There is an easy remedy to this... get access to or build your own private pond/lake. If you are on public water it is going to happen.

Not to be rude, just stating the facts...

I can understand where he is coming from but it is a public body of water. He can't put a fence around it, he can't buy it and he can't own it.

Personally, I would never follow anyone and certainly wouldn't set down right next to them while they fished. I don't agree with that. My issue is with those that feel that since they found a spot(not likely considering the shear amount of people that fish that lake), nobody else has the right to fish it.

Nobody wants anybody messing with their livelihood but when your livelihood revolves around catching fish on public waters, you are going to have "hitchhikers" from time to time.

Get you a jet boat and take them through a stump field, just kidding, someone could get hurt.

Well, I have a little different take on all this. First, I'm not a guide nor a tournament fisherman. I'm sure I would be alot more guarded if my livelihood were impacted.

Back when I used to write the Joe Pool report for OUTDOOR TIMES, I would regularly be followed. It still happens every now and then. When it happens, I generally approach the guy and ask how I can help him. You can generally tell right away if you're dealing with an innocent rookie or a full blown jerk. If the guy sincerely needs help(and especially if he has a kid with him), I will explain the structure to him, show him the sweet spot, and maybe even give him some baits that have worked for me.

Now, the jerks? Well, more than one has spent many fishless hours fishing in 45 ft of water with a 10 inch gollywhopper that I told him was where and how I've been killing 'em for the past week!!!

Wayne

following someone around is a joke and if you do it your a loser.
It cant be defended. its a big lake and there are plenty of other spots where fish are biting. I'm not saying you cant ever fisha spot where you saw someone catch a fish but to move in on someone or follow them is chicken poop.
Why dont I become a pro and just follow KVD all day or see who is leading after day one and follow them to their holes.
I'm sure I would be popular.

I think everyone has done that, it's part of learning. It's what you do after you have found out what it is that matters. It's also totally different than following someone around for the sole purpose of getting their holes.

I dont have to follow people to get their "secret" spots...Thanks to my favorite fishing partner Mr. Side Imaging, I find all their brushpiles...

Hmmmm, should someone start a Texaspotlickers.com? Hehe

Z21, I don't have one, but seen one in action.

People don't have to stop on top of you now days...they can pretend to be idling back into a pocket the whole time checking what you are fishing right under your boat.....technology is changing fishing. First it was depth finders, then GPS, now side imaging.

Fork seems to be the worst I've seen.

I had people drooling over my fish in the Skeeter Owners two weeks ago. It sure is hard to get 7lbers in the boat without everyone seeing you! The rubbernecking was so blantant. I just laughed it off and kept fishing. I found out years ago, it only hurts my fishing when I get angry.

If nothing else it makes for a good laugh.

My partner and I were prefishing for the Fishers of Men tournament on Sandlin last year. We were having a pretty good year up to that point, and we were actually lucky enough to win that tournament. There was a guy at the ramp (Titus County) who launched at the same time, told us he had never been on the lake, and asked how to run it. We gave him some advice and thought no more of it.

When we started running down the lake, I noticed that he was right behind us. To make a long story short, he followed us all the way down the lake right to the hole where we were planning to start. He jumped up and got on his trolling motor within a few yards of us when we started to fish.

It turns out the guy was also prefishing for the same tournament. It was blatantly obvious that he didn't just want to know how to run the lake...he wanted to see where and what we were fishing.

I got victimized like that about 25 years ago on Livingston....BY A GUIDE! It was as blatant a case of hole jumping as I've ever seen. It was a late morning to mid-day bite, so I had started fishing elsewhere. About 9:30 I headed over to my honey hole. To get there you had to wind around through a creek channel and go around a bend. As soon as he saw me make the bend and start idling towards him, he told his clients to reel in and they packed up and left without me having to say a word. I bet to this day those two clients wonder why they suddenly left the motherload of biting 4 pounders to go off and fish somewhere else.

Dad and I were fishing the Skeeter Tourney and Sunday we ended up fishing a community hole. We had tied up to a tree because we didn't feel like fighting the wind and plus we had a few submerged trees that I was bringing my c-rig over. I hung a big fish and got tangled in. These 2 guys, say, "he has got one" and be line to us. They then circle us fishing the spot where I was hung up. Finally broke off, but they continued to circle. Luckily I pulled a few casts, cause that 1 ounce weight was going to do some chipping on that 20I. Finally they pulled off when I was placing that c-rig next to their boat. Can't stand that. The whole lake and guys have to move in on you.

LOL! Now THAT'S funny!!! LOL! LOL! LOL!

Everyone is too embarrassed to follow me. LOL

I think everyone that has fished much (especially at Fork) has had this type thing happen a lot. Kinda funny that someone who shows people where to fish for a living gets fighting mad about it. Do you make all your clients sign a pre-nup that they will not go back to "your holes"? Don't get me wrong... It's not right, but you have to expect it on Fork. People spend a lot of money to travel long distances with the expectation of lots of big fish. After a day or two without so much as a nibble... they get desperate.

I am not even a guide and it happens to me constantly. The reality is there's not a lot you can do about it. So my advice is just chill or find a new lake.

The comments about meeting them in the parking lot or going to their house reminds me of a story I saw about a fisherman casting a lure at a jet ski he thought got too close. When he got back to the ramp the jet ski was waiting on him. Evidently Mr jet ski's day job was kicking the [censored] out of people. He proceeded to beat the fisherman unconscious in front of his wife and kids. Come to find out... throwing a lure at someone is assault. So eye for an eye. I always think of that story before opening my mouth.