Fishing near permanent shacks?

[Wago14]

I feel like the sentiment from people who live and fish in Maine is the same. The other varying opinions on each end of the spectrum seem to be from other states. I think it certainly varies by where you fish.

[gamefisher]

I feel like the sentiment from people who live and fish in Maine is the same. The other varying opinions on each end of the spectrum seem to be from other states. I think it certainly varies by where you fish.

Absolutely.  If you are within a mile of me and my posse you are too close and I'll give you the same courtesy in return.   

[DowneastPescador]

Open water this summer I walked into a little trail that I like to bass fish on. I could see a guy getting his baitcaster un-****censored word****ed in the parking lot as I got ready to go. I get down the the little cove and start casting. Open cove to my right, big dead white pine to my left. I’m casting a spook all along the tree, fan casting the whole area. While I’m fishing I hear someone walk behind me and I think “I bet this guy is gonna set up right next to me.” Sure enough he starts casting about 15 feet away from me, right on the tree that I’m working. On his second cast I rocketed my lure so it splashes about 4 inches away from his topwater offering. He didn’t get the point and kept fishing, and I kept throwing my popper on top of his. After about 2 minutes I reeled in, yelled “have a good night” and left. When I got back to the parking lot I found a green Scion xB, with a Maine guide sticker on the back windshield. Now I know if I see that car to run the other way. Half of me wanted to tell him to ****censored word**** off the second he started casting literally right next to me with the whole rest of the shoreline open but I held back. My only thought to explain his behavior is he was fishing the tree before I showed up and then felt entitled to it. Anyways if you see a green xB run the other way. Fake Maine guide sticker would be my bet.

[jethro]

Make yourself at home! I'll be out at my shack by noon-thirty with my 3 blue tick hounds and 4 kids who will be on their wheelers and sleds whipping around the shack all afternoon, slappin' ass and burnin' gas!

[Wago14]

Absolutely.  If you are within a mile of me and my posse you are too close and I'll give you the same courtesy in return.   

 

Good luck with that.

Most people in Maine do not have any issue with someone fishing in the vicinity of their shack as long as the people have good etiquette and do not set up right on the shack. It does not claim that spot on the lake.

[memtsman]

A few years back, my son and I were fishing a lake that was a bit thin over most of the lake. We even watched them fish a snow sled up from the bottom off shore a bit. We stayed close to shore on other people's tracks and stopped maybe 100 yards from the first shack in a line of 8 or 10. We set up and enjoyed good fishing. We had set up a temporary shack but as the day warmed we sat out on the ice a short ways from our shack. A lady came out of her camp on shore to our shack and was knocking on the flap. I went in and spoke with her and she was upset because we had set up in front of her camp. She went on to say she rents her camp out in the winter and makes good money doing so. She said she didn't want her guest seeing other people fishing in front of her camp. She then asked us to leave. Of course I wanted to tell her to go @$^& herself but decided not to as I would have been just wasting my time. I told her we were already picking up to leave and would be gone soon. The next day we set up near that spot and observed a bunch of guy playing cards and drinking at the camp. They never stepped foot on hardwater. We did just as well with our fishing in the new spot so nothing was lost to us. So my advise is do what is legal and don't worry about other people's agenda. Don't argus and fight with them unless it becomes a self defense issue. The intitled are everywhere and you will not change their minds. Keep it legal and civil and just enjoy what is your right.

[EmeraldShiner]

I agree that entering someone's shack when whether locked or unlocked is dead wrong.  I also agree that a hard shack permanently placed for the entire ice fishing season in one particular spot gives the owner of that hard shack absolutely no territorial rights whatsoever on State of Maine Lakes and Ponds that are the property of all Maine citizens!  If the shack is occupied and actively being used for fishing than due respect should be exercised to give them space out of respect and etiquette.  If unoccupied fish as close as you want until they show up, then pick up and move to a reasonable distance.  What the hell is going on here?  Can't we all just try to get along with common sense and reason?

[nbourque]

I agree that entering someone's shack when whether locked or unlocked is dead wrong.  I also agree that a hard shack permanently placed for the entire ice fishing season in one particular spot gives the owner of that hard shack absolutely no territorial rights whatsoever on State of Maine Lakes and Ponds that are the property of all Maine citizens!  If the shack is occupied and actively being used for fishing than due respect should be exercised to give them space out of respect and etiquette.  If unoccupied fish as close as you want until they show up, then pick up and move to a reasonable distance.  What the hell is going on here?  Can't we all just try to get along with common sense and reason?

Well said Mark

[Wago14]

I agree that entering someone's shack when whether locked or unlocked is dead wrong.  I also agree that a hard shack permanently placed for the entire ice fishing season in one particular spot gives the owner of that hard shack absolutely no territorial rights whatsoever on State of Maine Lakes and Ponds that are the property of all Maine citizens!  If the shack is occupied and actively being used for fishing than due respect should be exercised to give them space out of respect and etiquette.  If unoccupied fish as close as you want until they show up, then pick up and move to a reasonable distance.  What the hell is going on here?  Can't we all just try to get along with common sense and reason?

Pretty much spot on here.

[jethro]

What the hell is going on here?  Can't we all just try to get along with common sense and reason?

Unfortunately, common sense isn't so common anymore.

[DDORR]

All for fishing anywhere and anytime on any public waterway but people should have a little respect when setting up next to shacks . As we all know snow storms add additional weight on the ice caps and when people drill holes next to the structures ,water inevitably covers the surface and freezes creating problems for the  shack owners .

[darby74]

Actually had a group watch me catch 2 nice Brook Trout out of 1 hole near a little tiny island 17+ years ago, travel 150 yards and drill a hole maybe 8 feet from that hole.  I picked up my other 4 traps, and proceeded to start drilling 4 holes a foot around his.  Came up and started freaking out about being an asshole.  I asked him "I've lost fights before, have you?"  He grabbed his trap and left.  Any action we make, the brain has an instinctual thought of "this is a bad idea"....feel free to listen to that thought.  World would be a better place.  Just my opinion

[woodchip]

Years ago i was out on sebago with my truck over 3' of ice, my neighbor and i were jigging out of holes about 50' apart we drilled several holes each 50' apart, My neighbor hooked into a big fish when it was just under ice he lost it. So he reeled in and moved out 50 more ft. he said that fish will not bite again here. I went over to the hole he had just lost the big fish in  and dropped down my jig, I hooked into a big one right off and flopped a 11 lb togue on ice . He yelled at me and said that was my hole. I said i did not see your name on it. He has not spoke to me now for over 10 years!!!!

[nbourque]

Years ago i was out on sebago with my truck over 3' of ice, my neighbor and i were jigging out of holes about 50' apart we drilled several holes each 50' apart, My neighbor hooked into a big fish when it was just under ice he lost it. So he reeled in and moved out 50 more ft. he said that fish will not bite again here. I went over to the hole he had just lost the big fish in  and dropped down my jig, I hooked into a big one right off and flopped a 11 lb togue on ice . He yelled at me and said that was my hole. I said i did not see your name on it. He has not spoke to me now for over 10 years!!!!

Some friend lol

[DowneastPescador]

Years ago i was out on sebago with my truck over 3' of ice, my neighbor and i were jigging out of holes about 50' apart we drilled several holes each 50' apart, My neighbor hooked into a big fish when it was just under ice he lost it. So he reeled in and moved out 50 more ft. he said that fish will not bite again here. I went over to the hole he had just lost the big fish in  and dropped down my jig, I hooked into a big one right off and flopped a 11 lb togue on ice . He yelled at me and said that was my hole. I said i did not see your name on it. He has not spoke to me now for over 10 years!!!!

Wow, you’d think your buddy would be stoked. Always treat it like a team effort you’d think.

[Steve H.]

Wow, you’d think your buddy would be stoked. Always treat it like a team effort you’d think.

Totally agree!  Silly way to lose a friendship.

[SirCranksalot]

Wow, you’d think your buddy would be stoked. Always treat it like a team effort you’d think.

Quite!

Not quite the same situation, but my bud caught a huge laker last year just as we had packed up to leave. His final step was to walk over and reel in his line. That's when the fish hit. I'm not sure where his adrenaline levels were, but mine was quite high esp when I lifted it out of the hole for him. We were cackling like crazy. I was quite happy for him

[woodchip]

I had another time fishing in the Allagash Churchill lake my Friend could not get his traps his Kids had taken them to another lake. so i said i have plenty of traps  so we set up and started to get flags caught a few small trout that we realeased then he caught a big chub  bait pail was a ways off so he  walked over to get it . so I scaled and cut a chunk off the chub and baited trap , i walked off a ways and heard flag go  up I turned around and said hey your flag went up He said you get i dont want any more Chubs, so i started to pull in fish and it was big when i flopped another 12 pound Togue on to ice  he was there with bait i said looks good must be a few pounds he said its the biggest fish i ever saw put on ice, We had a good trip,

[DowneastPescador]

I had another time fishing in the Allagash Churchill lake my Friend could not get his traps his Kids had taken them to another lake. so i said i have plenty of traps  so we set up and started to get flags caught a few small trout that we realeased then he caught a big chub  bait pail was a ways off so he  walked over to get it . so I scaled and cut a chunk off the chub and baited trap , i walked off a ways and heard flag go  up I turned around and said hey your flag went up He said you get i dont want any more Chubs, so i started to pull in fish and it was big when i flopped another 12 pound Togue on to ice  he was there with bait i said looks good must be a few pounds he said its the biggest fish i ever saw put on ice, We had a good trip,

Lol lol, from one flag to the next you just never know. Catch 100 yellow perch out of the same hole then the 101st is a massive trout/togue.

[Jack978]

Most of the time when I am fishing, I'll be about the only one out or perhaps I can see a few people, but I always set up away from everyone else. I stay away from shacks and people's camps.  No one owns the water or being territorial is a losing game.  I've fished in places that had lots of competition and lack of respect for other in southern new England most recently and I am happy to not have to be there anymore.

My property has 150 feet of water frontage, is bisected by a private road as well as a sort of intermittent brook that cuts between my lots into what can be politely described as a swamp.  There are lots of frogs in that area and it's kind of a kid and grandkid magnet.  I don't mind that as long as their parents supervise them, I don't mind the kids enjoying it.  When I was young, I didn't get to enjoy that sort of thing.  I also have some wild berry bushes and if the kids want to pick some, I don't mind that either. 

One of my neighbors warned me that unless I drove them off it was just a lawsuit waiting to happen and I was taking an awful chance.  His perspective is everyone and everything is a threat. I'm kind of surprised his property isn't surrounded by razor wire and warning shots are a waste of money sign.  Perhaps that's true but so far, it's not been a problem and I would rather see kids enjoying themselves than rest secure in the knowledge I denied the most people a little enjoyment.

[9huskies]

If someone is fishing from a permanent shack I give them as much space as I would give anyone fishing out in the open. If the shack is unoccupied I choose my fishing spot as if it wasn't even there. I have one exception to that. There is one person I know who sets his shack over a rock pile where crappie and white perch hang out and take cover. If he's not fishing when I get there I fish I always start jigging within a few feet of his shack. 

[woodchip]

Lakes with Smelts have a lot of shacks close to gether. like Salt water smelt shacks are always close to gether When fishing an area whether salt or fresh, when the Shacks are close to gether they have the ability to lure more fish in an area to feed , It like  chumming the fish to stay into and area which is ben·e·fi·cial    , some people just look at situations with a Negative outlook.

[Moosekill]

One thing the state of Maine did right.  If you do not charge someone to use your land, and someone gets injured, you are not liable.  If you charge, or you do things like put a cable across a snowmobile trail without marking it, you can still get in trouble.  But for the most part, if you don't charge you are safe.  Makes it a lot easier for land owners to keep their land opened. 

Most of the time when I am fishing, I'll be about the only one out or perhaps I can see a few people, but I always set up away from everyone else. I stay away from shacks and people's camps.  No one owns the water or being territorial is a losing game.  I've fished in places that had lots of competition and lack of respect for other in southern new England most recently and I am happy to not have to be there anymore.

My property has 150 feet of water frontage, is bisected by a private road as well as a sort of intermittent brook that cuts between my lots into what can be politely described as a swamp.  There are lots of frogs in that area and it's kind of a kid and grandkid magnet.  I don't mind that as long as their parents supervise them, I don't mind the kids enjoying it.  When I was young, I didn't get to enjoy that sort of thing.  I also have some wild berry bushes and if the kids want to pick some, I don't mind that either. 

One of my neighbors warned me that unless I drove them off it was just a lawsuit waiting to happen and I was taking an awful chance.  His perspective is everyone and everything is a threat. I'm kind of surprised his property isn't surrounded by razor wire and warning shots are a waste of money sign.  Perhaps that's true but so far, it's not been a problem and I would rather see kids enjoying themselves than rest secure in the knowledge I denied the most people a little enjoyment.