OK It's cold outside this morning (around 45-50), we rescheduled our trip, and I'm bored so I thought I would pass on a story. This happened either last year or the year before. There's two guides who are polar opposites. I've known them both personally for at least 10 years and I still can't believe this actually happened. One of the guides is a big drinker. I mean drinks a lot after he gets off the water and uses every four letter word known to man. We'll call him Bud (short for Budweiser). The other guy is quiet, I've never seen him drink at all, and is fairly religious. He takes missions every couple of years to other countries to help people in need. I've always known him to be a nice man, never seen him angry. Anyway, we'll call him Abe (honest Abe). The only thing they have in common is they are both probably five feet, five inches tall and have brown hair.
So enough background history, here's the story.
One day they are both out fishing. Bud's got customers and he's drifting an area of Estes Flats (famous shallow water right outside Rockport). Anyway, Bud's drifting with shrimp and popping corks picking up a few trout on each drift for his customers enjoying the day. Along comes Abe by himself. Now I'm not sure what Abe was doing by himself that day, (looking for fish for the next day or just playing) but Abe decided HE wanted to drift that same area. Now honestly, Abe was wrong. He didn't have customers and Bud did. Abe should have gone some other place or waited until Bud left. There's hundreds of other places but Abe just decided he wanted to crowd Bud. Which is good because that's what makes our story.
Now Bud sees Abe pull in front of his drift and it ticks him off. All five feet of him are mad. He let Abe drift through and Bud finished his drift cussing Abe the whole time. Bud cranks his engine and goes back around for another drift thinking it was a one time deal with Abe pulling in front of him. But no. Abe does the same thing again, cutting off Bud's drift. Basically, Abe is getting in front of where Bud wants to go before Bud can get there. It spooks the fish and makes Bud's drifts a waste of time.
Well Bud loses his temper and gets close enough for Abe to hear him. I'm sure Bud's customers were angry too. Anyway, Bud let's Abe have it. I can't use the language Bud used but it was mostly directed to Abe's mother. Now like I've said before, I've never seen Abe mad. Ever. Apparently, the mother comments were just enough to push him over the edge. Bud moves on somewhere else and here comes Abe at full speed. Abe slows his boat down a little and Bud moves up to the front of his boat to see what he wants now. Abe gets about a foot from Bud's boat and jumps across the bow, tackles Bud, and they both land in the water. Yep, that really happened. Remember, Abe has no customers on his boat so it starts drifting off. Bud's guys are in shock.
Abe and Bud come up out of the water and Bud is swinging as fast as he can. Abe's trying to hold Bud still saying, " You need to settle down". I think the water cooled Abe off real quick. He didn't want to fight once they hit the water. I think Bud landed one or two punches and lost his sunglasses. Bud's customers pulled him back in the boat and Abe started walking in grass and mud trying to catch up to his. They don't talk to each other anymore, lol.
I posted flyers on the bait house doors and a few other places advertising "Mini Man Fighting in Estes Flats". We can't seem to get it going again though. You never know what you'll see out there fishing.
This could have all been avoided by just some common courtesy. But then we wouldn't have this story. Hope you enjoy.
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