“Highly pressured”

[NYWayfarer]

Those words have taken on new meaning lately.

 

With people trying to escape the great indoors, public bodies of water have been flooded with people. I am at the water at sunrise to avoid the majority of them but today it felt like the opening day of Trout season at a certain point. 
 

On the bright side I am glad to see people rediscover their love of fishing. 

[DitchPanda]

Tell me about it. It was overcast sprinkling and 56 today with a strong north wind and I bet there was 20plus people fishing at one point in my local pond. That's nice weather holiday type numbers for around here. Forced me to try areas I normally pass by..but I caught 18 bass so it all worked out!

[Bluebasser86]

I've been relishing in the forecast for rain and potential storms my last few days off, kept a lot of people at home. These full parking lots on Wednesdays and Thursdays are really getting ridiculous.

[Oregon Native]

It's been amazing...didn't know this many people knew how to cast!!!  But it is good people are getting out .  Had a tourney Saturday and I believe 50 other clubs did too.  We fished the Morristown and with all the clubs and party boaters...jet ski's etc.....OMG.  

Still not gunna complain.....just smile...glad to get out and feel the tugs.

[TriStateBassin106]

Amen man, one of my local spots has been getting hammered lately by weekend anglers, better to go at dawn or dusk.

[Bankbeater]

I usually don't care to fish in the rain, but this year I've been looking for rainy days.

[plawren53202]

36 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

I usually don't care to fish in the rain, but this year I've been looking for rainy days.

My subdivision HOA pond has been crawling with people ever since coronavirus hit. On Saturday it was starting to rain, so I thought, good no one will be there and headed down...to find three people. ?

 

I have found that more often, people are there the least at the times when I actually want to fish, first light in the morning and late evening. Early morning I understand, you have to be half crazy to be up fishing a subdivision pond at 5:45 a.m. on a Tuesday--but being half crazy I do enjoy the solitude--but I'm kind of amazed at how many people will fish late afternoon in the hot sun and then head out before that last hour of fishing time (just before until just after sunset). 

[soflabasser]

Went to the Everglades this past weekend and saw much more people fishing than I usually do. I still had a great time, saw alligators, and caught a couple largemouth bass and peacock bass.

[RoLo]

20 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

Those words have taken on new meaning lately.

 

With people trying to escape the great indoors, public bodies of water have been flooded with people. I am at the water at sunrise to avoid the majority of them but today it felt like the opening day of Trout season at a certain point. 
 

On the bright side I am glad to see people rediscover their love of fishing. 

 

Nicely put    

[Big Hands]

Please define "crowded" as it applies here.

 

My local lake is 2235 acres when full of water. The main launch ramp has 18 lanes, and another has 6 lanes. They have the capacity to park around 500 truck/trailer combos (so up to 500 watercraft at any one time), and it does fill up.

 

The line to get in on weekends can be up over a half mile long and it can stay that way most of the day as people wait for others to leave so they can go in. Good times!

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the most fun part of the whole deal. They inspect every boat because of the Quagga mussel deal. You can have a wire attached from your boat to your trailer as you leave, so it won't have to be inspected when you enter the lake, but that means you can't go anywhere else. If they lower your motor, and a single drop of water dribbles out of your lower unit/prop, you can't come back to even try for another 8 days. If they pull the plug on the transom, same thing. If the see a drop of water in your bilge, not gonna get in. If you have a damp dockline, you're not getting in. If you have water in an ice chest from a bag of ice. . . . sorry, no go. Deck carpet wet? Bzzzzzt, come back in 8 days and try again. Check out these videos for the inspection process, LOL:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, that's how thoroughly they inspect your boat if you don't have it wired to your trailer with their seal. Try to fudge it, and you're off the water for 30 days minimum. Welcome to Los Angeles County, California!

[LCG]

I have noticed a lot of people out lately as well. However, I have been impressed that most everyone is maintaining distance and have been friendly. 

 

I am also Canadian, we are a pretty friendly bunch :). But seriously, as long as people maintain distance and respect, I think it's healthy to get outside and get some exercise. My boy and I went out Kayaking this weekend and had a blast. 

[Way north bass guy]

Man, do I ever feel lucky to live where I do, especially after reading this. 
Where I am, we just for the first time this spring had our ramps officially open this Saturday, which also happens to be the first major long weekend of the year up here in Canada. I thought things might be a bit busy at the ramps, especially this year with everyone stuck indoors and not being able to use their boat yet this season, but I was at two different lakes ( one a good sized heavily populated cottage lake, and the other a major town on Georgian Bay). I saw two other trucks and trailers parked at the ramp Saturday, and about 5 trucks/trailers at the ramp this afternoon, and neither time was there actually another person anywhere near the ramp when we launched. And between both trips out, I could count on one hand the number of fishing boats we saw all day. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, plawren53202 said:

My subdivision HOA pond has been crawling with people ever since coronavirus hit. On Saturday it was starting to rain, so I thought, good no one will be there and headed down...to find three people. ?

 

I have found that more often, people are there the least at the times when I actually want to fish, first light in the morning and late evening. Early morning I understand, you have to be half crazy to be up fishing a subdivision pond at 5:45 a.m. on a Tuesday--but being half crazy I do enjoy the solitude--but I'm kind of amazed at how many people will fish late afternoon in the hot sun and then head out before that last hour of fishing time (just before until just after sunset). 

The sunset hour near a pond is the mosquito witching hour! 

[Bird]

" highly pressured " ?  Oboy.

 

This has been my biggest struggle during this pandemic here in VA as the govener single handedly promoted fishing, no fishing license required. 

 

The Lakes I've fished for years are getting absolutely pounded daily and are actually getting fished out......yes seeing bass getting gutted at the ramps. 

 

Those getting cabin fever want to get out, completely understandable but us older guys wanting peice and quiet on the lakes in the middle of the week ain't getting it. Lol

 

 

 

 

[Log Catcher]

I would hope with things starting to open back up the lakes will become less crowded. I am very thankful I don't have have to put up with the kind of nonsense they have to put up with in California. I would have to quit fishing or move somewhere else before I would put up with that. 

Now if it will quit raining here and muddying up the water I might get to go fishing again. We are under a flash flood watch until tomorrow night.

[Big Hands]

7 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

I would hope with things starting to open back up the lakes will become less crowded. I am very thankful I don't have have to put up with the kind of nonsense they have to put up with in California. I would have to quit fishing or move somewhere else before I would put up with that. 

Now if it will quit raining here and muddying up the water I might get to go fishing again. We are under a flash flood watch until tomorrow night.

A LOT of people have done just that (quit fishing or moved away). There's a decent chance I'll be moving to get away from it too. Fishing is nowhere near as popular as it was several years ago around these parts.

 

They also imposed a 35 mph speed limit, so your big 200+ hp rigs are not going anywhere in a hurry around here.

 

Let's not even speak of the daily launch fee of $24 

 

Don't worry about us though, the nanny state has got us protected.

[Log Catcher]

2 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

A LOT of people have done just that (quit fishing or moved away). There's a decent chance I'll be moving to get away from it too. Fishing is nowhere near as popular as it was several years ago around these parts.

 

They also imposed a 35 mph speed limit, so your big 200+ hp rigs are not going anywhere in a hurry around here.

 

Let's not even speak of the daily launch fee of $24 

 

Don't worry about us though, the nanny state has got us protected.

I have never paid more than $6.00 for a launch fee. Most places I fish you put in free. I quit going to one lake when most of the ramps went to $10.00 for a launch fee.

[Hammer 4]

8 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

A LOT of people have done just that (quit fishing or moved away). There's a decent chance I'll be moving to get away from it too. Fishing is nowhere near as popular as it was several years ago around these parts.

 

They also imposed a 35 mph speed limit, so your big 200+ hp rigs are not going anywhere in a hurry around here.

 

Let's not even speak of the daily launch fee of $24 

 

Don't worry about us though, the nanny state has got us protected.

And, we won't mention the Absurd price we pay for a fishing license.. 

[Armtx77]

On 5/17/2020 at 8:21 PM, NYWayfarer said:

Those words have taken on new meaning lately.

 

With people trying to escape the great indoors, public bodies of water have been flooded with people. I am at the water at sunrise to avoid the majority of them but today it felt like the opening day of Trout season at a certain point. 
 

On the bright side I am glad to see people rediscover their love of fishing. 

It is brutal and the 60acre urban lagoon about 2 blocks from my house is getting wrecked.

 

I have counted 8 dead 3+lbs fishnin the water and a bunch of asshats keeping stringers of the same size.

 

I know I shouldn't be upset, but this WAS a great hidden fishery and now I am afraid it is being ruined.

[greentrout]

 

this is where i was today doing some bank fishing ... there were boaters but not usual ... lake has a reputation as being tough to fish to catch the bass ... whether in a boat or from the bank ... but bass are in there ... some big ones ... from 3:30 to 6:30 i was the only one fishing from the bank from my location and whom i saw  ... didn't work the dam and rip rap today ... very windy ... caught 2 decent bass and enjoyed the outing ... make the most of what you got ... Southern Mississippi ....

 

good fishing ...

[Oregon Native]

Reading through all these I am so thankful the good Lord led us to Tennessee.  Don't mind paying for outdoor pleasures within reason...would feel better if I saw everyone working around the parks instead of four or more directing the one working....List could go on...but...hey...I get to fish...

[WVU-SCPA]

There has been an major uptick in my area and a lot of people that are just trying to figure it out.  I've tried to be helpful where I can but there are always the blood boilers.

 

On a positive note, the amount of kids/teenagers I've seen out has also increased.  If you have a bunch of tackle sitting around, think about taking a little each outing to give out. 

 

In the end this will pass as most fads do.  Those with addiction will be the ones that stick with it once some normalcy starts to return.   

[Jermination]

I literally do not think you can buy a boat at just about any dealership here in Knoxville right now. Better get there at 530 and off the water by 12 if you're just going for fun. I fished a tournament a couple weeks ago, ran 14 miles down lake to hopefully fish ONE of my 12 spots or so down there. Not only could i not pull onto a single one of those, about half of them had more than one boat there. Not to mention if you catch a fish you best be quiet and hold it down or the peanut gallery will be right on top of you. I would say it's time to swap to only fishing at night but there has been a crazy amount of boats running on the lakes here at night lately too, heard several jetskis out the other night but never could see them.

[scaleface]

I haven't been to the big reservoir yet but am this weekend . My wife's idea , memorial day , sheesh . The water is high , rising and muddy . Thunderstorms all weekend .There will be crowds fishing and boating anyways . The lake is getting a reputation for monster crappies. Last week a 3.6 lber was weighed in at a tourney .I've seen several pictures of three lbers this spring . I may have to do some crappie fishing .  

 

A small lake I've been fishing has had little pressure and most who are bass fishing are not  as enthusiastic about it as I , so most  dont know how to go about catching bass in chocolate milk and heavy chara algae . I love fishing those conditions and smaller reservoirs    far from St Louis have some excellent fishing  . Where I live there is a lot of good bass fishing around if a person would just open their eyes . Big bass boats are not needed . Small craft's are the ticket . I carry an elec motor , battery , portable depth finder that I rigged up and a strap down seat . Limits of 15 inch plus bass are the norm .

[Mobasser]

I love fishing on one of two smaller lakes near our home. This spring, I have noticed more people, mostly crappie fishing. This will all pass. Once it starts getting hot, these folks stop fishing, and many of them.dont want to get up early, and be on the lakes at sunup. Hot weather seems to seperate  the diehards from those that only fish for a month or so each spring.