Don't Tell People About Your Fishing Spots.

[Bankbeater]

I fish a lot of spots that see a lot of pressure. When you catch one there are always 3, or 4, people that see you. When they ask me what I am using I just tell them I was using a crankbait.

[massrob]

Last summer I found this great spot that I caught tons of fish from. My roommate would always ask me where I was catching them and I told him a different place or it was a secret. Then at the end of the summer a kid we both know saw me there and told him where I was. I was so mad that kid had saw me and told him. I would never had revealed the location. But I guess it's okay since the my roommate needs me to tie his hooks on for him. And he's the one who got me into fishing.

[Dogmatic]

I have found a few great smallmouth holes in a local river way out in the middle of nowhere, nothing but corn, birds and snakes around, I tell NO ONE where they are. There are no banks that you can fish from, its almost straight up on the sides, you wade in downstream and walk to them.

Hey, I know those holes, right off 28 right? ; )

[yugrac]

lots of river right off 28, aint sayin where. Of course with the thaw, rain, and flooding those holes may not be there anymore!  Had a great place that was almost impossible to walk, the shallowest area was nearly to my armpits, 1 wet winter and spring that hole is knee deep now. Water has not been down enough for me to comfortably wade yet , every time its close it rains a bunch. When I get there I will PM you and let you know how it is.   Taking the boat out this weekend to Whitewater Mem.  

[yugrac]

Dogmatic, where the @@#$ is S.E.P.A.?

[FishWitWiz]

Dogmatic, where the @@#$ is S.E.P.A.?

Southeastern Pennsylvania. Otherwise known as the Delaware Valley... Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, and Berks Counties.

[SirSnookalot]

Look at it this way -- you were a good sport and you made a few fishermen happy. You did the right thing when you shared. I bet your parents are proud of you. Those who share will be rewarded in many ways. I'm always up front when asked about any spot that I had good luck at.

If the place is private I won't risk some one screwing it up for me.  Public places are a different story, I have given many places on BR, as I did this morning when asked about peacocks.  Many of these public places some one told me about, I have no problem passing that info on.  Pressure or no pressure I'll catch my fair share of fish, that's a given.  

It's great seeing a really nice fish caught by some one else, I feel as good about as if I caught it myself.

[flyfisher]

I never understood lying to people when on the lake when they ask you how you were doing.  It isn't like you randomly met the people, they are already on the same lake as you are so it isn't like they are going to learn about some new place.  

 

I am always honest about it and what i caught them on.  I figure why not share my love of the sport.  If it makes my lake busier, that's fine too, i just find another lake, there is plenty of water out there to explore and i have found quite a few great lakes by just deciding one day to go check them out.

 

I do admit that river spots are different, especially wintering holes and those i am not going to share, the same goes for native brookie streams as they can get wiped out from added pressure and part of the fun with those places is finding them.

[Thornback]

Part of the fun of fishing is finding new spots that produce a bass or two.

[F14A-B]

Well a hotspot can't be called a hotspot if it hasn't been exploited already.. I'm not convinced fish are educated by catch & release as it pertains to soft plastic worms & craws.. You can take a look at Doug Hannons logs and see that. Hard baits, more likely. I've put friends on fish & they couldn't buy a bite on a 7" straight tail worm.. Not all fisherman are created equal. ( no thrill to soft plastic, boring, or have trouble w strike detection)

Are a few statements that come to mind.. As far as tipping your cards for others to see? That's a game spoiler...

[Mista bass]

Well a hotspot can't be called a hotspot if it hasn't been exploited already.. I'm not convinced fish are educated by catch & release as it pertains to soft plastic worms & craws.. You can take a look at Doug Hannons logs and see that. Hard baits, more likely. I've put friends on fish & they couldn't buy a bite on a 7" straight tail worm.. Not all fisherman are created equal. ( no thrill to soft plastic, boring, or have trouble w strike detection)

Are a few statements that come to mind.. As far as tipping your cards for others to see? That's a game spoiler...

Wait you're saying that using soft plastics is boring and has no thrill? Soft plastics are my go to bait in almost any situation. There is always a way to fish a soft plastic that will catch fish in any situation.

[RanndomUndead]

Wait you're saying that using soft plastics is boring and has no thrill? Soft plastics are my go to bait in almost any situation. There is always a way to fish a soft plastic that will catch fish in any situation.

I think he means Finesse fishing can be boring to some, just as fishing cranks/spinners can be annoying to others.

Everyone has their preferred styles

[Mista bass]

Finesse for me is exciting. Anyone can reel in a crankbait, it takes skill and patience to work finesse baits!

[Dogmatic]

Dogmatic, where the @@#$ is S.E.P.A.?

LOL, I was just giving you a "hard time", I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Hehehe. I just Google Earth'ed your location and favorite river and went from there. Other than just passing through on my way to somewhere else, I have never fished OH/IN.

[Dogmatic]

If the place is private I won't risk some one screwing it up for me.  Public places are a different story, I have given many places on BR, as I did this morning when asked about peacocks.  Many of these public places some one told me about, I have no problem passing that info on.  Pressure or no pressure I'll catch my fair share of fish, that's a given.  

It's great seeing a really nice fish caught by some one else, I feel as good about as if I caught it myself.

I've had this burn me more then once. I had an excellent private pond, was told it was OK to let a friend fish there, as long as he respected the rules, and the first thing he does is park in the wrong place, and gets himself, and me booted.

[F14A-B]

Wait you're saying that using soft plastics is boring and has no thrill? Soft plastics are my go to bait in almost any situation. There is always a way to fish a soft plastic that will catch fish in any situation.

No.. I fish soft worms/craws 70% of the time.

I was speaking about friends who I have fished with & hate the slack line fishing presentations.

One expert( Doug Hannon ) proved that the 7" plastic worm was not remembered as a future threat and would strike soft plastic worms over & over again( over a period of time ) but did seem to shy away or reconsider striking crankbaits, spinnerbaits,etc.. Plastic is my strength..& preferred choice.

[yugrac]

Dogmatic, my son lives in meadville Pa, going there over Mem day weekend, any hot spots north of you?   Yea, I have found lots of spots using maps, bing has better clarity.

[kcdinkerz]

lol even amongst best friends and family we know better then to give our secret spots away. It's funny beca use every time one of us post a picture on Facebook or in a text you can't make out the background

[SirSnookalot]

Wait you're saying that using soft plastics is boring and has no thrill? Soft plastics are my go to bait in almost any situation. There is always a way to fish a soft plastic that will catch fish in any situation.

Well if Alonerankin did say it, I will.  Plastics are dreadfully boring for me, I probably don't use them more than a few times a year.  The only plastic I use often is a weedless fluke and I'm fishing almost exclusively as a top water lure.  I'm there for the strike and the fight, dragging plastics don't seem to supply that for me.  Something about a moving bait just seems to energize both the fish and me.

[mrc.in.wi]

My fishing partner and I always tell people if they ask where we caught the fish that "we caught them in the gravel pit." If they ask how, we say, "a few different techniques but mainly with a rod and reel." haha. I know it's kind of sarcastic but it always generates a chuckle or two.

I always say hook and line.

[scaleface]

I try to keep real good spots a secret. Sometimes I wont even fish them if another boat is close enough to see. I've lost quite a few spots like that. 

 

I once told a co-worker how I was catching channel cats at the reservoir . I explained the type of structure I was looking for , how to find it  and the bait . Never did tell him the exact locations. Next thing I know him and all his "game hog " friends were fishing my best spot .

[Patrick Morrow]

I admit the word can go out really fast, what initially was a little hint to a friend may result in everyone in local area finding out your spot. Be especially cautions on the internet, I can´t even remember how many times I have seen guys giving away their spots in local FB group just because they did a nice picture of the sunset, fish or whatever there.

[Thornback]

Some folks don't mind telling and some folks won't. Human nature at it's finest. I know I have returned to producing spots and never get a bite. I once fished the same spot six times, first time we got 12 bass and released them all, next time we got six and released them, next time we got skunked, next time we got two, next time we got five with one weighing over 10 pounds, we kept two smaller ones. Next time we got skunked. Anyone want a map on how to find that spot I'll draw them one . I'm planning a trip on Tuesday and I'm going to a different body of water. Without knowing it I'll probably be fishing someone's secret spot

[Mista bass]

Some folks don't mind telling and some folks won't. Human nature at it's finest. I know I have returned to producing spots and never get a bite. I once fished the same spot six times, first time we got 12 bass and released them all, next time we got six and released them, next time we got skunked, next time we got two, next time we got five with one weighing over 10 pounds, we kept two smaller ones. Next time we got skunked. Anyone want a map on how to find that spot I'll draw them one . I'm planning a trip on Tuesday and I'm going to a different body of water. Without knowing it I'll probably be fishing someone's secret spot

Don't you dare! That secret spot is mine! lol

[SirSnookalot]

This might be the perfect thread to post my conversation yesterday.  I ran into a couple of guys fishing a canal, quite normal for the subject to be peacock bass, then I hear small mouth bass in Florida.  The guys says he has a stocked pond not that far from where we were fishing.  I asked public or private, he replied private, that was the moment I ended the conversation.  Something told me that was the time to walk away and just forget about it.