I fished my favorite local lake Saturday morning and had an experience I’d like to relate for your responses.

I had already caught a few fish and was actually heading back to the ramp at 8:30 AM but wanted to fish a mid-lake hump before heading home. When I arrived at the spot, a lone fisherman was sitting in the middle of the hump. No problem, it’s a big spot. Then I saw that he’d dropped orange marker buoys on either side of the hump, about seventy yards apart, and was positioned in the middle of them.

I didn’t want to crowd the guy, so I went up lake for a half hour, then came back. He hadn’t moved.

I tried staying forty or so yards away from the imaginary line between his buoys, but that made it impossible to cast into the brush on top of the hump, which is where my fish hang this time of year.

I haven’t run across this before and am wondering how others might have handled it. I opted to leave without getting in “his space”, but I’m not sure I’d want to let that precedent stand. On a small lake, with limited humps/structure, a half-dozen fishermen using this technique could effectively tie up the hot spots on the lake. What is the etiquette in such a situation?

Sounds like he just marked off the hump and was fishing it. Shut down your big motor then observe. If he's just sitting, troll closer and ASK if he mines you setting up out of his casting area. If he's actively working between the bouys, I'd leave him be. A little courtesy and common sense goes along way in this situation. Some would say, hey , its a public lake and just go into the spot but would you want to be treated like that?

Perch, Were you intending to fish for crappie or bass on the spot that he was fishing? Bass and crappie fishermen I think can co-exist at the same time on a spot. You referred to the fish on the brush pile as YOUR fish. What do you mean by that? I'm curious. Other than hanging around his area for a while like a vulture, I do admire your obvious display of ettiquete and courtesy by letting him work the area. He was there first and should not have to leave because his "time was up". There is no time limit in fishing a hump. I would have chose another spot on the lake to fish as well. Bob

I appreciate the feedback. I was bass fishing, and so was he. By "my" fish, I just mean the fish I am aware of and have caught before. Obviously many others are aware of this spot...I have seen two or three boats sharing the hump on several occasions.

I'm not sure that I would be presumptious enough to block off an area of over 4,000 square yards (70 X 60), and expect other fishermen to honor that for long, but I'm gratified to know that others would have responded in a similar fashion.

Pearchsearcher;As a floorcovering contractor of some 40 years I suggest you NOT buy a 70 X 60 floor and pay for 4000 yards.IF YOU DO please buy it from me.

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THE DOG

A Marker Buoy has haunted me this year. The correct thing to do is ask if it is ok, usually the answer is yes.

I fished inside a set of markers during a tournament, unknowingly. So i left and Came back later, the boat was still there, markers gone. Fished the offending bank and my partner caught a 7.5# bass. They were not happy with me. If you think a boat is too close or fishing inside your marker then tell them.

Have u noticed that there are no rules during tournaments about marker buoys, or least the ones i know of. If there was i would be the one with a boat load of colorful buoys cruising the lake.

[This message has been edited by BMCD (edited 08-12-2003).]

Wouldn't 60 yards by 70 yards be 4200 square yards?

If my calculations are right he would be getting over on you for 200 yards.


60 * 70 = 4200 or Length * Width = Area.


Maybe you could have been a rich, retired flooring contractor 10 years ago if you had bought that $600 TI calculator back in 1972.

[This message has been edited by Bozo (edited 08-12-2003).]

Bozo... he wouldn't be getting anything on anyone.
He states "over 4000" not 4000 exactly....

My feeling is that he was taking to much space fishing between the markers. I admire your courtesy but I guess I have to wonder about the other fisherman. I have seen people do this in channels and then wonder why boats are passing between them. Seventy yards apart sounds to me like marking two distinct spots. Many places I fish it is almost impossible to stay that far from everyone

I would have fished the spot if it was
my destination. If I drop a single bouy
and stay within casting distance of it, I
would expect to be given some room, but to
mark a spot 70 yards wide and expect to
have it all to your self? It is not going
to happen on my home lake.
I also agree about talking to the guy. I have met a lot of the regluars on my lake that way. There are a lot of anglers that
will wave me in if they are on fish, and I
return the favor. We are usually fishing for
sandies and hybrids , however.
Good Luck
MO

That is my point. Bluedog indicates that if he is willing to pay for 4000 s.y. to cover a 60*70 yard area, then he would want to be the contractor selling him the service. As if 4000 would be over paying whereas, it is actually underpaying.

Keep up son!

While on the subject of marker buoys, I've been known to throw out a "decoy" buoy or two a ways outside the area I want to fish. Do this mostly on sandies and hybrids. When things get crowded sometimes it can take the pressure off my "real" spot marked on my GPS just a short distance away. I've started my own boat show a couple of times with my decoy buoys.

What color is your boat?

Just an idea, but if someone would use a life sized blow-up female doll for a bouy marker, then you could viably say, "Never come between a man and his woman."

Who could not respect that?

Is that not the ultimate solution to our problem? High five....

Thank lawyer Dan Fielding (Night Court fame) for that innovative device...

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[This message has been edited by redfin (edited 08-12-2003).]

Well, like I said in the beginning, I'd already caught some fish and wasn't really that perturbed. Next time, I'll just ask him, but the way he hovered in the middle casting toward either buoy made me think he considered the entire area his staked claim. I've used markers on brushpiles, but putting dibs on an area nearly the size of a football field seems pretty ambitious for a small public lake.