# Issue with swimmers



## RichLou (Jun 10, 2015)

So last night I head down to Atlantic Beach around 630PM with my family with rods in tow for some sea mullet. I pick a spot with no one swimming withing 30 yards or so on either side of me. After watching the water for 15 minutes an no one entering I rig up with a 2 oz pyramid on a hi/lo baited with fleas. Didn't even get my rod in the holder and I hook up with a nice 17 inch mullett. People come over immediately and start asking what is it, what am I using and just the typical "wow factor" that there are fish where they were swimming earlier. About 5 minutes later 3 grown men begin swimming directly in front of where I have my 2 lines and if you know how to fish for pan fish I'm only just out past the first breaker. I start asking these guys to move and they did. Then they did it again. Now I am not stupid and know the current pulls people as I swim too but by the 5th time and your stuff is 30+ yards down the beach and you start waving and smiling at me I have an issue. I start yelling at these guys to move and they dont. Now down here we are close to a Marine Corps Air Station and they are always on the beach drinking. There was about 15 guys and gals together not affiliated with the swimmers and 2 of them get into my face telling me I don't belong there and it's a swimming beach not a fishing beach blah blah blah. I informed them.its a public beach and I picked this spot because there were no swimmers. They continue literally in my face. I also informed them it's illegal to harass fisherman in NC and he dared me to call the police. I said I was happy to oblige him but when in went to my wife's beach bag my phone was in the truck and she had hers. We'll they call before I could and 2 minutes later 2 rangers come running down the beach yelling at me to "bring them.in" which they already were for a bait change. Ranger gives time the talk saying someone called and complained and said they're wasn't even any fish there that I should move down the beach. I immediately pull out the 17 inch mullet and he goes "oh" I tell him my side and we shot the bull for a few minutes and he told me a spot he normally fishes and I should try there next time too. He was petting my dog the entire time and totally deesculated things with me. Then asks who got in my face and I told him. Says to me don't worry about it I'll deal with them. Ranger goes over and in a minute the gang was packing up and leaving. My wife was up the beach and she heard the ranger tell them it was better if they just leave. I asked if I was in the wrong or breaking the law and the Ranger just asked me to be curteous of swimmers and I ofcourse said in was happy to oblige. The Marines told him there were kids swimming where I was casting which was untrue. I also said to the Ranger if there were kids swimming in the trough at 7PM with all the shark bites going on right now I think we have a greater issue with parents not watching their kids than me fiahing and he laughed and agreed.


----------



## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

Yeah, a lot of people are misinformed and plain scared. So irrational behavior from them is going to be the norm. I reckon I will try to work with them as best I can. Piping Plover and sharks. darn fisherman are just a hazard. But We do need public opinion on our side. Not an easy thing with so much bull shi# being thrown out for public consumption.


----------



## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

Good on you for standing you're ground, but "f" arguing with a group especially a drunk group. Ain't cell phones great.


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

Next time people start swimming near where you're fishing, ask them if they've "seen the Bull Shark that has been cruising the area for the last couple of hours" !!!


----------



## jryock (Jul 6, 2015)

The "wasn't any fish there" statement is hilarious. I was not aware that the fish decided to stay in the government designated fish swimming areas of the Atlantic seaboard.

Mobile phones are great. Take a picture of your open spot before and/or just after you set up. Now you have a nice picture of a fishing setup with no swimmers and has a time stamp (and most likely geotagged). A picture is worth a thousand words; and it is a great reminder of some time spent fishing.


----------



## RichLou (Jun 10, 2015)

Benji said:


> Good on you for standing you're ground, but "f" arguing with a group especially a drunk group. Ain't cell phones great.


I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong so screw the d bags.


----------



## RichLou (Jun 10, 2015)

ez2cdave said:


> Next time people start swimming near where you're fishing, ask them if they've "seen the Bull Shark that has been cruising the area for the last couple of hours" !!!


That's kinda funny lol


----------



## RichLou (Jun 10, 2015)

jryock said:


> The "wasn't any fish there" statement is hilarious. I was not aware that the fish decided to stay in the government designated fish swimming areas of the Atlantic seaboard.
> 
> Mobile phones are great. Take a picture of your open spot before and/or just after you set up. Now you have a nice picture of a fishing setup with no swimmers and has a time stamp (and most likely geotagged). A picture is worth a thousand words; and it is a great reminder of some time spent fishing.


That's a great idea. I hadn't thought about that but sure as heck will in the future and or record the drunk ass in my face.


----------



## DANtheJDMan (Aug 29, 2012)

Hey man give those air wingers a break. 

I was one of those guys 30 years ago. 

We always had problems with the "Grunts" from Camp LeJeune wanting to fight about anything. 

Thank God there were no cell phones back then. I would not like to explain those pictures to my wife. 


No body should have been swimming that late anyway. 

If they were wingers they are just pogeys anyway.


----------



## RichLou (Jun 10, 2015)

I wasn't too worried about a couple of guys who probably work on a flight line and that's what I told the ranger with all the shark bites going on I sure as heck would not be swimming around at "dinner time"!


----------



## js1172 (Jun 5, 2012)

couple years ago I was fishing late September, just north of the frisco pier, had 2 guys, one 50 yards on either side of me fishing, surf was calm I had my kayak, I aske the guy to my right if he would mind if I ran a shark bait out, heck no, he said would like to see how ya do it, the guy to my left was a local he said help yourself, so I gathered my gear, showed the guy to my right what I used, how I rigged it, let him tend the reel as I took the bait out.
I just got back in after being dumped in the wash after deployment, looked 100 yards south of the pier and saw a guy in a wetsuit on a mission heading my way.
"Yo! dewed, are you shark fishing?"
"I put a bait out if one bites I'll reel him in"
"you can't be doing that, this beach is for swimming and surfing" he said as he was standing in the shadow of a pier built in 1962
"This is a public beach, I have a lisence, I am legally fishing"
"well I work on a dive boat and sharks don't concern me any, but you shouldn't be shark fishing when we are surfing"
"they concern you enough, that you walked 300 yards to harass me which is against the law"
someone nudged my back, I turned around, it was the local, 
he said, "you can't reason or talk to these kinds of people"
what do I do?
his reply "hit him with this" as he handed me a 4# deadblow he used to drive his spikes in with.
surfer dude ran back down the beach!
RR


----------



## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

Ya know, sometimes it's just better to pack your chit up and move. Of course you won't have any cool stories to tell, but then again you might actually get to fish in peace...


----------



## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

ChesBay Jay said:


> Ya know, sometimes it's just better to pack your chit up and move. Of course you won't have any cool stories to tell, but then again you might actually get to fish in peace...


In the summer time it is best to fish at dawn, no swimmers and no alcohol affecting tourists judgement.


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

Just ask them if they've "seen the 10ft Bull Shark that has been cruising the area for the last couple of hours" !!!


----------



## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

LOL,

Nothing plants a little doubt and fear in the mind like a 10ft Bull Shark


----------



## LEADDRAFT (Oct 9, 2001)

Not Necessarily True, As the Groggy, (still drunk) Half NAKED, No TOP... Woman about 45 years old, said; waking up on the Beach around 6:30 AM passed out from the night before..  (No it wasn't a Mermaid type either)...


----------



## marv1234 (Nov 10, 2014)

Last Saturday a bunch of kids decided to swim next to the virginia beach fishing pier and a couple of them got hooked in the leg and arm. Lifeguard had to pull them out one of them was crying. So some swimmers are just being dumb.


----------



## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

Like I've been saying for a few years now.... common sense isn't very "common" anymore.


----------



## StriperSlayerG1 (Jul 1, 2013)

Ive come to realize fishing Atlantic beach is best when you get up real early and noone is on the beach or at night depending on what you wanna catch. I think i went last year around July and I had at least 10 people walk right into my lines while staring at my fishing rods in their holders.


----------

