Spot stealing

[NHBull]

This type of thing just isn't worth getting worked up about, since I can OK ly control my own actions.  What does rub me the wrong way is setting up 30 yards from me.

 

Earlier this Spring I was in a new pond and and found a sweet spot.

30 minutes later a you guy jumps in and starts fishing 30 yards from me.

That afternoon I was not in the mood......and my wife was in the boat.

She talked me off the cliff, but I did tie on a 3/4 ounce bullet  weight and threw it across his bow.  He got the hint and left. .....This is the only time something lime this has happened 

 

 

[T-Billy]

12 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Apparently 

?

A-Jay

Do you ever sing about kicking a dead horse when you're out there on slow days? ?

[12poundbass]

You guys have this all wrong! I’m a dummy and even I’ve figured this whole thing out. 
 

Suck at fishing, don’t catch squat, and have a recognizable boat! Word has spread that the dude in the red boat with a big G3 on the side doesn’t catch crap! Nobody bothers me. Little do they know I’m just there to take sunset photos to post on a bass fishing forum. ?

[Bird]

I fish for serenity as much as I fish for fish. 

There's always somebody on the water with the resources and knowledge to out fish me, I'm completely fine with that.

I'm there to enjoy the day, spot steal all you want and I'll move, really don't care.

[CrankFate]

https://site-119530.bcvp0rtal.com/detail/video/5843804473001/state-of-g:-what-is-sportsmanship
 

 

[BigAngus752]

There are few things on the water more satisfying that someone cutting in front of me so I can catch fish in their "old" water while they troll along and skunk.  

[Scott F]

When I was just starting out after I got my boat, and was fishing new water, I’d observe other anglers, watching what they were doing, and where they were doing it. That was one way how I learned. I NEVER fished near the boats I saw at the time, but I would go back to those spots when no one was fishing there and look at my depth finder to see what kind of structure was present. Many of the spots, especially walleye spots were community spots. Bass guys were usually cruising the shorelines but I’d notice which shorelines got the most traffic. I see a lot of anglers here who struggle to catch fish. My advice to them is to pay attention to everything around them, other fishermen in particular. As long as you respect their space while they are fishing, I see nothing wrong with fishing their spots after they leave. 
I used to fish with a guy who would put his rod down, even if he had a fish on, if another boat was anywhere near him so they wouldn’t learn one of his spots. 

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, BassNJake said:

Saturday I was fishing brush piles in about 17 ft of water in the middle of a cove

2 younger guys were fishing a tourney and running the shore close by but blanking

I caught a couple decent fish and they both watched as I landed them

So I waved them over, pointed out the brush piles, explained that when they start dropping the water in July the fish go deeper. They seemed genuinely appreciative.

 

This is 100% the opposite approach that I would normally take

But I never second guessed my choice and honestly feel pretty good about it 

 

Would they have ran over as soon as I left? Not sure

But I've got a lifetime of karma I'm trying to turn around

You’re pretty swell for a browns fan 

[Sphynx]

Ah yes, the good old bent rod pattern, a perennial favorite, doesn't bother me in the least, by the time that spot becomes available for the day I promise I will have had my fun with it, and best of luck to the next guy...it's also one of those deals where I have no issue with either going to a different spot (my usual waters are full of them) or if somehow that doesn't work out, I will go discover a new spot, that's probably how I found the other one anyway

[soflabasser]

I have lost count of the amount of boaters that have moved less than 100 feet from where I was fishing since they saw me catching fish. This makes me laugh and I often hold out my catch for them to see so I can motivate them to give me a little competition. I am fishing from land so you would think they would outfish me but that is not what happens, they quickly realize it takes more than just fishing a good spot to catch fish. Most of the time they leave me alone after a hour or so with a frown while I have a big smile catching fish from land that they can't even catch from a boat.

1 hour ago, BigAngus752 said:

There are few things on the water more satisfying that someone cutting in front of me so I can catch fish in their "old" water while they troll along and skunk.  

It does feel great watching them leave and catching fish they miss.

[Munkin]

Fished a team tournament on the Lower Potomac once and when the tide changed we were on them for about an hour. It was a team event so best 5 fish went but since there were two of us I told my partner just to throw them in the livewell and we would cull later since we were legally allowed to have 10 fish. Well after the flurry and the bite dies I ran the boat out into the main river and shut both motors down so my partner could cull. Well 3 boats started encroaching on us and I had a backlash I needed to cast out of my buzzbait rod so I figured I would play a stunt. When my partner found a fish to cull I would make a cast then stick the rod tip into the water. He would put the fish in the net and pretend I just caught it on the buzzbait. We did this with 6 extra fish we had in the main channel of the Potomac River wher I doubt a fish has ever been caught on a buzzbait. After we left all 3 boats were now fishing the main channel in like 25FOW with a buzzbait during mid-day as we laughed our ***** off driving away.

 

Allen 

[cyclops2]

We all need a laugh.  I have a spring / spawn spot for different types of fish. Got the snuggle up too close for comfort.  So I yell to him Not much good stuff here. At least stop crowding me.  I reach down & pull up my almost 2 full stringers of 4 & 5 inch perch.  It is so funny to listen to 2or more arguing.  Then WOT away. Bank fishing I carried a saltwater rig to constantly snag their lines. Only 2 x did I call 911 for help about getting into a fight & a ambulance ride. The Police came & separated us with warnings.

[galyonj]

21 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s worse on shore than in the boat. Plenty of trout streams around here are “bring your own rock to stand on” category. And then if you start catching bass below a dam, you will be immediately swarmed and asked for your fish 

 

One of my favorite memories from Chick was SWMBO and I stopping at the dam there whilst out sightseeing, and we got to watch a pitched battle between a dude catching white bass from the spillway overlook and a heron that really wanted something to munch on. That bird was not giving up.

[GreenPig]

20 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

No problem. I try to take it further by telling them what the fish are hitting on.  Which by the way is always a 3/8 oz Lunkr-Buster in the ghost phantom color pattern fished using the St. Louis retrieve method. 
 

My what are they biting on answer is the 3/8 oz Rattling Beetle Spin in Fire Tiger

[Tennessee Boy]

So let me ask a hypothetical question.  You’re fishing a spot when another boat starts fishing another spot within earshot of you.  Soon  you start hearing “get the net” and “it’s a big one” coming from the boat over and over.  I think we all agree it’s not cool to move over and start fishing the spot while they’re there.   What’s the ethical thing to do concerning the spot they’re fishing?
 

1) Never fish the spot because you didn’t find it.

2) It’s okay to fish it as soon as they leave.

3) It’s okay to fish it at a later date?

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

So let me ask a hypothetical question.  You’re fishing a spot when another boat starts fishing another spot within earshot of you.  Soon  you start hearing “get the net” and “it’s a big one” coming from the boat over and over.  I think we all agree it’s not cool to move over and start fishing the spot while they’re there.   What’s the ethical thing to do concerning the spot they’re fishing?
 

1) Never fish the spot because you didn’t find it.

2) It’s okay to fish it as soon as they leave.

3) It’s okay to fish it at a later date?

It was just a drum , you should have seen that with your binoculars!!! Hehehe

[The Maestro]

11 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

So let me ask a hypothetical question.  You’re fishing a spot when another boat starts fishing another spot within earshot of you.  Soon  you start hearing “get the net” and “it’s a big one” coming from the boat over and over.  I think we all agree it’s not cool to move over and start fishing the spot while they’re there.   What’s the ethical thing to do concerning the spot they’re fishing?
 

1) Never fish the spot because you didn’t find it.

2) It’s okay to fish it as soon as they leave.

3) It’s okay to fish it at a later date?

Not sure but I'd say if you're fishing that spot at any point in the future and you see them coming back you should pull up and leave since you only know about it because of them and you should be trying to attract minimal attention to it.

 

The unwritten rules of fishing etiquette aren't always black and white but safe to say that if you feel like you're doing something slimy or that you wouldn't want done to you than you shouldn't do to someone else.

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, The Maestro said:

Not sure but I'd say if you're fishing that spot at any point in the future and you see them coming back you should pull up and leave since you only know about it because of them and you should be trying to attract minimal attention to it.

 

The unwritten rules of fishing etiquette aren't always black and white but safe to say that if you feel like you're doing something slimy or that you wouldn't want done to you than you shouldn't do to someone else.

Well said. A true Outdoorsman follows proper fishing etiquette. Googans on the other hand do not care about fishing etiquette and they will do whatever they want even if it hurts the resource.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I don't know how many times I've been sitting in an ice shack, not catching crap, and for fun started to whoop and holler and laugh, saying stuff to a friend, like "This is awesome!", just to see how many people start to come around and drill holes within 20 feet of us.  That never gets old.

[Darth-Baiter]

Got it on video.  Kid parked 6 feet in front of me and started casting. I Casted d**n near over the back of his kayak.  And then caught a bass on that cast.  Classic. 
 

I was not bummed. It all worked out

[NYWayfarer]

It’s been summed up nicely in this thread but I will reiterate my favorite points:

 

Get to your spot first (set that alarm for before the rooster crows)

 

Have more than one spot (If one is being occupied move on to the next)

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Got it on video.  Kid parked 6 feet in front of me and started casting. I Casted d**n near over the back of his kayak.  And then caught a bass on that cast.  Classic. 
 

I was not bummed. It all worked out

Link or it didn’t happen………

[DINK WHISPERER]

It use to make me furious back in the day but not anymore. I was on a nice shell bar in about 25ft killing them on a bullshad and a guy drives right up to us maybe 3 boat lengths away and starts dropping waypoints...haha! I'm like geez you could've at least initiated a conversation and been a little bit more stealthy about it! 

Life's so short that I try not to let too much get to me now a day. Any day I get on the water with my son shall not be ruined by sorry people!

[Darth-Baiter]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Link or it didn’t happen………

Here is a still shot. Hahaha. 
 

he was a nice kid.  A newbie. He will learn. No harm done or felt. 

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Here is a still shot. Hahaha. 
 

he was a nice kid.  A newbie. He will learn. No harm done or felt. 

Haha! Goodness gracious