Sharing!

[jcox7]

This topic is pretty funny,  We all have been that person though we are fishing a good strip over and over and we are going one way just to turn and refish the same back coming back the oposite one bush has produced well and a boat turns the corner and is fishing his way towards the bush now we have fished it all morning but that boater has no idea of that so we turn our tm up to beat him to said bush.  Are we wrong of course not but if you were in the other boat hell yes.  If yolu ask a boater not to go between you and the shore and he backs up to go around you you should be thankfull, all he did is what you asked maybe next time dont ask if you dont like the outcome.  Just because people are in a bass boat means nothing I will be honest if I were just a fisherman and didnt know all these great unwritten laws of fishing that us tournamnet anglers made up I would pee you off everyday of the week.  Just look at all this stuff as curve balls adjust and take it to the oppoiste field.  Finally we all could catch big bags often if we had lakes to our selfs but that is part of the game.  Im sure we all like to think we found something on our own but be honest.  Smallies in 18 ft of water where you cant see land?  Im sure someone showed you something or you seen someodne there or around there or you heard stories or something all the erie anglers didnt come up with this idea did they?

[matt]

Sometimes I'm glad i don't own a boat yet. 


I've seen my share fair of idiots already this year.Find a spot and start catching them.Then guys 60-100 feet away seen me catching them and starts fishing right next to you.That's a bit annoying....I'm glad i fish with certain colors and baits you can't find in stores unless you look online.Even then,i wish them good luck trying to find the name brand(i won't tell them)...lol.I seem to be the only C&R shore fisherman out there right now.

The boaters this year seem to give us shore fishermen a little room and respect.I can't say I've ran into a problem with the boaters yet. *knocks on wood*

[Buckeye]

I think most of you guys should be thankful you live and fish somewhere other than Ohio.  Close Quarter Combat Fishing is the norm here.  Our largest lake behind Erie is Grand Lake at 10,000 acres.  We can't count Pymatuning since it rests mostly in PA, and it has PA rules.  10 horsepower just isn't enough for that lake. 

That's why I like fishing in Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Eric

[River Walker]

 Amen to that!

[dashaver63]

Yep, take a number and get in line. Not my idea of a fun day.

[Lightningboy]

Well, not trying to start a row, but I'd be the idiot that does those things.

I've never understood the idea of leaving a marker on a bedded bass.  With modern gps accuracy lots of guys prefish by marking beds.  For all any of us know, half the field of a tx might have marked the same bed in prefishing.  Who's it belong to?  I'd have to say first one there.  But the spot only belongs to them when they are in proximity according to tx rules on distance apart.

Dropping a bouy on a bed like that is trying to "reserve" a spot.  I can't drop a bouy on the end of a point to "reserve" it while I fish the base of the point 100 yards away. 

When I move more than "reasonable casting distance" away from anything, I give it up.  My turn on a spot or bed lasts as long as I am willing to work it.  Once I leave, it's not mine anymore.

Regarding the trolling motor thing: sometimes speed matters.  Not always, but sometimes.  Doesn't matter if we're talking outboard or TM's.  If I'm there first, my spot.  If it really didn't matter, why would we be so tickled to draw a low number for blast off?

Sorry if this seems cut throat.  I'm really a very fair, by the rules kind of guy.  But I will use the full extent of what I'm allowed by the rules to win.

[Waterfoul]

You have nothing to complain about.  They way you were catching 'em compared to me, I must have been 'bird dogging" them for you!

And I thank you for that!!  Honestly Dave and I were just having a good night... simple as that. 

[Cy]

You have nothing to complain about.  They way you were catching 'em compared to me, I must have been 'bird dogging" them for you!

And I thank you for that!!  Honestly Dave and I were just having a good night... simple as that. 

Yeah I know...I could tell.  I know it's all part of the game and I'm not mad about it.  I hope you aren't. 
And oh yeah...you're still tool. 

[djkimmel]

One of the Golden Rules sure would help. Do unto others as you'd have done unto you. Some people only want it to work one way... Not!

As far as marking beds, leaving a buoy on it does not reserve it for anyone. I choose to leave some alone often, but will fish others. If I also found it and the angler is not right there, then it is anyone's fish.

If the angler is there or very near (casting distance), I move along to something else.

[Cy]

One of the Golden Rules sure would help. Do unto others as you'd have done unto you. Some people only want it to work one way... Not!

As far as marking beds, leaving a buoy on it does not reserve it for anyone. I choose to leave some alone often, but will fish others. If I also found it and the angler is not right there, then it is anyone's fish.

If the angler is there or very near (casting distance), I move along to something else.

I agree completely!

[Lightningboy]

As usual, Mr. Kimmel hits it right on the nose.  We should all strive to respect each other; but that includes being realistic about what we consider to be "our" spot.

Y'all realize that as sonar technology like side imaging advances, this idea of ownership of a spot will disapear.  This technology is in it's infancy.  Over time I expect a tow behind version for use in wavy water.  Once you solve the problem of boat bounce, it's just a matter of time till every rock pile on Erie is a community hole. 

One of my favorite formats was the old Megabucks.  Everybody gets a crack at the same spots; the only possible advantage is getting first crack at a premium hole, or hitting a better hole during the hot bite.  But what really mattered was an angler's skill at finding & catching fast.