Fishing New Spots

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

Everyone has their favorite spots that they like to go to and they know that they will catch fish because of previous outings. I have been fishing a lot unknow spots that have been great fishing. There is a slough right downtown that flows through the middle. I never see anyone fishing there. The problem is that I was always afraid of fishing it because if there are bass and I land a pig it will be known around and people will start fishing it more. So yesterday I tried it and landed a good size fish. Had a bystander take my picture and that was that. I went back today at lunch and there were 4 guys standing around the area that I caught the one yesterday. News travels fast I guess. It is right next to a shopping center. Anyways I went down and peered to see what they were throwing and a spinnerbait here and there, maybe a crankbait, but I have been realizing that a lot of people in my area only fish spinnerbaits and cranks. Good for me because I don't throw many, and plastics seem to be working better for me. I asked if they had gotten anything and only one landed about 1lb. They asked if I was the guy fishing yesterday and I told then ya, and they asked what I was using. I told them a plastic and went on my way. They kinda gave me an evil eye because I didn't tell them any more, but I was like why am I gonna give you my secrets? I spend my time and energy learning how to fish and what works and what doesn't. I couldn't help feeling kind of bad because the colors and what they were using I knew weren't gonna work in the situation they were fishing. But went on my way and landed another 3lber right down the bank.

Does anyone ever get into this kind of situation and either your newly acquired spots gets known by the public or people hold a grudge because you don' tell your secrets?

[roadwarrior]

My most productive pond is the focus of a public park and is HEAVILY fished. For a long time I never saw anyone catching any decent fish, but over the past year or so a couple of better fishermen have shown up. Fortunately, all but one of the better fishermen are C&R.

My observation is that 90% of the "bass fishermen" throw spinnerbaits most of the time and poppers or buzzbaits the rest of the time. The guys I have observed catching a decent bass now and then fish soft plastics VERY similar to the ones I have given them at one time or another.

Hmm...Go figure.

[ILfisherman]

Well, my favorite piece of water is little known about and is lightly fished, to say the least. Another attributing factor to why it's lightly fished is because you have to crawl through the woods to get to any decent spots and weedlines. It is also a shore fishing only place and the weeds where the biggun's live is about 35yds out. So you can rule out anyone w/o a baitcaster.... In my neck of the woods, it also seems like EVERYONE is only using spinnerbaits and also live bait on bobbers. The only guy I ever saw using soft plastics was using a ribbontail worm and had a very nice abu baitcaster on a st. croix rod......go figure.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey RW I fish a lot of ponds and stripping pits. I keep a 2 piece rod and a small old fashioned metal box just set up for pond fsihing in my vechile at all times. Never know when you come up to some new fishy lookin water! I have seen 2 other guys, pretty frequently in my area doing the same thing AND ALL THEY THROW ARE SPINNERBAITS!!!!!! Probablly not a coincidence. I quess I should put a couple in that box!

 I look for blowdowns,stumps,weeds I can get from sure. Also I follow the lay of the land looking for a point or steep side, and I like to throw where the showdows meet the sunlight especially if there are weeds or pads invoved

 If I think the spot is hot,and there are too many people I wok nights so i go bak to it early in the AM or during the early evening in the middle of the week, usually have the place to my self.

 I also bring a small walmart bag to pick up the inevitable worm conatiners and those ^%8rt ing Snelled hook wrappers the slobs leave all over the shore

[Cajun1977]

Everyone has their favorite spots that they like to go to and they know that they will catch fish because of previous outings. I have been fishing a lot unknow spots that have been great fishing. There is a slough right downtown that flows through the middle. I never see anyone fishing there. The problem is that I was always afraid of fishing it because if there are bass and I land a pig it will be known around and people will start fishing it more. So yesterday I tried it and landed a good size fish. Had a bystander take my picture and that was that. I went back today at lunch and there were 4 guys standing around the area that I caught the one yesterday. News travels fast I guess. It is right next to a shopping center. Anyways I went down and peered to see what they were throwing and a spinnerbait here and there, maybe a crankbait, but I have been realizing that a lot of people in my area only fish spinnerbaits and cranks. Good for me because I don't throw many, and plastics seem to be working better for me. I asked if they had gotten anything and only one landed about 1lb. They asked if I was the guy fishing yesterday and I told then ya, and they asked what I was using. I told them a plastic and went on my way. They kinda gave me an evil eye because I didn't tell them any more, but I was like why am I gonna give you my secrets? I spend my time and energy learning how to fish and what works and what doesn't. I couldn't help feeling kind of bad because the colors and what they were using I knew weren't gonna work in the situation they were fishing. But went on my way and landed another 3lber right down the bank.

Does anyone ever get into this kind of situation and either your newly acquired spots gets known by the public or people hold a grudge because you don' tell your secrets?

im with you on this one  i take the time to find the fish i take the time to put the right lure and presentation together, and if i open my big mouth the next time i go out someone will be on my spot catching fish that i found. so all i do is lie,if someone ask what im using i lie if they ask where i was i lie.unless its someone i know and i trust not to go pound my spot into the ground then ill tell but if its some yahoo on the local fishing boards that ive never met  ill just tell him what i want to hear ;D

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey LYING IN NOT ONLY ALLOWED WHEN FISHING IT"S REQUIRED

I amk not trying to be blasphemous here but the Aposoles were fishermen , there is not one lure,knot rod or location mentioned in the Bible whats good enough for them is good enough for me

[Zonked]

Now a days I lie all the time, at least when I am at my favorite little hidden gem. I will just have caught 4-5 large bass and someone will walk up and ask me about my luck, and as hard as it is not to shoot off at the mouth about how great the fishing is I usually reply with something like, "it's been tough" or "meh, 1 or 2 dinks".

See, I learned a little lesson this spring.  After some kid found our spot while hiking through the woods I shared a little knowledge and some lure recommendations. He has a bit of success and proceeds to tell everyone in his school and their moms about the spot. Since then things just haven't been the same. Between the litter, dead snapping turtles with theirs shells smashed with rocks, and dead carp shot with pellet guns I am no longer providing any help to any strangers about how to catch bass. I hope they think its as baron as Mono Lake as far as I'm concerned.

[sgbeitz]

The ponds in the park next to my house get a lot of folks that'll take pretty much anything big enough to fry out - but they seem to target bream and catfish, which is fine by me... - I always size up who I'm talking to, but I'm usually specific enough when asked, but vague enough not to give it all away - but I mostly go over there because it's close, and great for a break...

[Guest avid]

I don't consider it lying.  Really.

To me it's part of "the game"

Nowadays you got people demanding GPS cooridinates. Get real.

I'm gonna spend months finding spots and then just announce the info so anyone with a gps can fish within inches of the spot I worked for.

Nope.

I make a game out of it.  Depending on the mood I'm in.  I've gone to spots where I've never caught anything and start whooping like a modified IKE>  that's usually good for bringing a few boats over.

One time (when I was much younger) I used to carry a big salt water sinker.  If I thought a boat was "trailing" me, I would tie it on a light rod.   Then I would get the rod arched over and start shaking it and keep glancing over to the other boats who are watching me.  Then "land" my catch by turning my back and hunching over while glancing over my shoulder in a secretive manner.

My buddy and I were always pulling something.  Guys coming up and to you in a NY lake and the inevitable "catchin anything?"  Yeah man, the blues are running.  and stuff like that.  hysterical as the guys would drive off whispering to each other "I didn't know there were bluefish in here did you?"

I have a hundred of these kind of stories.

Remember.  Fishing is fun  ;D

[Tpayneful]

Last summer I went down to a feeder creek for my lake with four rods.  I guy was fishing with shrimp and striking out.  He had been their for quite some time.  I show up and catch 10 fish in 15 minutes.  After I throw back a 2lber, he comments that "He can't get anything to eat his shrimp but I am throwing back dinner".  I told him that he should try a rubber worm and told him a good color.  The next day he was wearing out the spot with the worm.  Most evenings after that, he was there.  One evening I took my kids down to fish.  They were bluegill fishing and I was bass fishing.  I made a cast and my son started screaming that he hooked a fish.  So I dropped my rod and ran over to help him with the fish.  When I got done removing the fish and baiting the hook I turned to go back to where I was fishing and "the guy" was standing next to my rod on the ground fishing from my spot!  My line was even in the water and he was fishing around it!   I didn't make a scene but I did leave.  I haven't seen the guy around this summer luckily.