etiquette around others?

[slurpie]

I was at home one night looking the lake map and found a shallow spot i wanted to try. I was gonna look for pannies and set up tipup for northern. When i got to the lake next day there was 3 spear houses there already. So i looked and then went elswhere thinking i could go back diffrent day. Well i've checked three times and the houses are always there. My thoughts were to drill alot of holes and hop around. Guess im confused if that would be bad or how far away i should stay?

[andrew chadwick]

are the houses unocupied? If they are fish it.

[MJ1657]

I would agree with that. If they are occupied I personally would go somewhere else.

[redseal]

10' is the law, common sense is the rest. We were on a spot a few weeks ago, guys set their house between us and our tip ups...dont own the lake i understand but come on!!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

dont need to sit on top of someone else.. but often times, spear anglers dont mind fishermen near them.. It helps helps get the fish moving.

[RumRiverRat]

Is there really a 10' law?

Never come across that in the regs.

[slurpie]

Yes they are occupied. Thats why i didnt fish there i dont want to be a jerk. I would not like it if someone came in and drilled alot of holes around me. looks like a good spot hope they are not there tomorrow might be last warm day for awhile.

[dairyman]

Mndnr--page 64

[MJ1657]

It states in the regulations that you cannot erect a shelter within 10' of another shelter.

[RumRiverRat]

It states in the regulations that you cannot erect a shelter within 10' of another shelter.

Well the DNR could write a lot of tickets on Little Elk and many other lakes if they wanted to.

[SevenTine]

I would think think they'd be OK with it if you drilled in the early afternoon. Maybe just ask them?

[servocam]

Mndnr--page 64

...I learned something. Wonder how I missed that one

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing2009.pdf

[riverrat56]

Well the DNR could write a lot of tickets on Little Elk and many other lakes if they wanted to.

Are you sure? 10' isn't very far, like just about enough space to park you truck and still open the doors. Personally I wish the law was 20' or 25'.

I personally wouldn't fish the area if there are people in the houses, unless I could get there "first". Having a permanent houses out doesn't reserve the whole area, but once there are in it I give them there space. There is always other spots to fish.

[hamms-scooter]

Was out this afternoon and 2 cars pull up by me.3 guys , 2 kids and a dog get out. They start drilling holes all over and check for fish. They had enough %@**# to check some holes i drilled that were less then 10-15 ft away from my portable. No one else around me for a couple hundred yards! I was so mad packed up and moved. Wasn't worth saying anything they obviously had no clue (common sense) to just stay a respectible distance away! That and i didn't want the kids to have to hear what i wanted to say or ruin there fun. Their dad was the one next to my house fishing in holes i drilled. 10ft come on!! have some respect

[Dave]

Guys, really, there's plenty more in life to worry about.

[Northlander]

Ya like how to hide from these fools! We had a crew drill holes 15' from our trucks and set out tip ups surounding our houses and trucks. We were 1 mile from the nearest people. UNREAL!

[hamms-scooter]

Ya like how to hide from these fools! We had a crew drill holes 15' from our trucks and set out tip ups surounding our houses and trucks. We were 1 mile from the nearest people. UNREAL!

Just shows they have no clue where to go so "oh theres a house lets go by them" is what they do! Did you say anything? I know it perfectly legal for them but, seriously!

[bikeoutback]

Last weekend in WI I had guys fishing all my holes at sundown. There was 5 guys hoping their own holes and the 20 or so I drilled around my house. I was in my portable more occupied with the football game by then. They caught as much as I did out of those holes I figure once it's drilled if I'm not fishing it then it's free game, but maybe I'm in the minority.

[Hory]

About 2 weeks ago I was out and drilled maybe 5 or 6 holes around a point all very close to where I was. I had just drilled one...and walked to get my flasher which I left by the furthest hole (20 yards maybe) and when I turn around the guy had his Vexilar in the hole I just drilled BY HAND. Keep in mind this whole thing went on within 45 seconds of me drilling the hole. I am not one to get worked up, and I want everyone to enjoy their time on the ice...but this time I had to say somthing!

[shorefisher]

I Like to enjoy my time on the ice so I just do not let these things get to me and make the best of it. If they fish close to me its just someone to talk to. I have had fish bit while holes were being drilled around me and most of the time I'm not keeping the fish so I just have fun and enjoy my time on the ice.

[thedeadsea]

Ya like how to hide from these fools! We had a crew drill holes 15' from our trucks and set out tip ups surounding our houses and trucks. We were 1 mile from the nearest people. UNREAL!

Had the same thing happen. My permanent in the only house in sight, I showed up to find someone 20 feet away.

The only time I would fish close to someone would be if there were multiple houses set on a small piece of structure, and even then I would give the guys already there some space.

Slurpie, If you showed up with a hand auger and kept a decent distance from the occupied houses, I wouldn't see any problem.

[servocam]

Slurpie, same issue I have been wondering about more. Early season, not issue, but as ice gets thick, all the perms go out, so I go find some place else. In your case, there were 3, but now what if there was a bunch of Permanent’s on/around the spot you wanted to fish. Ones that won't leave until March. Say 20 of them, but enough room to fit your portable / pop-up in there, would you squeeze in there?

Would you ask or IMO - "you don't own the lake" and according to the DNR, you temporally have a 10ft circle around you that you claim, so if there is room, i'll set up? I usually try to stay >50' away from others, but in this case, may be ~20-30ft away. Not put'n in tip-ups as there would not be room. Hand-auger, so not like i'm drilling 500 holes around their house, just 3 in my hub. Not sitting there with a snowmoblie or ATV idle'n to tick 'em off. Figure if all the perms will set up <50ft away from each other, than sholdn't be issue for portable guys coming/going???

Don't want to go and upset anyone, but you know how some people can be (grumpy ole men fishing the same spot for XX years and think they own the place - I hear/read the stories).

Had the same thing happen. My permanent in the only house in sight, I showed up to find someone 20 feet away.

AKA "The Parking Lot Effect"

[LoonASea]

With the ice as thick as it is I wouldnt expect the guys with the spear houses to move ,,,we put our spear house out just before xmas and it wont move till seasons over now,,,,Ive had people drill and make noise around our spear house and it does get the fish moving ,,,they typicaly move right out of the area at mach 1,,,I view it like riding an atv around a bow hunter in a tree stand,,,sure he might see deer (at a distance) but he wont be taking any shots

LAS

[Toba]

This is just like many other things in lift. Anyone can buy a car, boat, 4 wheeler, or sled, but some don't show respect or use common sense. Either way try to fish and enjoy the time away from the grind.

[McGurk]

It's funny this gets btought up over and over. The real answer is the Golden Rule, and respect for other fishermen. It you are on the receiving end of a "space invader" all you can do is fire up the Neil Diamond and Hormel chili if he is further than 10' away but you want him to move.

On a side note, I have driven by a guy for a few years that will put (4) road cones to mark the perimeter of "his" ice in the same spot and plop his house in the middle. I don't really care 'cause I've fished it before with little luck, but I get a kick out his idea of ownership of that spot. 40' by 60' with none else around, and on Friday I saw a portable set up on the downwind side of his house no further than 2' away from his house. I hope it's someone sticking it to him, but I'm sure it's just someone he knows.