E
D I T O R S
C
O M M E N T
By Ant Williams
I
am sure we have all had those days, when happenstance smiles
upon us... Mr. Murphy is off wreaking havoc in someone else’s
world, and the clouds really do have a silver lining. Fish after fish
seems intent on joining you in your boat, and frenetic activity turns
your normally calm craft into a war zone. You have got it right...
figured out the pattern, outsmarted your quarry... or just been lucky. It
doesn’t really matter, fishing is what you are here for, and it couldn’t
be better. With the sun dipping to the horizon, satiated by the number
of fish you have caught, you sit back, a sundowner in hand and take a
moment to marvel at all around you. The warm glow inside grows as
you make a mental note to be up earlier tomorrow, and get an extra
hour’s fishing into the day.
Filled with anticipation as you skid across the water in that predawn glow, tackle all prepared and bait ready to go, the engine note
changes as you drop the throttle to ease around the point and into
your bay... the place where your tree stands, and your fish are waiting.
A moment of confusion is quickly replaced by disappointment and
then followed by a growing anger. Someone is in YOUR bay, tied to
YOUR tree! Taking a breath you idle quickly to the offending boat,
choking back the urge to “accidentally” bump him. “Ahem... That’s
my spot!” you say trying to keep the irritation out of your voice.
“I baited it yesterday and the day before” you offer in mitigation.
“Really?” replies the imposter. “We baited it for two days before
that while passing by with our houseboat. It is our spot!” Just then,
a third boat screams around the corner. Devoid of any fishing rods,
you wonder about his intention. “Excuse me sir” the well dressed,
polite occupant greets. “You are not allowed to fish here. I have been
bating this spot for two weeks for my clients arriving later today, and
these fish are theirs.”
Suddenly aware your blood pressure is rising, and disgusted
at everyone else’s claim to YOUR spot, you move to another tree.
Tieing up, you cast your first bait, and immediately the fish are biting.
A smile crosses your face, but is quickly replaced by dismay as the
houseboat parked nearby begins hailing you. “Sorry... Excuse me...
You cannot fish there old chap. It is our spot. That tree is ours!” Then
as if to quell your objection at the spot being vacant “We are just
having breakfast then coming to fish there.” Stunned, you begin an
exchange of abuse across the still morning air, as yet another boat
pulls into the bay and ambles over to the tree you now occupy. “Why
are you fishing there...?”
I could go on an on, but even as I write this, it seems too ludicrous
for words - something out of a Monty Python skit. Really? Can anyone
own a spot, a tree or the fish attracted there? On a public water? I
cannot think of a concept more far fetched than believing because
you baited a particular spot, no one else has done so before you, and
that in your ignorance, you suddenly own it. It has somehow become
“YOURS”!
Ivan Wilson’s letter about this sort of behavior prompted further
investigation, because although I have been victim of this mentality
in the past (and a reason why I seldom frequent Antelope Island
at Kariba), I could not believe the turn it seems to have taken. It’s
apparent a good number of educated, otherwise intelligent people,
and some apparent “sport” fishermen, have indeed laid claim to a
spot or a tree because by chance they baited it at some stage. My
inquiries told of otherwise normal looking people, complete with wife
and kids in tow, arriving at Antelope Island, and attempting to evict
other boats from a tree they had baited. Further still, there are indeed
others making a business and living out of it. Houseboats moored in
particular bays for days and even weeks on end chasing all-comers
away from “their” baited spots. I know of several cases where people
have either asked, or paid other Kariba residents to buy bait blocks
and place them at strategic trees in anticipation of a future visit (a
good move if time is short, and one I have employed myself). It is not
unreasonable though to think that two or more such pre-baiters are
having the same places baited. So, if ownership was possible, who
does in fact own the bay or tree we are all bating?
At any rate, Antelope Island is within the greater Kariba National
Park and is owned by the Government. No one has claim to trees, bays
or the fish they hold simply because they may have baited them at
some stage. And certainly, any commercial operation being conducted
on this basis is illegal as no one has a fishing concession on the island.
As with any type of fishing on public waters - first come, first served.
It is your bad luck if you (and maybe others) have baited a spot, and
arrive too late to reap the possible benefits.
After all, we are sportsmen, and such behavior is contrary to
everything associated with the sport. If you bait a spot, or pay someone
else to do it for you, but arrive late to fish it, that is hard luck. One
silver lining is that it is an accepted fact, that the more bait you put in
the water, the more fish there will be. You just got to get up earlier,
or wait your turn, or maybe fish another yet undiscovered hot spot.
Just smile and wave... smile and wave. The f ?????????????)?????????()5????????????????%????????????????????)???????????????????????????)X????????????()???????????????????????????????()A?????((