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To post a hot spot or not to post a hot spot?

5K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  FishinMatt  
#1 ·
Guys,

Perhaps it's me being raised in the 60's that has moved me to write this...

My bro and I have a very different view of posting an ice outing...

If I go out, I'll gladly share the public lake name, not if it's private, what worked, what did not....etc. Not giving up GPS coodinates but putting friends like you guys "in the ballpark" and providing general data.

My bro on the other hand has a view of "if you did not earn it, you do not know of it". Even going so far as to ask me, no, telling me not to post after a outing. Which I laughed at and did he get pissed. We have had a heated discussion regarding this and yea, you don't wish to give out your hot spots but we are, by nature a sharing group of men and women on these boards. So going forward...

I'm asking, what might your opinions be? What do you think?
Thanks.....

The Spark
 
#2 ·
I tend to fish mostly smaller bodies of water that are less popular, so I definitely won't post up their names as tons of pressure could be detrimental. But I will provide them if someone asks through a PM or would like to fish with me, etc. Now, for larger more public lakes, sure, I'll divulge the name in the post, I don't see the harm in that.

I don't mind sharing with folks on this board, as I think the majority of flks here are good folks. For me, it is the lurkers out there who don't even bother to sign up, and just peruse here looking for info that they can take, without ever making an attempt to be helpful themselves. So when I share, it will be through a PM or a joint fishing adventure, which is the best way anyhow. Most guys here seem to be willing to do that from what I've gathered, and that's cool with me.

So it is a two way street, I am willing to share sensitive info via a PM, and ask that it remain somewhat "non public", and I will respect whatever info is given to me in the same manner.
 
G
#4 ·
Post what you want. Use your discretion, and realize that there are hundreds of lurkers using your information for their benefit as well. Some bodies of water can stand some abuse (lakefront, IL/Fox rivers, etc...), some cannot like the small ponds and other bodies of water we tend to ice fish.

That doesn't mean you can't post, just take "smart" pictures, only give the right information, and have fun.

Personally, I like to take pictures on the water and keep them to myself or share with friends and family. I can take pics at home of my haul (if I have on), and share those here, or there, or anywhere.

Nothing wrong with sharing info through PMs too.... ;)
 
#5 ·
Agreed bigger bodies of water that can handle the pressure post all you want but if it's a smaller body of water not anymore for me. I've personally had to good lakes fished out because of word of mouth or from posting on here. Also even with big bodies of water if you are doing well and give up to much information there will be a ton of fisherman out there. I remember a few years ago a person on here was doing well on crystal lake and posted a report. I had gone out with him prior to the report and we caught a lot of crappie. Before the report there was your normal number of anglers out there. After the report there were at least 200 more people then normal one weekend. People had printed up the pics and were looking for the house that was in the background trying to find the "exact" spot where we were catching fish. Nonetheless I'm sure the argument will continue on wather or not to post your hot spots or not. I think its a bad idea. Mops
 
#6 ·
I have been making a lot of posts lately but they are of bodies of water that everyone fishes. Bangs for heavens sake had tons of people on it this weekend and do you think what you did is a secret? Maybe but remember you will not be the only one to figure it out. Someone always says that they caught them too. so trying to keep Bangs a secret to me is a waste of time. As for smaller private lakes post away we can't get on them any how. Yes this sport is about doing homework on different lakes with different baits until you figure it out. So the statement that you made about your bro is TRUE. The way around that is only tell a select few exactly what you are doing and where you were., but to give a generalized report to help out guys who cant't get out every day is not that bad either. Remeber we are the future of our sport and if newbees and kids go out with little success then we are shooting our self in the foot because they lose interrest and we lose another. So post away but be smart about it. We all like fish stories isn't that why we are in this chat room? So Mark the Spark, where is the hot spot and when can we meet!!! LOL :)23
One more thing I belong to a bass club and we share info about the day fishing. This info was very generalized because we were fishing against each other. I don't know how many times a report of I was catching fish on a spinnerbait in 2 fow or fishing a jig on rip rap help save my weekend but the other member didn't give up his hot spot and didn't have to deal with everyone coming in on his fish!!
 
#9 ·
If you aren't posting a report on what and where, then WHY? Basically a post that says "we killed the crappie on a lake I won't name" is not a report at all, but simply bragging. Do you really think posting an honest report is going to kill the fishery? Unless the body of water is extremely small (like a private pond) the majority of the lakes in our area are big enough that posting not only the lake, but even the area of the lake is not going to do much. So much changes from day to day that guys who actually would see a post and go there blind, probably are not going to duplicate your success. How often have you killed the fish and guys 50 yds away are struggling? Or in my case, struggled while guys 50 feet away killed them :roll:

The majority of people tend to fish the same bodies of water all the time. We are creatures of habit. The majority of posts simply result in someone who already knows the lake returning to that lake if others post that they are doing well. Guys who see a post about fish being caught then going there solely on that report are much rarer than you think. As for "scret spots", how many are there really? How many places do you fish where there are no other tracks or holes drilled through the ice? I bet very few.

The other factor is that success is about more than just location. I'm sure there are guys who could do great one day, give out the GPS coordinates to the same holes and another guy will not do well because his techique (or skill) doesn't match the other fishermans. Hell, I've been in the same shanty and gotten schooled more than once!

You can refrain from posting if you choose to, that's your own choice, but CLF is here to help expand fishing knowledge and opportunities, and you can't do that without sharing where fish can be found. Guys refusing to share has really hurt CLF in my opinion and alot of it is from others attacking someone who were generous enough to share their success, techinque and location. I think that is going to change.
 
#10 ·
I have to agree with all of you on some level. I fish small ponds and I have a real hard time posting where. I had a local pond where I caught a 8+ lb bass and I told a couple of friends where it was and it was gang raped with in 6 months. After all the traffic and garbage ( beer cans, bait containers, crap) that was left ther they turned my awesome hott spot (what i think hevan will be like) into a NO TRESSPASSING zone. They posted signs all over and I was unable to fish there any more. It was one of these spots where I would go right after work and not leave until it was pitch black and catch 15 bass and let all my worries of the day just fade away.....

I don't believe that posting pictures and not telling people where you caught them is bragging. Its sharing something that we all have in common.... The love of fishing!! When I see pictures of Bangs lake or the harbors it just makes me want to go out fishing. Not to bangs or to a harbor somehwere but to my spot! Do i use some of the tip you guys post ..? yes I do and it makes me a better fisherman! For that thank you.

When I found this site I was floored. Here is a place we can ask questions, see pictures, and meet new friends. Not many of my buddies share my love of what we do. This is someting I have been doing sense I was 3. I sat on the docks of waconda boat with bacon on my hook catching blue gils and the ocasional cat fish. So when I saw that there were guys out there that loved fishing as much as I did I felt at home!

For those of you that are posting pictures of your daily catch and not telling where you caught them please continue! It drives me to get out there. For those of you that want to share where you are catching fish and what you are using please continue. I enjoy learning and using some of your tips to make my day on the ice or open water better.

God bless and happy fishing!!
 
#12 ·
As far as posting the lakes where people are catching fish, I can go both ways here. Small private ponds I agree should be kept private but public lakes should be shared by everyone. I seriously doubt that there are enough fishmerman fishing "hard water" to fish out, diminish or hurt any type of lake as bad as some of you make it out to be. If it is warm weathr and the warm weather fisherman are out, then it is a different story, but the die hards for the "hard water" are not going to kill a lake in a season. If I find a lake that is producing, I will post it so everyone can share it. Just because there maybe 10, 20 or 100 guys on a lake it doesn't mean everyone is catching fish. I cant tell you how many times I've been on Lake holiday and there has been 60 or 70 guys on the ice and only a handful are catching some kind kind of keeper fish. Ice fisherman are not going to fish out a lake like some of you say. I would like someone to challenge this and give examples of killed off lakes by ice fisherman. Yes there are idiots who spoil it for everyone but the most of us are decent people who follow the rules and pick up their garbage. You can keep the names of the lakes and tecniques to yourselves or share them with everyone to help them, it's my opinoin, doesn't mean a hill of beans to anyone else. I would like to know different areas and lakes to fish/ that are proven safe to fish on as I fish mainly by myself. If people just want to post on here and not share anything I agree it is bragging. It is a great idea to ask the person in private what lake they fished on and if that person will not reveal what ever lake they where on shame on them, this website is supposed to help people become better fisherman and people in general.
 
#13 ·
Fine, on big water such as the Kank or Braidwood, the name doesnt matter. that much we seem to agree on.

On the smaller lakes, does the name matter as much as the presentation? If I know that bluegills are loving wax worms or red spinners in size 1 in 2-3 feet of water in a pond 10 ft deep in the northern part of the state, I can infer the the 10 foot deep pond 2 subdivisions over will have blue gills... in the 2-3 ft range! I dont see how this can hurt anyone's honey hole.
 
#14 ·
I agree totaly! To say whats biting and how deep is not in any way going to hurt your hot spots!

BTW

I was out on Saturday night from about 7 to 12:30 and the Crappie were hanging way up. I was fishing in about 7 fow and they were running right through the middle. The bite was short so I had to go way small. A super small jig and one wax worm. Caught 15 arond the 9-10 inch. Let tem all go. Also caught a ton of gills. They were on the bottem or very close to the bottem. They ranged from itty bitty to hand size. Again let them all go. Just out to pass some time and do some fishing. Also got one real nice Crappie on a tip up with a fathead.

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#15 ·
I agree that many don't want to give away their hot spots. I read the posts to see if there is action. 99% of the ice fishing I do is on private property. It is great to read what is working and what is not. I have hesitated to post after reading several posts objecting to issues on private ponds. Private ponds do not mean that you always get fish. This year I've been skunked so I read the posts to see what is happening on other area ponds and lakes.
 
#17 ·
WOW :eek: i heard just what i wanted to here :-D TUBES, ILPOND i couldn't agree with you guys more thats why i love this site over the stuffy tight lipped blowhards on other sites :)37 i call the look at me posts :roll: not much info lure, depth, stuff like that :-D just a bunch of pictures :(
 
#18 ·
mops7 said:
Agreed bigger bodies of water that can handle the pressure post all you want but if it's a smaller body of water not anymore for me. I've personally had to good lakes fished out because of word of mouth or from posting on here. Also even with big bodies of water if you are doing well and give up to much information there will be a ton of fisherman out there.
This sums it up for me. I heard of an awesome pond here and couldn't believe the action and size of the crappies and bass I was catching when I went to check the place out. It took only 3 months and the big fish were gone. I still try it every year, but it never has recuperated after it was cleaned out. 'Haven't caught a decent bass or crappie there in four years now.

On the Fox River there are great spots that hold only one or two anglers. Why would I want to divulge the exact location on the internet and find my spot occupied every time I make the drive and walk to the river? A few trips like that and you might as well just stay home.

Even on Lake Michigan, I fish some good spots a little off the beaten trail and do excellent. Sometimes I have the whole area to myself with the freedom to move around a bit if I can't find the fish. Try doing that at Montrose in the spring. You are lucky to even get a spot and you definitely can't move around if there's not much happening there. Why would I want to turn a spot like that into the Montrose scene?

The more important info is not exact locations but techniques and presentations that you need to catch specific species at specific times. I've always worked hard to share that kind of info.
 
#19 ·
I think Ed probably does it best when putting reports in the public forums. He posts all about the general fish holding locations and techniques, but does not usually give the exact location he is fishing. What is the fun in that anyway? It always annoys me when people demand that others give exact spots that they have worked hard to find. To me at least, figuring things out on the water is half the fun.