Beware: Electronic "Spot" Fishing

[IceRover]

Have you ever been out on one of your favorite spots and someone pulls up or walks up and greets you respectfully and asks how you’re doing? Then you share some information and maybe they see a nice fish or two or you volunteer the info. Sometimes were too proud. They usually approach about an open water cast away or so. When they find out what they want, they then walk back to their sled or ATV or truck and push the Mark button on their GPS. It happens as smooth as a light biting winter fish, but it happens. This is too easy for gathering spots and fish info for use at a later time be it winter or any other season which is sure to burn the spot. I would also imagine the trading of coordinates and such takes place quite often. Remember, their not setting up.  Grandparents have handed some of these spots down and others who worked real hard the old fashioned way to find them. A sort of treasure shared with very few. Even when they were shared, it was always a general area offered to maybe a real close person. Now, for a smile and a short chat they nail it to a few yards. Were talking a five-minute investment! Sorry for the babble but I seen this happen again just the other day and I could not help but think what our forefathers would have thought. If you pay attention, you will no doubt see it too. Never before have so few ruined it for so many. Save our spots and I don’t mean with a Mark button. Holding back information about your spot would most likely be all you could do. I think it takes a lot of nerve or no shame to go around and sample everyone’s hard work because it is easy and the decision only involves the press of a button. Note: I’m not talking about community spots. Remember IMO; they’re only a cast away the easy way. With rangefinders, flashers and cameras those sweet spots are endangered. If they don’t feel like talking, I guess they could still acquire your spot with a rangefinder and a reference point, but I think they want all the info they can get. I feel once the fish quit using those spots they will start using non normal structure and we will have a heck of a time finding them as easy as before. More unwanted pressure. So I guess hush is the word. What is your viewpoint?

[Rat-Man]

I NEVER GIVE AWAY INFO ON ANYTHING TO ANYONE, EVEN IF YOUR FISHING WITH ME I WONT TELL YOU ANYTHING, I FIGURE IF YOU CANT FIGURE IT OUT BY WATCHING AND LEARNING YOUR NOT A VERRY GOOD FISHERMEN !  MY GRANDSON IS 9 AND HAS BEEN FISHING SENCE HE COULD WALK, HES SO GOOD HE CAN WATCH SOMEONE WITH BINOCULARS AND TELL WHAT THEY ARE DOING, AND USING. THEN HE SAYS NEXT TIME I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TRY THAT SPOT IF NO ONES THERE!  I DID TEACH HIM TO RESPECT OTHERS TERRITORY.

[pizalm]

Just don't give out info to people you don't trust. But I know if I see someone slamming fish in a spot I'm going to remember where it is and try it sometime. I won't crowd them but I'll try it sometime they aren't there. If you're fishing a popular body of water don't expect to have any secrets or get mad when someone else is in your spot.

[AugustWest]

Keep the Trap cover down and don't answer the door

People just don't care anymore

[A- bomb]

The term is "vulture". I can't believe your just finding this. I see it all the time in the boat. Yes a vulture feeds off the hard work of others. Once in a while drill a hole 50 yds in no where and pile the fish over there. Make lots of tracks and all. Park all the stuff there, make it look like swiss chese, this way they drive by see fish mark the spot and not bother you.

on a side note, these vultures seem like they don't like to work at it. However they are very early risers. Not uncommon to hit the ice early and they have been  parked there all night. Usually they only fish it once or twice and if no fish that mark gets deleted. There are sweeter spots to steal.

[stumper]

I dont rerally care if they "steal" my spot or not. Actually I will tell anyone that walks by what the bite is if they ask. I guess I am just secure enough with my abilities to find and catch fish, that I am not worried about it. One thing I wont do though is reveal a hot bite on the internet.

[bigfish_1556]

For the most part, not like it's our personal "private" location anyhow!!!! Just takes some judgement - don't offer up the detailed info to the panfish pirates, but perhaps consider letting the father/son combo that's in it for a nice family outing in on some hot tips........Just go with your 1st impression on who's requesting the info - usually my dog (who's out there with me) gives a good indication of a bad vibe when someone approaches (and 99% of the time she's dead on.....).

I have no problem giving it all away to the right person

Cheers,
Bigfish_1556

[Seedtree]

I agree with the last couple posters.  Catching fish is much more than a secret location.  In my experience, most people couldn't replicate your hard-earned success anyway.  Just think about all the items which add up to catching versus not catching fish.  Most of them have little to do with location.  Being setup just right, and doing the small things that make a difference, are what separates the good fisherman from the rest.

Manys the time I've been in a group out in the same location, but just 1 or 2 of the group are catching the fish.  Must be something besides location. 

Frankly, someone who would come over to your spot, check out your fish and punch in GPS coordinates on the sly, is the exact type of person who would not be willing to put in the time and hard work to develop the knowledge and/or skills to be a real threat to your local fishing hole.  They'll likely try the spot without knowing anything other than location, not catch anything, and move on to try to steal someone else's "hot" hole.

My .02.

Tight lines.



 

[taxi1]

I don't have a problem with people fishing a spot I was in when I'm not there or even fishing near me as long as they don't get too close, or sometimes that's even fine if they at least ask. After all it is a public lake and my name isn't reserved with a float or something like a parking lot. However I had an experience once that really takes the cake: It was another one of those years where we should have had ice in January but we had open water. I was catching perch right over the side of my anchored boat albeit they were not very big. To my absolute incredulity  I actually had a two guys pull so close to me and drop anchor I could have jumped into their boat! Of course the bite stopped.  I was really tempted to say, "Hey if you get any closer we could have sex!" These guys didn't have a clue. All they seemed to know is I was catching fish and they were going to catch fish regardless of what it took to do it.

Unbelievably the same day I got to see another example of rude anglers on the same lake. I had been waiting forever just out side the ramp for a guy to get his boat on his trailer. It's a small ramp and only has one spot at a time to get pulled in, get yoru trailer and pull onto your trailer. He had a piece of junk for a trailer and obviously didn't have much experience as he didn't have a clue on how to get his boat on the trailer. I patiently waited and he finally miraculously got 'er done. So I start my motor and a bass boat comes out of nowhere and cuts right in front of me to get on the ramp next. It was like I was invisible! I was so flabbergasted I didn't know what to say. Needless to say I don't fish that lake to much as it seems to be par for the course for some reason.

I was brought up not to crowd an angler and respect his fishing space but some of the people I am seeing out there these days don't have a clue.

[walleyeslayer]

i move around so often, im always finding new spots to fish.  i do have my favorite spots though, one in particular, im always careful not to show when im catching them..if people saw what i was pulling out of that hole, there would be 50 ppl camped there every day.  ive shown a couple guys, and even watched them jig  wrong, and not catch anything...i enjoy moving around, and getting exercise anyways.  never know when youre gonna hit that dimple thats holding fish, thats part of the fun for me

[A- bomb]

I totally agee its public water and we all have the right to fish anywhere. Whats annoying is when you find a sunken hump not located on any map and a couple guys break out of the "pack" about 500yds away and see ya catch a few. they move in and catch a few! NO PROBLEM!!
After about an hour they wander off only to return with 8 of their buddies. That was on tues. we returned on sat to no less than 45 guys w/ shanties, 4wheelers and the works. I saw maybe 6 fish get iced and was told i should have been there the last couple days.

Looked like swiss cheese ,trash all over,little perch layin around.
I believe in the hunter education course, how about mandatory ice manners?

[slimechaser]

Just tell 'em your slamming the Rockbass in that spot, they'll mark it as a spot to avoid
Catching fish to big to be Rockbass? Tell 'em dogfish

You'll never see 'em again!

[GrnDay33]

I figure i have as much right to pish a public lake as the next guy, I think if a person doesn't abuse the info, or the spot he is fishing and share the wealth with fellow rod toeters. when it comes down to it, Its just a fishing spot.

[IceRover]

I totally agee its public water and we all have the right to fish anywhere. Whats annoying is when you find a sunken hump not located on any map and a couple guys break out of the "pack" about 500yds away and see ya catch a few. they move in and catch a few! NO PROBLEM!!
After about an hour they wander off only to return with 8 of their buddies. That was on tues. we returned on sat to no less than 45 guys w/ shanties, 4wheelers and the works. I saw maybe 6 fish get iced and was told i should have been there the last couple days.

Looked like swiss cheese ,trash all over,little perch layin around.
I believe in the hunter education course, how about mandatory ice manners?

I see that the practice is well understood and disliked. I also totally agree that the lakes do belong to everyone. It is so easy to tolerate by just coming back another time as mentioned and try somewhere else. Seems like every time lately as we leave for the chosen lake, pre-checking the map and prioritizing spots we are not surprised to see and say: someone is already in our spot, and the next. Frustrating, but what really takes the cake is if the spot is really a honey hole and they have a mind to own it, they stake claim on it with a small easily transportable permanent shack. There is just something different about a clear clean lake area and one with a shack standing in place indicating a territorial claim. At least without the shack, it is sort of a first come first served claim for the day and a feeling of equal ownership. With some of these small permanent shacks which are not much bigger than some portables, which are left as a claim stake it sort of ruins your day when you really wanted to give that spot a good go. Your all amped up to set-up your plan for the day only to find out you just may be dealing with someone who is not as great a person or persons like the rest of us. Who needs that? I have enough hassles. Yeah I think we have expanded our ranks to the point of interference. Someday we will have to go to the local wardens office and make a reservation for a particular waypoint on the map and pay a fee and hit the ice with our permit in hand for a uninterrupted leased day of fishing the way it used to be. Until then as  mentioned, a short course on etiquette could be a start in the right direction. Either we handle it or eventually someone else will. Appreciate your viewpoints and agree with most. THX

[Blaine]

It sucks but it happens... You ought to come out in my boat on a charter sometime. Last fall there were days when I had 13 other boats follow my every move. The technology these days is good enough that they can mark my spot from miles away. Just by seeing me on their radar they can hit a button and mark the spot. I participate on a message board out here for salt water and I give a lot of info in my posts with the exception of location. Some people just are too damned lazy to spend the time and figure things out for themselves and want to be shown where everything is. I've actually had boats wait for me to come out from under the bridge and try to follow me Thank God my boat does 60

I don't like it but unfortuantely it is a part of my life now.

[gator007]

i move around so often, im always finding new spots to fish.  i do have my favorite spots though, one in particular, im always careful not to show when im catching them..if people saw what i was pulling out of that hole, there would be 50 ppl camped there every day.  ive shown a couple guys, and even watched them jig  wrong, and not catch anything...i enjoy moving around, and getting exercise anyways.  never know when youre gonna hit that dimple thats holding fish, thats part of the fun for me

i agree w/u, even when the vultures set up shop next to me they usually dont fish the way you need to, to catch anything. pretty annoying anyway. lots of guys make too much noise. and it's my opinion that anyone under 60 thats in descent shape should be using a hand auger and not a gas powered noise maker. the ice around here just dont get that thick.

[dugmore29]

i know when i go out on the ice, where i want to go. its my spot where ive had alot of my luck,a few of us all share info. about how their biting,how much ice etc. there is a few people where if i told them im slammin em they would pull their house right up near mine. they would tell a few more people and the next thing i know theres four or five houses all in my spot,fishin the hell out of it. that really burns my ass. they cant find where the fish are except where someone has said where they are. now when the derby comes around every body asks me or whoever hows the fishin,what are they hittin on and i would want to brag and blurt it all out. that was a few years ago,now i dont let out any information till its over. ive learned my lesson on who to talk to and share info. with. i know that sounds stupid to some but these VULTURES need to learn how to find their own fishin hole. if your ever ice fishin newfound lake here in the beautiful state of new hampshire look for the o.d. green bobhouse with the #29 flag of the back and maybe we could do some fishin. newfound lake nh-doug lamos

[A- bomb]

The good news about this... I now drive by that spot i used to fish on my way to my new spots. I now have found my fishing has evolved. I'm more mobile and willing to go to new places. I'm actually having more fun. I make mental notes when i find a spot in the boat and return when we get ice.(if we get ice)

Now its kinda funny, i found a nice deep weed bed and had my holes drilled before lightand then i see a shadowy figure getting closer. He was a super nice guy who had alot of questions on how i stumbled on to this spot. Been about 5 yrs now and we get along great.... He even mentioned he liked the company of me and my boy. It was kinda quiet the first 10 yrs he fished by himself.

[Thriller]

It is an interesting animal...people ought to be given space, but as it is public property (in most cases anyway), I have no more claim to a spot than anyone else.  That being said, I try to be very careful, especially online, since a friend of mine often provides me with the spots in the first place...I shouldn't be giving out his hard-earned locations.  There are many fisheries that can take pressure, but there are probably a similar number that can't be hammered away by meat hunters without affecting the fishery overall (like in the example above...if they were keeping fish, you can bet that the spot would deteriorate, not to mention possibly the entire body of water).  I have no problems with folks harvesting a meal or two, but bringing out 20 foks and everyone limiting out is going to have an effect.

It seems to me there was something else I wanted to add, but it's gone from my brain now...guess I should pour a cup of coffee.

[littlesturgeonguy]

i have found that you can't even tell a good friend because then he tells another one of his good friends and they tell one of theres and it keeps growing the next weekend you go out to find 30 other shacks around yours and the fishing just shut right down.

[hardh2ofish]

I dont think there are any 'rockbass'  here.  Do you think suckers will work?  Bullheads maybe.

[BrianF]

If the person(s) approach politely and seem like people looking to learn more about the fishing conditions and not steal a spot I may offer some simple facts as to my findings like if the fish are relating to structure, general lure selection (which may be obvious), presentation, etc. I won't tell them that I'm over a ledge and that the fish are hanging on the top of it if it is the only spot on the lake like that. So point being that I would not lie but provide selective helpful information if they seem like they are deserving of it. Likewise, I would never try to steal what someone has worked hard to find. I would rather try to find my own thing - which usually works best for both parties  .

If it is just some slob looking to steal the spot, my lips get tight and I may even ask them to leave.

Keep in mind it is a good thing that more new people get interested in this sport and that we help them to learn more about fishing and the ethics relating to fishing. And trust me if we don't it will not thrive to get better. Not everyone is out to get your spot, but there are a few bad apples. Don't let the bad apples ruin your view on helping others.

Brian

[AirManCam]

Things like these bother me, I was fishing on paradox lake yesterday, and there was 6 of us fishing, so with 30 tipups out in a bay, Mine and adkbrookies were out of the bay a bit pretty close together, and all of the sudden, 3 different shanties that were way into the bay, and one was halfway down the lake, they started humping our tipups. I swear they set up shop 10 feet from my last tip up, I mean, how rude could a person get? And then, one of their buddies decides to come visit, so be it but he walked right past our crew, not speaking a word, or looking at us and then walks right through everyones tipups..maybe its not that big of a deal, but for some reason it just bothered me that people would disrespect other fishermen like that.

[IceRover]

Keep in mind it is a good thing that more new people get interested in this sport and that we help them to learn more about fishing and the ethics relating to fishing. And trust me if we don't it will not thrive to get better. Not everyone is out to get your spot, but there are a few bad apples. Don't let the bad apples ruin your view on helping others.
Brian

Well said and it goes without saying, this thread is in no way to imply everyone out there is a bad apple. We need to have an awareness of what is happening in our sport, and promote the ideas that make all of us better anglers and friends striving toward a common goal. This territorial thing seems strongly implanted in our bone marrow. Although it is very controversial I think that it is safe to say that most of us are on the same page. Every time I hear these squabbles over land or territory I always remember a saying that goes and don‘t quote me; “that man fights to claim the land all his life, but in the end, it is the land that always claims the man“. Sort of funny huh? Yet it is a fact. Maybe a good dose of etiquette can have us all enjoying more fishing and less bickering.

[empty hook]

I dont rerally care if they "steal" my spot or not. Actually I will tell anyone that walks by what the bite is if they ask. I guess I am just secure enough with my abilities to find and catch fish, that I am not worried about it. One thing I wont do though is reveal a hot bite on the internet.

  I agree with you.  I have had fisherman shrare with me and I have shared with other fisherman.  However I have had this happen two times and I wasn't very nice to them.  One guy drove right up beside me and rolled his window down  and ask me how I was doing and the other guy drove his quade up.

[tbirdbassr]

I had the camera down last year we were working over a nice school of perch heard an ATV coming over It was my uncles looking for bait which was at the trailer about 200 yards aways but needless to say every fish was gone about 2 hrs later another guy pulls  up in his truck same deal all the fish took off the guy asked me how i was doing and I told him exactly what I thought of that stupid *****************!!!!!

[IceRover]

It seems to me there was something else I wanted to add, but it's gone from my brain now...guess I should pour a cup of coffee.

Too bad, that is probably what we wanted to discuss. Maybe when you recall. We'll wait. 

I've actually had boats wait for me to come out from under the bridge and try to follow me Thank God my boat does 60 ;DI don't like it but unfortuantely it is a part of my life now.

Totally understand your feelings. Just another annoyance to add to your daily stress level. If it were not for the skill of multi-tasking to accept it finally, we would all have to be medicated.

[hawgerdawger]

Thanks for the great idea! Now, I want a GPS unit!

(Just kidding)

[IceRover]

Thanks for the great idea! Now, I want a GPS unit!

(Just kidding)

Go for it hawgerdawger, and your very welcome.