Check out this article I wrote, walking you through a 3 step process for finding the best ponds in your area for bass fishing.

Link: http://bit.ly/2tYTWei

Just a quick word of warning....

I get people coming to my farm's reservoir all the time telling me, "We found this lake on Google Earth and now we are going to fish it."

Well. I did ask if they had seen all the of "No Trespassing, No Hunting and No Fishing," signs on the gate they drove past. Then reminded them that IF I find ANYBODY trespassing AND/OR Fishing, I'll have them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, "Trespass with theft of property."

Some people spend major bundles on their fish ponds.

You find a lake or pond on the internet, you'd darn well better ASK PERMISSION prior to trespassing onto private property and stealing fish that do not belong to you.

Just sayin'......ask first and stay alive.

Amazing, just amazing.

Never once, not one time in that three step process "article" did you mention the words "ask permission" or otherwise show any respect for the pond owners.

Those who follow your recommended process will, at some point, be met with some severe consequences that far exceed anything they could have imagined.

Reece,

I read your 3 steps article and reviewed your web-site. Congratulations on starting your own business and delving into being an entrepreneur.As Fishbreeder and Meadowlark mentioned that you may want to amend your article to include locating the owner and asking for permission. I know we would prosecute anyone accessing our leases without an advanced reservation.

Steve

Reece, I have several ponds that can be found on Google Earth. They are private and you make no mention of asking for permission; just see if you can find a way through the trees. I can assure you that about 99% of ponds are strictly "no trespassing", even without a sign. Based on your advice, somebody could end up with a citation or worse. Put simply, what you are advising is illegal. You might want to check with TPWD about this.

The ponds I grew up fishing were all neighborhood parks and ponds, so I've never really had to ask permission to fish. So honestly, it didn't really cross my mind. I assumed people had enough common sense to decide fishing someone's private pond was a bad idea. Obviously, I was wrong and shouldn't assume. I wrote this post for people in the same situation as me, fishing ponds around neighborhoods. I also should've posted this in the bank fishing section instead. I didn't realize how focused this section was on private waters. I will add a note to the bottom of the post to make sure people ask permission for fishing private ponds. I hope this clears things up for the people I upset.

Nobody is "upset." Just that it is a bit shortsighted to send people off on a quest that could result in them being incarcerated or worse. Even the waters in many subdivisions and parks are off limits to fishing. Our only contention here is that people need to be warned about asking permission to fish, even in city parks, subdivisions and other water bodies prior to wetting a hook in them.

Awesome article man. I have found a lot of great ponds on google earth. I also found that if the pond gets alot of fishing pressure go at night if your allowed and it allows. I caught my PB a 9.6 and a 6.8 in the pond in my neighborhood at 1:30 am.

I don't know. If I see "stay alive" and "or worse" thrown around in replies to an OP, I would think somebody is upset.

jagg, I don't think that many people know just how expensive the pond game is and how passionate some of us are about just raising the fish. It's not just about catching them. My fish feeder is probably more expensive than most peoples deer rifle. The feed that I provide would pay most peoples monthly house payment. And, "upset" is a pretty mild word when I find foot prints around my pond. I don't live there so don't know what has happened. I consider it the same as poaching my deer. And, that has also happened more than once. I don't fish my ponds in the summer heat. The stress of being caught and released in hot water can be lethal. I and others also find that fishing a pond too often can quickly make the fish hook shy. Most non pond owners don't realize these things.

Sorry for too strong a language in my response, just in my neighborhood bass fishing is a way that people make a living. When their livings are threatened they tend to respond in a manner that would strongly protect their interests, and hearing about a trespasser caught stealing fish that met with serious problems at the hands of an angry farmer might indeed, be upsetting.

And yes, when I've caught folks poaching on any of the places I manage, I don't get upset, I just call the law. Generally speaking, each property only requires one time of prosecuting a thief with criminal trespass and then there tends to be no more troubles as word gets around.

I hear what you are saying and I don't disagree at all, but I personally can't justify drawing down on somebody if my family or myself is not in mortal danger. Not when I can call law enforcement and they have the means and experience to take care of the issue. Not saying they are batting a 1.00, but still. BTW, I'm speaking for some of us who have been on the other side. I've fished navigable waterways (open to the public) in the most legal way possible and been drawn on because a landowner thought he owned the whole river/water/bottom. Had to protect myself with my second amendment right. I was in the right and been drawn on. Can't imagine that someone who would purposefully trespass would feel any less hesitant to draw down on a landowner. If I was in that position, I would let the guys who get paid to handle those probs handle them. You're well within your rights to handle them as you seem fit, but I've been on the wrong end of enough barrels to go for the option where I'm not. Just my $0.02 and it may be half off.

I say prosecute the trespassers to the fullest. I've read a lot of you guys (pond management folk) and always learn something, so I am extremely grateful for your input. I don't come down here as often as I used to in part because of the sabre rattling that goes on when a guy or gal just wants to talk pond fishing. Perhaps there should be separate pond fishing and water management sections?

I think the sabre rattling comes from those who spend a lot of time and/or money on their pond(s) only to read posts where someone uses that pond without permission and with such a cavalier attitude about it. I think the average "Pond Hopper/Poacher" doesn't think they are stealing or causing harm, after all they are just fishing, right? Wrong...

I friend of mine who speaks frequently at Pond Management conferences almost always includes the line that the public still thinks that Watermelons, Pecans, and Fish are free. Wrong...

I grew up in the 80's where Pond Hopping was done by many and few landowners cared, because few spent any time or money managing their ponds. Today, that has changed. Using someone else's resource without permission is not OK. Most view it is stealing.

Heck,

without even the excuse of "we found this here pond on the internet..." I've had people fishing in what are obviously fish farm ponds. Once I came upon a group with lawn chairs, beach umbrellas and two stringers full of catfish from the production ponds. When I asked them what they thought they were doing they told me they'd found this here spot and it was about one of the best they'd ever seen as the fish generally bit real good.

When I told them to put the fish back and get the aych ee double ell outa here, they got all defensive and told me they was from Alabamy and there if the pond was by the side of a road, anybody could fish in it. I told them this here was Texas and anybody what got caught rustling fish was hung just as quick as if they was rustling cattle. Never saw them again.