOn!
Gooose

I wonder how these gentlemen would react if in the midst of the lead flinging a video camera appeared followed closely by a phone call on the old cell phone to the Sheriff to report an assualt?

Hey_All you up for a boat ride???????

Fishhead5

Sounds good to me, How about this saturday?

I was on the Cow and saw or actually heard the same bull. What killed me is that the rock flinging, low I.Q.ed, intelligent rhetoric deprived, gluttenistic tendencied idiot backed up with being a biggot also had the nerve to call the boaters N****** , Rednecks , Country F**** etc.
He sure made a good example for my 12 year old boy and many other young people. All over what a hook some leader a cork and yarn oh I know what it must have been that covetted 1-2 once lead ball.
Hello, there fish not Gold nuggets the size of golf balls.
Clue for gorrilla bafoon If you are in that much desperation to hook a fish in the largest fishtank in the world maybe you should try another hobby or go back to Kennedy Creek and wait for the Chums because you have a Chum mentality!

Ive got a very very easy solution!...

End Terminal Fisheries!!!

The majority of fights and arguements take place in the vicinity of a terminal area.

Ending terminal fisheries will only move the chaos a little further down stream.Take a look at barrier dam. Or anywhere else they have a deadline.

And THAT is why I ALWAYS Carry a pistol when I fish the Cowlitz. That river is full of crazies. I'm not about to quit fishing, but there is no way I'll go down there without some kind of protection. I night fish a lot at Blue Creek and the Barrier Dam...... There are an awefull lot of Meth Heads down there at night and I for one just don't feel safe if I'm not packing. Just my .02.

wow!!!!! didnt you just up the anti!!! we were just throwing punches now we are throwing bullets.the last place we need a weapon is on the river fishing!!! in my opinion thats just stupid!!!!!!

Stoping terminal fisheries! Why? That gives these idiots a place to go! Do you think they have the scence to find there own hole?......NO Plus terminal fisheries are great places for everybody to catch fish. Wouldn't you miss reiter sparky! I enjoy several terminal fisheries including the mouth of the toutle which really isn't a terminal fishery. I own a boat so it wouldn't be the end of the world but I sure do enjoy driving to reiter and leaving in a few hours with a limit without the hassle of hiking or launching a boat. Just food for thought

I was on the other side of the river as well. This guy was totally out of his freakin mind!!! He was well beyond upset, he was borderline insane. One decent bankie did try to calm him down to no avail though. This guy hit his boat at least once with the half dozen or so rocks he chucked at the boat. I just couldnt believe that this guy would go to such great lengths over a 50 cent setup. THIS IS DEFINITE PROOF THAT IDIOTS SHOULDNT REPRODUCE!!!!

Oh, forgot the part about the solution. Remove people like this from the gene pool

In regards to the A-holes and question at hand. A-holes are evrywhere ignore them or go elsewhere. I always sneak into the woods and chill out, get into my fishin' mode, and block crap like that out. If its too much to handle and my trip to the woods just wont chill me out its time to somewhere else.