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It was friendlier back then when the younger people had more respect for every one.
But guys who catch fish are on fish and CATCHING fish, and could care less if someone struggling moves in on them! We are going to limit out, go home and fillet, lurk a little, then change species and lakes and go back out catching again! But tommorrow comes and "the spot' from yesterday is barricaded off by the guy struggling....because he got there first, and it's HIS SPOT NOW.... no problem...I can catch fish in his old area anyway...or not, then I'm off to a different spot, different lake, different species..different crowd! That crowd has a guy like the last crowd also.... My spot, My fish.You are crowding me....blah blah blah.... Some people are just this way? When/if they bother me...I just leave..AND GO FISHING!
If it's that easy to get you to leave.....I want to know what color jacket you wear. I'll be the guy that fishes your hole and watches you walk away silently.
Champlain is def. big enough to give people plenty of room, say 50 yds or so, even on it's smaller bays. I try to not set up on people and respect their space. Not everyone goes fishing for the company. I have a people job where I have to be on, and enjoy the solitude. A greeting and a "hey, mind if I set up nearby?" goes a long way. When people ask me, I say "It's a public lake, but I like solitude" and it gets the message across. Fishing a hole you didn't drill makes you a straight up arsehole, unless it's like, 2 days old, noone's around and you spud it open.Same goes for streams, If I can see someone, I'm crowding them. Leapfrogging up or downstream is acceptable. Big rivers, 50-100 yds.Boats: 100 yards. This is how my grandfather and father taught me. Maybe part of the problem is noone ever taught these crowders.
Here is a picture of 30 groups of strangers, over 60 people, all fishing the same 150 yard stretch...WITH THE ONLY PROBLEM OUT THERE IS ONE GUY WHO THINKS THIS IS HIS SECRET SPOT...... Are you this guy? (Image removed from quote.)
that looks like one of my lake , and there are lots of guys that fish there that have to move in cause the are followers and never will be leaders , we have small cities form on this lake but the guys that put there time in don't need to fish like that , even when i stop to talk to someone i park my sled at least a 100' away and walk over but that is just me
100 feet away is inside the 50 yard "zone" of private water these guys want to reserve! But I do the same thing when on my sled. It's polite. Actually, on Big Bay where that picture was taken..if you set up in one hole and sit there all day..you won't do as well as the guys who hop around. But the guys who fish it everyday drill all their own holes, Some guys will drill them in a SMALL area they are working..(like maybe 60 feet diameter?) Others, like me, will drill one hole, fish it, stand up , move, drill another, and never stop! Stick and move, run and gun ! If I see a guy doing well 100 yards away, and I'm not getting my fish..I will move towards him..but I will NEVER move into his small area of holes I can see he is working! But the fishermen out there don't try to reserve 300' diameter circles either! The only problem I have seen is people coming out there without augers..and dumping into holes another guy has drilled..That is just rude. And we will let those people know it! Other than that, it's really quiet , everybody is there just to fish..you can sit in that crowd all week and be surprised how much solitude you get in a crowd..How little talking is going on..but on the weekends a different crowd shows up. They can't catch fish...they are there to party and be loud...they bring their kids and dogs and tip-ups...they are loud. But even these guys don't start yelling at others for someone fishing "in their area"..or think they own a piece of public lake for while they are there? Respect goes both ways! Some people just want to believe respect means "stay away ". Others just want to be respected, be left alone to do their own thing without being harassed by loud mouths thinking they own the lake, or the spot... There's alot of "mind your own business" missing nowadays. What ever happened to "Don't speak, without being spoken to?" Personally I believe it's rude to go up to a shanty and talk to the guy sheltered up inside. But if that guy looks out his window, sees me fishing through the area, AND WANTS TO TALK TO ME..he will come out and do so? Otherwise he has his privacy inside that shanty. Everybody needs personal space. If I close my eyes, hold my fishing rod out, spin around and NOT HIT ANYBODY..... I have enough of it!
They were coming in purely because they saw us catching fish. That's pretty low in by book.
Hunker over bucket, take fish off hook in bucket very subtly, never yell 'fish on' and rebait and redrop smoothly. Never advertise. I find if I turn my back to the crowd, put my fish bucket in front and bat bucket between my feet, kind of all in a line that I can block the view of with my back and set and reel calmly, they just don't really see it. Overhead hooksets and dancing around the hole (I'm not saying you're doing this) is a sure-fire fool magnet.
No doubt, the younger generations are different in alot of ways. I blame their parents. But it could be "societies fault", for taking away the parents belts and the right to use them?
sounds kinda greedy to lie tho...i dont like being crowded either but also like to help people out
You can tell the real vermonters on this post, they go to the lake for peace and quiet and to catch a few fish. They and their family and friends have been fishing for a long time, gaining knowlege and learning the lake. They're willing to be sociable and help someone in need of help, but don't suffer fools well. They don't go ice fishing, fishing or hunting to be in a crowd and have a party. The rest of you aren't going to change us with your bs that the lake is not private property. Have some respect and don't crowd us! If we wanted to be in a crowd we'd move to N.Y., Ma., or P.Q.
Trout how can one day in this post you say that you don't mind sharing a hot spot then the next day post how you lied to a couple guys who were decent and polite to you? Seems that you are a greedy person who wants to be the one bragging about all the fish you catch to your friends.
From an Old Musket to all young guns. All's us old timers are asking for is a little respect .And in most cases I think you will find you will get back a life time of knowledge and tricks of the trade. I'd say that's a pretty fair trade.Remember young and old our kids and grandkid's are watching.PS I was brought up to turn the other cheek but now when disrespected the only cheek I turn is the one when I pass gas.
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Topic: Ice Fishing Etiquette? (Read 9882 times)
