Surprised no one has posted this yet......It was in Tuesday's Salt Lake Tribune
FISHERMEN'S DISPUTE LEADS TO 'RIVER RAGE' FACEOFF
By Brett Prettyman
The Salt Lake Tribune
Law enforcement officials wanted to see more than a fishing license when an angler floating the Green River below Flaming Gorge dam came off the water Saturday.
Officers from the Daggett County Sheriff's Office and the Division of Wildlife Resources responded to a call over the weekend about a "river rage" incident between an angler in a boat and one wading in the Green just below the dam. The conflict peaked when the angler on the boat allegedly drew a handgun from a bag.
"We get calls about conflicts on the river from time to time, but we have not had a weapons problem. We would not expect a person to have a gun on the river, and to brandish it during an argument is certainly a step up from that," said Daggett County sheriff's Lt. Rick Harrison.
About 9 a.m. Saturday, an angler fishing atop a rock became upset when a boat came near his perch and between him and the river bank. The angler fired a warning cast over the bow of the dory to show his displeasure.
"One of the fellows on the boat broke the line. [The man on the rock] wasn't happy about that, so he waded out to the boat and stopped it," Harrison said.
A heated discussion followed and eventually the angler on the front of the boat asked the man rowing the dory to pull the gun out from a bag.
"He said he felt threatened and that he needed to get it out and show it to the guy holding the boat," Harrison said.
The bank angler and his partner were interviewed shortly after the encounter and said the weapon was pointed in their direction. Harrison said the angler in the dory was cooperative and walked up to them when the boat came to rest at the Little Hole takeout three hours later.
"He said, 'I imagine you fellows want to talk to me,' ” Harrison said.
The man had a concealed weapons permit and said the gun was never loaded and never pointed at the angler holding the boat.
Harrison said the report will be turned over to the county attorney for possible charges of showing a weapon during a fight or a quarrel, a Class A misdemeanor.
bpretty@sltrib.com
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I talk to some guys that saw it happen
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Man that sucks that people resort to using guns against other people, like my signature thing says - "Before Guns Men Had Balls" Don't get me wrong I own a rifle and a shotgun but they are for hunting, and for the most part I would never use them against someone. If you have a problem you take care of it like a man, not by hiding behind a gun. What happened to using the finger god gave ya?
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[size 1]"What happened to using the finger... ?" Thanks, I needed a good chuckle today! [/size]
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That's too bad to hear of people getting that carried away over a little piece of water. Usually this time of year the crowds aren't that bad. In the summer time the overcrowding on the "A" section is so bad I refuse to fish between Memorial day and Labor day. It's almost comical to see people get so worked up that they become everything most of us are trying to get away from when we go fishing in the first place.
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[cool]That's crazy, man! Is that what this world is coming too, these days? I have a permit, but don't usually pack when I go fishing (unless I'm somewhere like a small creek in Mountain Lion country, but that's different, and for different reasons).
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A little understanding of the other fellow goes a long ways,they were both wrong,and it led to one guy showing his gun,now he loses his permit.
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while i never like to see any conflict get to the point that a gun is drawn.especally on the water like this.but as any one that have ever fished that part of the river.knows why they call it combat fishing in the summer and early fall.
but i have to look at it from the boaters point of view also ,unless any of us here,where these when this happened ,we dont know exactly what was said ,maybe the boater did feel threatened ,and maybe he was i know i wouldnt be to happy if i was the angler either.but in my book hes is at fault some what also.
from what the article said ,the boater was very willing to talk to the officers,and he did have a use permit, for the gun so i would like to think that he wasnt just a wacko with a gun.IMHO iam very surprized that some one hasnt been shot yet,i have seen a couple in incidents that it could have ecualted to that level.Was the boater to close to the angler,yea he might have been but it might have been better to let the boat pass also.
as for packing the gun,whats the sense of having a carry permit if you never carry?
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At last count I had 10 guns and would never use one to commit a crime. I think that anyone who uses a gun while commiting a crime should be subject to 10 times the normal punishment. That might satisfy the anti-gun people.
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It seems obvious to me that even if the boat was too close the angler on the rock should have left it with a hand gesture or a few colorful comments. The boat guy should have felt bad and apologized and the guy on the rock should have never gone over and grabbed the boat. I would feel threatened if I was in that boat too. It also seems to me that showing the gun stopped the situation from becoming an assault and therefore was a good thing, not a bad thing.
FM
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I just want to comend everone on this site for the way they discusse things like this. Its great to see that there are fisherman who might not have the same view of things but still keep it friendly. This is why BFT is the best fishing site
Maddawg
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I hear ya maddawg. The discussions here make you think about what would you do in one of those situations.
Taking the time to try and see both points of view makes a difference. I think if people would just stop for a second and think about things, they could be resolved better without anyone losing face. I've been on both sides of the arguements and just taking a deep breath and thinking it out can help.
I wont take sides on this one, I just hope people will think the situation through a little bit then handle it the best way they can.
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I don't know if you have seen but there is another fishing board and they just don't get it. I mean the contention on that other forum is so thick no wonder fist fights break out on rivers. I could honestly say that from on the discussions I've seen here on BFT i can't see a member from this site having a problem on the river
Maddawg
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My 2 cents - Don't point any gun at anyone unless you plan to use it! The only person who knows it's not loaded is the one who has it in his hand. This whole incident should not have escalated to the point it did.
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I practice very good boating etiquette, especially when it comes to shore fisherman, so I would never have found myself in this situation. However, I think the shore fisherman got off easy. If a guy had the cojones to wade over to my boat, then grab it and stop it, there would have been no conversation. I'd of broken both of his outstretched arms with an ore.
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I don't know if you have seen but there is another fishing board and they just don't get it. I mean the contention on that other forum is so thick no wonder fist fights break out on rivers. I could honestly say that from on the discussions I've seen here on BFT i can't see a member from this site having a problem on the river
Maddawg [/reply]
Ahhh, the age old division of flyfisherman and goo-rodders.
It's not quite fair to generalize a group of fisherman because of a handful of bad apples, and it definitely doesn't mean those involved in the river rage are members of that board.
I agree that the moderators here do a great job.
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i guess im old fashioned and look at it as if someone is there first that is their spot. i have noticed a big attitude shift of you dont own the water or land so i can fish it too even if your right there. too me this is beyond annoying and down right disrespectful. i would have to say i wouldnt keep a cool head. or i would just go somewhere else and let them have the spot. but i just dont understand the mentality of all about me, i want to fish there regardless of the person already there attitude.
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Hey Icthys, at least you use the same name on all boards, I prefer the seclusion of using different aliases. Funny thing is when I flyfish I always catch and release, but when I bait fish I usually eat what I catch.
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For me things like that are scary because alot of times I go fishing alone with alot of young kids. Most of the time my 15 year old son goes with me but still it worries me that people are getting this upset about a fishing hole. Yes we all have had people come into our space where we are fishing but to me getting a fish is just a bonus. I go fishing for the quiet and to be outside.
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