Looking for Advice

[DrummerManDrew]

How’s the cool fishing world doing these days? It’s been a great season so far. I’m coming to the collective here because I’m running out of patience running into people coming off the little ponds I fish with the boy. More so, I keep running into people that watch me from the parking area with binoculars, chat me up like crazy when I’m trying to load up, and want all the details.

Today I even told the boy, maybe we act like I’m deaf when people come up to me and you tell them we fish using turtle eggs. I’m just to the point where I don’t want to be a dick, but it’s all about putting in the work and figuring out what works, what’s where and enjoying your time in the ice.

I’m looking for some one liners to give people without having to just be such a dick. Much appreciated my fellow fishers, tight lines

[mowbizz]

Fishing SUCKED here! See ya!🤣

[fishingidjit]

Maybe they're old, lonely and bored? Just want to chat ?

[bassin212]

I’ve had my fair share of that this year as well (earlier in the year) feel like it doesn’t happen as much on the bigger lakes.

Most times I’ll respectfully entertain the Convo but sometimes it does get old.

I’ll either make limited eye contact and keep busy, talk a bit but continue loading my gear etc. they usually get the social que that I’m trying to pack up and get out of there

If you’re with someone even better. I’ll start kinda talking and mid sentence give some orders to who ever I’m fishing with and then kinda keep doing that without finishing my sentences and they also get it.

You can also just be honest. “Hey I’m kind of in a rush to get out of here I’ve got somewhere I need to be sorry”

[PoolGuy]

Fishing SUCKED here! See ya!🤣

X2     Tell them nothing

[SHaRPS]

Ask them if they saw how many fish you caught. You need to take charge of that convo right off the bat and end it when you want with as much BS as you want. 🤣

[Steamtrain]

Maybe they're old, lonely and bored? Just want to chat ?

I bump in to a few of these out fishing, really nice guys just wanting to chat.

[lowaccord66]

Ask them if they saw how many fish you caught. You need to take charge of that convo right off the bat and end it when you want with as much BS as you want. 🤣

My buddy would just start saying "questions, questions" loudly when people roll up.  I recall telling some guys I was using cream corn for bait.  Can have some fun with inquisitive people.

[Dirt23]

I believe it's worth feeling people out,  if they are just trolling for spots BS them but I have had some great conversations with fellow anglers that have lead to wealth of knowledge on a place just saying

[DConICE]

If someone was watching me with binoculars all day, I'd probably be less likely to talk to them... but normally the "any luck" or "catch anything" or "what's in this place" questions will get a cordial answer initially.  May not be a completely honest answer if its a spot I am trying to protect... but I wouldn't bite theirs heads off and would just keep loading up as I talked. Sometimes you get more information than  you give in these situations... though again -maybe not totally accurate.

[jigmaster5]

I’m looking for some one liners to give people without having to just be such a dick. Much appreciated my fellow fishers, tight lines

Hmmm...only time that I've run into ppl asking questions this year was early ice...maybe it's the places that I'm fishing...

If it bothers you, you could always fish somewhere else with less people.

Anyway, short story....I was hiking thru the woods to get to safe ice.  Guy asked if I was planning on going icefishing?  "Nope, just taking my sled for a walk in the woods."  Next, he asked if I was planning on going out on the ice b/c it looked kind of thin.  I told him that if I could find safe ice, I was going to fish it because it's too hard to ice fish from shore.  After that, no more questions!  That's unusual for me, tho.  I try to be kind to everyone...sometimes smart ass answers just kind of slip out.  The trail was rough and I ended up carrying my sled alot & I wasn't in a good mood at the time.

I have had it happen more often if I'm ice fishing more traveled areas.  I think it's part of the territory if you're going to fish a busy pond.  Just have to roll with it.

For the most part, ppl asking questions are clueless or maybe limited mobility (hence why they are stuck in the parking lot) and are genuinely curious + harmless, so I try to be kind - esp. to kids.

Over the years, my top question (by far) is "how deep is it?"  Then I ask, do you really mean how deep is it or how thick is the ice?  And then, they say...."well, both!".  You can tell in about 10 seconds if they are truly curious + harmless or something else.

You know what surprises me is how many ATVs + sleds come up to me & ask how "deep the ice is"??  They haven't a clue.  Buzzing around on the ice & no idea how much ice there is.  Skaters + dog walkers are another 2 groups that like to ask that question...and almost none of them will test the ice before venturing out.  That might be a bit of a generality, but I don't think that I'm wrong!

[bassin212]

You know what surprises me is how many ATVs + sleds come up to me & ask how "deep the ice is"??  They haven't a clue.  Buzzing around on the ice & no idea how much ice there is.  Skaters + dog walkers are another 2 groups that like to ask that question...and almost none of them will test the ice before venturing out.  That might be a bit of a generality, but I don't think that I'm wrong!
[/quote]


Seriously, happens all the time. My favorite was a guy bombed up to me in a pick up. Asked me how much ice while his auger was hanging out of the back. Told him I wasn’t sure as I was walking out. Asked me if he could get to a certain island, I told him I wasn’t sure I haven’t made it that far yet…. He then stuck his hand down one of my holes I wasn’t using and took off….

[SALMONEMIA]

I usually provide little to no information. Especially if they ask about my target species of the day. I provide vague and crapty information.  This site is great for help and guidance and knowledge from guys that love the sport. Met some great people here. But there comes a time when you gotta just go out and get crap dialed in yourself. That's the best way. Sharing some Intel with trusted friends is different than just giving it all out to strangers. I have spent years dialing in one of my spots and it has paid off plus its fun to just get out and explore tactics and new techniques and or new spots on said lake. That's half the fun. Noone showed me where to go I did my homework and got some valuable information here for general fishing questions but not locations etc. I say be polite but vague and don't disclose much.  It will bite you back if you tell too much.

[lowaccord66]

Honestly I read this post differently. Complaining about people just trying to talk to you? I think you are a dick. Sorry but really?

Opinions are like arseholes....everyone has one.  Personally, I dont fish to talk to people.  If that makes me a dick so be it.  Also think such a statement says more about the person giving it than the person its directed to, but again thats just me. 

[bassin212]

Opinions are like arseholes....everyone has one.  Personally, I dont fish to talk to people.  If that makes me a dick so be it.  Also think such a statement says more about the person giving it than the person its directed to, but again thats just me. 

Also funny how the OP was looking for ways specifically NOT to be a dick….. then gets called one 😂😂😂

[SHaRPS]

If you dont get it, you just dont get it. The ones that get it, are the ones I talk to. My life, my choice and I can identify as a dick if i so choose.

[PikeKing23]

Sorry DrummermanDrew. I skipped over the part about the guys watching from the lot and specifically asking about how you were catching. I'm all about protecting the resource and don't give those details to strangers either. I removed previous post.

[Steve01987]

I’m no pro by any means but when people ask how I’m catching a lot of bass through the ice, which I know is probably easy for just about everyone on here (but wasn’t always easy for me), I ask what they’re using for bait. Recently I got told “Mummichogs, that’s all they had locally around”.  I said I drove almost 2 hours round trip for big bait and they realized their problem.

[lowaccord66]

If you dont get it, you just dont get it. The ones that get it, are the ones I talk to. My life, my choice and I can identify as a dick if i so choose.

#metoo