I was wandering back to one of my "secret" holes, one I’d discovered as a teenager and had never, ever seen another angler or trace of another human at since the early 1980s. Posted on 09/23/2019 5:16:40 AM PDT by w1n1
I was wandering back to one of my "secret" holes, one I’d discovered as a teenager and had never, ever seen another angler or trace of another human at since the early 1980s.
I was 20 minutes into the usual 30-minute hike on animal trails when a person appeared from nowhere. I literally almost jumped out of my waders.
The dude, who looked strung out and definitely not a fellow fisherman, asked, "Hey, you got some smokes?"
"Nope, I don't smoke," I said.
"Do you have any money?"
"Nope, I'm fishing."
"I need some money!"
"Sorry, I can't help you."
"Dude, you don’t understand, I need money."
"Sorry, can't help you,” I said, and walked by him.
Was I scared? Yes, sh*tless!
I reached my fishing hole but couldn't get the thought that he was stalking me out of my mind, or that I would meet up with him again on the way back to my vehicle. Neither scenario materialized, but afterwards I drove straight to a gun shop and purchased my first self-defense weapon. Now, if I’d been packing and ran into the guy, would I have drawn my weapon? No – I did not feel my life was threatened.
Would I have felt more comfortable? Hell, yes! Should my life have become threatened, I would have had the tools and knowledge available to use them. From that point on I realized that the outdoors aren’t just filled with friendly fellow anglers and hunters.
Here's another one - Once, while on the Calawah River in Forks, I’d been fishing with a buddy and we decided to split up. I fished from the mouth up, while he went from the ponds down. Only about a quarter mile up the river I watched two anglers drift fishing a hole. To me, the hole was meant for a float and jig. I watched and conversed with the pair for about 10 minutes, then decided to ask if I could throw my float out.
First cast and it was “Fish on!” The dude who had been fishing the hardest was pissed off, to say the least.
"WTF … You SOB, come into my hole and steal my fish! I oughta kick your ass!"
Not wanting to cause any problems, I told the guy to take my rod. "Here, you reel it in," I said. The guy was furious, though his buddy was cracking up, saying, "Dude, you got freaking schooled!" Read the rest of armed while fishing.
This might explain all those tragic boating accidents.
If I am not armed, there is a reason, and usually quite a bit of thought behind it.
Yes, armed. Not so much for nutcases but critters. Have had snakes try to get in the boat, and down here in Florida, BIG critters.
Happened to me several years back. We had a honey hole tucked away in the middle of Virginia Beach which I was sure no other human knew about. Been there dozens of times and never saw anyone. Last time I went I literally walked into a squat and the two dudes there were not happy to see me. I got out of there quick like and never went back.
Should you? Just watch the movie “Deliverance.”
I believe it’s better to always have a popgun on your person when you’re out fishing. For rabid critters both two and four legged.
Yes, always. I am very glad I had it when several months ago when I was fishing in a fairly secluded area with my family (young kids and wife) and we apparently crashed an early Sunday morning dope deal.
Three people with a large dog show up and five mins later super sketchy guy cruises his boat into the inlet we are fishing. jumps out with his large dog, and meets up with the 3 people. The dogs get into a fight. POS on the shore starts severely beating his dog. I tell him to stop. He tells me to F off. I am with 3 small children. He, the boat driver (dope dealer)
And the other two get hyper aggressive towards us. I instruct the wife to retreat with the kids back as far as possible. They start aggressively approaching from 30 meters out. I drop all my fishing gear and let them know any assault will be met with deadly force. I am not brandishing but now in my shooting posture. I live in a state where f’ing with people will easily get you shot. They got the picture, stopped, Remained extremely mouthy and left the scene. We packed up and left and have never returned.
I used to carry a .357 in a Tupperware in the center console. Of course, that was in the Gulf of Panama where there were actual pirates.
What’s a squat?
There's at least a fifty percent chance that this is just a totally made up bullshit story that someone pulled out of their ass just like Joe Biden.
Oh wait. This is ASJ again... One could reasonably conclude that the chances of that are just a bit higher.
My wife asks...”Why carry a gun everywhere?” My reply...”Honey, if you could predict the exact moment I’d need it, I’ll leave it home until that particular moment.”
Yes
Always, but it was mostly for critters (river rats and snakes). Never had a need to defend against the two legged variety but that was long ago in NW NJ. Carried a six shooter with first two cylinders loaded with shot shells.
If I were fishing today, would not hesitate to have a semi, with JHPs. If in a boat, an AR.
I am always armed. I practice with my daily carry and home defense weapons at least twice a month. All of my weapons are clean, well maintained and loaded with reliable, no-nonsense defense ammunition.
Never is it my intention to be a hero. But I will not be a victim.
Physically I am about as average as can be. And I’m getting older and slower. Generally I strive to be cheerful, kind, and helpful to everyone I meet.
But don’t try to harm me or mine. You’ll get stung badly and possibly will not survive the encounter.
Also...”He recommended I contact the guys at gunfightersinc.com, as they have the perfect solution while wearing waders.”
Good luck with contacting gunfightersinc.com. I submitted a request thru their web contact page asking if they produced holsters for two particular guns. Never heard from them.
Think makeshift camp.
I replied "I do on Sunday but right now I'm fishing." And I turned back to the lake as he walked away.
I was so relieved but it then occurred to me how alone a sport fisherman in the forest can be. It might safer to be armed while fishing in todays world.
” this is just a totally made up bullshit story that someone pulled out of their....”
Isn’t all journalism nowadays?
Which is why the comments are more valuable than the article. They contain actual circumstances similar to what is described in the article.
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