Be Considerate of your Neighbors

[H_Valley_Carpin]

There are a lot of frustrations on the ice in Montana this winter, and the majority stem from the influx of new anglers and the associated crowding. Thought I'd use a crappy situation from this weekend as an opportunity to open a discussion. So here goes. Was fishing Saturday morning. I was first on the ice, and as the morning went on people filled in around me. No big deal. I'm sadly growing accustomed to the crowds. But what WAS a big deal was when the bluetooth speakers made an appearance. Groups on two sides of me within 50 yards, playing crappy music and drunkenly singing along. I had stupid in surround sound. What a treat. The straw that broke this camel's back was the country cover of Purple Rain. Is nothing sacred anymore? Anyway. Sorry for the rant. Here's the moral of my gripe. I don't care if you're on a trail, in a raft, or dangling from a hang glider. No one wants to hear your music. No one. No exceptions. No one has ever been out in the outdoors and thought, "I'm sure glad this meathead brought his tiny speaker full of terrible music." If you must have music everywhere you go, including while fishing, may I suggest you invest in a diving suit and go spear fishing. At least that way you won't be exposing the rest of us to your garbage taste.

[wirehairman]

I like to bring my bluetooth speaker along and play some music while I'm icefishing.  At the same time, I'm cognizant to keep the volume at a level that cannot be heard more than 40 or 50 feet from my hut or set up.  If someone sets up closer than that to me, they deserve to be exposed to my garbage taste in music.

[Splattypus]

A country cover of Purple Rain?  Dear God no....

If I'm listening to something(usually a podcast) it's in my regular phone speaker in a pocket, barely audible more than a few feet away. If the speaker ever comes out, we're in a party and well away from any non-party members. The serenity is a huge part of the experience of outdoor activities. No need to drag other people into it if you decide it's a little too quiet for your tastes. Wireless earbuds are plenty cheap these days.

[HWeber]

Purple rain is trash can only imagine the country remake is worse. Agree with most everything else

[missoulafish]

Sounds like the continued decline of common sense...... same people that post the stupid crap in FB....

[skifisher]

When does your right to blast your music trump MY right right to peace and quiet?

 There’s no respect I tell ya, no respect!!! 

[RuralMT]

It's indicative of both a decline in common sense and common courtesy.  We've devolved into a me-first culture unfortunately.  While I'd like to give people the benefit of the doubt in this case, as I don't think people new to the sport are aware of how well sound travels over water and ice, such lack of courtesy has become too common. 

[missoulafish]

you nailed it, and us expecting people to not do stupid crap is apparently as uncommon as it common for people to do the stupid crap. Or at least the people doing the stupid crap will want you to believe this.

[SirCranksalot]

Have those people never heard of bluetooth earphones or earbuds???

[mt-mike]

dont like my music? move.

[wirehairman]

dont like my music? move.

Like I said, my son and I enjoy music while we're fishing so use a Bluetooth speaker but try to be cognizant of others around us.  It sounds like he was set up in the area first and should not have to move to get away from others' music and carrying on.  Those groups should have been more respectful.

[mt-mike]

i play music really loud if the fish are biting good  it keeps people from setting up too close.

[sra61]

I agree completely. If you need constant stimulation then try ear buds or headphones. Besides the fun of catching fish, one of the biggest benefits of sitting on a frozen lake is the silence! We were on a lake last weekend that has become way too popular that was almost totally deserted. The marvelous silence was so nice. That's one of the great things about the gaining popularity of electric augers too. I have enough noise and chaos at home please let me have my peace and quiet. 

[mt-mike]

ok

 

[Guddefam]

Well said sra61.
Not to be a d!@k, I like the company and the camaraderie that comes with ice fishing, and I even enjoy, listening to some music/audiobook, on my earbuds, once in a while. But if I’m set up first and you come set up next to me and start blaring loud music, i will gladly use my gas auger to drill as many holes as I see fit to get the point across.
  My guess is, that most of the guys that blare their music loudly, are attempting to push other people out of that fishing spot, even if they were there first. I was on Holter a couple of weeks ago, and there were about 50 people set up out there, and a group of guys showed up and started blaring their music as loud as they could get it, which intern pushed some of the people that were closest to them away, and so the guys started spreading out to where those people had moved out of.