Etiquette at the Ditch (a tutorial)

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by piemma

Everyone should fish Pole 500
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Thought the magic pole was the one with the green sign indicating 495? Man i got bad intell no wonder i cant hook up.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[staltershoal]

Originally Posted by iamskippy

Thought the magic pole was the one with the green sign indicating 495? Man i got bad intell no wonder i cant hook up.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Lol.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[bloocrab]

Seems to be a lot of people on here who know the right thing to do...Perhaps someone can share their thoughts on the matter a little deeper. I'm honestly curious about the consensus on here....

When you set up at a spot, what radius do you think you own? Does that radius tighten as more fishermen begin to surround you or because of your time of arrival to that spot, they are expected to keep proper distance from you?

In this thread, I think I am reading that if someone gets there at 3am and sets up camp, they have some rights...so when a biker shows up at 4:30am and there are breaking fish slightly to the left of the camper (w/No bike), they don't have the right to cut him off to the fish because he was there earlier. Is that correct? Or does the school have to be directly in front of the camper in order to receive that respect?

Does that mean that a fisherman on a bike is exempt from certain etiquettes? Leap-frogging, as I call it...happens all the time with Canal-Bikers, is that considered wrong to someone who set up camp, especially if they get cut-off from casting due to someone pulling up on a bike who's only staying while the fish are actively out front? What if it's a Canal-Cruising Gang? Should the camper just reel in and wait until they move on before casting?

No seriously, how much area do you own when you setup and make your first cast?

...and lastly...Is this all spot dependent? Meaning that it only relates to running current? ie: Canal, Jetties, Breachways, etc///...


Disclaimer: Over 5,000 posts and still haven't added anything of worth.

[Sgt Striper]

Originally Posted by iamskippy

Thought the magic pole was the one with the green sign indicating 495? Man i got bad intell no wonder i cant hook up.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Is that left to right or right to left of the magic pole?

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by Sgt Striper

Is that left to right or right to left of the magic pole?

depends on which direction you are going don't confuse me i almost have it figured out!

[Finlander]

This doesn't just happen at the canal, wherever the fishing is good at the time, right now it's the canal. Back ten years ago it was the backbeachs, had two seasons of the best bass fishing I've seen and no crowds then the word got out. It all changed the parking lots would be filled with trucks with NY and NJ plates, the beaches looked like a picket fence with all the poles. Great fishing easy access
= crowds. Even 15 minutes blitzs we all have seen the beach go from one or two to more the 50 in minutes. It's fishing! All I ask is use some common sense and a little courtesy, goes a long way and we can all get a long.

[clcharette]

So tired of listening to every one complain about spot burning. The canal is huge and usually it is going off many places at the same time.

Back to the topic!

If you are the first one to a spot, do what ever it is that you want, chunking, eels, jigs, swimmers, top etc. etc..

If you are not first and have decided to set shop up next to someone else you better first observe what there doing. If they are throwing a jig and fishing it all the way down thru the drift or a pencil popper or any thing else for that matter you better not be within a hundred yards down current of them unless you plan on fishing a jig or something similar. If you are, then let him reel in before you cast. You then cast and hopefully he will understand you know what you are doing. He will cast after you and the guy up from him will follow etc. etc.. When done properly many guys can fish in harmony and all can enjoy the same spot.

An Absolute no no is the following:

Never ever cast out when the guy upcurrent from you still has his line out in front of you. If you do not only will he be f bombing you he may hook up and you will now surely tangle up with him. This is a sure way to get thrown into the ditch.

[basstrologer]

Once the stupid fishing is over the crowds will go away, and the anglers will take it back from the fisherman. Quit wining and simply get a bike and move around. And by the way fish swim.

[bart]

Originally Posted by basstrologer

Once the stupid fishing is over the crowds will go away, and the anglers will take it back from the fisherman. Quit wining and simply get a bike and move around. And by the way fish swim.

Yeah get a bike and chase fish all day instead of letting them come to you...

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Finlander

This doesn't just happen at the canal, wherever the fishing is good at the time, right now it's the canal. Back ten years ago it was the backbeachs, had two seasons of the best bass fishing I've seen and no crowds then the word got out. It all changed the parking lots would be filled with trucks with NY and NJ plates, the beaches looked like a picket fence with all the poles. Great fishing easy access
= crowds. Even 15 minutes blitzs we all have seen the beach go from one or two to more the 50 in minutes. It's fishing! All I ask is use some common sense and a little courtesy, goes a long way and we can all get a long.

Yes, it did happen on the back but there was difference. You had a truck and could just move and, most likely, find fish. At the Ditch, if you are not a biker and the Biker brigade shows up and jumps in your bootmarks you are SOL. The "leapfrogging" thing annoys the crap out of me. Yes, I do have a bike. No. I do not use it at the Canal. My preference is to walk, which now is out of fashion. i cannot compete with the 10 speed crew so now I am relegated to the 0'dark 30 hours. Not that I mind. I'm still finding fish and still having fun. So we have to change with the times I guess. I like the solitude of middle of the night fishing. Always have.

[bloocrab]

Originally Posted by piemma

........The "leapfrogging" thing annoys the crap out of me. Yes, I do have a bike. No. I do not use it at the Canal. My preference is to walk..........

Funny you should say that. I do have a bike and use it occasionally at the CCC. However, what I've found is that I fish far less when I bring my bike as opposed to when I don't. A very common mistake made by many, is that they fish more with their eyes than with their gear. You simply can't do this in the wee hours, you have to FISH to find em'. Although the mobility does have it's moments, I just find that I do more riding and looking than fishing, and when the fish are down or simply not showing, I'm missing out on everything but the gossip.

I must add though, the bike does help alot in getting to spots that are far from the vehicle or possible parking. It is nice to be able to fish a far away spot a lot sooner than on foot. I too, get a kick out of the gossipping gangs...