Spot Poachers

Is it just me or has the side scan products become a easy way for guys that struggle with fishing offshore to poach a guys fishing spot. I have not been fishing much the last few years during summer. The last two weekends I got a chance to go out during the middle of the day. I was struggling fishing shallow grass so started looking at some of my old off shore holes and lucked out that one had deep grass on it. I back off and let it rest after driving right over the spot. My first cast I catch a 19" smallmouth. I was pumped. I have struggled on what few trips I have got to go on and this was a prize catch in my book. I take a few pics and before I can release the fish a boat starts up that is flipping laydowns and comes within 50ft of my boat. I look at him to let him know I am not happy and he is glued to his depth finder. I here the beep of him marking the spot and then he takes off. Not two cast later I catch a small fish and a second boat that is fishing the bank starts up and does the exact same thing. What is happening to our sport? At least wait till a guy has moved off the spot.

Sounds like Cedar Creek Lake to me. Man no one has any etiquette these days. I still slow down to idol when I come up on another boat in a narrow creek but I can't count the times I get blown out of the water by some jack bump who knows better.

Disappointed to hear about your bad experience....but glad to learn this topic isnt about somebody shooting spotted bass at night😉

[QUOTE=Crankinstein;569067]Is it just me or has the side scan products become a easy way for guys that struggle with fishing offshore to poach a guys fishing spot. I have not been fishing much the last few years during summer. The last two weekends I got a chance to go out during the middle of the day. I was struggling fishing shallow grass so started looking at some of my old off shore holes and lucked out that one had deep grass on it. I back off and let it rest after driving right over the spot. My first cast I catch a 19" smallmouth. I was pumped. I have struggled on what few trips I have got to go on and this was a prize catch in my book. I take a few pics and before I can release the fish a boat starts up that is flipping laydowns and comes within 50ft of my boat. I look at him to let him know I am not happy and he is glued to his depth finder. I here the beep of him marking the spot and then he takes off. Not two cast later I catch a small fish and a second boat that is fishing the bank starts up and does the exact same thing. What is happening to our sport? At least wait till a guy has moved off the spot.[/QUOTE]

I feel your pain. At least they didn't hang around to disrupt your fishing. That being said, you may need to rethink the "my" in the "my old off shores holes" thing.

[QUOTE=Crankinstein;569067]Is it just me or has the side scan products become a easy way for guys that struggle with fishing offshore to poach a guys fishing spot. I have not been fishing much the last few years during summer. The last two weekends I got a chance to go out during the middle of the day. I was struggling fishing shallow grass so started looking at some of my old off shore holes and lucked out that one had deep grass on it. I back off and let it rest after driving right over the spot. My first cast I catch a 19" smallmouth. I was pumped. I have struggled on what few trips I have got to go on and this was a prize catch in my book. I take a few pics and before I can release the fish a boat starts up that is flipping laydowns and comes within 50ft of my boat. I look at him to let him know I am not happy and he is glued to his depth finder. I here the beep of him marking the spot and then he takes off. Not two cast later I catch a small fish and a second boat that is fishing the bank starts up and does the exact same thing. What is happening to our sport? At least wait till a guy has moved off the spot.[/QUOTE]

Seriously.............

Who gives a crap. Your "magic" spot has been known by many besides you. I gave up a long time ago on some very specific areas being "private".

On a side note, I love my side scan, and if you're sitting on a spot and I see you pound a couple fish, **** straight, I'm going to go take a peek.......

Don't like it.........take up golf.

Not trying to sound like an AZZ, but the electronics game has changed a whole lot of how folks fish......and I prefer to roll with the punches, versus bitch about it........

On a related note, I have quite a few folks mark "spots" I'm fishing. I have a whole lot of different places down and KY and Dale Hollow that are uncommon.......when I pound a fish or 5 off a spot, I regularly have folks "steal" that spot.......what am I gonna do, pull out my 6 shooter and shoot them dead? NO......

Just saying.

Now........if someone shows me a spot, and they roll up on me while I'm fishing it........Well, I know courtesy....and I "move". QUITE simple.....



Later,

Geo

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;569077]Seriously.............

Who gives a crap. Your "magic" spot has been known by many besides you. I gave up a long time ago on some very specific areas being "private".

On a side note, I love my side scan, and if you're sitting on a spot and I see you pound a couple fish, **** straight, I'm going to go take a peek.......

Don't like it.........take up golf.

Not trying to sound like an AZZ, but the electronics game has changed a whole lot of how folks fish......and I prefer to roll with the punches, versus bitch about it........

On a related note, I have quite a few folks mark "spots" I'm fishing. I have a whole lot of different places down and KY and Dale Hollow that are uncommon.......when I pound a fish or 5 off a spot, I regularly have folks "steal" that spot.......what am I gonna do, pull out my 6 shooter and shoot them dead? NO......

Just saying.

Now........if someone shows me a spot, and they roll up on me while I'm fishing it........Well, I know courtesy....and I "move". QUITE simple.....



Later,

Geo[/QUOTE] And wait until someone fishing a spots leaves that particular spot. It's not like it's hard to find when searching for it after seeing someone fishing it. Personally I totally agree with the original poster about some a hole coming over & marking a spot while he's fishing it. Pretty pitiful if you ask me to do while it's occupied. Now when they leave it's no big deal & fair game too.

[QUOTE=Les Young;569131]And wait until someone fishing a spots leaves that particular spot. It's not like it's hard to find when searching for it after seeing someone fishing it. Personally I totally agree with the original poster about some a hole coming over & marking a spot while he's fishing it. Pretty pitiful if you ask me to do while it's occupied. Now when they leave it's no big deal & fair game too.[/QUOTE]

I used the wait it out technique a few weeks ago and got some excellent advice about an area/spot that I was wanting to fish.

I setup on a ledge that has a "few" good spots on it. While on that ledge, someone pulled up behind on a spot that I had marked and passed, planning on fishing back to it. Did I gripe or complain about it. NOPE. IT is a common ledge, and he laid up in a different area.

Since I'm crazy new to ledge fishing, and this guy knew a little more than I did, I chatted him up. Anyone that knows me knows I can talk to a tree, and probably get answers :) .

At any rate, I learned a whole lot in 10-15 minutes of conversation. Probably a day or 2 of searching......

Now, not all encounters will go that way, and I've had some that are a whole lot different then that..

Later,

Geo

[QUOTE=Les Young;569131]Personally I totally agree with the original poster about some a hole coming over & marking a spot while he's fishing it. Pretty pitiful if you ask me to do while it's occupied. Now when they leave it's no big deal & fair game too.[/QUOTE]

Isn't that a common FLW "pro" tactic? I wouldn't worry too much about it, they are probably entitled to all your spots since they are "the best anglers in the world" and all.

As long as someone didn’t stop and fish on top of me I wouldn’t have an issue if they wanted to mark a spot where I was fishing. I don’t see how that would impact me in anyway and I would actually appreciate that they didn’t start casting near me while I was fishing there.

[QUOTE=headbanger;569154]Isn't that a common FLW "pro" tactic? I wouldn't worry too much about it, they are probably entitled to all your spots since they are "the best anglers in the world" and all.[/QUOTE] Where have i heard that comment before? :D

[QUOTE=SLP;569156]As long as someone didn’t stop and fish on top of me I wouldn’t have an issue if they wanted to mark a spot where I was fishing. I don’t see how that would impact me in anyway and I would actually appreciate that they didn’t start casting near me while I was fishing there.[/QUOTE] I don't know, but i absolutely will not pull in on another person fishing a spot & sure ain't gonna cruise by them to mark a spot. There are without a doubt some of the rudest fishermen & hunters today that i have ever saw in my life. Lots of folks haven't been taught how to have any manners & common sense whatsoever in about the last 30 or so years when it comes to fishing & hunting. How many have known folks that went back to hunting spots without asking the land owners permission? Common practice nowadays. I guess if i lived on Ky lake i'd lose my mind until i got use to it & finally realized i had to just say the heck with it & get my temper in check. lol

[QUOTE=Les Young;569162]I don't know, but i absolutely will not pull in on another person fishing a spot & sure ain't gonna cruise by them to mark a spot. There are without a doubt some of the rudest fishermen & hunters today that i have ever saw in my life. Lots of folks haven't been taught how to have any manners & common sense whatsoever in about the last 30 or so years when it comes to fishing & hunting. How many have known folks that went back to hunting spots without asking the land owners permission? Common practice nowadays. I guess if i lived on Ky lake i'd lose my mind until i got use to it & finally realized i had to just say the heck with it & get my temper in check. lol[/QUOTE]


We’ll I just don’t view someone coming within 50 feet of me and then promptly leaving while I’m fishing on public waters the same as someone trespassing and hunting on private property. And frankly, and with all due respect, I’m surprised that anyone would view them as similar acts.

I fish to enjoy myself and if I would look at everyone coming within 50 feet of me as trespassers I think I would be miserable instead of having fun. It’s just not that big a deal in my opinion.

Now if they pull up and start fishing right in front of me it does bother me, but that is vastly different to then simply passing close out of common interest. If it’s only that I just usually echange pleasantries and wish them well. Why begrudge them wanting success?