Hot Spot Facebook Dilemma

[papadarv]

12/3/20 a female posted 4" ice on the Coon lake channel with photo of someone in a hub fishing. A comment stated someone also caught a 24" walleye in the channel. Over the years you may see a half dozen anglers early ice on the channel. Saturday 12/5 I stopped by the channel and counted about 54 anglers crowded in the 300' x 800' channed and 6 or so cars driving around looking for a place to park. Yesterday 60+ crowded the channel. Really hard to fix stupid. Walleye slot over 17". Won't be long before DNR Walleye reduction changes.

[IceHawk]

I don't do facebook but social media is definately playing a part on fishing pressure. Look at the chatter about RED! I know where your coming from Me and a couple buds have been fishing  a small lake out west for eyes for years rarely do we have more then 8 guys total on this water. Last few outings there has been over 50 people on it. Sad but with the minimal ice conditions the crowds are flocking to good ice areas. Once more lakes get more walkable ice the herds will spread out. With the covid thing we all have to accept that there will be a tremendous amount of pressure on lakes this year. I saw it this summer in my boat and while out pheasant hunting this season. Every public spot is full of vehicles throughout the day and most look like a small roller drove through them with the flattened out trail from human traffic. Sadly we all are going to have a little more paitence this winter. 

[Rick]

I think a lot of the pressure is due to folks wanting to get out because of the Covid related measures. 

 

It's a stress relief and CCP19 avoidance for many

[Darrell68]

It's great to see more people enjoying the outdoors, BUT, nobody likes lines at the boat access or full parking lots. My brother & I tried to go fishing this summer and both places were plugged up. We went home. Fortunately, I live up north and have resorted to fishing weekdays only and leaving the weekends to others. Lots of patience is indeed required. Just wish people could be a little more efficient when at the accesses. 

[Paradice]

Now is a great time to be a pioneer.  The crowds seem to be worse than ever.  That also means there are more unfished lakes than ever before.  My guys are telling me they're fishing on 300 acre lakes all by themselves every time they go out, and this is on multiple lakes.  

 

 

[papadarv]

1 hour ago, Paradice said:

Now is a great time to be a pioneer.  The crowds seem to be worse than ever.  That also means there are more unfished lakes than ever before.  My guys are telling me they're fishing on 300 acre lakes all by themselves every time they go out, and this is on multiple lakes.  

 

 

The Hot Spot Facebook Delema most likely will grow. Currently there are 335 users looking at this site. 13 are members, balance are non contributing Guest (97%) searching for productive uncrouded fishing hot spots as this and HSO sites have some awesome fishing people with vast fishing wisdom. Won't be long before some of these guests will jump to the 73,000 member Facebook IFM with there new found fishing information to pump there EGO with 500 liles and several 100 comments. Crowds will flourish to there new pioneered found "Secret" 300 acre lake Hot Spot much like the Coon Lake channel. Thanks.

[gim]

23 hours ago, Darrell68 said:

It's great to see more people enjoying the outdoors, BUT, nobody likes lines at the boat access or full parking lots. My brother & I tried to go fishing this summer and both places were plugged up. We went home. Fortunately, I live up north and have resorted to fishing weekdays only and leaving the weekends to others. Lots of patience is indeed required. Just wish people could be a little more efficient when at the accesses. 

 

Can't say I agree that its "great" to see more people enjoying the outdoors.  I liked it better when there wasn't the covid crowd at the access points, on the lake fishing, or pounding public land hunting.  One of the reasons I enjoy getting out there is to AVOID other people.  Luckily I primarily fish when the weather is less than optimal which tends to keep some people off the lake (and often produces better fishing).  I also started fishing at night time again this past season and that was an extremely successful way to avoid people and catch more fish.  I almost exclusively hunt on private land so I don't run into other hunters but I'm sure public land hunting had more traffic than usual.

 

I know some people will disagree with me on the fact that more people enjoying the outdoors is beneficial in the long run.  I don't think they're in it for the long run though.  Its only a temporary thing and once this pandemic fades, they will go back to their normal lives.

[IceHawk]

 

2 hours ago, papadarv said:

The Hot Spot Facebook Delema most likely will grow. Currently there are 335 users looking at this site. 13 are members, balance are non contributing Guest (97%) searching for productive uncrouded fishing hot spots as this and HSO sites have some awesome fishing people with vast fishing wisdom. Won't be long before some of these guests will jump to the 73,000 member Facebook IFM with there new found fishing information to pump there EGO with 500 liles and several 100 comments. Crowds will flourish to there new pioneered found "Secret" 300 acre lake Hot Spot much like the Coon Lake channel. Thanks.

Couldn't agree more. Way to many lurkers these days looking for the easy gig. Society has become lazier and more apt to use there pockets of cash word of mouth and social media to ease the hard work and frustration of finding your own bites. I always try to tell new fisherman to do your research get out there bust your tale searching and fishing. Learn why and how you got fish. Yes  you will strike out probably more than you hit it, but every outing is one more notch on your belt to becoming a self sufficen't successful angler. The covid thing isn't  helping matters out either. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by IceHawk

[IceHawk]

I sometimes look at the amount of members that have been on this site for years and still log in every day and never contribute. It's amazing!  If they aren't adding or contributeing at all I consider them a lurker add them to the list. They obviously are looking for something? A easy bite some tips who knows.  What do you think the new members see and think. Are they going to be willing to add to a topic if a seasoned member doesn't? Heck no they will sit back and join the rest of the lurkers. Lets all do our place to try and spice things up around here. And to the ones that are I truely thank you!!!!!

[Kettle]

I have zero issues sharing spots with others who contribute to the forum as a whole not necessarily sharing spots. Numerous times have I sent private messages to those who I've interacted with on here over the years with maps or even GPS coordinates. 

These days I tend to fish large bodies of water with lots of fish everyone knows or someplace that is incredibly hard to get to and isolated. I don't know how many lakes in the middle of nowhere I've tried without any luck as well. The desolate ones where I do have luck I am pretty tight lipped about but on occasion with let someone who's trusting know especially if they believe in selective harvest. 

Tomorrow I'm driving two hours then hoofing it through 200 yards of cattail to get to a lake, maybe it'll be amazing maybe I'll be lucky to catch one fish

[monstermoose78]

I used to post the name of lakes and even show the spots where I was fishing but it became to hard to always try to find a new spot on a lake. I do share with lots of people but I just give a general area now. I love meeting new people out fishing and my get togethers have gotten smaller and smaller. I will try to put one or two on this winter. There are few on here that I will share my special places with but very few. To all the new people or people who don’t post come on and share or come out and meet us regulars. It’s the best way to get the hot bites before they are over.