I screwed up!!!! T-ville related

[dc chopper]

I made a big mistake by telling a friend a few spots that I fish at T-ville awhile back. He informed me the other night they caught several keepers that "tasted good and he was glad I helped him". I bout blew my stack on the spot. I never dreamed he would keep bass to eat. He knows I'm strait C&R. I asked him why and he said " Don't worry, theres a ton of bass in there" which my reply was if that was true, why ask me for help finding them if it was so good? He couldn't figure out why I was upset. He is now wearing those spots out. Now I have to find a few more and thats not easy there. I had 6 or 8 now 2 less. I hate to not help buddies out but I believe there are only a few I can trust now. I'm disappointed in myself because it made me proud to have found some good spots there that produce regularly and I didn't keep my mouth shut. Guess I had it coming for being full of pride and boastful. On the bright side, I will find out how good I am there by finding a few new holes to hit , but he won't know

[CTFSHWHISKER]

if you want to catch them tomorrow,don't tell where you caught them today..

[BASSKING]

its hard to keep secrets , trust me i know.

there was a guy two years ago that was having a really tough time at t-ville. now beleive me im no pro and have more days of fishin than catchin. but i have had great luck at t-ville over the 20 or so years. i had a guy who saw me out there one day i knew him because his employer and mine did a great amount of work together and he fished next to me and my wife in several spots because he saw we were catchin 2-4 keepers on average an hour. he asked ,"hey i fished a trail out here my work does every other wednesday night and another my church does four times a year, would you like to be my partner". me being interested in tourney fishin i said sure why not. well ill tell you why. we finished first in three tournies for his work three weeks in a row and had a second place finish in the first church tourney.
well three wednesdays go by and no call from him. i saw another guy who worked with him and asked and his reply made me livid. " well after you and him fished i became his partner because it was me and him that were originaly partners". with very angry thoughts in my head i solved theproblem. a couple buddies of mine were fishin there dailly so on every other wednesday i had one of them on one , another on the second and me and my wife on the third spot. kinda of a butt of me but i was upset and thats the only way i could handel it peacefully.

thats hoew i got a bad taste in my mouth for tournies because for me it wasnt about money it was the fun, competition and comradery. in closing, be very careful of what and who you try to help. it can bite in the behind.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

know what you all are saying about helping a friend,,when i take somebody i'm usually showing them where not to fish...i can't catch em today or tomorrow....and if someone wants to watch me they'd get bored..this scenario will happen more time then not,with friends or whoever..

[kybasshunter]

Im loosing all faith in humanity,,, its depressing!!!!!!!!!

[dc chopper]

well, I know a few who won't screw it up for me or tell anyone else either. we were just lucky to find these spots when others were saying t-ville was horrible to fish. I'm nowhere near pro mat'l either but I found a way to fish there that works for me that I have shared on here with others freely because others have helped me out with baits to use and areas, (not specific spots) to fish so I return the same. Perfect example was my first trip to Ky lake, dave stewart gave me some great advice and colors to toss same with a guy I work with - he marked maps with spots and what to toss but we didn't go to the area he fishes but it gave me the ideas to use for the area we were at.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I hear ya all. I've introduced several folks to Striper fishing at C-land that now go on their own and never call me to ride along. Have had friends I took fishing for years who just up and decided to sell their boats. One was so bold to tell me why during a fishing trip on my rig. Sitting on the bow of my boat while I fished the back seat out of courtesy, he says " Well Bob, I sold my boat cause we fish together so much, it didn't make sense for me to have to go to all the boat expense, insurance, maintenance and all since I can always go fishing with you". Even had one guy I fished with, who sold his boat, get angry with me when he called to ask if I'd take him fishing and I declined cause I had obligations to the family. He got even angrier when he asked if "he could borrow my boat, since I wouldn't be using it". Again, courteously, I said that I never lend my boat due to possible liability issues and besides, I didn't want him to have to go all the effort to come hook it up, and get it ready to go.

All that said, I still know some darn good, fair minded folks that I fish with. Guess what I'm really saying is never give up being yourself. If you like to share a fishing trip with someone, do it for your own sense of giving, and not with any expectations. I've learned to do that, so I don't get let down much, I just don't expect much. The up side, is since looking at it that way, I really have run into some great folks that exceed my low expectations.

[mhall]

if you want to catch them tomorrow,don't tell where you caught them today..

That's a classic, can I borrow that one, classic.

[fcfishman]

I had a nice private lake, 22 acres, that it took me almost 3 years to convince the owner to allow me to fish there. I always just took my son and nobody else and we fished the place for about 5 years. Great lake, big fish,and always catch and release, except for some panfish about twice a year. The owner fished and had setup the lake strictly for fishing, lots of money invested in structure, dam, etc, and did not mind if we kept bluegill, etc. I took a "friend" one time who had begged me for a year to take him. I gave him all the rules, he could not ever come back unless I brought him, could not tell others about it, close all the gates, etc, etc. One Sunday morning I get a phone call from the lake owner telling me I could not fish there anymore as he had caught my "friend" and two of his buddies in there at 3 AM fishing, and had 8 on a stringer, including a 7 lber. When he asked them what they were doing trespassing, my "friend" told him that I had given him permission. I never could convince the lake owner, justifiably so, to let me fish there again. I have not talked to my ex-friend since that day.

[chasmo]

Sad what some people think and do! I usually only take people that don't own boats, the only problem with that is they are always calling and asking when we are going. After one "friend" (or mooch-who never offers to buy food, gas, ANYTHING) called and said when are we going fishing here or there and I responded, "when you buy a boat". Didn't here from him for a long time!

It only takes one person to mess up a good spot, be it fishing or hunting or anything. Be sure you know the person before you take them to spot only you have permission.

[roadrunner]

sounds like no good deed goes unpunished.

[Rudypoo4444]

I made a big mistake by telling a friend a few spots that I fish at T-ville awhile back. He informed me the other night they caught several keepers that "tasted good and he was glad I helped him". I bout blew my stack on the spot. I never dreamed he would keep bass to eat. He knows I'm strait C&R. I asked him why and he said " Don't worry, theres a ton of bass in there" which my reply was if that was true, why ask me for help finding them if it was so good? He couldn't figure out why I was upset. He is now wearing those spots out. Now I have to find a few more and thats not easy there. I had 6 or 8 now 2 less. I hate to not help buddies out but I believe there are only a few I can trust now. I'm disappointed in myself because it made me proud to have found some good spots there that produce regularly and I didn't keep my mouth shut. Guess I had it coming for being full of pride and boastful. On the bright side, I will find out how good I am there by finding a few new holes to hit , but he won't know

I have a different view on this, and I hope you don't get offended but I just have to say it:


First off, we need more people like you around that are willing to help a buddy out and give him a good spot to fish. People are way too stingy with their fishing spots. I mean come on, it is fishing, it is supposed to be fun. I give out spots all the time to people if they ask just because I like seeing people have a good time.

Secondly, keeping and eating a bass is not a sin nor is it breaking the law. I don't get you catch and release only guys. Do you think bass are an endangered species? Last time I checked there are plenty of fish in the lakes if even I can go out and catch a limit on a regular basis. That is why there are creel and size limits on bass so we can manage the resource. If there were no guys out there harvesting these fish, they would soon become overpopulated and you wouldn't find anymore big fish in the lakes. So us "catch and release into the grease" guys may actually be doing you a favor.

And lastly, your spots aren't "ruined" just because your buddy kept a few bass from those spots. Bass can and will travel miles in search of cover and food. If these spots are as good as you say they are, then I am sure there will be other bass in line to call that spot home.

So do all of us fishermen a favor and keep helping out your fellow fisherman in need, the lake is there for all of us to enjoy. Don't you feel good about helping a friend have a good day on the lake? I know I do when I give someone a good spot to fish.