How close do you get?

jefferson · #1 03-02-2008, 08:11 AM

During our last two visits to the lake, we've had some great success. We've also dealt with two different situations where we felt people were far too close to our fishing spot for our liking. I'm wondering if my "personal space-o-meter" is accurate, so I'd like some input. When approaching another fishing party, how close do you set up? There's obviously a big difference between hard water and open water- I'm wondering specifically about hard water. Thanks!

packhuntr · #2 03-02-2008, 08:28 AM

That one is a real touchy one with me. When i go ice fishing, alot of times im looking to catch fish!!!! If someone pulls in beside me and the dogs and kids are running around throwing sticks on the ice etc, its time for a change to happen, wether its me or them. I grew up having fun out there too, but we tried to keep the racket to a minimum.... I had a group at Badger think it was ok to pull in and intercept 2 of my far traps, ie, drilling holes on either side of tip ups i had running across a drop from shallow to deep. They were drilling either side of the baits at no more than 15 yards!!!! Tons of lake there, but they knew the structure there as well obviously......BUT WE WERE THERE FIRST...It proceeded to get loud from there. We were not happy. Who does that...No one was having fun. Where do these idiots come from. I dont know the proper parameters here, situation dictates for sure.

keep a strain on er.

jefferson · #3 03-02-2008, 10:55 AM

15 yards would have been a nice buffer compared to what we experienced yesterday. We don't head out there to be hermits, but I prefer to be at least 25-30 yards from the next angler. If I'm coming to a spot after another guy, I don't set up closer than 50 yards (give or take).

Walleyes · #4 03-02-2008, 11:07 AM

Oh this one gets me to,, I just don't know whats up with people sometimes,, I geuss if they live like sardines in their houses in town they feel comfortable doing it on the water..

For me its like 50 - 100 yrds that I like to keep away from people,, and thats how far I like them to keep away from me...

mud slug · #5 03-02-2008, 11:23 AM

this gets me to.yesterday we were the first ones on the ice at cow. we must have got lucky and stoped at the right spot because everyone stoped and fished almost on top of us one guy even asked if i would move my truck so we could help block the wind. eight groups of people inside of 30yards.

Walleyes · #6 03-02-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mud slug

this gets me to.yesterday we were the first ones on the ice at cow. we must have got lucky and stoped at the right spot because everyone stoped and fished almost on top of us one guy even asked if i would move my truck so we could help block the wind. eight groups of people inside of 30yards.

Theres no way I could handle that,, I would loose it..

jefferson · #7 03-02-2008, 03:07 PM

We got to Gull at about 7:00am yesterday; fished for an hour or so, with some luck. there were about 10 other trucks out there by 8:00am, and by conversations it sounded like all were into fish. At about that time, a truck came along, and got stuck leaving the path to drive accross the lake (presumably). After digging out, they returned to the trail and sat in their vehicle about 50 yards away. after a few minutes wondering what they were doing, my buddie caught a fish, and they immediately pulled in and parked 20 yards away. That was bad enough, but then they proceeded to drill holes half-way between their truck and us (about 10 yards away). We continued to catch fish while they had limited success, and so one of them walked over to "chat". The moment I lost a fish in the hole and he had a chance to see my hook, he cut off the conversation, switched his offering to what we were using, and returned to the closest hole to us. After another half hour, they then drilled holes at 10 yards from my truck in a semi-circle, with the closest hole about 5 yards from my tail gate. It was getting down-right silly, so I politely asked them to give us some space. The curt reply was "how far away do you want us?". Well, at that point, accross the lake would have been nice. They didn't move, but left about an hour later with no more fish. Turns out it does take a bit of fishing ability, not just the same location, conditions, and tackle, to be successful.

That sure made for an uncomfortable morning, even in the midst of some of the best fishing we've had. The ironic thing is, had they simply asked what hooks we were using, and asked how the fishing was, we would have been happy to help (though we would have asked them for a bit more space). Venting over...let's all be respectful of each other, shall we?

dodger · #8 03-02-2008, 03:09 PM

All the places I go to are just so I can be away from the crowds. I don't mind being a Hermit on the ice. I have been on a lake at sunrise and had people come at noon and start drilling within 20 yards of me. Problem is I'm the only person on the hole darn lake when they show up and they need to be by me. CRAZY PEOPLE MAN.

Whew!! That's twice today on this board that i got to do some venting.

Dodger.

pecker · #9 03-02-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodger

All the places I go to are just so I can be away from the crowds. I don't mind being a Hermit on the ice. I have been on a lake at sunrise and had people come at noon and start drilling within 20 yards of me. Problem is I'm the only person on the hole darn lake when they show up and they need to be by me. CRAZY PEOPLE MAN.

Whew!! That's twice today on this board that i got to do some venting.

Dodger.

what makes people do that ? my limit is 100+yrds. i believe they think because your there the fish are there. common courtesy does'nt seem to mean much to some people . fish move-- it's a big lake -- stay back-- OK

fishman · #10 03-02-2008, 04:55 PM

I understand your anger, but there is many fatcors that go on in a person mind when they are out ice fishing.....first thing is if you are catching fish and they aren't then all the fish must beside you.........second thing is when they drive on the lake and see one vechile thier then he must know something they don't......third thing is maybe that guy has a secret hook or method that they want to see.......also everybody idea on how close is to close is diffrent so i never see the problem going away...........i gave up ice fishing maybe years ago because to many people have to many diffrent ideas about what was polite and what wasn't..............people tripping over my lines,kids running around,dogs loose and the noise...........i wanted the quiteness.

now i fish only open water....when i am on the lake and somebody is driving by me in a boat and they yell out how's fishing....they have about 10 seconds of conversation with me before they are gone unless they stop and i usually pick who i talk to or not.......usually try to do my visitng when i am getting off the lake or going on........i love to talk and i like to visit but my fishing comes first and i also respect others people privacy.......i have been fortunate that i live in whitecourt and the trout lake i fish most of the time i have it all to myself....how about 1 out of ten times somebody else is there

Mish · #11 03-02-2008, 05:26 PM

I think it varies from lake to lake. I really think hardwater fishing etiquette is different on every lake. If I was at McGregor and someone set up right next to me, I know I'd be a bit annoyed. But at places like Chain or Cow it's to be expected.

If you're the only one on a huge lake and some jerk is driving in circles around you, then yes, I'd be ****ed, too. But I've had some very respectful people park 15-20 feet away from me and start drilling, and I didn't mind that at all.

bearbait · #12 03-02-2008, 06:14 PM

carson is bad...i get guys drilling so close to our shack you get there slush in your hole when there done....i try to stay at least 100+ yards but most have no rule...sucks but not much you can do...i always worry about the 25 trucks parked so close together....most times im the first on the lake by 10 am when i leave the shack theres 15-20 guys all around us...

mud slug · #13 03-02-2008, 06:26 PM

i think i'm going to see if i guy can get some caution tape with the words.

CAUTION-CRANKY-GROUCHY-MISRABLE OLD FART STAY BACK 50 YARDS

then drill a few holes and string out the tape and see if any one has the guts to cross the tape.

jefferson · #14 03-02-2008, 06:47 PM

One of the things we're going to try is to set our tip-ups about 40 yards from the truck, and drill our fishing holes half-way between the tip-ups and the truck- gives a bit of a buffer, anyway, until someone drives over our tip-ups.

buckmaster · #15 03-03-2008, 09:36 AM

i was at pigeon and had some people ask if they could use some empty holes i just drilled! Being a nice guy i let them use the holes to avoid a arguement.What really ticks me is that they had 2 power augers

#16 03-03-2008, 10:43 AM

I rarely fish close enough to people to have to use etiquette but If I'm gonna be fishing in the same general area as others I think it's a good idea to have a chat with the people that are gonna be closest to you and tell them where you plan to fish to make sure your not buggin anybody. A good buffer may change from one person to another. Some don't care some do.

#17 03-03-2008, 12:14 PM

I like fishing as far away from others as possible. When I fish at Gull, I have a great spot that i have kept to myself and no one else fishes near me. Smaller lakes, I still like to get away. That's what really ****es me off is guys coming so close to you and they have the whole lake.

fishergirl · #18 03-03-2008, 12:47 PM

I don't fish really close to people, I don't like people to fish really close to me. We'll put a 5 gallon pails beside the tip-ups too just so people don't drive over them. I sometimes worry about the guys on snowmobiles, but i've never had any problems with them, they stay at a distance, so i've got no complaints. Plus I think when they are cruising around the lake they help move the fish around.

#19 03-03-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishergirl

I don't fish really close to people, I don't like people to fish really close to me. We'll put a 5 gallon pails beside the tip-ups too just so people don't drive over them. I sometimes worry about the guys on snowmobiles, but i've never had any problems with them, they stay at a distance, so i've got no complaints. Plus I think when they are cruising around the lake they help move the fish around.

I don't agree with that whatsoever, I don't think the fish would move any more or less because of that.

As far as snowmobiles running over tipups, yup this has happened to me, three times. Only once has the snowmobiler stopped and apologized and given me money for a new one. The other two times, i know that they delibrately ran them over.

fishergirl · #20 03-03-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TundraBuck

I don't agree with that whatsoever, I don't think the fish would move any more or less because of that.

As far as snowmobiles running over tipups, yup this has happened to me, three times. Only once has the snowmobiler stopped and apologized and given me money for a new one. The other two times, i know that they delibrately ran them over.

I know augers scare them for a bit, i figured that snowmobiles would too? or just noise on top of the ice... not too sure, I could be wrong.

JohninAB · #21 03-03-2008, 01:01 PM

If the people are respectful and nice I have no problems at all. Great way to meet folks, spend time bsing and never know what new trick or technique you may learn.

On the water though, when you troll so close to my boat that you catch my anchor rope, I may get a bit perturbed.

Mish · #22 03-03-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohninAB

If the people are respectful and nice I have no problems at all. Great way to meet folks, spend time bsing and never know what new trick or technique you may learn.

On the water though, when you troll so close to my boat that you catch my anchor rope, I may get a bit perturbed.

Agreed. I've had a lot more problems in open water than hardwater. Glenmore Reservoir is the absolute worst. I like to go there to wind down after a day at work and canoers and kayakers think it's a great opportunity to paddle right over a line I just cast out. Still can't figure out if they're doing it on purpose because they hate people who fish or if they're just ignorant as all get out.

Donny Bear · #23 03-03-2008, 01:38 PM

I am a live and let live person on that note if they crowd me I move. I tell myself I'm the better angler

I never let people see my fish, man I have had so many holes punched I thought we would go thru because we advertised so I learned that 30 years ago. I share I give hooks to people and promote good relations on the Ice if someone needs a hole punched I do it I have the gear it's no biggy to me life is short and I am not going to let people ruin my day but I will try to make theirs!

Oh MY Gosh I just acheived Sainthood

To bad they don't have a smily with a bent halo

BUD · #24 03-03-2008, 10:38 PM

HERES WHAT I DO ,

l grab a beer can , and then dance around with my shotgun , fire a shot into the air and holler WHOOPIEEEEEEEEE , and the crowd usually leaves.

uicehole · #25 03-03-2008, 10:53 PM

I generally give 75 yards on the ice and I expect the same in return. Should I get crowded in, I will try my darnedest to whoop it up and make a production of every fish I catch because let's face it, if you need to be that close to someone on the ice you're probably not that good. I will belittle you for fishing on top of me while you experience zero luck because you suck. On the other hand, if you respect my distance, by all means come over and chat and exchange tips with me because THAT'S what fishing is all about. I would fully expect you to ask for tips if I was doing well and I would do the same the other way around - just as long as we respect each other's distances. I would even invite you over to fish next to me if I was over a honey hole.

I was at Cow this weekend and heading towards a spot I marked on my GPS. I thought there were three parties on "my" spot. I would have gone looking for another spot (that's how we find new spots) but luckily they were over 75 yards off the mark as I got closer. However, they to me they were awefully close to each other.