Corpusfishing.com

[Tarzan]

In defence of your common potlicker. I would just like to say this.. While a potlicker may be a pain, at least he or she is a person who is trying to catch a fish the hard way. Mabey it is their 100'th trip with no results and they see you tearing it up an get overexcited and join you right where you are fishing. Most are ignorant of the fishing ediquette that we know as instinct. I have had many in my time. I have been one. I have bumped down the beach behing Capt. Billy many times (staying way back) and watched where, how, and when he fished. Mabey that's not technically potlicking but it's still cheating. I believe that if you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough. Just remember when you are bashing a potlicker, that there are alot of people out there that did not have a Dad or Grandpa to teach them to fish, and they have decided to try something a bit healthier than smoking crack and tagging every other fenceline. Mabey show them how to C&R a nice Bull Red. Explain to them how hardheads are an important part of the ecosystem. Give them the recipe for fish stew. Show them how to read the water and teach their own kids. One thing is for sure, a poor potlicker in an old beat up truck will get to Heaven before a richie rich with a hired guide.
later,
Ernie

[Rudy]

Ahhh...time for a little potlickin' history
I knew this would come in handy someday.

From a post by Chris Dial
I don't recall where from.
In reference to live bait fishermen being potlickers...


The Origins of the term "Potlicker"

"You guys want to know what a "potlicker" is? Well read on boys, read on.

Earl Humphreys was fishing the coast in the 20's and 30's and was convinced that he could catch more fish, faster with hardware than he could with bait. He first started catching reds using oleander leaves set on bare hooks. The leaf would move in the water like a live bait fish and it would stay on the hook. The TP&W outlawed using those leaves when fishermen would leave them on unattended trotlines and fish would hook themselves and eventually die. Earl, also known as HUMP created the HUMP Lure. The first lures were carved from cypress wood, as were Kasmirovsky's and he soon found himself unable to make enough for his friends. Hump was of the idea that he could catch fish faster if he didn't have to rebait his hook with live or dead bait, and he used that as a selling point for his lures. Soon enough, he started making the HUMP lures, the M, A, SM, F, and the Tiger series, out of plastic.

HUMP was a family friend, him having fished with my Grand Father for years back before my time or even my Dad's time. I interviewed HUMP for an article that I wrote for the now defunct Texas Fisherman magazine. While we were discussing things, Earl, or HUMP mentioned "potlickers". I asked him what that was and he said, "Boy, ain't you ever seen a big old lazy dog who couldn't compete with the other dogs, so he let them finish eating and then crawled up to the pot and licked it clean?" I said I had seen that and he replied, "A potlicker in fishing is a man who is too lazy to go find fish on his own, so he looks for someone who is already on fish and then he moves into that man's spot. He potlicks, he's a lazy bastage who depends on what others find or leave him."

So I laughed and said that's a new one on me and he sort of gave me a look and said new? He went and got his diary and showed me where he and a man from Corpus had described the "potlickers" on a particular fishing trip. The date of that diary entry was 1931.

Maybe this will help you with the definition of a "potlicker" cause HUMP, the old salt that he was, didn't mention the use of live or dead bait as having anything to do with..."potlicking"."


Other...

Potlicker

original usage for word\name derived from logging camps in the mid 1800's; kitchen helper at the logging camp who got what was left over in the "pots" after feeding the crew.

a worthless or disgusting person.


also...
Potlicker (idiom): little person, small competitor; originally a dog or other pet.

and...
"Webster's Third New International Dictionary, defined as "a mongrel dog, especially: stray."

[ironmanstan]

I don't know everybody has a right to their opinion but there is a vast difference in someone who doesn't know better and a so called potlicker/binocular fisherman. How many times has someone pull in behind me or in FRONT of me while drifting the lagoon because they saw my rod bent over? I just fire up make a big circle and leave .
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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

[texmike]

IMS that was just rude. I guess I will just have to chase you harder.

I know what you mean last time was down, I was fishing next to the ditch and someone in a brand new boat (no numbers on it yet) anchored next to me. So close I could pitch my bait into there boat. I just kept fishing. I was catching some nice trout and they weren't catching anything. They were using the wrong bait. They got tired of watching me and left. What they din't know was they were about 10 yrds away from the hole and not casting right.

[Bluffer]

Great post Rudy/Tarzan....I'll even ask if I can Potlick you!
Dont mind someone fishing near me if Im catching a bunch as long as they do it the correct way & not screw it all up.
What I hate is when Im NOT catching anything & the fools cut uour drift off or make sure you still wont catch any!
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-STAY THIRSTY MY FRIENDS!-

[B-1 83]

All they have to do is ask, and I'll be happy to show them. Just don;t crowd me and get your line tangeled in mine in your quest to catch the fish that I'm catching. So much of the time it is not the "where" as the "how".

[Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm]

[Rudy]

Nothing works better to throw off the potlickers than a large bag of popcorn.

[Eightball Express]

I got mad once when some person showed and "potlicked" me. My buddy asked why I was upset, so I told him they were too close. He asked how "close" was too close. I answered if I can see them they are too close. Of course, that was a long time ago. I do what IMS does, crank up, burn around them, and give them the finger.
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Looking for a River Pickle sunrise

[TITELINE]

I have lot's of folks get on my shoulder when I fish the jetty's but most of the time they still can't catch anything because of the gear they are using. I've shown lemon rigs to hundreds of fisherman and why they work. Back in my younger days I kept score and was competive but now I just let the water run off my back...

[Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm]

Good attitude TITELINE. but you still need the shirt STAY OFF MY ROCK!
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[marcus1977]

I think my favorite potlicking story is from about 13 years ago. I was fishing the San Luis Pass Pier and there wasn't much being caught. I hooked a dink trout and before I could get it in and throw out again this guy comes out of no where, stands between me and a buddy of mine(who was literally only about five feet to my right) and casts out and tangles up my buddy. I thought we were going to jail for sure that night, after a few choice words the guy got the hint and moved far enough away that he didn't interfere with our casting but still trying to fish where we were casting. He never caught anything and we eventually started catching a few keepers but nothing spectacular. I really thought my buddy was going to knock the crap out of this guy but thankfully he didn't and we were able to keep fishing.
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still chasing my 30" trout

[Skipper]

Here is what the urban dictionary says about the definition...lol...Adios

Skipper

1. potlicker

One who crowds out someone else's fishing spot...
I was run off of my Crappie hole by a potlicker with live minnows. I guess I'll go home and punch the clown.

2. potlicker

racial slur to Irish people
Gimme some potatoes you dirty potlicker!

3. Potlicker

One who takes over your fishing spots! A person requiring guided knowledge to catch fish. One who shares trusted fishing knowledge with others. One who uses live bait.
Mac keeps telling everyone about the fishing spots I showed him therefore he is a POTLICKER!

[ironmanstan]

ALSO SOMEONE YOU TAKE FISHING....and then they are always in your spot and tell you "hey dude you don't own the water".They just don't get it. Because dey r tupid.
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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

[oldsaltyone]

Potlickin'- the most sincere form of flattery!

Keep them reports coming, boys.