Helping people out

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BJ Laster

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This past Sat. with about one and a half hours to fish we were making a move to flip some docks. On our way back we pasted another competitor with his motor up and using his trolling motor to get back. (this was a mini boat so we were in the skiff with the 9.9). We were about 1/2 mile from the launch site and my dad wanted to tow them back and help them out. I didn't agree but he just had to...so we tied them up and towed them in. what really ticked me off was when we got to the no wake area they said go ahead and drop us here and we'll use the trolling motor to get in but no no we had to take them to the dock.....using more time. we ended up just fishing a few docks in this cove.



In a tournament I would not expect to have anyone help me if i was broken down that close to the dock with a trolling motor. If we were just fun fishing then i would help them out for sure.



Whats your opinion on helping people during tourny hours



oh one more thing. in a big boat tournament i know if you are broken down you can catch a ride with another boat. i would have no prob with someone running back with me but not towing them back.



BJ
 
one more quick thing....in a Nascar race how many drivers stop competing to help a guy who blew his engine or something?
 
at nascar, there are _alot_ of people to help...



On the water, always stop to help, wether in a tourney or not...



The next person to need help might just be you...



It's a "karma" thing, trust me.



Or ask Harpo, he knows all about karma!
 
ALWAYS help. Even if it is just making a phone call. But I do see your point about a no wake area and a working trolling motor.



Mini
 
What do you mean I might be the next one to be towed in...my stuff is all good to go....



2000 Skiff

2001 trolling motor

1968 Johnson 9.9



heck that motor has a ton of life left in it. Actually i love that little motor even though every once in a while it gives a little trouble but never enough to not keep us from getting back in.



I can remember when i had my ranger, we were towed in a couple of times.....
 
I had a 2001 Triton, first season, had the cranking battery go dead 5 miles from the neareast marina... at midnite...



about 10 "tourney" boats passed us as we tried to troll back... wife holding a flashlight doing the best we could just to be seen... not a one offered to help...



Having equipment in good order does not mean you will not need help.



As long as I can be reasonably assured of our own safety, I will, at a minimum, offer aid to anyone that requires it.



Even if that minimum is a cell phone call to someone else.



Even if it means taking time away from my plans.



 
BJ, you might want to read the book, "Ethics of Helping Fellow Boaters While on the Water" written by Bill Barham.

;>))



Harpo
 
Same from me, BJ.

People are far more important than the tournament.







You once mentioned that your father was a Federal Marshall. There is a man I have got to admire for that one point alone..... He is willing to give up more than just a tournament for others..... He is willing to put his life on the line every day and, if necessary, give it for others.



Please, first chance you get, thank him for teaching you what is important and thank him for all of us for making our world safe!



God Bless you, BJ!

And God Bless your father!



me!
 
Help them out, is what I say, tourny or not, its the right thing to do. Your dad was correct.
 
LOL @ Harpo,



I'm sorry but that book is out of print:) I will send exerpts on request however:)

BJ, your Dad was right and is a good man.

Pat is right also.. I keep all of my lures happy and surround them with good karma..



Bill
 
You should always help out a fellow boater. Think about this BJ: I am diabetic. If I got caught out on the water without help just overnight, I could die without my medication. Now I might not, I would probably just be really sick for a few days, however, you never know who you are not helping, and what the consequences might be if you ignore their obvious need for help just to catch a couple more fish. Hope that puts it in perspective for you. Your dad is a good man, and he is trying to teach you to be one.
 
Like many younger people in the world, you are trying to justify your position, any way that you can.



When on the water, you simply help others that need help. Period. Being stranded on the water, is a whole lot different than one might expect. I've been there, on both ends of the tow line. Also been there when no help was available.



Next time you make a 20-25 mile run in a tourney, get someplace on the lake with poor or no cell service, and then find out you have lost your big motor . . . .



Tex
 
I agree with everyone else, if you can help a person in need on the water help them no matter if you are in a tourney or not it dosent matter.



Like Tex i have been on both ends of the line and its nice to get help when you need it. It amazes me how many people are unwilling to help someone out when they need it. I have towed anglers and non anglers back to safe dock during tourney hours many times. Yes i lost fishing time and i have even had to forfeit weight from being late because i toed someone in. In the end any fish i may have caught or money or points i might get in a tourney are of little signfigance compared to someones saftey.
 
Always stop and help a person in need on the water.



There is alot more to life than fishing and trying to win TX....and once you realize that you will be a lot happier and better person BJ.....all it will take is one time for you to get stranded somewhere and watch boat after boat pass you up because they didn't have the time to help and you will see what it feels like to be stranded....and totally dependent on the good will of others around you.
 
BJ, you gotta help and some day someone will return the favor for you.
 
Your old man did the right thing. Follow his lead.



Rich D
 
BJ, you might have gotten more support if you'd said it was a jet ski or something that was broken down :)
 
Oh yeah, for jet skis, all you need to do is toss them a pair of flippers and a rope!



Rich D
 
Good thing others posted first because I didn't want to be the mother hen again. Putting down others equipment, thinking yours will never fail and refusing to help someone in need is pure arrogance that will bite you in the behind in a big way one day.



Winning a tourney isn't everything, being a human being with good morals, ethics, and clear conscience is far more important and just as many others have said will take you further in life then one tourney. These things you will have plenty of opportunity to learn as you mature and experience more lessons in life.



Cass
 
Pat -



I'd give anything to know what sort of conversation you had with him.....



:)

me!
 
Two Thumbs Up, Pat!

I wouldn't have motioned him away from the rocks either.

Jack@$$ deserved it!
 
All this talk about helping people.....hmmmmm.....seems contradictory.
 
While I agree in principal, there is a larger concern here...



Could that be construed as "leaving the scene of an accident" ?? Could he, had he had the mindset to do so, gotten you into serious trouble for leaving??



You certainly didnt have to do anything more than call 911/marina to report someone needing a ride...



You could've then went on enjoying your fishing, throwing crankbaits at his feet!



While you were certainly under no obligation to wave him off, (he likely would've ignored your warnings anyway), it was his responsibility to know the potential dangers of his actions.
 
Teri, I guess you are right to some extent. I think I would have asked if he were all right. Even if it had been due to someone trying to harrass another person, I would have had to be sure there were no injuries..... Then drove away.



I've done it before..... A few years ago, driving down the highway right after a heavy rain in my Jeep, I watched as a VW weaved his way in and out of traffic with little or no regard for anyone's safety. Not far in front of me, he hit standing water, spun a few times and came to a halt in the muddy median. I pulled along next to him and rolled down my window to be sure he wasn't hurt. When he replied that he was ok, I simply said "Serves you right" and drove off.
 
Obvioulsy, he needed a lift to shore and safety. He was already there. And, per the information, didn't appear to be hurt.



Ain't nothing in any law about giving someone a lift.



You can leave the scene of an accident, that you were not involved in. You are not required to stay, just because you saw it. If you were involved, yes.



It was a one vehicle - one rock accident with no injuries.



Tex
 
My point about "leaving the scene of an accident"...



On the water, the rules are sometimes a bit different... If I can get the reg numbers of a boat, i can file a claim that there wake caused x damage(s)...



Point being, if you "stick around", you have a better chance of proving that you had nothing to do with the accident itself, and that you stayed long enough to ensure his safety.... plus it'll keep the jet skier a bit more honest.



He, the JetSkier, could just as easily have said that the bass boat "forced" him into the rocks by cutting him off on a turn.



Either way, all hypothetical, just trying to pose some additional thoughts... and in no way was I stating that Pat should have "helped" him, beyond the obvious check for safety and "maybe" making a call for them for assistance.



Case in point, this past weekend on our home lake, we overheard a boat asking other boaters if they had seen a jetski with 2 young ladys on it... they had been missing over an hour... imagine if these were your daughters/sisters/etc....of course, the boat they asked was full of "young punks"... They didn't even bother to ask us, the nice "fishing people"....



Oh well...

 
BJ that is the sorriest attitude I have ever heard when reading one of your posts....



Whenever you realize there is more to life than a 5 fish limit you will be alot better person.
 
Take it easy, BJ.....

No need to come off at Pat that way.....

And you know I'm saying this as a freind.....



Pat may not have been as gentle as some; he does tend to be quite direct. But he was giving you the feedback that you requested in the best way he could.



Try to take a look at someone's intentions..... Read between the words..... And even if you don't like what they have to say..... Actually, ESPECIALLY if you don't like what they have to say..... Try to get the true meaning and learn something from them.



Bottom line: He's right.
 
BJ,

Man, you need to chill dude. Reread your post and see how it comes across. I have been in the "competitive" business for most of my USMC career (shooting) and I am now starting in the TX fishing (Thanks KB) No matter how competitive the TX/shooting match, there is always time to help your fellow man.



Nuf said



AlWAYS STOP AND HELP.



Carlos
 
BJ-

I am not hogpiling here...but they are right.



Some day it WILL be me out there broke down,and I hope it's payback time from the many people that I have helped.



Steve
 
Bottom line is it shows that BJ still has a lot of growing up to do....he is still a boy.



 
BJ, WTF ! You're too young and too male to be that *****y. Leave that to me!
 
Bj-

Did the guys that you helped happen to beat you in the tournament?
 
I took Carlos advice and reread my post. I am completly embarressed that I posted it. I apologize for what I said to Pat.



Second of all I want to apologize to everyone for my attitude. This isn't me. I don't know what is going on. I haven't been myself lately.



Third I will be sure to help someone...i've had a real attitude to change after reading this and its due to the good people here at NTOWS. Thanks guys!!!



And bottom line I think JimBob is right....i still have a lot of growing up to do.



I'm sorry
 
BJ.....



It takes a VERY BIG MAN to apologize!

I'm proud of you!

(Your father would be, too!)



me!
 
NOW GO OUT THERE AND HELP SOMEBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!lol



cut the neighbors grass or something............
 
Steve--sry bout that..they've got 5 acres and we have 2.5 (its hard enough for me to keep up with mine)....maybe something else...lol
 
I only have a city lot and it's hard for me to keep up with.LOL
 
LOL @ Teri! I missed BJ's post but he has apologized and I give him kudo's for that. AND as Steve said, go cut someone's grass.. Mine is getting kind of long:)



Bill
 
BJ, the topic was a good one. You asked a question and you got the opinions.



I think a lot of the difference is the age of people here. Most of us remember when if you saw someone stuck on the side of the road, you pulled over and helped them start their car, change the tire, or give them a ride. There was a time you could pull over to help someone, not have to grab your gun out of the glove box, leave the cell phone with your wife and tell her "if anything happens, LEAVE and then call the cops". We remember those days. I'm afraid you never knew them.
 
Pat,



I was not, in any way, intending to "rip you" for your actions with the JetSki dude... In fact, I am sure I would've done the same thing...



I was simply using it as a segway for "more" discussion...



My apologies if you thought otherwise.
 
TOX has daughters, BJ.....

And he's too old to remember that far back for himself!



:)







(I should had oughta be careful..... I think I'm about ten years older than he is! 54! LOL!!)
 

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