How do you folks feel about sharing details on fishing spots?

I kinda' got SLAMMED on another board for posting my results and methods at a particular spot.

I was only trying to share the fun with others but I'm wondering what other people think.

Should you share info or keep quiet?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Good luck,
Rob

I'm mixed but mostly against on openly sharing all spots for several reasons:

Many spots can't handle tons of people and being openly talked about, whether good or bad can have very negative effect when swamped - Quonny is a good example.

Some spots are people's favorites and are less known.

Some are spots where others have shown me (or I've shown very few others) that are kept closely held becuase they are not well known.

Some spots are accessible only with permision from locals that also cannot be burned.

I recommend some spots being shared offline within reason but not neccesarily online. Sorry this isn't more coherrent but I'm wiped out here...


Sounds like you also may have touched a nerve on someone over there (not sure which board)...

One more thing.........

You can assume the EVERYONE is watching, not just th esmall group of us that post. I have learned to speak of spots in general terms over the net..Have you ever posted about an "empty" spot that produced only to find wall to wall people on your next trip?

I have on the other hand benifited from being shown some spots and techniques as a result of the relationships I have developed with some of the people here, but when asked to keep them quiet I do. I do however take the spots and techniques and apply them to other locations.

A lot of teh pleasure comes from learning about general locations, studying the maps and fishing them to find out what works.

I personally have no problem talking about general spots , beaches or places to fish ( ie: beach name or the ditch ) both being general in location . ya still have to work these spots to find fish . In reallity there are no secret spots just spots that people know produce better under certain conditions . Now a spot Im shown and asked not to mention I wont devulge at all . but to just name a beach that may or may not be productive I dont find to be any harm or foul . As John said some places cant handle a crowd others can . lastly ya dont want to give up them private access spots . property owners can be on edge when they have the entire internet going thru theyre back yards .
good hunting !

I ONLY GIVE INFO ON WELL KNOWN SPOTS,MEANING EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THEM ANYWAY.I KEEP MY OWN SECRET SPOTS TO MYSELF AND WOULD ONLY TAKE CLOSE FISHING BUDDIES THERE,WITH A PLEDGE OF SILENCE.

I'm with HESH2. I'll talk about already popular spots but I have a half dozen that I don't even bring friends to. One in particluar is my stress reliever. Its beautiful, productive, peaceful, and above all....unknown. I don't want it crowded.;)

You'll find a "secret spot" sometime and know what I mean. They're the best:D

Only so far,& so much ///////////
I don,t mind taking someone ,but to post some things on the board so 800 lurkers can read , Na don,t think so////////////

I feel there is a very fine line between keeping quiet and blabbing spots on the internet. The internet heroes that feel the need to show off their knowledge to strangers on the internet are not healthy for the type of surfcasting I enjoy. It's one thing to say that you beached a 30 pounder in Truro. It's another to say that on Thurday night, at Head of the Meadow, halfway through the Drop, you beached a 30 pounder by wading out on the point 300 yards to the right of where you access the beach, and that you nailed it on a yellow/white 2 oz. gibbs pencil popper, and went back and did it again Friday night too.

Those scenarios are way different. Popular well known spots get crowded when On the Water or the Fisherman say that they're the current hotspots. However, I usually find the beach loaded with googans soaking bait at nearest and easiest part of the beach. Rarely, do I see all the same people fishing the beach correctly, and theoretically beating me to the spot. On the other hand, if you spell out exactly how to work a spot, then every lurker on this board is going to pick up that plug, and be standing on your rock next time you go to fish.

Secret spots will remain just that...secret. Spots that someone else showed me will only be shown to others by the person that showed me. I have a couple I don't show anyone.

All in all, general reports will only help out good anglers who understand how to fish in the first place. They spent the time and effort to learn, and collect the gear essential to fishing success. Explaining exactly how to work a spot over the internet will just insure that it won't be as good for you anymore.

I try to keep it general, like I found good fish Saturday fishing my favorite ledges out of Scituate. Well there are more ledges north of Scituate, then most guys could fish in a week, let alone a day:). I sometimes speak about specific beaches in reference to the past, like a blitz from heaven I hit at Pegotty Beach in Scituate some 15 years ago.

When I mention the ditch it's from complete ignorance, since I really don't know it that well and I try to keep it general. Otherwise the regulars get somewhat testy and for good reason, since a specific report might fill the rocks with idiots. It's one thing to fish side by side with Slip or guys jigging the same way, it's something else to have a chunker set up above you.

If you want some really fantastic fishing, I hear that that place on the other side of the canal has some really good fishing....lol.

Tight lines.

We have proved it by purposly posting a "False Report", mentioning a particular buoy in Buzzards Bay and the Ledge that runs South Easterly from it, on an out going tide!
Within twelve hours of the "Post" going up we counted over twenty boats at that bouy, milling about like a herd of sheep looking for their shepard. We slowed down as we went by, about a half mile east if that "fleet" and as we set out our lines they all started moving towards us.
We caught three fish and left cause it was evident that some one was bound to get into trouble with so many boats around!
Look at the section that tells who is on the board now and how many "guests" and you will see sometimes a high number of lurkers, checking out where the fish are biteing!

Even being vague in your reports can get you into trouble or cause such a comotion that you question why you said anything in the first place. i experienced this to its extreme this past spring. i have found much more "private" ways of telling those who you respect, and those who will respect what information you give to them.

I think fishing boards should be about sharing techniques, tackle questions/issues, general fishing related questions, and as a social gathering place to a certain degree. They should not be about telling or showing people where to fish, unless it is in very general terms - like "fished Race Point the other night and caught a number of fish. " Just my humble opinion.

i have a secret spot nobody ever goes there i dont catch anything but its my secret spot im allways by myself there i enjoy the sun and i fish all day and dont catch anything and ill never tell where this spot is i dont care how much you beg I WONT TELL !!!! LOL!!!

i know where that secret spot is and it is nice there!!!! i mentioned a spot that was hot earlier in the summer as a newbee to this board but never saw anyone other than myself fish there.i've learned from others on this board now, not to reveal to much info.there are times i like to just fish with no one else around. must be my manic behavior. :laughs:

I have seen on another site that I visit. I was slammed on, for trying to help some folks with general information! Nothing specific mind you! This is what scares me about critical information! When on that site a specific area is highlighted, that message gets 400 hits. There is a message there!
Later

:cool:

I caught two twinkies in the Ditch this AM, go get em, boys......;)

Hot spots should only be shared privately to those you can trust.

General spots or locations might be able to be mentioned at times.

Posting false reports can piss alot of boaters off just like the dumping cereal in the water away from the action to attract birds and then attract the troops away from where you want to fish.

The worse thing about posting spots can be when masses of people show up and leave their trash all over and ruin it for everyone :( Also too much pressure in an area can shut down the fishing.

I try to be helpful without being specific.

Besides, there are hundreds of areas to fish.

People will learn on their own if we point them in the right direction, (I don't mean locations).

Tell them rockpiles, jetties, banks and ledges without names, if they are dedicated they will find spots on their own..

Telling people exact spots at exact times is no help. If a place is already well publicised, for example Nut Island Quincy MA there is nothing you can do. By the way it is only a matter of time when you fish spots where there are alot of people moving by anglers or not, that the cat will get out of the bag.

Hey I will share some info but not in this forum, its mostly via E-mail to guys I know or trust. Some places are rarely revealed especially if its a place that I didn't find somebody else showed me. I get lots of E-mails on the Ditch or many of the Cape ponds which I always reply to. Exact spots or patterns forget about it!

less specific can be done openly if you so choose......more specific do in email......HIGHLY specific......just brag to your closest friends!!!!!!!!


dont forget that people LIE a lot too.........;) ;)

posting on these boards about fishing spots, details on fishing a spot, or results on a spot should be limited or even avoided. there are spots that get a lot of exposure on boards and publications, such as race point, watch hill, and montauk. but, there are many spots that get little to no exposure and are fished. sometimes people are shown these lesser known spots, sworn to secrecy, and then open it to others who then puke it up on a board or invite many people to fish it. you just open yourself to hate mail, fighting, and making enemies. is that what you want?

i've seen spots change a lot in the past couple years due to the media we call the internet. spots that never saw people are seeing many. spots that used to be fairly crowded, but fished by experienced anglers w/o any problems are now insanely crowded and ruining it for everyone. some of these spots are even pushing local and state landowners to possibly close off these spots.

many take reports from some publications and use them on where and when to fish. some of these reports are between a week to 10 days old. and do you really think joe's tackle shop is telling you the complete truth in those reports? they do what they need to for there keep in their shop. they also respect their locals w/ their reports. they generalize or even stretch the truth.

there are many greenhorns on these boards that just don't know "the way it is". there are reasons and maybe when they get some salt under there skin in a few years they will see why many of the old salts and hardcore guys rarely if ever post their results or where they are.


in short, respect is earned.

I totally agree with Seawolf.

Surf casting.....not sure it's a good isea toname "exact" spots....too many people can hop on the site, read your post, and next thing you know you're fishing with a mob...

Offshore/boat -share all you want. It's a big ocean out there...