A Little Respect...

There are few things I enjoy as much as fishing.  (Sure, fatherhood and such, but when it comes to shear diversionary pleasures, bass fishing is top on my list.)  Earlier today, my buddy Tim and I hit the James River.  We had limited success, but success, nonetheless.

At the same time, the was an FLW tournament putting out of Osbourne Landing.  Now, I am all for tournament fishing and have even gotten to do some myself through the VA-East Fishers of Men division.  What sets the sport apart is that - usually - anglers are careful not to encroach on the fishing spots of other anglers.  Today was different.  When I caught a nice fish (would have been a keeper if I'd been fishing the tournament), an FLW boater and his partner pulled up within 10 yards of us and started pitching lures into the grass.  Tim and I moved on, disappointed to see such behavior in one of our peers.  Later on, we were sitting off a point hurling Alabama Rigs (just to say we had) and a couple of FLW guys leap-frogged us to fish the point we were on before we could get close into it.  Again, our disappointment was palpable.

In neither case did the offenders catch any fish while we were in sight of their boat.  (I don't believe in karma, but there's an argument in it for you if you do.)

Look, I understand being competitive, and I understand wanting the check that comes with placing at the top of the list; but, when you sacrifice respectful behavior in the name of success, you sully our sport.  That's not just true in fishing, it's true in everything.  Don't believe me?  How many parents expect their kids to say, "please," and, "thank you?"  Why is that?  Because it's manners, and manners lead to respect, and respect leads to doing what's right, period; not because you owe it to the other person, but because you owe it to yourself.

The wagon rolls on, thanks for riding shotgun...