[Sharky]

Bass Fisherman Shot By Fellow Angler

POSTED: 10:33 am EDT May 23, 2007
UPDATED: 12:05 pm EDT May 23, 2007

GREENSBORO, Ga. -- An 86-year-old man is in jail charged with aggravated assault after authorities say he shot one of two men competing in a bass tournament on the Oconee River.

Greene County Sheriff Chris Houston says authorities believe John Burke Yearwood of Madison shot at the men Saturday to warn them away from his own fishing lines. The sheriff said yesterday that Yearwood has put his fishing lines out in the area for decades.

The men said they had headed upriver about noon when they noticed a fishing camp on the bank and saw a man wearing overalls. They say the man raised a rifle and fired two shots -- which hit the water in front of the boat. A sheriff's department report says the man fired a third shot -- which hit Craig Barnett of Sycamore as he sat in the boat.

The men said they sped away in the boat and used a cell phone to call 911.

The sheriff's report says Barnett sustained a wound under his left arm and gave authorities a small-caliber bullet that he says went into his arm.

Investigators found Yearwood at his home. He was booked into the Greene County Jail on the aggravated assault charge.

 

[S&W 40]

The sheriff's report says Barnett sustained a wound under his left arm and gave authorities a small-caliber bullet that he says went into his arm.

:?:

 

[legacy38]

Shooting to protect a fishing spot? I think he'll not be fishing there for sometime to come.

 

[GeorgiaGlocker]

He can have those fish.

 

[slabertooch]

...fired two shots -- which hit the water in front of the boat. A sheriff's department report says the man fired a third shot -- which hit Craig Barnett of Sycamore as he sat in the boat.

How much you wanna bet that third shot was a ricochet off the water in front of the boat.

Heck when me and my cousins would go out to the lake, we would put a target on the other side of the pond, and see who could get hits on the target after bouncing the round off the surface of the water. All you have to do is shoot at the reflection, if your angle isn't too sharp, you can actually do it, works best with .22.

 

[Tinkerhell]

How stupid.

But for some reason it remind me of the old Jerry Clower bit about fishing with the game warden.

*Marcell lights another stick of dynamite and hands this one to the warden*
"You gonna talk or fish!"

 

[peashooter]

It also could be that the old man warned them he had his fishing lines out and didn't want them disturbed. This does happen on Lake Oconee, i lived on it for 10 yrs. I know it doesn't give him the right to shoot at them, but some fishermen on that lake can be very rude especially during a bass tournament . I had them fish around my dock hook the seats in my boat and just chug along like theres nothing to it.