12-17-2013, 03:57 PM
Leaving gear does not reserve exclusive fishing rights to that spot. I have seen this with Salmon fishing, some guys will walk down early in the morning and lay their rods, tackle boxes and net down on the shore of the river and then leave and expect that they have claimed that spot. I've watched as they returned to find someone standing in "their" spot, throw a fit and then leave. Nothing short of a human body can hold a fishing spot.
With Ice fishing, if no one is in the shelter I will fish as close to it as I want. Since they are not there I am not interferring with their fishing. And if they arrive later in the day, they will be the ones encroaching on me because I got there first that day. They have only claimed the ice that their shelter is covering. How do I know if they are even going to come fishing that day. What if I set up 50 yds away and they never come fishing at all.
I have never encountered an empty shelter before but I always give enough space to those I come across. Mostly because I expect the same courtesy but also because I enjoy my solitude when I'm fishing.
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With Ice fishing, if no one is in the shelter I will fish as close to it as I want. Since they are not there I am not interferring with their fishing. And if they arrive later in the day, they will be the ones encroaching on me because I got there first that day. They have only claimed the ice that their shelter is covering. How do I know if they are even going to come fishing that day. What if I set up 50 yds away and they never come fishing at all.
I have never encountered an empty shelter before but I always give enough space to those I come across. Mostly because I expect the same courtesy but also because I enjoy my solitude when I'm fishing.
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