Can overfishing "kill" a spot?

[PondHoppinPete]

In your experience is there such a thing as over fishing a spot to the point its not longer productive? I fish a local pond with little fishing pressure (most of the pressure comes on Saturday and Sunday) and there's this fountain that was really productive. You could throw a wacky rig and it was an instant bite on the landing. It's no longer that productive (I assume the summer weather also is playing a part). Assuming there's little fishing pressure in a certain spot, how much is too much when fishing your favorite spot?

 

I use to fish the spot 3-4x a week during the pre-spawn / spawn.

[Bird]

Not just a spot but an entire lake can get over fished , especially smaller bodies of water.

 

We have a local 134 acre lake that gets so much pressure that all the locals call it " 1 fish Frederick " .  Lol

[PhishLI]

10 minutes ago, PondHoppinPete said:

In your experience is there such a thing as over fishing a spot to the point its not longer productive?

Yup

[geo g]

Yes, but fish will move back in because of structure that attracted the original occupants!  

[gim]

15 minutes ago, geo g said:

Yes, but fish will move back in because of structure that attracted the original occupants!  

 

I agree.  Perhaps not right away, but eventually I think they will gravitate back towards that piece of structure.  The amount of time that takes is subject for debate, as is the amount of time it takes for a specific body of water to "recover" from high fishing pressure or a tournament.

[Zcoker]

I certainly think it can. In Florida I've seen areas totally annihilated by over fishing, like pounded restlessly. And if that wasn't enough, they get pounded even more. Although not fished to extinction (yet) a good example is Headwaters Lake here in Fellsmere, a renowned retention area with many DD bass. When the boat ramp opened for that place, it was the golden dinner bell for all the world. That place is getting it good. There are so many vehicles with trailers out there on any weekend that they actually smart the eyes from all the glint! The boat traffic relative to a smallish body of water is unnaturally unreal. The guides out there use thousands of shiners daily, which are caught there. I can't say to what effect this may have on the food population and/or the bass population but I suspect not a good one. Only a matter of time for that place, I reckon. 

[PondHoppinPete]

Better question yet then - Assuming you could fish your favorite lake or pond several times a week. Would you limit the amount of times you fish a productive spot? 

56 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I agree.  Perhaps not right away, but eventually I think they will gravitate back towards that piece of structure.  The amount of time that takes is subject for debate, as is the amount of time it takes for a specific body of water to "recover" from high fishing pressure or a tournament.

Are we talking the same fish or a new school? I didn't think they would leave entirely, thought they just get lockjaw in that spot

[casts_by_fly]

On smaller ponds that have a limited number of fish you can really lock jaw them quickly with fishing pressure.  There's a good chance that you've caught a significant proportion of the catchable size bass in that lake if you've fished it 3-4x per week for multiple weeks and caught a fair number each time.  It sounds like a city park type of lake I have a couple of those around here.  If you shocked the whole lake you might find it only has a hundred bass in it.  If you've caught 30 'catches' You've probably caught 15-20 unique bass which is going to be a sizeable proportion of the population.  Scale up or down with how many you've caught.  Now add up how many other guys have caught those fish on the weekends (bass don't know what day it is) and they have become educated quickly for popular lures (which I'd suspect a senko is one).  If you still want to catch fish there, I'd start downsizing and going at night (not necessarily both of those at the same time).

 

I'd also not fish a place 3-4x a week for a couple weeks personally.  

[PondHoppinPete]

7 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

On smaller ponds that have a limited number of fish you can really lock jaw them quickly with fishing pressure.  There's a good chance that you've caught a significant proportion of the catchable size bass in that lake if you've fished it 3-4x per week for multiple weeks and caught a fair number each time.  It sounds like a city park type of lake I have a couple of those around here.  If you shocked the whole lake you might find it only has a hundred bass in it.  If you've caught 30 'catches' You've probably caught 15-20 unique bass which is going to be a sizeable proportion of the population.  Scale up or down with how many you've caught.  Now add up how many other guys have caught those fish on the weekends (bass don't know what day it is) and they have become educated quickly for popular lures (which I'd suspect a senko is one).  If you still want to catch fish there, I'd start downsizing and going at night (not necessarily both of those at the same time).

 

I'd also not fish a place 3-4x a week for a couple weeks personally.  

Good insight. When you start doing the math, multiple catches a day times 3-4 trips a week can really add up in a smaller body of water for sure. Going to give the place a break for now and keep this in mind the next time I go out. Im new to fishing and this place was productive the first day I fished it so I maybe also got carried away with trying to better pattern the body of water and figuring things out 

[gim]

26 minutes ago, PondHoppinPete said:

Are we talking the same fish or a new school? I didn't think they would leave entirely, thought they just get lockjaw in that spot

 

Probably dependent on how big the body of water is.  Obviously the smaller, the more easily pressured or over fished an area can get.

 

On a big lake, a whole new group of bass could easily move into that piece of structure after the previous one has been constantly pressured.

[Big Rick]

Caught and released fish in a small area do get educated to the same bait/presentation IMO. I have seen it where the usual bait wouldn't get bit but a totally different presentation would. All of this is assuming these fish aren't harvested out to where the numbers are depleted. 

 

Fish will get accustomed to the same approach to the point they'll ignore it. Try doing something totally opposite of your normal approach. It may surprise you. 

[Deleted account]

Yes, but not to the extent most think. If I'm reading between the lines correctly, it sounds like the reduced catching is due as much to the pre spawn being over and the summer routine settling in as much as fishing pressure.

[PondHoppinPete]

24 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Yes, but not to the extent most think. If I'm reading between the lines correctly, it sounds like the reduced catching is due as much to the pre spawn being over and the summer routine settling in as much as fishing pressure.

The changing weather / transition could definitely be a factor. Next time I go out I will also be trying out new lures. Currently experimenting with speed worms and curly tail worms slowing dragging it along the bottom 

[Bankbeater]

I think so.  There are a couple of ponds around me where the crappie have been wiped out from the amount of fishing pressure.

[Hammer 4]

I fish a 4 acre pond regularly, and when I see people keep 6 and 7 lb+ bigger bass, it can pretty much degrade the bass fishing, as those are the females that will spawn.

Seems like with all the economic problems, people are more than ever resorting to eating more fish that they catch.

I have no problem with them keeping say 2 or 3 lb'rs, but even then if they take the lawful daily limit, well you can figure out that that 4 acre pond won't have many fish left after a period of  time.

Heck, even catching bluegill's have become harder nowadays. And BTW, they do not stock this pond.

[MickD]

Does a duck have webbed feet?

[Skunkmaster-k]

Yes.