Asking for Location Etiquette?

[1aB]

I've always been a maverick finding my own spots through trial & error humping shoreline. Like many on this forum I'll usually share info if asked and often give a successful lure to an observer who asks what I'm using. But, some folks are...extreme harvesters and often a spot where I was observed catching is barren on a return visit. So, I was wondering if maybe we shouldn't ask a successful angler to give up a spot unless volunteered to the hoards of viewers of this forum?

 

[ninja2010]

So, I was wondering if maybe we shouldn't ask a successful angler to give up a spot unless volunteered to the hoards of viewers of this forum?

i think the angler holds the prerogative on whether to disclose a spot. one can always ask, but not expect an answer every time.

that's what pm is for. keep it on a one-to-one.

and it would help if the one being shown a spot also returns the favor.

side-not: when i first started reading the fishing forums, i could not understand why peeps are being so secretive... and my first impression was that the pnw anglers are selfish. how wrong i was... after trying unsuccessfully for 6 months, i have begun to understand the value of knowing where to find the fish holding spots.

 

[18406ej]

I agree with Ninja- it is alright to ask, but don't expect an answer every time. I believe in sharing the wealth, so I will at the very least do a PM info share if somebody asks me for location information. Of course I am more likely to give out info publically as I usually fish only on weekdays, and others are typically out on weekends.

 

[1aB]

I agree a PM is preferable to a publicly posted question which may put someone on the spot to answer out of politeness. While publicly disclosing the name of a lake, river, or other location hardly gives up a honey hole, catch pics with landmarks could cause a stampede to that spot knowing the identity of a body of water. Altho forum members appear to be law abiding proponents of catch & release and selective harvest, I suspect that some of the lurkers wouln't hesitate to bucket a spot to extinction.

 

[Anyfishisfine]

PM is the best way. I don't think anyone has a problem sharing with contributing members, but I bet people who post here are outnumbered 10 to 1 by people who don't. I'd hate to lose a good spot to a crowd that wasn't participating in the discussion here. Not a problem showing up to find any of my friends from here though.

 

[PDXKush]

My opinion is keep it on PM and If people are going to over harvest a spot then Bad Karma is definitely in their future :-/

 

[Kodiak]

I don't feel the need to keep many spots a secret. I will readily post directions to the rock I was standing on if it helps you catch fish, I have done it in the past and will do it again. This aint Isuck for cripes sake! With salmon and steelhead it's very difficult to know when that slot will be "hot" again..these fish move often and sometimes verry quickly. On the other hand if someone shows me a "secret" spot...well that info is not mine to give up and will say so.

 

[TTFishon]

I will gladly send a PM. Although once when I used to participate on ifish I PM'd a guy about one of my favorite places and he replied back with a thanks and said that he'd tell the main board where he caught his fish if he caught any from my spot. So now I will check out posts from the person who is asking before I decide to send a PM. I feel bad for doing this but for me part of a good fishing hole is the lack of people being there while I am there. On the other hand if it's already a popular fishing hole then I will share on the main board.

 

[ninja2010]

On the other hand if it's already a popular fishing hole then I will share on the main board.

true that... if someone were to post, "i caught fish at dog creek" i don't think it'll hurt much...

 

[adambomb]

My opinion is keep it on PM and If people are going to over harvest a spot then Bad Karma is definitely in their future :-/

I agree with you PDX, I think that those losers that can only catch fish illegally, or unethically, will eventually suffer the consequences. I watched a drunk dude stumble up the bank at Goods bridge last weekend, with his beer and rod in one hand, and his native, ILLEGAL trout stringer in the other. As I sat there debating whether or not I should inform him of his crime, WHAM!!! Flat on his face he went, beer and trout in the river, and the treble hooks of his lure were securely embedded in his shirt. He was so mad, he tried to pull the lure out of his shirt and instead, ripped a huge hole out. What goes around, comes around!

 

[PDXKush]

Hahaha. Great Story. Karma is a killer... When you least expect it too.

 

[Timber]

You know, sometimes it doesn't really hurt to tell people where you have caught fish, especially when it is a put and take trout fishery such as North Fork Reservoir or a perch lake such as Siltcoos. Most people are out for a good time and want to enjoy a successful day of fishing. The few bad apples stick out like a sore thumb and colors our impressions of others.

Now, if I found a place all by my lonesome that contained a lot of bass and I was successful, I probably would not tell anyone and I would not even think about posting about it on any public forum. I can't talk about salmon or steelhead because I really don't care who fishes for them or where.

Oh and by the way, I've led more than a few people astray in my time when I've caught fish at a particular location. Just like the play on Rene DesCartes, "I fish, therefore I lie".