Fishing Etiquette - one mans coarse fishing experience

This is a hilarious but sadly very real sounding story from Gary's excellent website www.floatsgone.btinternet.co.uk. He describes the kind of chap we have all met but wish we hadn't.

Angling like any other sport has its fair share of baddies. These are people that conduct themselves in such away that they become a pain in the backside. Maybe you've met them maybe not, but I'm sure that one day you will.

There you are one morning minding your own business. It's just come light, the mist is just rising off the surface of the water. The fish are biting. The scene is set for a fantastic mornings fishing. Then without warning he arrives. Have you caught owt yet mate he shouts from the opposite bank? Knowing straight away who he is you pretend you havent heard him.

I cant here you he replies I'll come round. Just as he arrives at your peg your float disappears. You've got a bite mate he says. No it's just drag you reply, as you don't want him to know that you're catching. With that your rod bends round. That's not drag he says. You've got no choice now you play and land the fish.

He's so impressed he decides he will fish on the peg next to you. The lid of his box opens, he turns the box upside down he empties the entire contents with a clatter all over the bank. He's not finished yet though. The next step is the groundbait. He's seen you catch a few fish now and he wants to catch as well. Out comes the biggest groundbait bowl you've seen in your life.

He mixes about 20lb of ground bait and then proceeds to throw it in. The theme tune for the Dam Busters now springs to mind. The ducks are so alarmed by what's happening they scatter right through your swim. The once calm water now resembles the North Sea on a windy day. Its not long though before the water calms down and you think you can now carry on enjoying your fishing. Not yet you can't. Have you seen this he shouts? He's holding a float that resembles a stick of Blackpool Rock. Made it myself he says, only took me two minutes. He casts out. The Dam Busters Theme tune starts again.

This heavily under shotted so-called float now sways from side to side in the breeze. He sits there for ten minutes without a bite and gets bored. To ease his boredom he turns on his radio full blast. After one hour he's still caught nothing. All the fish are in your swim he says. With this he casts his stick of Blackpool Rock next to your float. Very diplomatically you tell him there are probably just as many fish in his swim. You no after all the commotion this isn't true. He takes no notice another cast. This time he casts over your line. He makes it quite clear it is obviously your fault. The resulting tangle is so bad both lines have to be cut. You both tackle up again. He casts this time he gets caught in a tree. In his frustration he now starts shouting and pulls the rod sharply snapping his line leaving a baited hook in the tree ready for some unsuspecting bird to eat.