Friends with a big mouth

[Bufflehead]

 Not you Wade!

 I have a great friend that I enjoy BBQing and tipping a couple with

 My problem is, the guy likes to party and have a good time all the time. He likes to be generous to others...Thats one of his down falls to me sometimes.

 I found the slabs and gills about two weeks ago on a lake thats no bigger than a 100 acers or so.

 I took this friend there. Since than he has brought Doz! of others there to fish..he's called home to cities and told his whole family to get up here and join in on the catch. The small trail on to the lake, now looks like 35W.

 This lake will not take this kind of pressure.

 He done this once before in the spring, at a pan fish hole I found.

 We are close enough that he knows when I'm out fishing, he knows by contact between us as friends(including his kids and my kids hanging out together)

 It's near impossable to keep the news I'm on a hot spot from him. Besided, I don't like to lie when he ask's me hows the fishin.

 I'm between a rock and hard spot.

 I don't want to pi** him off by telling him I'm not going to tell ya where I'm catching them

 Dang! I hate this

 Any ideas?

 

[JohnWester]

lie.  all fishermen do it. 
or just tell him, don't fricken tell anyone or I won't tell you about spots like this anymore.

[Lee Borgersen]

                 "Silence Is Golden"

Sounds like if you tell him not to spread the news your wasting your time.

              "Loose Lip's Sink Ships" >:(

Next time he asks you how the fishin is on the spots you showed him, say to many people found out about it and are fishing it out. :'(

[ScottPugh]

He wouldn't get any more hot bites from me. 

[schwinger]

I would tell him flat out everytime I find a good spot you ruin by doing everything short of putting an add in the paper. If you let him suffer for a while and tell him about the great fishing your having at a spot he doesn't know about and won't tell him about and why, the next time he might think twice about telling people about it.

[oraksb]

Just send him the other direction from where you fish....never give up a hot spot like that...send ppl like off to the dead sea somewheres. Nothing wrong with sharing a little now and again, but a guy should be respectful of it too.

[GRIZ]

Tell him flat out you can't tell him as the last time you did he told others. It works for me.

On a side note when has he told you of a hot bite? What I've found is most of these never find their own hotspot to tell you anyhow.

[Outdoors Junkie]

I would be honest with him.  Explain that this is a small lake and can't take the pressure.  Tell him he needs to be careful not to wreck the secret spot.  He needs to limit the amount of people he takes out to this spot. 

[h2ofwlr]

I had 2 people do that to me.  They are no longer my friends.  They betrayed my trust, and as such I do not wish to associate with anyone that spoiled our friendship becouse they put their ego ("Hey guys I know of a great new honey hole loaded with big slabs..."  all to LOOK good to others and be everybodies pal for a week)  ahead of our long term friendship.  I do not need "friends" like that.

[Bufflehead]

 This is how I'm thinking of dealing with this

 I just ordered my new Marcum LX5. I was on the DNR Lake Finder today and have looked over some waters close by again.

 I'm going to take the Marcum, go find another good Crappie hole and I'm taking NOBODY!(except Wade)) to the new spot

 I know I can find'em

 He's just going to have to live with it, I will explain to him..you tell too many people...I'm not telling you this time

[oraksb]

There ya go Bufflehead...best way to do it.

[PUTZ]

Just tell ol bigmouth  that A bunch of us fella's have thought it out and we are going to have to HANG him and were still trying to figure out WHEN.
PUTZ

[Fishahollik]

Hey, you must think I had a guilty conscience. Not me freind. I know how to keep good fishing spots good, the secret is to kepp them secret. ESPECIALLY those honey holes. Like the one we had to drive, then sled too...Lake "x". We found some nice fish on that one too didn't we?
 
I know who your talking about and My suggestion is to just "fish around him" Basically, just don't tell him the WHOLE truth if he finds out your catching them. He is a nice enough guy, but he will surely have the most recent spot you shared with him fished out in no time if he has invited all those folks up.

When people ask me where I caught a nice bunch of fish, I usually say one of two things....in the water  or   right here(Putting finger into corner of mouth like a fishhook).

[h2ofwlr]

When people ask me where I caught a nice bunch of fish, I usually say one of two things....in the water  or   right here(Putting finger into corner of mouth like a fishhook).

Yup.  When asked how they are biting I say "by their lips", and I usually get a follow up of, no I meant where did you catch them? I respond, "in the water".  They usually catch on at that point that I am not going to say squat.

'Loose lips sink ships' comes to mind.  ( a WWII slogan ).

[fisherkingdave]

I personnally feel that sharing a lake is not only polite but also very fishin friendly. We are fortunate enough to live in a great state with thousands of lakes and millions of fish. At the same time I do understand your points and its simply up to you to decide who you want to tell and who you dont want to tell. If he is a (TRUE) friend then you should be able to say or do whatever you want to or with him and as you know hes gonna talk simply tell him to clam it or else. I have no problem sharing my honey spots as I want everyone to have the same god givin fun as I do. Just my opion.

[GRIZ]

Ten yrs ago this happened with a small lake round here (bout 400 acres) Everyone ended up finding out and in one months time the DNR estimated that over 15 thousand crappies had been taken out of there.

Now this yr the crappies are hittin again but in a different spot. A freind went and showed everyone the fish and told em the lake. They went and tried the normal spot and got zilch, so left. Now that everyone has been there and left the lake is barren of fishermen and we can actually go to the new spot and fish w/o being followed. Kinda like reverse pscology and it worked.

Night before last was 20 craps in an hr. All were 10-11 inches. It has been this way for the last week. The bite will last from about 5:30 til 10-11 pm.

I have only been there once but will go again later this week. The ones of us that know make shur only one house is out there at a time and never the same house 2 nights in a row.

Now is what I don't understand is why would a fisherman go to a spot when told of a hotbite anyhow? Usually too many people know about it to be anygood anyway. The best fishing is usually found on ones own and it's because nobody else is there. I just feel that I can find better fishin myself than I can chasing a fish tale.

[Bufflehead]

Quote
"Now is what I don't understand is why would a fisherman go to a spot when told of a hotbite anyhow?'
----------------------------

LAZY!!! let somebody else do all the work of finding them. Then move in!..works for Ducks, Bucks, Fish, Grouse, Pheasants etc.

[GRIZ]

Quote
"Now is what I don't understand is why would a fisherman go to a spot when told of a hotbite anyhow?'
----------------------------

LAZY!!! let somebody else do all the work of finding them. Then move in!..works for Ducks, Bucks, Fish, Grouse, Pheasants etc.

Well I guess I knew that. ??? But how well does it work? Usually by the time these people find out about it, it's too late anyway. The only leads I follow are the ones that were told to me by the person who found it. Then I keep it a secret. I can trust these people with my finds also. Works good for me let the lazy spread the word about where I will not be and go to a nice little spot.

So IMO it doesn't work too well to be lazy. You get to a hotspot a day too late, have a mountain of neighbors, the fish have all been caught. Whats the point.

[Woody]

Well in my case I don't know where to go around here.  I've lived here for about 5 years and there are many many lakes here in the Alexandria area.  So I try to at least find out what lake is doing good and go from there on my own.  I do a lil research such as check out a lake map on the DNR site.  Then of course I look for areas on that lake that may be of interest.

I can't judge a lake by how many houses are on it, as most of the lakes have many houses-and that doesn't always mean they are biting!  I have 2 kids who get bored quickly if they don't get a bite within an hour or so.  (Try teaching kids patience!)  ::)

So for me to ask what lake might be good to take my family isn't lazy in my opinion.  I'd never ask for the hotspot-as I believe it to be fisherman's taboo! 

On a different note-there was a "lake" around here that was HOT HOT HOT for eyes in December.  I asked around where it was-how to get there.  I finally found out where it was and took my kidlets there.  If you look at the Picture of the week, you can see the results.  Just look how proud the kids are!  How HUGE their smiles are!  My 8 yo daughter Kelsey caught her first walleye through the ice that night!  And yes-I was VERY proud of her and our accomplishment that night.  The "lake" we were at was fished out in a matter of weeks-as it isn't truely a lake.  At first I thought this was actually wrong to be fishing it like we/everyone was.  But once I found out that this "lake" freezes out every 5 or so years-I figured at least we wouldn't be wasting the fish!  I gave my grandparents (who cannot get out fishing) some of the catch and their smiles were priceless! 

I know this is a lil off topic, but just how I felt overall about telling another about a hot spot/lake.  Personally I'd have to know someone very well before I let them in on anything. 

[Big Slick]

My Grangpa used to tell me to never tell ANYONE were you caught them...NO-ONE!!! Lie if you have to but don't tell!!!

He always caught fish because he didn't tell.

[GRIZ]

Say woody

They weren't fished out, just less of them in there. Meaning less fishermen next yr and I doubt they will freeze out this yr.

[HUNTER2]

Hey Griz, is that the lake over by Sunburg? There must be a river feeding that lake Woody if the eyes keep coming back.

[Woody]

The "lake" I was on wasn't really a lake at all.  It's more of a large pond.  Once the fish are gone from it-they are gone for good.   Trust me on this.  Unless someone stocks some fish in it that is, but I doubt it will be stocked. 

[Spinach]

Woody, the Alex area has some of the best fishing in the state. I usually make a trip or 2 every year, hopefully, I can get over there before ice out.

I'll give you some notice if I do fish the area, maybe in a couple weeks. You can come out and watch....

[Woody]

and see how it's done-right?!  Better be careful...or Splinter may teach you a thing or two!    I know he teaches me plenty each time we go out fishing!

[GRIZ]

H2  Yea there are a few over by sunberg.

It doesn't matter as there are a bunch of them through out the state. Basically just follow the DNR around to their rearing ponds as they can't get them out Worth a hoot. They also plant them in pond where there is no chance of them getting them out. Yup they are hopelessly inept.

[Realtree]

I agree with the general consensus on this one...if he is the kind of friend you can shoot straight with just tell him that you don't appreciate him telling the entire world about the great holes you tell him about.

Let him know that if he cannot keep it between you and him and keep your trust that you will not let him in on any more of your finds. If you are good friends, he should respect that...if not, time to cut bait on that one and not tell him about any future hot spots.

I do think you should level with him though and let him know why he is out of the "circle of trust"... just my two cents worth.

[Realtree]

Hey Bufflehead, how did you ever turn out with this situation? Just curious.