# Killer Fishermen!



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Just been out for what will probably be my last Kayak paddle in the sea at least this year around Bridlington Bay and it was nearly my last ever. To get from the north beach to the south you have to go around the large harbour. There were a handful of fishermen on the harbour wall so I gave them a bit of a wide berth (60-80 yards or so) so there was no chance of me catching one of their lines. I knew no more until all of a sudden one of those huge weights they use to get the line out landed within inches of the boat. To say I was angry was an understatement. I didnt hold back and gave them (I wasnt entirely sure which one it was) a piece of my mind. It was then I realised (I think) that it was deliberate. No apologies, just defiant stances and looks although it was hard to tell at that distance but Im pretty sure it was deliberate.

If I could have found a way to get out of the bloody boat and get to them at that moment I would have. I was so livid I called the harbour control but they were useless and didnt want to know so on landing I called the Police. (None emergency number) They were quite understanding but weren't really interested. Still angry I suggested that if it had been someone firing a 12 bore at me at that range (less deadly) would they be more interested in following it up?

Without doubt if it had hit me on the head they would have been involved as the RNLI Would have been dragging my body out of the bay.

Im still fuming now two hours later.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Obviously they thought it was not a wide enough one then. Get your pipe out and offer to smoke the pipe of peace man.>

cabby


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

cabby said:


> Obviously they thought it was not a wide enough one then. Get your pipe out and offer to smoke the pipe of peace man.>
> 
> cabby


Maybe, but that's no justification for almost killing him. :serious:

Chris


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Maybe they were members on here that were not remainers.:grin2::grin2::grin2:

cabby


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Not a wide enough what? Gap? I used to go shooting. If a rambler appeared and walked across the shoot would it have been ok for me to still try and shoot the rabbit in front of him with probably less deadly force?


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

No comparison to shooting.don't know why you are bringing that into it.They thought you were you close and upsetting their fishing. Completely wrong of them and to be honest I think if I was your age would have had a go at them if no other way worked. Have a beer and cheese sandwich you will feel better then.Or if you were like me you might have bought a couple of Chinese crackers and thrown them behind those fishermen.

cabby


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

Bloody amateurs, another £25 wasted, the Fruitcakes Emergency Fund will be in deficit at this rate. First that stupid seal failed to deliver despite the two tons of fish we had to feed it and now this. Those bloody donkeys a Flamborough were pretty useless and only managed to kill the fridge vent and have now done a runner. 

Once we have figgered out how to mount a model tank under one of Tuggers model planes then things will be on the up.


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

It's that turquoise kayak, Bazza, you have to admit it is a bit of an assault on the eyeballs. That's why I just use mine to sit and watch the telly, I daren't take it out in public. Save yours for Arran next year, there'll be no-one around to upset.>

OK, that's got the pi$$take out of the way.

I quite understand your anger, someone effectively attempted to assault you, but 60-80 yards is nowt to a decent fisherman casting a bottom lead. He should have waited till you were out of the way, though. Were you just footling about and being Bazza? Shame you couldn't identify him. I bet he'll be there next Sunday, but I think you said you're heading home this week.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Well it does seem odd that just five minutes earlier I texted tuggers and told him what I was doing and where I was and then there was an attempt on my life. 

You are right cabby there is no comparison as a 12 bore at that range would be far less deadly and almost unaffective but I assume you think the opposite.

The line I was on is just about where the Harbour pleasure ride speedboat comes past along with the pirate ship pleasure ride every 7 minutes. I wonder if they fire lethal missiles at them.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

This type of occurrence is not unusual. The animosity of fishermen towards canoeists is well known. The sea is not too bad because you can usually see the fisherman and give him a good berth to minimise annoying him. River trips are an entirely different scenario. Often you cannot see a fisherman because he is camouflaged and hidden from sight amongst the trees and bushes etc on the bank. Evasive action can be more difficult given the short notice. Canoeing on moving water (flowing river) can be more difficult as the rate and direction of flow together with avoidance with rocks etc reduce the options open to the canoeist. Navigating fast flowing water can be like driving in that you need to read the river ahead and work out the series of course alterations to best and sometimes safely paddle.

Curiously in my work as an outdoor instructor using rafted canoes with noisy kids splashing along we used to be as courteous as possible to the anglers on the bank, we were told more than once by pike fishermen that our passing by helped them as we had disturbed the water to their advantage. However I have been verbally abused, stoned and snowballed at various times in the past.

Davy


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

You tangle (geddit?) with fishermen at your peril, they're a right bolshie lot.


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## p-c (Oct 27, 2007)

Hi

Davy is right. I have often seen fishermen catch fish just after we, often with a large group of yougsters, have passed.

Regards.

p-c


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

So you think the Fisherman were annoyed that I was in their bit of North sea then? It was a territorial attack? Do inflatIble kayaks scare the none existent fish more than the coming and going of a 40ft 600hp monster powerboat, a humongous chugging pirate boat and and anything else that ploughs its way out of the Harbour? In all the years I've visited North sea harbours, piers and see fronts I don't honestly think I have ever seen any of these idiots ever catch anything. Pneumonia maybe.

I noticed there is an old cannon on the harbour wall pointing out to sea, I'm surprised they haven't reactivated that to add to their arsenel of fish bothering weaponry. 

Actually its a good idea, maybe I should have a Gatling gun mounted to the bows,


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

To my knowledge of projectile hurling machines, the Gatling gun does have a better range than the 12 bore, but does have the odious reputation of jamming when least wanted.Mind you get the guitar out and get together for a session.>>

cabby

Oh yes thank you for the poor attempted put down.:surprise:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

No put down Cabby just facts.

Anyway I had a walk along the harbour wall just now before it got dark. Worra surly bunch. They were even chuntering at passers by who were our for a stroll. They had a go at lobbing their deadly weights at a passing Yacht which luckily was just out of range. Unfortunately I have no idea if it was the same bunch of sad little men from earlier so I retired to the pub to celebrate not being dead.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Barry is right 

Regardless of where he was his life should not have been put at risk

The sea is a free zone

He has as much right to paddle there as they have to fish

But I wonder if they actually thought he was beyond the cast

As in fact he was but not by sufficient margins it seems

We often make mistakes about others motives 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I keep tellin ya to go `ome, now yer life´s in danger take the tip and clear orf `ome


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

As a sometimes fisherman you did the cardinal sin of daring to kayak within 200 mtrs of our casting strength which is where the fish are.
Next time can you kayak at least 1 mile out to avoid the wrath of us beach fishermen, after all this is our providence and we will defend it whichever it takes.

And come Brexit you will be subject to Kayaking at least 100 miles away from any British shores to avoid any confrontation with us leavers.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I bloody knew it!!! It's a flipping Brexit hit squad. It makes sense now. Jan's tip makes sense as well. I must be like Osama Bin Laden now who as we know had to move around secretly to avoid the U.S. hit squads or drones catching up with him. 

I've been too vocal about my whereabouts on here and other forums and have been here weeks. I let tuggers know my position just before the attack as well. All those jibes, anti Brexit videos and songs, mocking and Pish taking threads have clearly made me a marked man. 

They looked like Brexiteers as well. Some had George cross towels to handle the non existent fish and tattoos spelt incorrectly etc.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Calm down Barry 

They missed

Non of us have clue were you are

Except maybe Tuggy, he would sort out the absolute position 

But I don't rate him as a fisherman 

I rate him highly on most things though 

But not on everything 

What Ho my lovely 

Sandra


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I wouldn't care but I used to do a lot of fishing years ago you know! Proper fishing though on the upper Wear, Scottish rivers or Ireland for the May Fly not this anti social nonsense


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have had similar problems when canoeing on the Exe or the Exeter Ship Canal with groups of youngsters; the anglers hide in the reeds at the side and then get really arsey when canoeists happen to go past - you cannot see their lines from more than about 50 cm and the floats they use look like odd bits of flotsam on the water surface.

Only once have I had a "discussion" with them - when they deliberately cast with one of their carbon fibre rods right across the canal as the group was passing, neatly (!) dropping the line over two canoes...... funnily enough the line broke, it may have had something to do with me cutting it with a good thwack from my paddle (technical term = hit the perishing thing hard with the edge..) the angler was none too chuffed and used language which was totally unsuitable for my delicate ears.....

So, I stopped and went back and "discussed" things with the person concerned - a young teenager who should probably have been in school anyway if not a creche......

He got both barrels of my friendly schoolteacher advice..... ad cleared his kit up as I watched and slunked off, it didn't help his case that his kit was labelled so I now knew his name and address and suggested the local plod might like to also discuss his attempts to hit the youngsters as they canoed correctly along the canal during school hours . Mind you he was probably back there 10 minutes later as I doubt that my "discussion", one sided as it was, would have got through his headphones......

Sadly, many anglers think they own the water (some do) and have total rights over it (which they don't) and that is inland - the sea is completely free except the controls of e.g. The Queen's Harbour Master in Plymouth Sound..... he has rights and actions that REALLY control things when he wants..... (see that done too .......)

i am glad Barry is OK, the though of being hit by 50g of lead thrown from a distance would not be pleasant...... Keep safe Barry,

Dave


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

I've had similar when swimming in the sea a couple of years ago. A beach based fisherman cast his line in my direction - I was about 50m out from shore - and narrowly missed. It was not as if I was invisible either - I was wearing a wetsuit and had a fluoro swim cap on - plus there was 2 of us (me and the missus) close to each other and not exactly moving at a rate of knots.

Rather than ignore it, I swam to shore and got out and confronted him asking what the bloody hell he was doing. His comment was simply "Well I was here first". WTF?? So I gave him the benefit of my mind, got back in the water and carried on swimming. Tosser.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We had an interesting experience in Florida, when we flew by seaplane to Fort Jackson, way out in the Gulf. The seaplanes have special lanes where swimming is prohibited for safety reasons! (Not surprising as ending up on the float might be hair-raising experience!).

As we were due to leave a swimmer swam through the lane, so the pilot tossed a small stone in front of him to alert him to the danger........

The swimmer stormed out of the water and had a major go at the pilot..... the pilot simply called the wardens who are also police officers and the swimmer was arrested on 2 charges; swimming in a prohibited zone and assault....

We all (5 of us) had to give statements and left the island 5 hours late....... the police said they would take it to court and we would be called as witnesses unless he pleaded guilty to both charges.....

We said would they pay expenses and the answer was YES, they would fly us over, put us up and pay us a daily living allowance of at least 200$ each...... 

Sadly he pleaded guilty, was fined 1500$ for the prohibited swimming and a further 1000$ for assault AND bound over for 5 years......

We did not have to go back, but were sent the full details 3 weeks later.....

Dave


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Happily I have nothing to report :laugh:
M.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

Penquin said:


> We had an interesting experience in Florida, when we flew by seaplane to Fort Jackson, way out in the Gulf. The seaplanes have special lanes where swimming is prohibited for safety reasons! (Not surprising as ending up on the float might be hair-raising experience!).
> 
> As we were due to leave a swimmer swam through the lane, so the pilot tossed a small stone in front of him to alert him to the danger........
> 
> ...


serves the swimmer right!

I wish UK councils would however patrol non-motorised craft areas more rigorously though as jetskis can be bloody nuisances in swimming zones and I've had a close encounter with one who nearly took my head off.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Hmm. It seems there is no love lost between Anglers and canoeists and even swimmers. Just a quick google brings up a raft of pathetic but scary stories including canoeists being threatened with shotguns and barbed wire being stretched across rivers. 

"I was here first" sounds about right Buddha.  Personally I dont care what people choose to do in their spare time and if standing on a harbour wall or on a beach freezing your nuts of and being grumpy does it for you then go for it but if your going to endanger other water users lives then you deserve to go directly to jail to be honest and your kit taken off you.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

barryd said:


> "I was here first" sounds about right Buddha.  Personally I dont care what people choose to do in their spare time and if standing on a harbour wall or on a beach freezing your nuts of and being grumpy does it for you then go for it but if your going to endanger other water users lives then you deserve to go directly to jail to be honest and your kit taken off you.


Maybe the reason they are so grumpy could be down to the following;

1. they stand there for hours feeding the fish, who do not express any gratitude by being caught.... :crying::wink2:

2. standing on a freezing harbour wall, or beach, or canal or river bank may well lead to their nuts being frozen off..... 

3. such an effect upon one's "manhood" will mean that their voice will rise as the freeze digs deeper (think Xastrati) and as there are so few choir vacancies for such things now they are undergoing the painful procedure for the sake of the ungrateful fish! :surprise::nerd::crying:

Just a few thoughts to explain this inexplicable change in behaviour as soon as they have a Pole in their hands, is this another example of xenophobia akin to the "Polish remover" which has not sent any home.....>:crying:

Dave


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## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

I've had a few run ins with fishermen and jet skiers in the past, while kayaking and diving (with A-Flag hoisted) but my most memorable incident was a few years prior to leaving industry and becoming an upstanding pillar of society.

When I lived on the NE coast, a group of us would often surf off Seaburn and Roker beaches and occasionally the best conditions would be on the outer (north) wall of Roker Pier, where the waves would increase in height and run along the wall. My brother in law and dive/surf buddy at the time was a teacher at a local Comprehensive school, which had a reputation for being rough.

One weekend we were sat astride our boards, in a group of 10 or so, a good distance off the pier wall, chatting and catching up, while we waited for the next set of waves to come in, when suddenly splashes started to appear around us. I soon spotted 5 or 6 teenagers on the pier wall, throwing large stones at us. Turned out that they were expelled ex pupils of my BILaw and had recognised him. 

His first instinct was to move out of their reach, but their taunts and stone throwing incensed me to the point that when the next break came, I surfed up to the beach and headed to the foot of the pier at which point said youths were trapped with no way off the pier. They were so engrossed in hurling abuse and stones that they hadn't seen that one of the surfers was missing from the water, until I ran at the biggest lad and grabbed him by his jacket front, forcing him backwards over the pier wall. 
I kept a tight hold of him and never had any intention of letting him drop in to the water, but he started screaming that he couldn't swim. The lads in the water had paddled across at this point and were encouraging me to drop him down to them. 

After a few educational words about the dangers of a rock rendering any one of us unconscious, this 17 year old promised me the world, so I pulled him back to his feet and let him go and join his mates, before I jumped off the wall to join the lads in the water.

This was my first experience of the bravery of the Sunderland gang culture, as they came back to the wall and started shouting that they were (Gang name) and we're going to kill me. I pointed at the beach where my board was and invited them to continue the conversation there, but as I swam ashore all I saw was them running away from the pier, not wanting to engage any further or be trapped on the pier.

We never had any more bother after that ??


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

barryd said:


> I bloody knew it!!! It's a flipping Brexit hit squad. It makes sense now. Jan's tip makes sense as well. I must be like Osama Bin Laden now who as we know had to move around secretly to avoid the U.S. hit squads or drones catching up with him.
> 
> I've been too vocal about my whereabouts on here and other forums and have been here weeks. I let tuggers know my position just before the attack as well. All those jibes, anti Brexit videos and songs, mocking and Pish taking threads have clearly made me a marked man.
> 
> They looked like Brexiteers as well. Some had George cross towels to handle the non existent fish and tattoos spelt incorrectly etc.


We know where you are BarryD, be afraid very AFRAID


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I thought lead was now illegal as it pollutes.

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Matchlock said:


> We know where you are BarryD, be afraid very AFRAID


Thats not my van the Swift Logo is all blurry. Anyway we have armed twits at either end of the village to keep Riff Raff out!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

raynipper said:


> I thought lead was now illegal as it pollutes.
> 
> Ray.


Dunno Ray but whatever they are made of they are flaming heavy!


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Barry.

I think the fisherman's end tackle will have "Cracked off" on his cast which enables the lead to fly free and go a lot further out without the drag of the line off the spool, I bet his arse was nipping as it flew out towards you, a 3oz lead is a dangerous missile and fishermen would never cast at anybody on purpose I am sure.

ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

rayrecrok said:


> Barry.
> 
> I think the fisherman's end tackle will have "Cracked off" on his cast which enables the lead to fly free and go a lot further out without the drag of the line off the spool, I bet his arse was nipping as it flew out towards you, a 3oz lead is a dangerous missile and fishermen would never cast at anybody on purpose I am sure.
> 
> ray.


Well I have calmed down a bit now Ray but I suspect you may be partly right. Having seen the defiant response and stance (albeit from a good distance) and no apology whatsoever I suspect it was deliberate but perhaps not intended to be quite so close. I can only hope that following my angry rant at them and threat to call the Police (which I did although it was pointless) I can only hope that the dimwit and those around him might think twice about being so bloody irresponsible in the future.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Isn't lead still OK for the sea but not allowed depending on size in freshwater?

_Lead weights
You can only use lead weights if they're .06 grams or less or more than 28.35 grams. This means lead shot weights from size 14 to size 8 and lead weights over 1 ounce.

Lead is toxic to birds, so if you're using lead dust shot make sure the containers are spill proof._

Freshwater laws

For sea use the best I can find comes from this VS owned forum........

sea fishing still allows lead in UK, but not in Europe

There now, so you were only capable of being hit by lead 'cos we presumably have already opted out of the EU lead ban.....

aren't you pleased !!!

Dave


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I'm sure he didn't intend to put you in danger Barry 

Underestimated his lob 

As we all do here on MHF 

We upset without meaning to sometimes

Sometimes we mean to

Because we are upset 

In the scheme of things it really doesn't matter 

One way or another we know the poster, we know the triggers and we know they are upset at this momentoftime 

The problem of a small site

And the advantage

Sandra


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Totally agree Sandra but if you or I had done something which inadvertently had come near to hurting someone, the ext word that we would have issued would have been "Sorry"......

which was the one thing that appears to have been "overlooked in the heat of the moment"......

We all do things or say things which are WRONG, but saying "Sorry" is surely part of the way that we were all brought up?

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

As said I think having been there I am pretty sure it was deliberate, maybe not meant to be so close but they knew I was there. It would taken me 30 seconds to get passed although to be fair I thought I had given them more than enough room, certainly about the distance the other traffic passes like the powerboat. I can just imagine the reception the power boat lads would have given them if they had took one of their punters heads off or put a hole in their craft. Maybe they didnt intend to get so close but its not the point. The attitude they seemed to have when I wandered up the harbour later spoke volumes to me as well.


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