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Fish markers...OR...boat magnets


GlassEyeangler

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ok...i'm a little frustrated here.

i'd like to know everyone's take on fishing around someone's fish marker?

i was out this weekend fishing a small lake. i only had a couple of hours before picking up family from the airport. i tried some of my favorite spots, and no fish. i headed to a rock pile i know of on the other side of the lake. when i got there, a small boat was fishing the same pile of rocks as well. i didn't pay much attention to them, just a friendly wave, with no response. i started out trolling with a snell as i usually do with no luck...then i looked over at the other boat, and noticed the man in front pulling in what appeared to be a nice fish. he netted a nice size walleye. i thought, hmm...this could be good. i also noticed they were jigging instead of trolling, so naturally - i tied on a jig, and worked the same area. not long after changing tackle, they started up the motor and pulled up to their fish marker. (i hadn't noticed before) i watched them pull in four more nice size walleyes within 15 minutes. hmm...they're right on top of them.

i made a comment that they were as fun to watch as the early morning fishing shows, and said good job. no response! so i kept fishing the area around their marker. after about 20 minutes or so, they said - hey...you going to put that marker in your boat? i replied, no - i wouldn't do that! the other two just shook their head and kept cathing fish. i left the area after that.

the spot they were fishing is the only rock pile in the lake. (that i know of...) i have noticed on previous Openers, every boat is centered on that same rock pile. i know what i was doing wasn't ethical, but certianly legal. and, as we all know...when it comes to walleyes, the first task is finding them. it's in the walleyes nature to school together. i don't make it a habit to fish around others markers, but when i see success and only have a couple of hours to fish - what the hell...right?

not sure about everyone else, but if i'm dumb enough to throw out a marker, and expect everyone else to stay away from the hot spot - then it's my fault!

i'd like ot hear everyone's feedback here.

fish marker OR boat magnet???

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From what I have observed here in SD, if you throw a marker out it is because you like company. There seem to be a lot of Bushnell fish finders used around here. I once heard that there are some markers that look like gulls that work pretty well for fooling the Bushnell fish finder crowd.

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thats a pretty good idea, making a marker look like a gull, or you could just use a duck decoy with a long rope, bring a cheap loaf of bread and everynow and then throw a few crumbs near it and everyone within eyesight will just think its a hungry duck hanging around your boat

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Why not just mark the spot on your gps and work the area. I have seen markers and someone fishing them and I do not work that close as they have found the spot. I try very hard to treat others on the lake as I would want them to also treat me. It does work sometimes but not always.

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My personnal way of handling this is if it's structure they are fishing, I'll leave them alone and find similar nearby. If it's a flat etc., I'll fish it. In the case you described, I would have left them alone and got there earlier the next time.

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I find it comical to throw out a "Maginet" in a random spot fish it for a few min. Until a couple boats show up. Then head across the lake to the good spot. It is even better with the looks you get when you come back and wind through a bunch of boats to pick-up your marker.

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Quote:

I find it comical to throw out a "Maginet" in a random spot fish it for a few min. Until a couple boats show up. Then head across the lake to the good spot. It is even better with the looks you get when you come back and wind through a bunch of boats to pick-up your marker.


That's just silly...I'd always thought they were decoy spots to lure people...I see something floating in the lake, I go and check it out. LOL's. Always turns out it's nothing, floating pop bottle, lost softball bobber, discarded marker, floating dead fish...LOL's

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Why use a marker on a small lake? You are asking for company.

Line up objects on the shores and learn the spot. If a boat comes and you don't want company and are catching fish...pull up your line for a few minutes.

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I painted my bouys black so they are not visible from any distance (sometimes even tough up close) but don't attract crowds.

Daze Off

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I have been known to take a couple of orange or yellow balloons, blow them up a bit and tie them together and tie a 1/2 oz sinker on about a foot of mono and let it drift. It is amazing how far some people will follow the balloons while fishing around them. I have also had a family pull my marker and come over to my boat and give it to me because it was in their way. I had been there for an hour before they got there. I reset the marker and they did the same thing again. I finally had to explain to them that if they fished the marker in the same direction that I was fishing it, they would catch some fish also. After a week of fishing around each other we became friends. It took a lot of chilling to do this though.

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thanks for the feedback everyone!

i liked the comment about needing a fish marker on a small lake...he he - it was bright orange too!

it's interesting...maybe the guy marked the spot to intentially be an (Contact Us Please) to others - a little reverse psychology...hmm!

well, you wont see make using markers unless i'm out on LOTW. i don't have an issue using shorline landmarks, or a GPS...however, i don't have one of those either - i'm still using my good ole trusty green box, he he

smile.gif

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Another way to avoid the boat magnet mentality is to do the film canister marker. They're small enough that someone won't see them from any distance, but you can see it just fine, unless you're working a really big piece of structure, in which case you might need 4 or 5 of them, but you get the idea.

If they can't see your marker buoy, a lot of people will stay away.

And I've done the old "drop a marker, wait for a couple other boats, then leave" deal too.. fun to watch them fish a "nothing" spot, especially if you can see where you left it at. Only thing is, once in a while you'll get someone who will pick up your marker... but that's the chance you take if you leave it out.

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Hey Slick, please explain how you make those film canister markers. thx

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I would hate to have one of these small, markers that are put there wrapped in my prop and taking a seal out.

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I'm a big fan of marking the area I want to fish, and have not really experienced too much of a problem with other boats. I should mention that I do most of my fishing on big northern lakes like LOW and Rainy. However, I experienced something this weekend that has got to take 1st prize in both the boat attracter and the inconsiderate (Contact Us Please) fishing hall of fame.

We were fishing a good bite in a pinch point in Red Gut Bay on Canadian Rainy Lake. The fish were in 26 to 28 feet of water along a 100 yd break line. If you tried less than 26 or more that 28 you were out of the zone and didn’t get a bite.

I marked the trail with two buoys and another boat threw in one more to complete the route. There were 5 other boats fishing this line and everyone was taking their turns and moving the same direction then running back for another pass. Everyone was catching fish and all was well.

About two hours into the parade five boats showed up at the same time. Each had 3 to 4 guys in it and they were all together. At first they drifted through the area along the shoreline well away from our parade. Then one by one each boat anchored, three were on the buoys and the other two were on either end of the 26 foot drift. Then they proceeded to throw out slip bobbers blocking the whole drift zone.

I didn’t have to tell them what I thought of them because the guys in two of the other boats took care of that. I thought I would see my first fight on the water. We decided to head out to another spot and bite was equally as good. But one has to admit that this takes the cake.

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DD - Yup.. that's the whole cake... one of the reasons that I try to avoid throwing them anymore, especially during a weekend. If I have the chance to be on the water during the week, it doesn't seem to be as bad, but on a weekend, it's ridiculous. tongue.gif

4Wanderingeyes - I don't leave them on the water... they are to mark a piece of structure as I am fishing it, and are removed when I leave. I've never had an issue with anyone getting close enough to them to get them caught in the prop. I could see how if they would be left overnight or for a few hours where they could cause problems, though, which is why I don't leave markers unattended as a general rule. (Other than the occasional messin' with a few folks) laugh.gif

W-I-W-F -

They're easy enough to make... grin.gif

Get a few 35mm film canisters. Glue some weight (I prefer hot glue, but super glue does well, too) - just enough to keep it floating - to the inside bottom or to one side, depending on how you want it to float - standing up or on it's side. Then wrap 40-50' (or enough to hit bottom and have some to spare for your fishing applications) of the line of your choice around it (I like 6 lb. Cabela's Proline), with a weight tied to the end of that line as well. I usually use a 1-2 oz. bell or river sinker. Make sure that you glue the top on so it stays sealed, and viola! instant markers. laugh.gif

Heck you can even paint them blaze orange, red, yellow, green, whatever suits your mood, and they're small enough that they look like bobbers floating, rather than markers. I have a tendency to be moving S-L-O-W-L-Y when they're out, so it would look like I'm sitting still or drifting along... adds to the illusion. cool.gif

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last year on opener on winnie I saw a guy and his wife throw out a marker and it looked like a seagull and not very many guys went any where near it. I was impressed with how realistic it looked and worked now if I can just find one or two. HMMMM wonder if anyone would go buy a mallard or bluebill decoy I got 10 or 12 dozen of those. I like harvey lee idea better just use the GPS.

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GPS is the way to go!

I gave up on coventing other peoples markers years ago.

I never got any fish around them. I figure most people will mark structure with them, not fish. grin.gif

I still keep a couple in boat, but have not used them since getting GPS.

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My answer is yes! They are both fish markers and boat magnets. smirk.gif

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You got it shackbash! I only mark structure,and use marker as a guide of where I am in relation to it! sometimes when others are around I'll mark 20yds South ,North etc.of what I want to fish. cool.gif

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I had a dandy experience Memorial weekend.

Early Sunday morning I was fishing a small river inlet on a northern border lake from shore. I fished all alone for a couple of hours in the rain, slip bobber into current and letting it drift out about 30 yards before repeating. Caught my first fish, a 23" 'eye and before I could get it on the stringer and back in the water a boat flew into the channel to about 15 yards, well within my float range and kerplunk, kerplunk - two anchors down.

As they were dropping anchor I asked how close they intended to get, and on of the two guys yells, "Do you own the whole lake?" The conversation was not friendly.

I suggested they drop back and cast into where I caught my fish from the lakeside or join me on the bank. They moved over a few feet and proceeded to primarily cast OUT toward the lake. They effectively cut off 60% of my bobber drift path and coulda cared less.

After a couple more casts I realized another walleye wasn't worth putting myself through a block of time fishing angry so I bailed.

My personal rule of thumb is to give enough room to another fisherman so I dont interfere with his established fishing pattern. If they are anchored, my cast won't come near encroaching on the radius of his and my drift will be cycled opposite his - I start when he's 1/2 way through his. On shore, If I wouldn't want someone within X feet of me, I'll find another spot.

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yesterday on mille lacs one guy got his line stuck in one of my markers. we went to pick up the other one 100 yards away and it was gone. that did not make me happy. who has the balls to do that?

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When I am trolling plugs on the Oahe Reservoir I put out a marker to mark trees that I hang a plug up in. It is really funny to watch people come in and backtroll right around the marker. Someetimes there are four people in the boat and they are all yanking and jerking because they are hung up in the tree. At least I get a good laugh out of people that would normally tee me off.

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Balls no dought about it with other boats close. What bugs me is guys who throw out mutiple markers hundreds of yards apart and then get pissed if you fish to close to one of their markers. I always pick them up if no boats are within 1/2 mile. I have plenty of markers in my shed that people have lost? on the lake. Nothing worse to be trolling in the middle of nowhere with nobody around and you hook a marker or get one wrapped in your prop. Can you say navigational hazzard.

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Markers are so stupid on a small lake. Or anywhere for that matter.

Last weekend, I was fishing with my nephew on a lake less than 200 acres in size. We were trolling about 1/2 way around the lake...turn around, and go back. So, going back in forth in a half cycle.

There were a few other boats on the lake, and when we rounding one corner my nephew and I both hooked a marker that neither of us seen. As we were working on getting our lines out and untangled, a boat pulls up and says "That is what you get for fishing near our marker." He was not friendly about it and swore at me and my nephew.

I kept the marker in the boat, and told them if they wanted it back, they had to apoligize. They wouldn't, so that night I burned it in our bonfire.

A marker, on a small lake, where boats drive and troll...and your boat not near it. Stupid, unethical, and inconsiderate. And, it is other peoples' fault if they get hooked on it. (Contact Us Please). At least I kept my cool in front of my nephew (15 years old). I just ignored the boat and said "Wow, look at the garbage I found in the lake. I hate when people litter. I will have to take this to shore and burn it." And, I did.

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Kind of sounds , and mind you I'm not an expert , that both parties involved should get a time out for bad behavior . Sounds to me you were both jerks about it and turned something that was really nothing into something . More and more that kind of crap happens and all anybody does is piss and moan about it . How bout if you had just untangled the buoy and tossed it back in that water ? Not a bold enough statement for your nephew ? You mentioned that the guy swore in front of your nephew and evidently you felt that was wrong , so was the message you sent .

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Yea, what I did was probably wrong. But, I didn't tell the whole story.

At first, I was calm and put the marker back. I did tell the other boat that they should have a brighter colored marker or have their boat near it...or how would someone like me see it. I was disgusted, but tried to be polite for my nephew was along.

Well, they told me to go to hell and I left...trolling again. They then moved over 200 feet (or more) away and started fishing again.

That is when I picked up the marker (on my next trolling pass). They then motored up again, and I told them I was going to keep it until they were going to use it properly. After them yelling at me and "insulting" my boat, I told them they needed to apoligize. With more yelling from them, I finally lost my cool and told them that they do not own the lake and it is public. You can't "reserve" over 200 feet of shoreline just because you have a marker out.

Put it back and just don't fish there and show my nephew that being rude is the way to go and people will back off? Turn the other cheek? Sorry, I can't and wouldn't do that.

What would you have done?? Put it back and fished elsewhere or go way around the marker?? Well, maybe you would have...but not me. I tried to be as kind as possible, but only I can hold it in so far.

If my nephew would not have been along...hard telling what I would have said. Probably something even more stupid.

Now, if they would have pulled up and said "We are using that marker to mark a stump" or "We are use that marker for we are drfting" (Which they weren't)...it would have stayed and I would go around it. If people are nice...even if I don't agree...I am nice back. But, start out rude...you will most likely get rudeness back.

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Tuff to say what I would have done . It does sound like you tried ,unfortunatly some jerkoffs see that as a sign of weakness and think its a good time to show off for their buddies . I'm assuming that there were more than two because often times guys like that don't stand well on their own , if you know what I mean . Let me apologize because it does sound like you made an effort to do the right thing . Sometimes doing the right thing goes beyond your own control and you gotta do what you gotta do .

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