Follow the crowd anglers...why?

[Swill]

What is the deal with people setting up right next to everyone? I know it is all public water but does anyone have any respect anymore?
Heck those people might even do a better if they avoid the crowds and noise and fish different spots.
I don't mind if the are close but I have had guys set up so close to my house I could hear them crack open their beers! Have a little respect and don't crowd!

What is the point in buying a portable icehouse like a trap or otter if you pull up to everyone else and sit on your butt all day?

Metro ice anglers go "bahha" like a sheep

[Guest]

Yeah, the regs. say 10 feet, but ya can hear the drunkin pop fizzers all the way across the lake anyway. Encourage them to really pound'em down! That way it will at least get quiet once they pass out.

[Renneberg]

I had that same thing happen to me out on Leech Lake last weekend. I was out on Agency Bay and all by myself from what I could see. Then a bunch of people came in riding there snowmobiles and stopped about 30 feet from me. They got off and started punching holes all around me and started fishing right next to me. After about 10 minutes of watching them not catch a thing I decided to go to one of my hole I had right in front of me and show off. I sat there for about 20 minutes pulling one perch after another out of that hole. They all just sat there and looked at me , so I told them that the fishing had really picked up when they arrived.
Five minutes later half of them left and the other half went to the other side of the lake.
I wish I could do that to every dumba$$ that does that to me.

[vikingtom]

Park next to me and see what happens.

[Guest]

Just carry your rods in an old shotgun case. Leave the case outside.

[Crappie Kid]

A friend of mine made up a small sign with about 1 inch letters reading "If you can read this sign your too f#%!ing close." Most people pull up look at the sign and head somewhere else. I personally like it when people come and set up by me cuz then I can tell them about all the time I spent in prison and how the psycologist thought I was probably ready for the outside world. I had her fooled. LOL

[upnorth]

If I am fishing in a crowed area I will give the other person at least 30 to 50 feet. If I can't give that much room I don't belong fishing there. I don't want to be obnoxious. Fishing in close quarters is the price to be paid for wanting to fish the hotspots.

But yes some people really push it too far, especially when there is no one else around and the decide to park right next to you. How ruuude

[Mankato-Ice-Man]

LOL @ Crappie Kid... That is one of the funniest things I have ever read! I will have to remember that one!

I don't think there is anything we can do about this, just ranks up there with the fools leaving pop bottles and beer cans all over the ice and landing or the ones who are in the house while there 2 or 3 little ones are running all over hundreds of feet away on all this nice safe ice we have this year.

I just keep moving a little further away, when it gets so crowded that moving away means moving out of the "bite", there is prolly to much pressure there to catch anything anyway, then you just pack up and follow the fish.

------------------
Born to Fish, Forced to Work!

[Steve Foss]

Chester, that's a great idea! I'll have to remember that one.

Sticka: Two feet away? Sheesh. Coupla black eyes waiting to happen.

[Captain B.R.K]

I'm totally with you guys on this one. I can't stand it when someone ploobs right down on you while you are graphing or catching fish.
I can't stand it when people do a drive by right past my portable! I can't wait to buzz their A#@ some day. Peckernecks would have someone killed if they ever lost control of the vehcile! Sorry my language but this happened the other night while I was out and couldn't believe the guy that went right over the area I was fishing. He had the whole lake to pick and he decided to buzz me. MY LUCK :|

[Surface Tension]

I just ask if them if they'd like to see my collection of shunken heads. If they say yes then I move.

[Guest]

It's the same guys that run over your line in the summer while asking how the fishing is....

If I can cast to your boat in the summertime you're too close...If I can cast to your bucket with my 18" noodle rod in the winter..You are WAY TOO CLOSE.

PCG

[Dano2]

Must be the NR's

HEH, HEH, just an inside joke
for those who know whats been
going on with the ND bird
hunting issues.

[Guest]

Or maybe go with the Kaposi's sarcoma disguise while acting "fashionable". Once you got their attention maybe make some reference to Sno sealin' the ice king...

[This message has been edited by esoxlucius (edited 01-03-2003).]

[Pig_sticka]

everyone is lazy these days. if someone finds a spot for them they will sit right next to them. i had one instance on green lake in chisago. where i was catching sunnies left n right, and these 2 guys came and drilled (power auger) 6 holes right next to my hole. literately right next to the hole not even 2 ft away. they made me move to just drill the holes. this whole time i was still bring up the sunnies and they fished and didn't catch one. i finally had enough and moved. they fished my hole and still didn't catch one. after that they drilled 2 holes right outside my friends ice house so you had to jump out the house to not step in the holes. i mean really how sad do you have to get. these holes weren't even 2 ft away from us. and i cant count the other times but that was the worst. i was too young to realize anything then. good fishin

[Cottco]

About the time you see them coming you should find your citizen's arrest warrents, write them a ticket, call 911, have them arrested and post thier names on the forum.

Or you can draw your line in the snow, and firmly tell them to flake off.

[Guest]

I find that the further you go east, the more tolerant one is for proximity. Conversly the farther west you go the more one needs their space.

Close to half the winter angler hours here on DEvils Lake is from non-residents. Over whelmingly they are from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

It is my observation that Wisconsin fisherman will set up closer to another party and lay claim to more ice than Minnesotans. North Dakotans will generally need a little more distance but that is not always the case.

It just might have something to do with the population density you are accustumed to in general. Folks come here to Devils Lake and are amazed at our open country and still want to fish in your lap.

[Guest]

Well, my observation is that there is just a mixture of people with common sense and people that are idiots.What state someone calls home isn't a factor.I'm from WI. and I despise people moving in on me or driving too close with ATV'S or snowmobiles when there is plenty of lake around me.I'll say one thing for sure.Nobody would even be able to finish drilling a hole two feet from me.That's a fact!

[Dano2]

Was out on Pelican last night and had a guy drive his truck so close to us we could have handed him a beer as he drove by.
Give me a stinken break, that stinken lake is more than big enough.

[roadkingclasic56]

Some articles I have read in the major fishing periodicals about how to find a good fishing spot on any lake, icludes in their list of ideas to watch where the other fisherman are fishing. This has always IRKED me somewhat because they don't talk about respecting the other fisherman in the process. A new fisherman trying to learn how to fish besides learning where to fish, may get the wrong idea about respecting someone's space.

[Guest]

Here is one for ya...

Last week I set up at my favorite spot for pike, no one else on the lake.

Two teenagers who fish the lake regularly and who I talk to ocasionally, then come and plop down right next to me without asking. I have a new shlter this year,and was inside, so I know they did not recognize me. One of them came over and said "Sorry about being so close." Next, this other guy (no auger, makes his ~7 year drag out the sleds/gear, uses only long 'summer' poles) camps right next to me on the other side. As it was clear that he was headed into our close proximity, one of my teenager neighbors started muttering "Son of a b#&^%! That F#$@-ing jerk - why is he coming over here?" (Since when did these 8th graders learn to swear like that? I didn't start talking like that till 9th grade!) It was pretty funny given that these kids just did the same thing.

Anyway this new guy used his spud bar to open up about 10 old holes in the area. You could feel the vibration coming up your feet!

He actually opend up holes that were BETWEEN two tipups being used by someone else.

Then as he was fishing, he let his kid use the spud bar like a javelin. That sounded even better. He also let his kid skate/play right next to the other kids' tipups.

But the kicker was, this guy caught fish, and I got nothing. That was infuriating. I left after about 2 hours.

[the big dipper]

I guess I usually have decent luck fishing where other people are not. On some lakes there are small holes where everyone catches fish. The obvious reason is that's cause it's the only place they all fish. It must be a saftey in numbers/herd mentality thing.

The other reason everyone jams up is that the average person is insecure about his ability to find "a good spot" so they assume that other people know more than they do. (which they may or may not).

The proper way to check out someones spot is to go after they leave, or try it next trip. I just hate it when someone motors up with that greedy look, and tries to get in on the action (casting to the same fish or whatever). It's tacky and classless. If you're really clueless - and don't want to be a jerk, just maintain a proper distance,or try a spot on the lake at the same depth, etc. If you really need to fish the same spot a little friendly banter or even asking if the person minds the intrusion would be more appropriate.

The way I like to deal with the situation, is to jerk up and leave the minute the unwanted visitor arrives and starts baiting up, or drilling holes - that leaves em guessing. And then I'm back to fishing by myself, the way I like it.

[Guest]

You guys are all correct.I cannot comprehend what someone is thinking when they come so close to where you are fishing.I wouldn't even dream of doing it.Also,I like catching fish but a good portion of why I like ice fishing so much is the solitude.I'd rather strike out on my own and explore different water.Plus with flashers and improved portable shelters,you don't need to be in the crowd like in the past.Later.

[SuddenlySummer]

OK, here is a twist.

I've been reading posts and doing some reasearch on the conditions on Tonka. I have a friend in from TN for a few days and wanted to get him a monster walleye. After careful consideration and thought, I picked my spot.

We drive to the lake, park and walk 1 mile on glare ice to the spot I wanted. Sure enough we get there and a fish house parked on the spot. I mark depth and drill 20 or so holes around the area and begin to fish. (no hole is within 30 feet of the house) 1 hour later the owner of that house comes out and throws a fit. He brought his two small children with him and decides to use them as repellant. The 5 & 7 year old kids played hockey around us. I watched the kids get tired and go back to the house but after 1 or 2 minutes and some muffled yelling the kids were back at it again.

Who is in the wrong?

[Guest]

Is the law in the winter the same as in the summer??

I am out fishing, and a truck drives by me at 40 mph within 30 feet of my ice-hole...TWICE...

I always said if I can cast into your boat when you are going by you're too close...How bout' if I can throw my metal ice scoop into your windshield...you're too close.

PCG