I want to offer my sincere apologies

Started by Tim Holcomb, November 30, 2008, 09:43:22 AM

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Tim Holcomb

Hello my name is Tim Holcomb. I am a fly fishing guide, and I was guiding on the S. Holston yesterday amoungst a group of anglers on Rockhold Rd. I thought that maybe the group of anglers which I am speaking about might visit this forum, and thus maybe I could reach them to continue to offer my apologies.

Fishing in a group of anglers, another fisherman (not in my party) hooked a big brown and continued to fight the fish for some time without doing too much moving of the fish. After a few minutes the fish started to move down the river, and seeing an opportunity to try to net the fish, I ran for the fish, tried to get the net on him, and unfortunately he broke off. At the time, I was not really thinking of anything except for trying to be helpful to the fish and the angler. The fish I am speaking of was a spawning male in a spawning run, and personally I try to be very aggressive in landing the spawners, thus ensuring not to do too much harm. I won't get into fishing to the spawners cause that is far to loaded of a subject for my first post. However, again, I simply try to be very aggressive on them for the protection of the fish and the river.

The other angler who lost the fish was obviously very pissed and I tried to offer my apologies and they did not seem to be greated to well. I certainly have learned my lesson, not everyone wants help, especially my help, and if you are going to offer help, first ask and then proceed to help. I do want to say that I did not simply and recklessly knock the fish of the line with the net, I am a farily experienced guide with a net having 12 years of guiding experience and having been fortunate enough to guide in Alaska, I am a competent, maybe too aggressive netter.
If you are the angler I am speaking of, please write back so I can continue to offer my apologies. Like I said, I have learned my lesson and look at this as a learning opportunity.

Once again, I am trully sorry. I do assume that as much time as ya'll spent in that hole, you where able to hook and land many other fish just like the one you lost around me.
And again, my sincere apologies.


edited for paragraph format  -wb

Al

Hind sight is always 20-20 Tim and looking back you realize you would have probably been better off to just watch as the other angler either caught or lost the fish on his own. Not sure what I would have done in your shoes. (Probably done just as you did and then regretted it as well) Stepping up with an apology speaks volumes.

Welcome to the forum. Don't be a stranger. As you know, a lot of folks on here fish the same waters as you and even though a lot of them don't need any advice there are also a lot of others who look to "experts" or more experienced anglers for help from time to time. Please feel free to offer comments and advice - we will look at it with a grain of salt but any advice given here is free to use or discard as the reader sees fit.

River Man

Yep....Tim is a mighty fine fellow and a super guide.  I've watched him do his thing a bunch of times.....his clients catch fish.

River Man

TROUTMASTER3000

Quote from: Al on November 30, 2008, 10:50:19 AM
Hind sight is always 20-20 Tim and looking back you realize you would have probably been better off to just watch as the other angler either caught or lost the fish on his own. Not sure what I would have done in your shoes. (Probably done just as you did and then regretted it as well) Stepping up with an apology speaks volumes.

Welcome to the forum. Don't be a stranger. As you know, a lot of folks on here fish the same waters as you and even though a lot of them don't need any advice there are also a lot of others who look to "experts" or more experienced anglers for help from time to time. Please feel free to offer comments and advice - we will look at it with a grain of salt but any advice given here is free to use or discard as the reader sees fit.

For example... I am one of the "look to experts" person.  And if I'm ever on a big fish, especially a spawner, you have the A OKAY to try and net him... Not speaking for anyone else, but netting as early as possible, even if there is only a chance to net, produces a wonderful feeling almost as nice as the big fish.  0--0
Anything is possible with will, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor.
AMERICA RULES

Woolly Bugger

#4
Okay, here's what I saw:


Three of us are fishing this run, around 4:00 2 or 3 spinners come down and find some water near us but don't fish our run. Shortly after Tim marched straight down with 2 clients and sets them up DIRECTLY across from Ralph and I. His client is now drifting through the same current seam. Then Ralph hooks into a large fish, which thumps and holds tight to the bottom. Tim then offers advice to Ralph on how to play the fish.


Ralph has a solid hook up with the fish, he's playing it cautiously and it has made a run to the tail of the pool and is holding there in front of the rock. Ralph is working the fish waiting to either walk on down of see if the fish will run up. This fish is no where near being ready for the net. When all of a sudden Tim, without warning or solicitation runs into the river, splashing in a desperate mad dash to scoop up the fish. All of the commotion got the fish moving and we're sure that the misplaced netting attempt broke the fish off. I've never seen anybody net another anglers fish with out first offering or being asked to help. 

1. You were so anxious to get your clients on some fish that you overlooked common courtesy and put you clients in an already crowed run.

2. You shouldn't have offered your advice on how to play the fish, btw stepping  towards the fish to make him move isn't good advice.

3. You clumsy attempt at being the hero was a) stupid b) wrong c) unnecessary d) all of above.


but thanks for admitting in a public forum that you screwed up!
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Beetle

Shit happens.   No need to dwell on it- everyone will be more careful next time.

Tim- a lesser man would have ignored this and never come here to apologize.  So hats off to you for trying. 

Let's all go fishing   0--0


Al

Two sides to every story and now we have them both.

I'm not going to 2nd guess the netting incident but the walking clients to an already occupied hole was in poor form.

I don't care how much you want your client to catch a fish, and guides want it more then the client - (been there), - it is not good practice to crowd someone no matter how good the hole may be. It is all public water and guides do not have special claim to any of it. Seems like I have read stories about this crowding on the Holston before on this and other forums.

Silver Creek

As a neutral observer, what I observe is a person who made a mistake and learned a lesson. He apologized privately which is the correct thing to do. In addition, he apologized publically, which he did not have to do. Tim does not have the power to have the apology accepted, all he can do is to offer it.

Yes, Tim make a mistake, but from that point on he accepted responsibility. In my view, his parents raised him well,and although they might not be proud of what he did, they certainly have a right to be very proud of what he did to make amends. A lesser person would not have done so to the extent that he did.

I hope Ralph can be forgiving.

Welcome Tim. It's a h*ck of way to make an introduction.
Regards,

Silver

http://tinyurl.com/kkctayx


"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy

troutfreak

I agree Silver.  Seems he feels real bad.  Plus, there are more fish to be caught on another day.