Talking to the locals

[Nitrofreak]

How many of you actually talk to the locals? What is your approach? 

I just watched a clip of Dave Mercer touching on this subject.

With the internet now and the abundance of information you can find on it about almost any body of water, do you invest in the personal conversations with local anglers?

I am an old school kind of feller, even though I google a lake to find some interesting areas via aerial photos and such, reading various fishing reports, etc..., I personally like to have conversations with them, often enough you can find out key things about the body of water and the species your fishing for by sharing a conversation over a cup of coffee or even breakfast which I always pay for to say thanks, there is always a laugh or something good you can keep with you from a personal investment.

[FloridaFishinFool]

Yes. Of course! Nothing like local info.

But you know how fishermen are... golfers, politicians, and fishermen are among the world's greatest liars!

I can not tell you how many times locals have said where the fish were knowing they were not! Trying to send outsiders on a wild goose chase anywhere but where they were fishing.

Sometimes watching the locals is of more value than actually talking to locals!

[scaleface]

I trust myself better than information locals are "willling" to share . Only info I want are water conditions .

Rick Clunn won the Arkansas river classic by fishing where the locals said there were no fish .

[Nitrofreak]

There is not one single angler out there that will tell you about their "honey holes" LOL !! 

I ask more specific questions about baits, depths, target areas, and put that to work with maps and a little Google mixed in.

its a greater experience rather than coming right out and asking where the fish are at, the more subtle questions seem to yield the better answers.

[roadwarrior]

If there is a local Mom & Pop tackle shop, that is you very best option, especially if you become a "regular".

In the Florence. AL area, Gary's is the ticket:

Gray's Tackle Shop

OPEN NOW

Today:8:00 am - 4:00 pm

2813 N Jackson Hwy,

Sheffield, AL 35660

(256) 978-3154

 

[MIbassyaker]

There is very little information on the internet or anywhere else about some of the small, out-of-the-way, sometimes hard-to-access places I like to fish. For some of those places, locals are the only reason I know about them.

[A-Jay]

Rarely do I ever discuss the where, when & how regarding any of the lakes I fish; except on this forum of course.

The vast majority of my time on the water is spent with only a couple of anglers if any and that's almost always early & mid summer.  The rest of the time I'll have theses places to myself, especially at night.  Most of the very best places I'm on are fairly isolated and have few if any cabins on them.  Regardless of the location & popularity, fishing is always best early & late season and there's never anyone on the water then here.

Some of the best places I fish, have been dubbed by locals as "Not Good".  I always scout the lakes myself to determine whether or not that's the case.  Rarely are they "Bad", some are better than others but if I listened to the "noise", I'd be missing out on some decent bassing; and everything changes when you're on the water at night - especially lakes that have a busy recreational load.

So to answer that OP's question, I'm not talking to anyone mostly because any life I encounter speaks a different language.

A-Jay

 

[ww2farmer]

I talk to myself often. It can look and seem strange to the untrained eye, but since I am a local, and consider myself the authority on any and everything around here...........who better to talk to?

[Cgolf]

I talk to the bait shop that I have always gotten my bait from about the generalities of the bite. Depth, type of weeds relating to and depending on the time of the year the trip is, what phase are the fish in. In WI I have caught a bass still spawning in mid July and seen them done much earlier. Asking about the lake on lake link is pointless, they won't even answer general questions about water temp, weed growth, etc. It is a trophy musky lake so that might have something to do with it.

[Raul]

I don´t need to talk to locals, I´m Raul, if there is a bass I´ll catch it and if there ain´t bass but something else I will catch it too.

[N Florida Mike]

With my schedule,I don't get out of my home range much.When I fish around here I feel confident and don't ask questions much.If someone wants to ask me or talk fishing that's fine.When I fish a new area far from home I get what info.I can online and then try the local bait store.When I try to trout fish in the mountains I always try to ask advice but it doesn't seem to help.Unless I use corn I don't catch Any.Went to Gatlinburg area to fish "new river" in the smokies.Went to the local trout fishing store and the owner excitedly told me that the river was the best trout fishing spot in the smokies, and sold me the 40 dollar license and some roostertails that assured me would work.After 4 hours and NO bites I nearly went back and told him what I thought of him and his bait store.I think I was probably his only sale of the week .At least I got to enjoy the mountain air and scenery.

[WPCfishing]

I believe it when I see it. I'm not interested with anything another fisherman "I don't know" has to say about a lake I'm going to scout and fish.

More often than not the guy at the ramp is whining about his all season strike outs or the fantasy fish he caught. 

I'm doing two tournaments with my brother in May on lakes I've never been on. I'll spend the time finding out for myself how I want to fish it.

"On the other hand if I was going to fish a lake I had never been on and it was miles long I'd be picking brains all over town for days".

 

[WRB]

You know when a fisherman is not telling the truth if his lips are moving.

Trusting anything you hear from another bass angler you don't know is risky. The tackle store owner wants to sell things that are not moving, the anglers don't want you to know where they catch fish or what to catch them on....secrets.

It's all part of the game of fishing, you fish for information and learn what is reliable and what isn't from experience.

Tom

[CJ]

Man this is a topic that can go either way. Yes some people especially in certain areas for some reason will try to sabotage you. As some have mentioned, some tackle store owners might try to push something that they couldn't get rid of otherwise then there are good tackle stores that want to sell you something that works and help you so that you come back because you had a good experience with them. It's a political thing. If you are a personable guy, you can usually get good info from people. A good trick in a tackle store is to observe what lures are sold out or nearly out as long as they relate to that season.

[Catt]

Depends on how y'all define "local"!

Some random guys at the boat launch, probably not!

Now as far as sharing information y'all need to go down to Central Bass Fishing under the 202 page So Y'all Want To Learn Toledo Bend thread.

[Oregon Native]

Always been tough for me to catch other peoples fish.  Generally look at map or Lowrance (for hazards) and go fish my comfort zones or moods.  It can be flipping, cranking, topwater...I be looking at the ol finder for deeper fish or surface activity for chasers.  Love to explore and find fish.

[Sam]

Yes, I speak with locals but try to stay away from asking definitive questions, such as "where are the bass?," "what baits and colors should I throw?," etc.

I just get some macro information in lieu of pestering the guy with micro information that he does not want to give to you.

And does it help? Mostly, no. The data locals give applied to when they last fished the water. Now, water clarity, temperature, depth, current, along with the weather has changed everything. So when the local tells you to throw white spinnerbait around docks, the information is not valid unless the fishing conditions are the same when he threw a white spinnerbait around docks.

There are no short cuts in learning bass fishing.

You need to study the water, weather, forage, time of year and all of the other aspects of your opponent so that when you hit the water you will have a good idea of where they "should be" and what baits and techniques will work.

Its called "finding the pattern" and it is easier said than done.

[Master Bait'r]

Nah.  I just small talk and be as nice as possible. As well as always be willing to lend a hand. 

 

I like figuring stuff out.  Sometimes falling short is what I need too- frustration usually leads to obsession for me.  

 

Local knowledge helps for food though for sure!! 

[DogBone_384]

Sure do.  You just never know what you'll learn, or who you'll meet.  Whether it's something TO do or NOT to do, you can always learn something by talking to other anglers.  

Worst case, you meet cool people and swap 'it was THIS big' stories.

[CJ]

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

  You just never know what you'll learn, or who you'll meet.  Whether it's something TO do or NOT to do, you can always learn something by talking to someone.  

One golden rule to bass fishing is to know that you can learn something from any or everybody. Might be something small or something that changes everything. There's always something to learn. I don't care who you are.

[Scott F]

None of the locals even fish for bass on my favorite lake so they couldn't give me good information even if they wanted to.

Years ago when I first got my boat, I was on my first out of state fishing trip to a lake I read about but never fished before. We were checking in at the office of the campground we were staying at and the wall next to the desk was covered with pictures of fish that came out of the lake. There were a lot pictures featuring the same fisherman with lots of impressive catches. I asked the owners who that guy was and that I'd like to talk to him. He said he's staying here now but he's very secretive and was not likely to give up much info.  A little while later, I was in my boat, at the dock, when a guy pulls up and ties off his boat. I recognized him as the angler from the wall of pictures. He looks at my still shiny new boat and he must have assumed I might know how to fish (not a good assumption at the time). We had a nice chat and before I knew it, he was marking my map with good spots to fish. His information was spot on and we did very well. I'm still not sure why the guy who was supposed to be so secretive was so generous with the information but I was very thankful he was. It made the trip a success for this novice fisherman and his partner. Ever since then, when given the opportunity, I pay it forward whenever I can.

[Burtonxj]

Beer is my approach. 

[Darren.]

I've made some good "friends" out there with "locals"
who fish the reservoirs I frequent.

Normally we share info, what works, where, etc.,
and all of us have benefited.

There are enough bass in the lake for us all to enjoy
good days.

That said, there are "jerks" out there, too, who will ask
but you definitely get a "drift" or a "gut feeling" that they're
not asking to make a fishing friend...and could care less
about you. Those I tend to just wish "good luck" and move
on.

[capjohnson.mike]

It goes both ways. My neighbors in lake Istokpoga we don't give eachother  spots at all and when we post our Biggins, and they ask where's that I won't lie. Lol but I don't tell him exactly where. Big lakes like Lake O and Poga are hard sometimes when you don't know where they are. Local knowledge can be great....if they're being truthful.

[Nitrofreak]

In talking with locals, and what I mean by that is either, going to a new body of water or hanging around the ones where everyone knows your name, sometimes it's not the bait shop where you strike up a conversation, I have approached anglers and have been approached at campgrounds just asking how their day went and the next thing you know your having in depth conversations and a beer next to the campfire and yes, sometimes the talk is about as cheap as the beer LOL!! but the laughs are good to share.

I found it interesting when Dave Mercer was talking about this kind of thing because I don't know to what extent the pros actually talk to people, just like the video above, that was my perception, that is to say that my impression is that most don't even bother, they just use their skills that got them there, I think they all have their own way to resource a new body of water as we do and I like the idea that sites just like this one aids them in their research.

Lots of different views on this subject and thanks for sharing your input all !!!