You all might want to write this one down as well:

Do NOT go fishing in the evening on the night before 4th of July at a 300 acre lake filled with 250+ boats filled with drunken pleasure boaters because there is a fireworks show starting at 10pm.......

This was quite possibly every fishermans nightmare about boat ramps and pleasure crafts all rolled into on blazing fireball...

Never AGAIN :-/ > :'(

I almost put myself in the same boat so to speak.  I spent late Friday putting the boat together because Saturday afternoon/evening was going to be the first time all year when I was going to be able to get some decent fishing in.  By the time I had everything ready Friday nite, it dawned on me that this was July 4th weekend.  I didn't even try.

You all might want to write this one down as well:

Do NOT go fishing in the evening on the night before 4th of July at a 300 acre lake filled with 250+ boats filled with drunken pleasure boaters because there is a fireworks show starting at 10pm.......

This was quite possibly every fishermans nightmare about boat ramps and pleasure crafts all rolled into on blazing fireball...

Never AGAIN :-/ > :'(

What the heck were you THINK'in ?

We call that a temporary loss of situational awareness .......

A-Jay

Actually I have had the opposite experience - left the boat at home a couple of years ago and went out to do some shore fishing only to discover I had the whole lake to my self.  Yesterday we went out and found that there were no crowds anywhere except on the swim beach - the difference (?) - fish "no wake" lakes - this is the time for yahoo boaters - but serious fishermen can take advantage of the low pressure in the areas where they can't rip 'n run.

I know I know, STUPID!

The icing on the cake was watching the DNR pull over a boat for flying through a group of about 30 boats all withing 50 yards of each other on plane and pulling a tube with two children on it.  The best part was it was a 12 year old driving the boat with the father sitting in the bow of the boat....

This is where I benefit from fishing in backwoods pits.

went last night caught 7 8-) it was me and my son and a beaver here and there.

I know I know, STUPID!

The icing on the cake was watching the DNR pull over a boat for flying through a group of about 30 boats all withing 50 yards of each other on plane and pulling a tube with two children on it. The best part was it was a 12 year old driving the boat with the father sitting in the bow of the boat....

Don't be so hard on yourself - we've all been there.

As for the sad situation mentioned above - when the article appears in the local rag, I would expect to see the following term - Alcohol was a factor.

A-Jay

I'm reminded of Ed McMahon on the old Johnny Carson show saying he didn't go out drinking on New Year's Eve because he didn't like mingling with amateurs - same goes for fishing on holidays