I Think I Figured Out Why I Keep Getting Skunked. 2024
BassAssassin726 reply :
So my home lake isnt that big. About 100 acres. Lately i keep getting skunked over and over. I know for a fact there were a few nice LM that hung out in one of my fave spots and i used to catch em all the time. Now theyre gone. Im at my spot yesterday and this russian dude shows up, throws 2 lines in the water and just sits there keeping EVERYTHING he caught. Sunnies, bass, carp. Within 5 minutes he makes a call and another russian dude shows up and throws another 2 lines in the water and he also keeps EVERYTHING. What dont these people get about catch and release? I don't understand are you gonna do with sunnies and bass. Eat em? Out of that lake? No thanks. These guys are a disease and they are fishing out our lake and im sick of it. They just sit there with bait on the bottom doing nothing but sitting there waiting. Thats not fishing, thats waiting!
senile1 reply :
Are these guys exceeding the creel limits set by your state conservation department? If so, you should report them. If they are not breaking the law, you can only change what you can control. A 100 acre lake is large enough to have a few prime spots for bass. With a boat it shouldn't be that difficult to work on discovering new areas to fish. Unless your meal hunters are pulling fish out of there many times during a season it is difficult to say whether they are having that much impact on the fishery. If you suspect they are, you may want to find another fishing hole.
Bluebasser86 reply :
If they aren't doing anything to break the laws, then they aren't doing anything wrong. I'm strictly catch and release but if I didn't have a job and had to feed my family, I wouldn't think twice about keeping any legal size fish to make sure they had something to eat. Most lakes have limited shoreline access, when people keep all the fish they'll eventually fish most of the fish out of that area. In a 100 acre lake there should be plenty of other spots that hold fish that will be out of their reach. If they're breaking the law though, report them.
Hamby reply :
Typical buckethead. The ones who ask if they can have your fish are wonderful too. Try to explain to them why they must stop keeping everything because it's illegal, and they say it's ok because there's no police around.
Clint C. reply :
Funny you brought this up. My usual lake people do the same thing. They keep everything! It's getting harder and harder to catch bass. They ignore the 1 bass a day 15" minimum limit.
Just yesterday I caught a 4lb bass and of course the guy next to me asked if he could have it. I just said sorry I am strictly catch and release and let it go right by him.
Today I get there and he's at the same spot where I caught the bass! Here is the even worse part. I caught a big frog on my frog lure and he wanted that too! I asked him if he's had any luck and he said no. I kinda grinned happy that he didn't. I don't think he liked that too much haha.
People just don't understand how much they can impact the health of a lake. The lake even has signs up saying please practice catch and release to keep the fishing healthy.
It's really sad and disappointing.
Hamby reply :
On 10/12/2011 at 11:27 AM, Clint C. said:Funny you brought this up. My usual lake people do the same thing. They keep everything! It's getting harder and harder to catch bass. They ignore the 1 bass a day 15" minimum limit.
Just yesterday I caught a 4lb bass and of course the guy next to me asked if he could have it. I just said sorry I am strictly catch and release and let it go right by him.
Today I get there and he's at the same spot where I caught the bass! Here is the even worse part. I caught a big frog on my frog lure and he wanted that too! I asked him if he's had any luck and he said no. I kinda grinned happy that he didn't. I don't think he liked that too much haha.
People just don't understand how much they can impact the health of a lake. The lake even has signs up saying please practice catch and release to keep the fishing healthy.
It's really sad and disappointing.
The bucketheads are really bad in our area, hey? Haha. I've given up fishing any of the nice looking forest preserve lakes or dams in the area. Besides myself being boat-spoiled, they're simply not maintained by the dnr or the people who fish them. I leave all of my gear at the cottage 3 hours north in WI. I probably average an hour a year fishing local waters.
Clint C. reply :
On 10/12/2011 at 11:46 AM, Hamby said:The bucketheads are really bad in our area, hey? Haha. I've given up fishing any of the nice looking forest preserve lakes or dams in the area. Besides myself being boat-spoiled, they're simply not maintained by the dnr or the people who fish them. I leave all of my gear at the cottage 3 hours north in WI. I probably average an hour a year fishing local waters.
Yeah they are. Unfortunately for me I don't have a boat and I broke my neck a few years back so I'm in a wheelchair. It's mostly only the preserves can get around at =/
But yeah, everyone complains about not being able to catch anything then when they do they throw it in a bucket! They don't even realize they're the reason they're not catching fish.
P.S. I'm going to steal that "buckethead" word from yah haha
Hamby reply :
You're not stealing it...that's what they're called! That and the bucket brigade.
South FLA reply :
Unless they catch every fish in the lake, doesn't explain why you are not catching fish.
BassAssassin726 reply :
http://www.trails.com/topo.aspx?lat=40.2018&lon=-74.9146&s=50&size=s&style=drgsr&name=Lake%20Luxembourg
This is my lake. I fish mostly the southern part of it. Im going to check out the northern part above the overpass. I found out boats and kayaks arent allowed back there and its a little tougher to get back there on foot so maybe that area will have less fishing pressure. Looks like some nice feeder creeks up in the northern part too. Ill report back with my findings!
tomustang reply :
I know what you mean. From philly to scranton these guys keep everything, from small panfish to undersized bass. They roll up speaking only in russian and use beeping devices.
It's been known they screwed up the bass population up in Lake Wallenpaupack years back.
Biggest problem is if you say something to them they act like they can't understand you, when you get on the phone in front of them about fishing conservation they disappear.
kms399 reply :
around here its more hmong and mexicans. it is nothing to see a birthday party at one of my lakes where you have 30 mexicans throwing out a big bobber with 5 hooks under it. no matter how small the sunny it goes in the bucket. last time I saw this I was only 19 and they shared a couple beers with me so I didn't report them but now I would have been on the phone so fast!
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 10/12/2011 at 1:12 AM, BassAssassin726 said:So my home lake isnt that big. About 100 acres. Lately i keep getting skunked over and over. I know for a fact there were a few nice LM that hung out in one of my fave spots and i used to catch em all the time. Now theyre gone. Im at my spot yesterday and this russian dude shows up, throws 2 lines in the water and just sits there keeping EVERYTHING he caught. Sunnies, bass, carp. Within 5 minutes he makes a call and another russian dude shows up and throws another 2 lines in the water and he also keeps EVERYTHING. What dont these people get about catch and release? I don't understand are you gonna do with sunnies and bass. Eat em? Out of that lake? No thanks. These guys are a disease and they are fishing out our lake and im sick of it. They just sit there with bait on the bottom doing nothing but sitting there waiting. Thats not fishing, thats waiting!
if theyre not doing anything illegal then you really have no basis for complaining, you dont own the water or the fish. if theyre breaking laws then you have a leg to stand on and something to complain about. i dont get why people find it so absurd that another person would eat bass. look, im 99% catch and release of all species, dont even eat fish, but i have no problems with someone keeping fish to eat of any kind so long as theyre taking them legally.
what i really take offense to is the ignorance displayed in your last two sentences. i often love to just sit back with a couple poles out in the water and relax while drinking a few cold budweisers. yep, love to sit there and just wait for a bite. i guess i was just waiting when i caught my PB largemouth bass, not fishing.
what i suggest is you quit blaming your skunks on other people and look at yourself first. maybe you should change up your baits, presentations, and locations if youre getting skunked. obviously the two russians are catching fish. theyre doing something right, youre doing something wrong. and i doubt two guys are gonna fish out an entire 100 acre lake...
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
As soon as I saw you're thread I knew you were eatern PA. I'm in Pike County and we have the same problem. I've been wade fishing the Delaware and cought a couple smallies and these guys think nothing of running over casting all around you. They follow the trout stocking trucks and clean them out too. All you can do is report every incident. The last thing you need is a confrontation with a group in a remote setting. Even with their bait though I can usually catch more than they can and take pleasure in frustrating them by having to watch me throw fish back. If you want to see you could have it worse, google Salmon River and watch the hoards combat fish for running salmon.lol
Vinny Chase reply :
I was fishing out on my home lake about 100 ft from shore and this sucker soaker pulls the biggest bass I have ever seen come out of my lake. He just threw the fish on shore like it was nothing, and so my paps and I tried to distract him as the fish flopped around in search of water. Unfortunately he caught on and we weren't able to save her.
I also witness a hmong family NETTING bass. One of them was throwing out bait and the others had nets they threw at the bass as they passed. Let's just say they weren't doing that for very long.
Even though there are laws in place for anglers to keep bass, its sad to see some of this going on, especially when it is on your home lake.
slonezp reply :
On 10/14/2011 at 2:02 AM, Red Earth said:if theyre not doing anything illegal then you really have no basis for complaining, you dont own the water or the fish. if theyre breaking laws then you have a leg to stand on and something to complain about. i dont get why people find it so absurd that another person would eat bass. look, im 99% catch and release of all species, dont even eat fish, but i have no problems with someone keeping fish to eat of any kind so long as theyre taking them legally.
what i really take offense to is the ignorance displayed in your last two sentences. i often love to just sit back with a couple poles out in the water and relax while drinking a few cold budweisers. yep, love to sit there and just wait for a bite. i guess i was just waiting when i caught my PB largemouth bass, not fishing.
what i suggest is you quit blaming your skunks on other people and look at yourself first. maybe you should change up your baits, presentations, and locations if youre getting skunked. obviously the two russians are catching fish. theyre doing something right, youre doing something wrong. and i doubt two guys are gonna fish out an entire 100 acre lake...
Agreed
LM bass is not a bad tasting fish. You should try it sometime.
Part of the issue is their cultures(I don't know if that's the correct word) influence them to eat fish to survive. Not like they can go to the grocery store in Bucketville and pick up the fixings to make a ham sandwich or a frozen pizza. My next door neighbors are from Nigeria and they have friends that are Jamaican. They have no concept of why I throw back the fish I catch. They do not and probably will not ever understand. For them, back in the old country, fishing is not a sport, and was merely a way to survive. No I don't condone the behavior.
That being said. I also believe if someone emmigrates to our country then it is their responsibility to follow our rules and to assimilate the "Americn" culture. I won't say anything else.
B@ssCrzy reply :
I can definitely understand your frustration. I don't like people taking more than they need out of a lake, and to me throwing every fish in the bucket that they catch, regardless of size is too much. However, I will say that I will occasionally keep largemouth bass to eat myself. If you haven't ever tried them they are really good. Also, read an article here on this site about how over time bass do learn from being caught multiples times and it makes them a "smarter fish." By actually keeping some of the larger fish you will in the future make fishing better since it allows the smaller less experienced fish to grow bigger and thrive. I would definitely be calling the DNR if they are not following the laws, but who knows by pulling some of the fish you have caught multiple times out of the food chain they may in the end help make your fishing better. I am sure there are some places you can find to fish where these guys can't access it from the bank. Good luck!!
Khong Y. reply :
On 10/12/2011 at 1:12 AM, BassAssassin726 said:So my home lake isnt that big. About 100 acres. Lately i keep getting skunked over and over. I know for a fact there were a few nice LM that hung out in one of my fave spots and i used to catch em all the time. Now theyre gone. Im at my spot yesterday and this russian dude shows up, throws 2 lines in the water and just sits there keeping EVERYTHING he caught. Sunnies, bass, carp. Within 5 minutes he makes a call and another russian dude shows up and throws another 2 lines in the water and he also keeps EVERYTHING. What dont these people get about catch and release? I don't understand are you gonna do with sunnies and bass. Eat em? Out of that lake? No thanks. These guys are a disease and they are fishing out our lake and im sick of it. They just sit there with bait on the bottom doing nothing but sitting there waiting. Thats not fishing, thats waiting!
I'd like how you say you're getting skunk but other people are just perfectly catching the fish and putting them in their bucket. It tells me that you don't know how to fish! Learn to fish and you won't get skunk. Oh if their keeping the fish and no law is broken, quit crying!
Boots reply :
i used to fish this small pond that was loaded with quality bass, until recently some guy started showing up 2-3 times a week and just targeted bass and filling up his cooler. i've personally seen him take 40+ bass and now you can barely catch at that place and if you do the thing is a dink. place went from best fishery in the area to worst. it's at the point where this guy can't catch anything either. it was a shame to say R.I.P. to my favorite pond.
Professional Overrun reply :
Theres a couple russian guys that fish across this little bay in my favorite lake here in CA. They split shot bass with I dont know what kind of bait. They blast there eastern music WAY too loud, and act like they dont speak english. Plus they keep the fish to boot 
SirSnookalot reply :
If anyone catches legal fish using legal means it's entirely their business what they do with their fish. If you can't catch one, IMO they are not the problem. Where I live there a lot of people less fortunate then myself, they need the fish to eat and some sell them, glad to say they don't ask me for money. No question about it, they are not sportsmen, but do sportsmen have more of a rights?
Yesterday morning I was fishing one my choice spots, others fish there too, 2 fathers with 2 sons were behind me with castnets, yes they were annoying. I did not want to hook one of those kids on my back cast, I just left, avoiding any problem or a confrontation,it isn't worth it.
Frankly, what I find troubling on this thread is singling out some nationalities that may have a different ethnic background. Let us not forget we all can trace our roots to immigrants, except those of aboriginal descent.
tomustang reply :
On 10/15/2011 at 2:17 AM, Khong Y. said:I'd like how you say you're getting skunk but other people are just perfectly catching the fish and putting them in their bucket. It tells me that you don't know how to fish! Learn to fish and you won't get skunk. Oh if their keeping the fish and no law is broken, quit crying!
So if a bunch of guys would catch and keep everything, which includes well undersized bass, you think it doesn't hurt the population and it's his honest mans fault for not catching anything. Amazing. All I hear on forums is catch and release to help the bass. Well figure these people come in and care less about size and limit numbers, maybe then you'll understand how difficult it is to fish this area. Also think about all the junk they bring, they throw it in the water when they leave.
tomustang reply :
On 10/16/2011 at 4:34 PM, SirSnookalot said:.Frankly, what I find troubling on this thread is singling out some nationalities that may have a different ethnic background. Let us not forget we all can trace our roots to immigrants, except those of aboriginal descent.
I agree, unfortunately when they speak the language that's what they are, there's no national bash its just who they are and no one is hating against the whole nationality. Same thing when you go to another country they do the same thing
slonezp reply :
On 10/16/2011 at 8:31 PM, Tom D. said:So if a bunch of guys would catch and keep everything, which includes well undersized bass, you think it doesn't hurt the population and it's his honest mans fault for not catching anything. Amazing. All I hear on forums is catch and release to help the bass. Well figure these people come in and care less about size and limit numbers, maybe then you'll understand how difficult it is to fish this area. Also think about all the junk they bring, they throw it in the water when they leave.
If they are keeping undersized bass, or exceeding creel limits, they are breaking the law. Report them to the DNR. If they are not. Deal with it.
tomustang reply :
This isnt new, the state can only do so much, it's something the average angler deals with here
slonezp reply :
On 10/16/2011 at 9:19 PM, Tom D. said:This isnt new, the state can only do so much, it's something the average angler deals with here
Maybe you live in rainbow and gumdrop land. If you mess with someones fish where I live you're liable to get killed. Don't be a fool. Call the DNR
tomustang reply :
On 10/16/2011 at 9:39 PM, slonezp said:Maybe you live in rainbow and gumdrop land. If you mess with someones fish where I live you're liable to get killed. Don't be a fool. Call the DNR
Whatever, apparently you don't live here or understand, even the WCO's will tell you the same thing. There's not enough resourses to go around. Nice to know in your area people will kill for a fish.
Professional Overrun reply :
Wow guys! Time to relax a little I think. Im personally not hating on one minority, but if you saw how many of those little styrofoam cups that nightcrawlers come in are left behind by non-sportsman fisherman in my area, it might frustrate you as well. I think the best thing to do is try and be better sportsman, fishserman, conservationists, whatever, and treat as many others with respect as we possibly can. Even when inside its hard to do. It only makes us bass anglers seem that much more professional and respectable.
slonezp reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 6:40 AM, Professional Overrun said:Wow guys! Time to relax a little I think. Im personally not hating on one minority, but if you saw how many of those little styrofoam cups that nightcrawlers come in are left behind by non-sportsman fisherman in my area, it might frustrate you as well.I think the best thing to do is try and be better sportsman, fishserman, conservationists, whatever, and treat as many others with respect as we possibly can. Even when inside its hard to do. It only makes us bass anglers seem that much more professional and respectable.
Good point. Which also means, bring a garbage bag with you each time you go fishing and help clean up the lake and pick up those styrofoam boxes, and fishing line.
Tom D If you can, google "dnr arrest reports" for the state you live in. You'll see there are alot more arrests than one would expect. This time of year they're spread really thin because of hunting season. And my states dnr is really thin due to budget shortfalls. Program the # in your phone. Get license plate numbers if you can and continue to make reports of violations. If you want to "remind" the violator of the law go ahead. We've had instances here where vigilante fishermen were dumping the buckethead buckets back in the water and people have gotten hurt. Think about it. If someone was taking food out of your mouth would that sit well with you?
Khong Y. reply :
On 10/16/2011 at 8:31 PM, Tom D. said:So if a bunch of guys would catch and keep everything, which includes well undersized bass, you think it doesn't hurt the population and it's his honest mans fault for not catching anything. Amazing. All I hear on forums is catch and release to help the bass. Well figure these people come in and care less about size and limit numbers, maybe then you'll understand how difficult it is to fish this area. Also think about all the junk they bring, they throw it in the water when they leave.
Tom,
You need to read what I write. If they didn't break any law, then quit crying! If they broke the law then just call the DNR. If the DNR is not doing anything about it because of resource, then just go fish at a private pond.
What are you going to do, go threaten someone who's trying to fish to eat? The reason why he's fishing to eat is because he can't afford to buy it. That is exactly the point that you don't want to cross with these people. Unless you are willing to die for your Bass, I would let the DNR handle them.
Anyway, I practice catch and release too Tom. Actually, I even kiss by bass and tell them to grow big. My son and I always do this. We fish in a small 100 acre lake too. We see people like this all the time too, but it's like I say to my son, "These people are only catching the little one that needs to be catch. Otherwise there will be too much little bass in the lake and the quality bass will disappear."
How do you know if the bass in your lake is healthy? Check the color of it's scale, inside his mouth, and also see how fat they are. If you start catching at least 8 to 10 bass that are between 1-2lb in a day and they are hardly fed or fat. There isn't enough food source in the lake to support those Bass. It's time you catch and eat those 1-2lb or let people who needs to do it.
Again, If they didn't break any law, then quit crying! If they broke the law then just call the DNR
Grey Wolf reply :
The Russians are coming , the Russians are coming !!!!! 
tomustang reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 10:57 AM, slonezp said:Tom D If you can, google "dnr arrest reports" for the state you live in. You'll see there are alot more arrests than one would expect. This time of year they're spread really thin because of hunting season. And my states dnr is really thin due to budget shortfalls.
Our DNR doesn't patrol our open waterways, they only cover state parks. If there is a lake in that state park then yes they would be there and park rangers. Problem is this state's Water Conservation is under it's own department (PFBC) which is underfunded by license sales, which have been declining the last few decades. It's a system that's failing since there's few resources for understaffed officers, PA's officers are under 100 total, my regional office is over 80 miles away, there's only two full time officers in my area that spans around 100 miles, talk about spread thin cause of hunting, we're like this all year round.
tomustang reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 12:51 PM, Khong Y. said:quit crying!
Who the hell is crying? OP made a rant and I'm confirming it with facts. You been here for one month and have no etiquette here, grow up.
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 8:58 PM, Tom D. said:Our DNR doesn't patrol our open waterways, they only cover state parks. If there is a lake in that state park then yes they would be there and park rangers. Problem is this state's Water Conservation is under it's own department (PFBC) which is underfunded by license sales, which have been declining the last few decades. It's a system that's failing since there's few resources for understaffed officers, PA's officers are under 100 total, my regional office is over 80 miles away, there's only two full time officers in my area that spans around 100 miles, talk about spread thin cause of hunting, we're like this all year round.
If people are keeping fish legally, then the state of your game officers doesnt even matter.
if they are keeping fish illegally then i dont know what to tell you exactly. keep calling and making reports till they decide to come out your way and take action. one phone call might not accomplish something, but several might put them on alert that they need to check that area out. or is it something the local sheriffs dept can handle?
but if no one is doing anything illegal, then you dont have a valid complaint at all...
senile1 reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 7:22 PM, Grey Wolf said:The Russians are coming , the Russians are coming !!!!!
lol. I wonder how many remember that movie.
Ratherbfishing reply :
On 10/17/2011 at 7:22 PM, Grey Wolf said:The Russians are coming , the Russians are coming !!!!!
Emergency! Everybody to get from street!
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