Rock Fishing Etiquette..

[Hamuwaja]

Hey Guys, This is my first post, but i have been a follower of the site for at least 2-3 years now. and it has never steered me wrong. Anyway, i am 23, and my fishing buddy is about my age too, and we have both been fishing all our lives, On the northern beaches (growing up local) anyway....

When we go to the rocks, we once arriving, after checking all reports etc, will watch the surf from the carpark, then go to the rocks, and before walking out, we suss out, where is safe, where is not, and where others are fishing (so to steer clear) then proceed to an unmanned section of our spot.

Anyway, at Whale Beach the other day, and although this is not this first time, it is definately the worst....

There were a whole bunch of asain guys (and no i am not trying to be racist at all... i am an indian) with their families, (the waves being bloody huge and dangerous) perched all over the rocks... fair enough, they were there first, but it did seem dangerous when the kids were being hit by the washes on the big ledges they were on..... (to create a picture this was on the pool side of the rocks)

ANyway, we found a good spot, just off the first rock wall, where it was dry, and we proceeded to watch, setup, and check where we would be fishing etc. Anyway, First cast out, and we start hitting bites.... Within 5 minutes, 3 of the asian guys from other rocks, came and stood all over us...

I mean, me and my mate, were but 1 meter apart, and about 4 meters back from the edge, with our lines in the water..
out of no where, 2 of these guys, stand infront of us, between our lines and cast ..

THIS IS NOT ON!!!!

after re baiting out lines, there was no where safe to fish, as if a wave had come, it would be too overly crowded, and we would all probably get washed in..

WE LEFT !!!!! Went fishing on sunday to try to relax, and u go home more worked up and wound up then ever before...

I think the problem was, that me and my mate didn't want to be fighting on the rocks, and after these guys just ignored us just decided to be safe ..

And anyway, i bet you they didnt have a fishing liscence .. which we both have held sice we have needed to.

ANyway i am fuming, can someone tell me, is this right ??? how should we have handled this ???

this is a big problem, because i always get told about these situations on jetties, beaches etc, where you are ganged up on, and forced out by a group of asain guys...

HOW DO WE GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS????

WITHOUT RESULTING TO VIOLENCE...

AND WITHOUT LOSING OUT ON OUR RIGHTFUL SPOTS..???

[storms72]

Mate, its not isolated to any race in particular....Couple of easy ways to avoid this....

Ask em what theyre up to and tell em to nick off(swear if you like, I often do).
If this doesn't work hit-em in the head with your rods as you cast or start sending some lures out and tangle their lines on purpose then cut-em when you get their line in.....

Tell em to move as you don't want to put a hook in their cheek.

I find if I spread my gear around they stay clear at times but often have to resort to yelling at-em.

Theres no real pleasant or non-confrontational way to combat this situation so you either give em some stick or find another spot.

Good luck.
Jason

[Hamuwaja]

I do see what ur saying, but usually if its ppl who have lived here long enough, we have been brought up, and tought that its what u do.

we tried having words, they just ignored, and continued to talk to each other in their language.

yeah the swell was a bit big to be starting that kind of stuff, as i said .. but sheers for the tips...

i just think, there should be a rock fishing etiquette sign, at the start of the rocks... DO not cast within 10 meters of others???

[son of joe]

I carry a large fishing knife on my belt with a bait bucket.

If i get tangled due to crowding I cut their line off, then smile and wave at them with the knife in my hand. This usually works.

It gets very frustrating especially when live baiting and someone casts over you.

[Hamuwaja]

i like your idea...

Cheers son of Joe...


anyway, anyonw fishing this sunday around barren head look out for us and give a wave ...

[bustoff..]

mate i fully understand why your so frustrated...iv got a rule..ask them nicely to move and if they dont make em..i understand thats not what we wana do although sometimes u have no option..i would of flogged them and taken all there rods etc.theres only one way to deal with people like that.

[xtosea]

There is no nice way about it, tell them where to go! Obvisouly you kept your distance form the start, you were being polite, some people are just rude and arrogant and the only way to get thru to them is to be rude and arrogant back. I'm sure these people in particular would not have started anything. One must be careful in situations like these so as to not say the wrong thing to the wrong person.
I'll be honest like Jase, if it was me they would have received a mouthful! So colourful and so French!

Kamil

[Fish_man]

ohhh, im asian here tooo hahaha but serzly that does happen to me too wen i go with my mates, SOO ANNOYING!!!!!!!!! all they care about is catching fish and nothing else!!! i can see how u feel manz happens to me tOOO!!!

[fishinf]

thats terible i have never seen this proberly because i fish on my boat
but even at the boat ramps i find people very polite and helpfull
i think if that happened to me i would have told them to %$#@ off

[fishinf]

mate i fully understand why your so frustrated...iv got a rule..ask them nicely to move and if they dont make em..i understand thats not what we wana do although sometimes u have no option..i would of flogged them and taken all there rods etc.theres only one way to deal with people like that.

that a good way to get fishing gear :rolling laughter: :rolling laughter:

[omz]

mate the amount of times me my mate have fought on the rocks with ppl like that are too many , hes a pro kick boxer an mate iv seen some very nice action other than the fishing:headbang:

[fire4fx]

Hey Indians are Asian too lol. Anyway I see where you're comming from OP. Next time I'll spread my gear around between the 2 of you jk. It wasn't me, I haven't been out on the rocks since March.

A similar incident that did happen to a friend of mine was where these guys where catching salmon right near the rock ledge & instead of sharing the spot when they went to unhook the catch & bait up again the guy threw his line over my friends & my friend who's also a kick-boxer did piped up about it. Not like the guys were blind but I'm sure they saw his line in the water after they pulled their catch out. They did manage to catch about 5 or so in a short period so it's always good to share the space on rocks not just for fishing but also for safety.

In an old video I saw about rock-fishing, it does say that whoever has hooked up first with a catch has right of way no matter how much distance between anglers on rocks. It might take some room to bring the fish in so it is advise to give way to the first hook up, then to take turns to bring in the 2nd hook up. The fish will always be there & it's not worth spilling human blood over. I see where the Op is comming from & I'd prob have given the guys a warning by saying 'do you mind, unless you want to get your lines tangled'. Or otherwise prob burley up another spot nearby & surround your spot with your gear so they can't get near you.

As for their kids being near the water etc. That's just wrong. Keep the fisheries # on hand if you suspect they don't have a fishing license, prob a better way of getting anyone out there fined for not buying one in the first place then maybe they'll move on.

[beats]

QUOTE: from Storms, start sending some lures out and tangle their lines on purpose then cut-em when you get their line in.....


Thats what we used to do, take an old spining rod with a 1/2 oz slice on it & continually cast over their lines if they move in on a spot you made the early effort to get.
works well & if they blow up, then you just say well mate I had no drama's doing that before you turned up.

PS guys I totally understand what you are saying but please leave races out of your posts.

[bam]

The biggest blow up i have had has been with aussie lads who think they own the rock ya on.The rest are simple to deal with....Just like the boys said...keep casting lures or gang hooks over there gear,real it in and cut off all their gear and keep stocking ya tackle box with their tackle.Some visitors have some great gear i have gained in this fashion.Even better when ya spinnin for tailor n gettn a few.....The others on the rocks spot ya n start doin the same....Just wait for them to cast and cast straight over them ensuring ya line sinks a bit before retrieving to enable a clean hook up.....Presto wind in flat out and just as ya get a lil tension strike hard n fast which will make the other twit in ya road think he's hooked a cracker...just keep cranking and ya will get a new lure!!!!!I have enjoyed doin this numorous times before and works well as they soon leave or move back where they came from....Now with the aussie lads it came to blows with one of them....Noth'n to serious but a good go on the rocks any ways....End result was me and two of them in the piss amongst a fairly calm 1 metre swell....Well thats when the fun started as one of em couldnt swim real good and had to be helped the 100 metres to the exit point of the ledge.....Needless to say they packed up and left while i dried off and kept fish'n....It done the job as i sawe the same group other times and they kept there distance and were respectful.....Its a shame a word in ones ear doesnt do the trick anymore.....

[imnotafish]

maybe we should create and enforce some sensible rules - Surfers have managed to get the dont drop in sitch pretty covered - gotta start somewhere.....

[storms72]

Yeah Stef, simple rules:

1 if someone is there first and you don't bother to ask if you can fish near them and find out where it's ok to cast out Do a "BAM" on em!:rolling laughter:

2 Bring down the stereo and Bob Marley CD's and pass the Jamaican spirit around.:cool-smiley:

I'v had quite a few people ask and I don't mind where they fish, so long as I don't have my set lines getting tangled up every 5 mins.
Up Terrigal we used to fish shoulder to shoulder for Makerel with minimal hassle cause we all knew what we were doing.