Bprice
Well-known member
Its like building a big play set in the middle of a city park, and claiming that only YOUR kids can play on it, because you made it. Your creation, on public land, can be used by everyone.
"Private" honey holes
- Thread starter BackOnTheWater
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SpurHunter
Well-known member
No your wrong Brandon! We are not talking about kids here......we are talking about adults.
harbuck handyman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2007
- Messages
- 92
If there is someone at the ramp when I come in they always ask how I did.I tell them,but I won't give specific locations.I'll tell tackle and techniques and wether they were deep or shallow and general patterns that produced but not my"honey holes".They can find those for themselves as I did.Now ,if they are tx fishers and they ask where I caught them,I say "mostly in the side of the mouth."And if they ask what I caught them on I say "hooks".
I think DHaun's reply is the right way to go. I always appreciate the fact that He doesn't look at any one particular way of fishing through biased eyes, choosing to look at the overall picture instead, and staying focused on what's best for our fishery. No finger pointing, just problem solving. As someone recently said, he is wise beyond his years. I hope CFF always exists as a site where all fishermen can learn to not only fish their style, but respect the rights of others to fish theirs.
Not all pleasure fishermen are polite, and not all tx fishermen are polite. It's the same in other sports and events. You will always have the few that try to ruin it for all. While fishing tx's does involve money, it's not always the main reason a person chooses to do it. I like competition. I like to see who can consistently catch the most fish. I also enjoy learning and talking with many of the friends I have made at the events. Tx fishermen are also among the first, if not the first, to open their wallets and fish for the benefit of others.
Tx fishermen return their fish to the water. It may be after an 8 hour livewell ride, and 80% of them may or may not die in extremely hot weather, but that still leaves more fish than the pleasure fisherman that takes his 5 fish limit home. How many of the 30 or 40 bass that are caught on a good day by pleasure fishermen and released actually survive ? I've been there and can remember fish bleeding from the gills and throat. Sure they swim off, but what's the mortality rate ? I remember fishing a tx last summer and seeing a small john boat dock at the same time as the weigh in. They lifted a stringer out of the water and there were some of the largest bass I had ever seen on it, gasping their last breath. They would have easily won the tx, but didn't fish them. After they had their boat on the trailer, they walked back to the ramp and dumped the fish in the water. None survived. These were 5 to 7 lb bass.
If someone chooses to keep their best spots secret, I don't see why that should even be an issue. It's his choice and like it has been said, it will be found sooner or later. For those that are on the water just to watch and learn those spots, it's about the same as getting within casting distance of someone that's catching fish without being invited. Rude !! For tx fishermen that expect pleasure fishermen to move out of your way or yeild public water because you're fishing for money, find another spot, and be nice about it !!
It's everones water, but there has to be some respect between fishermen or there'll be a hundred boats packed into a 10 yard honey hole ! You can imagine the outcome !
Just my .02
Not all pleasure fishermen are polite, and not all tx fishermen are polite. It's the same in other sports and events. You will always have the few that try to ruin it for all. While fishing tx's does involve money, it's not always the main reason a person chooses to do it. I like competition. I like to see who can consistently catch the most fish. I also enjoy learning and talking with many of the friends I have made at the events. Tx fishermen are also among the first, if not the first, to open their wallets and fish for the benefit of others.
Tx fishermen return their fish to the water. It may be after an 8 hour livewell ride, and 80% of them may or may not die in extremely hot weather, but that still leaves more fish than the pleasure fisherman that takes his 5 fish limit home. How many of the 30 or 40 bass that are caught on a good day by pleasure fishermen and released actually survive ? I've been there and can remember fish bleeding from the gills and throat. Sure they swim off, but what's the mortality rate ? I remember fishing a tx last summer and seeing a small john boat dock at the same time as the weigh in. They lifted a stringer out of the water and there were some of the largest bass I had ever seen on it, gasping their last breath. They would have easily won the tx, but didn't fish them. After they had their boat on the trailer, they walked back to the ramp and dumped the fish in the water. None survived. These were 5 to 7 lb bass.
If someone chooses to keep their best spots secret, I don't see why that should even be an issue. It's his choice and like it has been said, it will be found sooner or later. For those that are on the water just to watch and learn those spots, it's about the same as getting within casting distance of someone that's catching fish without being invited. Rude !! For tx fishermen that expect pleasure fishermen to move out of your way or yeild public water because you're fishing for money, find another spot, and be nice about it !!
It's everones water, but there has to be some respect between fishermen or there'll be a hundred boats packed into a 10 yard honey hole ! You can imagine the outcome !
Just my .02
tarheel
Well-known member
I don't mind showing friends honeyholes but if your motivation is primarily winning money,then that is a horse of a different color.
Fishin Fool
Well-known member
Sunshine don't worry about the folks that claim certain spots on the water. Fish wherever you want. Rsimms, and several other folks worked all day one Saturday putting out brush for a TWRA fish attractor project and we certainly didn't "claim" the spot for our private fishing. When I was 7 or 8 years old me, my dad and uncle used to put brush out all around Eldridge Slough, Skull Island and other places to attract crappie and bass. We never once considered it "our" spot, or got angry when someone else was fishing it, even the "lookers" and the folks that were sometimes watching us catch fish.
Speaking of "lookers", and "people watching", it sounds like a really nasty fishing world out there to me. I'd be paranoid as all get out. Do they do wiretaps too to find out where the "real" fishermen are fishing? Do they use spotter scopes or what? I had no idea that this secret world was there, where people went out in boats and followed the "real" fishermen around to find out where they were catching "real" fish! I mean do they actually follow you around or do they just put a tracking device on your boat and link it to a GPS screen? Thanks for letting me know about this vast, evil, underworld empire. I guess you learn something new every day!
You'll be ok Sunshine, just be sure and use the secret sign when meeting a "real" fisherman, and don't forget your secret decoder ring for finding out what the hot lure is that day.
I'm just kidding of course. But isn't it sad that some people are that paranoid and possesive and just plain silly over something as much fun and as low key as fishing? But wait.....there is that issue of money so I guess it's not just about fishing is it?.....It's about WINNING cash too. The VAST majority of folks on CFF are wonderful to fish with Sunshine. Most of them will do more than not care about you fishing their honey holes, they'll actually take you fishing with them! Enter a low key CFF TX and you'll have a lot of fun. Some of the nicest folks I know fish them and they could care less about the money. Plus fishing TXs doesn't make you a bad sportsman at all, it is the way some go about doing it that does. I've said it before and I'll say it again, some of the nicest people I know fish tournaments, but the majority of them know exactly what I am talking about in this thread. This is a great group of folks and you'll always be welcome.
Buoy-Master
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
</p>SpurHunter - 10/7/2007 10:57 AM No your wrong Brandon! We are not talking about kids here......we are talking about adults.
Oh really! Well Spur, I want my Lego set back!!!</p>
Something has me thinking..., just how long until everyone in the entire county had thier own holes and its like the Suburbs?
jon the fisherman
Well-known member
That was good FF.....secret decoder ring.....I have always wanted one of thoseemoLaugh
SpurHunter
Well-known member
</p>
If you get one, I want one too!!!!!!</p>
Hey FF, can you get me and JTF a ring??? Please????</p>
FF, reading about your spotter scope comment in this thread reminded me of a guy that I know who is a terrific fisherman who just happens to live on a body of water that I won't mention, (but it is Chickamauga lake somewhere) and he actually has a spotter scope set up in his window that faces the water and he watches people, lures, etc while they fish. The area that he lives in and watches is a really popular and great place for bass and crappie. He can count the number of freckles on your face from his scope. He is also paranoid about anyone finding out how or where he catches his fish. What a sad, pathetic state of mind someone has to be in to embrace this kind of attitude.
Everyone has a right I suppose to express an opinion about this subject, but I would quit fishing before I would let this selfish mind be in me. Any fishing spot that I find on my own, I will gladly share it with anyone. The ones that I won't share are places that have been shown to me and I have been asked to not reveal the exact location. As I said in an earlier post, fish move. Deal with it. Your secret hole that you have spent hours and hours baiting are only known to about 1000 people. I think that it is hilarious when you go and can't catch fish on them.
emoUpsmile emoUpsmile emoGeezer
Sunshine
Well-known member
Thanks for the welcome! I guess I just want people to give me a chance to be me out there. It's still going to be a few more weeks, but this is something I've been concerned about before this thread started. I have fished enough tournaments on other lakes and heard enough talk to know what it is like out there. I have heard both sides of the story many times. But being a new boater, my home lake is going to be the one that I go out to learn on. I've had plenty of practice catching fish and work hard at it, but now I'll be concentrating on learning how to use my map, my electronics, and the overall capability of my very first boat.
Yes, I do fish with the GA Peaches and the WBT. I do it because, for some reason, that is where God has placed me at this time in my life. I'll be happy to share the story with anyone that wants to listen. I have as much fun rec fishing as I do tx fishing, but God wired me to enjoy the challenge of competition. It's like so many other things in life -- the type of fishing that you do (rec or tx) is a personal decision and neither should dictate the other. If I'm going to spend time and money, then I will do what I can to make a positive difference in whatever it is. But to improve and to make that difference will not include the disrespect of others involved.
My thought is that if you want to catch fish, I would think that you would want to learn your own style and strengths so that you could be a positive "fishing model" to someone else down the road. When I began to realize that fishing was going to be a part of my life for a while, I devoured any info I could get from any bass magazine I could get my hands on. I have notebooks full of fishing info. I worked hard to acquire that info and have been learning to put it to use even from a bank/pier at the park. I don’t want to follow somebody around to find fish because I still wouldn’t know what I was doing or why.
Bottom line -- the lake is a public place with no street signs or addresses posted. My main concern is safety and responsibility. I don't want to run into someone so passionate about their fishing hole that I may have stumbled upon through my studies and find myself the object of their anger. God created the beauty of the outdoors for us to enjoy and appreciate Him. Don't worry. I'm not going to preach every time I get on here. I just encourage everybody to take a step back, be still for a while, and realize how blessed we are with the freedom to do the things we enjoy.
Gotta go for now. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys out on the water and getting to know you better.
emoSun emoSun emoSun emoSun
Yes, I do fish with the GA Peaches and the WBT. I do it because, for some reason, that is where God has placed me at this time in my life. I'll be happy to share the story with anyone that wants to listen. I have as much fun rec fishing as I do tx fishing, but God wired me to enjoy the challenge of competition. It's like so many other things in life -- the type of fishing that you do (rec or tx) is a personal decision and neither should dictate the other. If I'm going to spend time and money, then I will do what I can to make a positive difference in whatever it is. But to improve and to make that difference will not include the disrespect of others involved.
My thought is that if you want to catch fish, I would think that you would want to learn your own style and strengths so that you could be a positive "fishing model" to someone else down the road. When I began to realize that fishing was going to be a part of my life for a while, I devoured any info I could get from any bass magazine I could get my hands on. I have notebooks full of fishing info. I worked hard to acquire that info and have been learning to put it to use even from a bank/pier at the park. I don’t want to follow somebody around to find fish because I still wouldn’t know what I was doing or why.
Bottom line -- the lake is a public place with no street signs or addresses posted. My main concern is safety and responsibility. I don't want to run into someone so passionate about their fishing hole that I may have stumbled upon through my studies and find myself the object of their anger. God created the beauty of the outdoors for us to enjoy and appreciate Him. Don't worry. I'm not going to preach every time I get on here. I just encourage everybody to take a step back, be still for a while, and realize how blessed we are with the freedom to do the things we enjoy.
Gotta go for now. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys out on the water and getting to know you better.
emoSun emoSun emoSun emoSun
SpurHunter
Well-known member
Great attitude Susan! Your gonna do just fine here! Good luck on the water.
Fishin Fool
Well-known member
Good attitude Susan. I wish more folks felt the same way that you do. Respect is the name of the game. That means bass pros, recreational fishermen, TX fishermen, bank fishermen and everyone in between.
man if someone is sitting on my holes when I go fishing I just pack up my stuff and go home! I just can't stand to share anything with anyone! Nah just kidding actually I am just grateful to be involved in a forum where I can learn and grow as a fisherman by fishing with some of the best people in the area without worrying about whether or not I should fish the spot in the future. Thank you Dhaun for what you have put together I appreciate it!
ChooChooSnakeMan
Well-known member
This is interesting reading! My 2 cents worth is simply this. I think that there are a lot of people who can figure out how to catch fish if they are on fish. The hard part is finding active fish that will bite in all that water. I think that the hardcore TX guys who want to increase their chances of being successful in a tournament by putting out structure to create "honey" holes should remember one thing. They are putting stuff in a public body of water. Now they didn't ask me and I bet they didn't ask you if it was ok for them to put this stuff in OUR water. They just did it in order to increase the odds they will get a big catch in the TX and win a bunch of money and look like a fishing hero. I understand about wanting to win. I'm very competitive myself. But they need to understand that in exchange for putting this structure in OUR lakes and rivers that as soon as it enters the water they lose the deed to the stuff and it becomes everyone's property. If I see someone putting out a nice brushpile while I'm fishing then you better believe that if I'm in the area later I'm going to give it a try. Now I believe in common courtesy and would never run on top of someone and crowd their fishing spot if they are on it. If they were not there then that is a different story! There are good and bad TX anglers just like there are good and bad recreational anglers. I will have to say that the rudest anglers I've encountered on the lake are the TX guys who think they are somebody and should be treated special just because they have a pretty, fast boat with a decal or two on it. Whoop-de-doooo. Talk about inflated egos ---- I've seen them. You're fishing and having a good time and all of a sudden some guy with a million patches on his vest comes running up to the spot you're on, on plane and running 90 miles an hour and then proceeds to huff and puff and act all important and impatient. Then when you don't just go falling all over yourself to get off "his spot" and give him the respect he is obviously due cause he is somebody - just ask him, well he then gets all mad and reminds you that by golly he is fishing a TX and how dare you not get out of his way. I'm sorry but those guys just kill me and I am most likely to hang around longer even if I'm not catching anything just on principal. Bottom line is that the the good Lord gave us the lakes and rivers and the fish in them to enjoy. If we would all only treat others like we want to be treated, we wouldn't have the problems. I've fished with Jmax and Polo-dog many times and they have taught me a lot and showed me many places to fish. They have been unselfish in their information as I've tried to be with them. I think that everyone wins when we share. Thanks for allowing me to express my opinion. If you agree then great and if you don't well we can agree to disagree and still be friends.
Life is Short and then Eternity- make the most of it!
Life is Short and then Eternity- make the most of it!
beetlespin
Well-known member
Why don't we just have a cff fish habitat initiative? We can all go out and place structure in different parts of the lake (chick). This will make the lake better for everyone and make the few rockpiles/brushpiles put out by tx anglers less important. We could have a meeting to decide what/where we put structure, what resources we need and who will do what. I can get a lot more jazzed up about this than I can arguing about who is right or wrong! We will get the map out to decide where to put stuff and we will share gps coordinates with all involved with the effort or just post them publicly.
What do you guys think?
Lance
What do you guys think?
Lance
Fat Albert
Well-known member
<font color="#ff0066">Hey, Sunshine,,,,beautifully put ..... FA
</font>
flip1up
Well-known member
</p>
Lance, this is a great idea. I'll help however I can. Billy and I have already got some homemade cover started ( barely started ). Put a meeting together.</p>
