Too Much PRESSURE...Go Back to the Golf Course

[JoeBucketmouth's]

I have been fishing for several years and am located in a place where I have little to NO access.  On top of that the places I do have are grossly overfished,  I have tried creating programs with local parks "serious" anglers or just a strict membership ( catch and release sportsmen )  to access there 10 lakes a local park owns that all are off limits.  How do you guys handle this?  Guys in metro areas, with a billion people on the water all the time!  I have even tried craigslists add's for farmers to pay them to fish their ponds?  Any help would be awesome!   

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Unfortunately, I've got any advice for you, but this is

a great forum and I'm sure many will chime in with 

their experiences.

[Soflobassing]

I don’tnhqve any advice either but I’m sure you’ll find something just search a lot. I joined yesterday and have already found to great spots for my area. Happy fishing

[greentrout]

Try fishing at night on pressured lakes, if allowed, taking precautions for your safety...I like t-rigged worms...black...

 

good fishing...

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/night-fishing-gear.html

[DINK WHISPERER]

Sometimes you just have to pack it up and make a drive. I use to live in a city similar to what you're describing. I ended up driving over an hour to fish better spots. Finally I got a chance to move to the area I was driving to. 

[jr231]

Any river access ? Go wade.. 

[Bankbeater]

First off, welcome to the forums. Secondly, I hear you about the pressure.  People fishing on top of you, picnickers, and kids throwing rocks get old real quick.

 

Night fishing at my local ponds and lakes is nil.  Some of the waters close at sunset.  Others close at 11:00 PM, but you have people fishing up until closing time.  I choose to go when the parks open.   Most of the people don't get there until around noon, and the ones that do come early tend to be more serious about fishing.

 

Look and see what everyone is using for bait, and use something else. This time of year, where I fish, the major artificial baits are spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, senkos, and larger size creature baits.  I stay away from spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits until the fall.  I like bladed jigs, spooks, and jitterbugs.  Instead of senkos and big creatures I'll use baits that are smaller like a trick worm or speed craw.

 

Rain is your friend.  It will stir up the fish, and keep people off the water. 

 

Look for fishing spots that are not close to the road or parking lot.  Usually a hike of about 1/4 to 1/2 mile is enough to discourage some people from fishing there.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[JustJames]

Yeah fish off hour would be good, start really early or late at night.

[EGbassing]

Where I live, there just aren't usually many people fishing. A lot of times I'm the only one there. So while I've never had to deal with that, I would definitely recommend just driving a bit. You probably shouldn't have to drive more than an hour to find a good lake/pond, so if you can't find anything good near you, I guess the only solution is driving...  

[Koz]

I agree with those that suggest you drive out of town. My guess is that by the time you navigate all of the local traffic and parking in your area you could just as easily be on the interstate and out of town. Check out Google Maps or Google Earth and plan a route.

[Log Catcher]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Good luck finding new places to fish.

[Oregon Native]

Remember once when son lived up in Ohio...not a lot of water.  He took me to a small creek and we walked and walked to get away from crowds.  3 inch dingers saved the day.

[Brown Town]

I live in a metro area as well where local forest preserve lakes get hammered all day everyday. To get bit you have to try and throw baits that other people aren't using. Neko rig saved me from getting skunked plenty of times just because it's something different the fish haven't seen time and time again. Walking away from the parking lot and all of the people is also key. 

[LCG]

4 hours ago, Brown Town said:

To get bit you have to try and throw baits that other people aren't using. Neko rig saved me from getting skunked plenty of times just because it's something different the fish haven't seen time and time again. Walking away from the parking lot and all of the people is also key. 

Great advice here. Pay attention to what others are doing, then do something different, somewhere different. 

[Quarry Man]

finesse

[Armtx77]

It is hard and it is frustrating, to fish metro lakes.

Between people keeping every single legal fish and who knows how many illegal fish. Toss in the outright pressure that comes along with dozens of lures being tossed at small water fish...I FEEL YOUR PAIN!

 

I expanded outward last fall. I started fishing small rivers that I could wade and that opened it up for me. The metro lakes are typically easy to fish. The one 2 blocks from my house, I can fish as far as I can throw a lure, from every inch of the bank.

You go look at how many people are wade fishing small rivers...it is work man and people dont want to mess with it. I drive an hour and fourty five minutes...one way. To hit my favorite wading rivers.

 

Get on google maps. Look for the smaller rivers. Than google fishing on those rivers. Grab your gear, jump in your ride and go fish one of these rivers...research, research, research.

 

I tell the big water bass guy down here in SE Louisiana about my wade trips and they just shake their heads and tell me to buy a boat. Wade fishing small rivers, is a simple pleasure, that is lost on many fisherman.

 

 

[Fishingintheweeds]

All of this. For me, weekday afternoons or early mornings. I would also try to find spots where everyone else loses lures or is scared to throw them and learn how to fish those spots. Two of my favorites this year, are spots that are so overgrown that the average person doesn't know what to do. One of the places, along a river, has access to the water but the clearing are tight. Learn how to flip or pitch...whichever you want to call it, work on your accuracy and learn throw why and where to work the cover. 

 

Anyways, I rarely have any company at all at these places. Except for a bully doe...in the early afternoon. Twice. I know, I know...deer don't do that in the summer, right? Especially not a doe. But she did have two younger ones with her. The first time I didn't see them, the second time a few weeks later, they came out right after her. 

 

The worst part is, as I was taking the hint and leaving, she kept coming towards me! Ha, I could hardly believe it. 

 

But yeah, I like to pick spots that make people look at me funny when they walk by. 

On 6/8/2018 at 1:33 PM, Armtx77 said:

I tell the big water bass guy down here in SE Louisiana about my wade trips and they just shake their heads and tell me to buy a boat. Wade fishing small rivers, is a simple pleasure, that is lost on many fisherman.

I GET what you're saying...but you wade in SE Louisianna? Those alligators just ignore guys wading in the rivers or what? I can think of a hundred reasons you might say that it's really not that dangerous but whoooooo...no thank you!

[WVU-SCPA]

Or do what your title states.....go to the golf course.  Usually some of the least pressured water you can find.

 

I covered 2 Sunday shifts a month at the course near my house.  In return I got free golf and access to fish the ponds when the course wasn't busy.  Tried to talk the owner into a chip and rip tournament where on water holes you got 5 cast,  each lb you caught was a deduction of your total score.

 

Every course will have a different policy,  but if you don't ask the answer is always no.

[TBAG]

I'm fairly close to you and after selling my bass boat several years ago and kind of stepping away from fishing I bought a kayak. Best thing I've done, allows me to fish the smaller creeks and lakes around here.

 

You've got a couple nice KDFWR lakes south of you, so like others have said you'll have to drive.