a true happening

[chris.oldgit]

On seeing Joes (Bluesbro) thread on the medway, reminded of a little tale that occured at a canal match at Denham.

On one off my canal matches, a friend of mine, Martin, who worked in the building trade, who was fishing, and had lost a few floats on the bramble bush opposite, this made him very testy and on the edge of losing his cool, when along comes a large barge, carrying two fellas and their girlfriends, seeing so many anglers all along the canal, instead of staying in the middle of the canal, decided to steer all along the far bank, dragging bottom with his boat a ruining all the baited swims along his route, as he got alongside my mates swim, he spots the said bramble bush, all decorated like a christmas tree, with not just Martins floats, but others as well, he slams the boat into reverse really stirring the canal into a beef broth colour, with all the prop. action.
Martin shouts across, saying 'keep moving', or words to that effect, boat owner replies, 'shan't be a moment, just going to collect these floats', then produces a pair of cutters to cut the lines that are holding them, Martin,is now seeing red, shouts across, 'keep moving', the boat owner to his peril, totally ignored him , which inflamed the now intense situation, out comes the trusty catapult, whee, out goes a full load of maggots from a groundbait pult, there was screaming from the ladies as they tried to clear the maggots from their hair and personsal places, the boat owner starts shouting, 'there's no need for that' slams the boat into gear, shouting and gesticulating, as to what he's gonna do to Martin, so out goes another pult of maggots, 'now go away you silly man', I think thats what he said, the boat owner now has red mist, steers his craft across to the near bank, chewing up the lines and nets of anglers further up from Martin, stops the boat, jumps out onto the towpath, the other anglers, whose lines/nets he'd damaged, tried confronting him as he stormed through them to get to my mate.
As he approaches, Martin stands to defend himself, the bloke takes a swing at him, misses, and ends up in the canal, at this point, threats to life itself were being uttered by the boater, so Martin thinks, 'if he gets out, i'm done for', so only one option, as he was lifting himself out the water, he kicked him in the face, putting him back in the canal.
Within 1/2 hour the police arrived to sort the situation out. the owner was charged with criminal damage and negligence.
Martin was charged with aggravated assault, but charges were later dropped, witnesses said the owner 'slipped' as he was getting out of the canal, hitting his face on the bankside.

So to all anglers who fish anywhere there are boating fellows (morons), think, before you find yourself in a similar situation, I am now to
'old' to get into any such confrontations, so I leave the waters where boaters go, off my 'places to go' list, and have a less stressful sport.

Take care all.

[Maddison_Twatter]

Great story !

[Bluesbro]

I can see just how easily a situation like that can escalate into such a nasty outcome. I for 1 will be avoiding certain spots on weekends now, which is a pity as I feel like im having to put them morons before me even though they are being the to**ers!!!! Just a little bit of consideration would go a long way on the bnk side. I woudn`t have minded so much but I had a kid with me who now is going to have to spend 2 weeks pocket money replacing all the gear these boats snapped off, and it was so nearly a whole rod and reel set up!!! No need for it at all, the 1st time in 28yrs fishing I have seen such blatent disregard towards anglers. Truley disgusted even after having a night to sleep on it.

Joe

[chazyboi]

h the lads used to do that on the fazeley canal in brum ,,i rem one getting off and giving it the bigun and another lad one of the anglers friends nicking his barge and leaving it on the other bank as he was fighting with a lad was funny as it was long walk to next bridge lol,its bikers do me i just lost a pole i use for canals as they bit rough here with junkies and drunks it was an old one . a dick in sunglasses rode over to see a fish i was landing and flattend three ends of my pole sections then rode off as i threw them at him