I’ve always lived by a “two-cast” rule. If my long cast lands where your long cast lands, I’m too close to you.
For the situation that started this discussion this man is spot on in his assessment.
It kind of depends on where you are fishing. When ice fishing I try to be as helpful as I can handing out jigs,bait, giving tips etc…
However there are certain places where too many people on the ice too close will shut down the fishing and even become a safety concern. At Henry’s many of the productive spots are in 3-6ft of water. I set up way before light and drill a lot of holes so that I don’t spook the fish drilling when the bite starts. I usually get in about an hour of fishing before people show up and start drilling within 50 ft of me. I understand the temptation to drill near the hot hole. In this case it just kills the fishing for hours. You can watch the fish on a camera just scatter and go tight lipped. I usually don’t get mad. I just accept it as the reality of fishing a popular hole.
Windriver
Back to the when and where fishing. Soft water if someone moves in it’s time to move on any way.
Ice fishing tends to be a more social community type fishing as it is, set up in the tent City is the norm.
I have had people come over and drop their line in the hole I am using when I am changing bait or lures. But typically I try to get as far from the cities as I can, but will have people decide if I am that far away I have a hot hole and move in anyway. It’s part of the experience.
My pet peeve for ice fishing, is the ones who show up on ATVs/snowmobiles and after they set up, turn the young kids loose on them for the day.
This is exactly what I always maintain with “strangers”, if they get closer without being friendly, they will think I have really poor casting skills. I fish a couple times a week with usually 3 tournaments a month and folks chasing a buck are the the worst. If you go into a combat zone don’t be surprised about the ethic of others. Technique verse spot is usually the rule and I love to see others successful. Guys in the bass clubs always ask why I show the newbs so much, my answer is to keep em coming back. I’ll put you on the spot, give you my rod and dare you to beat me. On the salmon river they have fist fights over the rock you’ve been standing on.
Avoiding people at Henry’s ice fishing is exactly why I like the area I fish. Usually nobody within 200 feet of me at the closest. The area has water 3 feet up to 12+ feet in a 150 foot area so I can choose either shallow or deep . Sometimes it’s great other times not as good but I cannot blame it on other people being around me and scaring the fish. I drilled 15 holes for myself last weekend before I wet a line. If I was in a more popular area I’m sure others would use them .
Seems that the deeper the fish are less problem you have fishing by other people generally but not always.
Now salmon fishing and Steelhead fishing along with some other species at rivers are shoulder to shoulder and that’s just the way it is due to limited space and prime areas. I let others fish by me if they are courteous and will help them out as well. I have been invited and invited others when a school of Kokanee is nearby ice fishing. But have watched others just invite themselves over.
I was on pineview this year catching crappie and two guys that were probably in their 60 set their boat no more than 10 feet from the front of my boat. I told them that they were awful close one of them mumbled something then one said they were just fine where they were at. If they were 20 years younger I would have kicked both of their a@>*$ instead of just letting my mouth run. I don’t mind helping people out but when you almost hit my boat and act like it’s not a big deal my patience is done
I think we ran into those same two guys up thee. They did the same thing to us then sat there and stared at us while we caught fish and they caught zilch. That was after we told them what we were using and how to catch em. Weird is all you can say about people like that. It’s a little unnerving but we just laughed as we caught fish after fish. Idiots are everywhere!
this is why i fish the lake less fished! [:P]
For me it’s the stream less fished. I usually go fishing to get away from the hassles of life. It took a little work but 95% of the time I fished in the intermountain west I ran into no one else fishing. I probably fished no less than 50times a year. My dog understood and she would get more pissed off if she smelt a human on a remote stream than the more commonly encountered mountain lion or black bear. I never let anyone else’s behavior ever ruin my fishing or my day however. That said most people I ran into were pleasant. And on the bright side, the occasional hard to explain behavior encountered fishing always makes a good story to tell.
Periodically, I change my fishing style to learn new styles.
I put aside my fly fishing and fly tying many years ago for current focus on reservoirs and spinning gear with big lures to catch big fish though I have the full range down to ultralight. I also started ice fishing and this winter will be my fifth season.
Next will be surf fishing. I have all of my equipment and will be planning my first surf fishing vacation.
But, from my mountain stream fishing, I post this on fishing with a friend yet not disturbing the tranquility of others. Tending to make fishing athletic, we fished miles of river bank and gave each other considerable distance often out of line of sight. We kept in communication with game calls to not interfere with campers and picnickers and have them just think it’s sounds of nature rather than doing something obnoxious like using whistles which might even sidetrack others into investigating incase rescue is needed.
RESPECT!!!
What a novel concept. I feel just like you, whether on the ice or in a boat or hunting. If I am the first one to a spot, I expect folks who show up later to respect my space. I hunt and fish for the solitude and peace and a hundred other reasons. If I choose to invite folks, it will be folks who share my same way of participating in nature. I value silence and simply cannot understand why someone that has an entire lake, feels compelled to crowd me. I have spent days without a bite and still enjoyed myself immensely. Catching a fish or shooting a buck is simply the cherry on the top of a grand cake. In my humble opinion, respect is almost a lost value in today’s world. “Sportsmen” today are loud, rude, crude and lacking in a lot of important values. Not everyone, but more and more, I have decided I don’t have much use for “sportsmen” in general. Many of you are fine people, but the rest are sure pieces of work. From the idiots who ride their side by side, radio blaring at top volume going 70 on a dirt road and flip me off for not getting out of their way pulling a loaded cattle trailer, to the idiot fishing off a posted structure, to the person who leaves beer bottles and trash along the shoreline. Anymore, those folks are the majority. Its pretty sad.
I’m late to this party but I see a lot of good opinions on this subject, and want to add my two cents.
One of my pet peeves is the idea that someone is in “your” spot, and you should somehow have a reaction when you arrive at a fishing spot and someone happens to be there.
No one has any claim to any fishing spot unless they are the one occupying it at the time. I have had anglers start fishing right on top of me and they make a satement like, we were in this spot last time and did real good.
Ok, if you want to fish the same spot that bad, fish a few casting distances away and wait if you want, but don’t act like it gives you some kind of right to crowd in.
One situation that happens to me over and over is when I am shore fishing, and boat fishermen troll right in front of you well withing your casting distance.
I had one guy come right across in front of me, with the rest of many square miles of lake to fish, and knowing that he is really close, shout “I know I’m not trolling deep enough to bother your line”! Really! How thoughtful.
This happened to me last ice season at Fish Lake. Getting on the ice well before daylight. I walked to far side of the lake from the boat launch at Mallard Bay. Looking for great day on the ice. I was suddenly ambushed by a Family of 8. So much for privacy! The real problem developed when Nature called. I walked off a good hundred yards and took care of business. When I returned to my fishing; I had a visit from the dad. He informed me that if I exposed myself again they would call the Police! All I can say is that they had Damm good eyesight! I have no idea how close is to close.
Yes, I hear you. Nature calls are part of the reason I try to get far away from the crowds on the ice. But the guy really had some nerve crowding in and then being so upset about seeing you. Wow! I think I would have told him if he didn’t like seeing me pee, then stay the hell away from me! He He.
Lotta yrs. ago, I fished a lot with my paraplegic brother. I’d help him to a spot where he could enjoy a little elbow room. I’d move off a ways to fish not often out of eyesight. Man, oh man I’d get pissed when some brain dead bozo would move in right next to him. I’d tell the bozo he’d oughta move off a bit as it was a helluva lot easier for him to move a ways than it was for my brother. Most times they would sheepishly move off but sometimes I’d get something like “Whaddya own this place?”. That started the swimming, boxing,ass kicking lesson or some such. I recall one time I bit off a little more than I could chew up at the 'berry. Damn, that smarted for a while but I’d have done the same thing the next day. There aint no cure for stupid.
And on a similar topic, turn off the damn music or use headphones. I don’t want to listen to other’s music any more than I want to cross lines with them.
Your favorite tune is not as universally loved as you think it is, and it carries much further than people seem to realize.
**Yeah, verily. Another of my pet peeves…and I got a lot. But when I go afloat to revel in the wonders of nature, the only sounds I care to hear are the natural sounds of birds or other wildlife. I enjoy music but I don’t enjoy a lot of the same stuff blasted across the water by hearing-impaired (brain-dead) doofii (plural of doofus).
Along the same lines, how about the water skiiers who seem to believe that it is impossible to enjoy their sport at less than 150 decibels of screaming? I especially appreciate the screamers who bail out off the skis within 50 feet of where I am fishing…still screaming at full voice…as they get reattached and then run over me as they blast off across the lake. It sure is nice to see their boat and their gear up close and personal.
**
I understand the frustration to an extent, however i’ve had more issues with boaters which is why I always run super thick braid on utah lake and I have infact caught a couple boats and was very clear in letting them know i’ll cut my line but it will messup they’er prop letting them deal with the hassle later. On the flip side, I have to say a couple years back, I was up at rockport on the ice at my normal 6am holes drilled and killing the fish. Around 8 am, an old gentlman in his 60’s came down the hill and plopped down right next to me started drilling my face wincing at the possibility of my success so far ending in a very short manner. I had caught 6 kept 3 and was almost set to head home. I watched him fish for about an hour and he hadn’t seen a nibble. he set his pole down and came over to chat, as most ice men do. I told him I was 1 away from heading home and hes asked how i was doing I told him and he complained about his multi trip skunk. Rather than feeling invaded, I took a few minutes to look at his set up and explained how his 1/2 oz sinker with 3 feet of leader wasnt going to do him any good and showed him my setup then spent 15 minuts seting up his gear with the exact setup I was using then gave him a crash course on ice fishing. I walked back to my spot and caught my 4th “keeper,” as I packed my gear I heard a “oh shit,” I walked over and watched this guy fight and land a 3lb bow! I was a little upset inside but the smile on this old guys face calmed my frustration (never caught something as big at rockport). I congratulated him and went home.
The following year I landed a few of simillar size in the same spot.
I am not a suprstitious type but will say that karma or coincindence can manifest in the oddest ways, I have given lots of advice in the field and have learned that it is best to help others succede if you know how. case in point is an hour long visit to “tubedude” will garner more helpful info than a month worth of youtube videos.
Those that come close are generally clueless and figure if you are doing good they might do well, if you take a moment to give a few tips they will find they’re own spot rather than crowed yours.
**I have had several similar experiences over the years. Rookies/newbies/amateurs move in on you, mostly because they are hopeful of learning more about how to git 'er done. If they are not too obnoxious or actually ask respectfully for some help, my day becomes about them and not about me. No way to total up the jigs I have handed out and the rigs I have helped tie for folks who were otherwise out of it and not likely to catch much without help. And, to me, seeing them score something and seeing the looks on their faces is plenty of payment for any out-of-pocket on my part.
Don’t know about karma or divine intervention and all that stuff. It is strange how helping others not only makes you feel better…but often seems to improve your own success ratios. Just sayin’.
My issues are with the folks who seemingly feel it is their right to “snuggle up” to anybody else on the water (or ice)…and to ruin their solitude and fishing enjoyment just to improve their own chances. Some of these people do what they do because they really don’t know any better. Others are like little kids who test their parents’ patience by getting as close to the “breaking point” as they can without a nuclear meltdown.
When somebody joins me on the ice…I try to be mellow. But when they stand on my foot while noisily drilling a new hole right next to mine…well, you get the idea.
**
Ya the kokanee thing is a whole other deal. I do best with a large group of friends to jig the school in. When I have caught a few I usually try to hold the school and call out to anyone within a reasonable distance, kids first then any one who wants to get in on the action.
Windriver
…an old gentlman in his 60’s…
LOL[;)]