Is this wrong? 2024

farmpond1 reply :

Do any of you all ever lie, when someone asks you "hows the fishing?" and say it's terrible, even when it isn't, so you don't attract other competition to your honey hole? I'm much more likely to "lie" like this than I am to embelish a mundane or poor outing. Not that it happens all that often. Is this wrong? Am I being unneighborly? I realize I could be opening a whole new can of worms (pun intended) so please try to be polite.

Davis reply :

Actually if something is working really well and I know someone on my local pond is struggling, than I'll give them a tip on what is working for me.

I'm not in the competitive fishing trail so for me its just helping someone else enjoy there day.

tntitans21399 reply :

I tell people how my fishing was, but since this was my first year getting into it everyday wasn't a great day while someone else might have had a great day.

Gatorbassman reply :

I won't lie to them but I may play it down a little. I wouldn't say it was awesome but I might say "It's not bad at all", or "It could be a little better." But I fish a 71,000 acre lake. I could tell someone exactly what I was doing but leave out the spots and that wouldn't be a problem at all.

If I'm in my honey hole and someone pulls up to check it out I usually sit down in my boat and grab a sandwitch or a coke and relax for a few minutes.

jwo1124 reply :

Last year I pulled up to a local pond I fish, a there was a guy there fishing with his two young kids. His son and daughter were using some cartoon spincast rods and some worms, and he was using a senko type bait called Wave Tiki-Stiks. We were pulling our small aluminum boat down the hill and he saw we had a bait bucket full of shiners. He told us that he doesn;t use bait anymore, and he gave me a pack of the worms he was using. That day I caught my PB out of any of the small MA ponds I fish. A 3.14 LM. I was so freakin happy that guy gave me those worms becuase there was a chance I wouldn;t have caught that fish. So, I guess in my books it always pays to help someone out. Just image if someone asks how the fishing is going, and you tell them, "It's great I'm really killin; them with this spinnerbait, I already caught three nice bass." And then that guy changes to a spinner and catches his PB.

I think it's the right thing to do, I wouldn't lie to someone just to get them from coming over to my spot, but if another angler did come cramp my spot, I'd surely tell them that I don;t think it's right for them to come fish right next to me and take away my fish since I was there first.

T-rig reply :

If they practice C&R I will, if not I won't.

Raul reply :

I have no reason to lie, but the catch here is, I 'm saying how I am doing, that doesn 't mean that it will work the same way for you.

Two of my buddies and I went to Zimapan two weeks ago, we were in the same boat, if you asked them and most of the people who were there that weekend how was the bite all of them will tell you the bite was very very slow. You ask me I 'd say the bite was really good as it always is in that lake for me. Being in the same boat and you outfishing by a lot your boat partners says a lot on how subjective the answer can be.

Tin reply :

If it is a guy I usually fish tournaments against, (RI is so small, you pretty much know everyone who does)I will usually just say, "They aint on today", or something like that to turn them away from one of my spots. If it is a guy out with his kids or someone going out for a good time, I will help them out as much as I can.

farmpond1 reply :

Yes, thank you. These are the kinds of responses I've hoped for (and appreciate). I don't really go out of my way to lie to people. I just know that if you call someplace paradice, kiss it goodbye (from Eagles song "Last Resort"). If I know someone who practices catch and release, I'm much more inclined to share info. But I also know people who will ruin a spot by fishing it to death until there isn't anything left in the water but used fishing line and syrofoam bait cups. If I'm in a boat and catching fish while my buddy isn't, I'll offer to share my bait with them-even if it's my last bait of that kind. I also practice catch and release so apart from educating the fish, I'm causing little harm. But I know others who keep everything they catch. So I'm pretty private about this.

surfer reply :

Wow, this translates directly to surfing. I lie to everyone. I even go to Surf Expo and talk loudly about how many of my friends have been bitten by sharks and how few days Florida has waves. These are just the obvious tricks. I have dozens more up my sleeve that are situation specific depending on my judgment of the other surfer. And they work. The evidence is clear with waves I catch vs waves they catch. The pay of is real in my case. I don't threaten people though. That's wrong in my book, but I know it happens.

Most surfers I know will not share directions to the places they like to surf. There are only so many waves available and at prime locations not one wave will go unridden. But some surfers will go without a wave because every wave they want already has a surfer on it.

Oops I'm rambling. God I miss surfing. That's why I fish now.

Catt reply :

I'll tell you what depths, what baits, what patterns, what areas; it is up to you to locate and catch em

This kills my buddies who don't give out much information but the way I look at if you aint as good as me I got nothing to worry about. I will share specifics those who I feel are friends and respect those areas and would not ever think of pressuring them to hard. I shared a couple spots with Matt Fly who I think fishes a lot like me, with this information Matt could duplicate these spots easily.

RoLo reply :

Quote
If I'm in my honey hole and someone pulls up to check it out I usually sit down in my boat and grab a sandwitch or a coke and relax for a few minutes.

Boy, I can sure relate to that.

That reminds me of an incident on the St Lawrence River out of Rockport, Ont. I'm going back about 35 yrs, before catch-&-release

and long before B.A.S.S discovered the Thousand Islands. I was in a 12-foot aluminum rowboat without any stringer or livewell.

Two large bass that I boated were slid under my seat, they were a press fit between the bottom of the boat and the foam flotation.

A boat with two anglers entered the lagoon and idled right up to within 20 feet of my boat.

My hackles were high because I happened to know that pre-spawn bass were all around their boat in shallow water.

One of the fellow asked, "Doing Any Good?". First I grimaced then I replied, "Well, I could be doing better".

They smiled and began to leave, but as they were slowly idling away one of the bass under my seat went berserk,

which triggered the other one. It sounded like two wildcats in an aluminum drum, and both fishermen spun around

to ogle my boat (What Da?). I kept staring forward as though nothing had happened, but I'm sure my face was fire engine red :-[

Roger

farmpond1 reply :

RoLo, That's a great story!

fourbizz reply :

Generally speaking, I flat out lie. Unless I actually am doing bad then I just say so. I never lie to make myself look better, only worse.

I mean most of the time you can tell if the people are just looking for handouts or want to brag. I can't count how many times I have had somebody roll up and ask me how I am doing, just so they can tell me all about their 7lber on a senko. That was their intention the whole time, it wasn't really to see how I was doing, they just wanted to brag.

My favorite one was:

I was pulled up to the ramp loading up at the end of the day. There was only 1 other boat on the water and as soon as we headed to the ramp, they followed us over. Then they pulled four fish out of their livewell, all between 3 or 4 pounds, and made a big show of their nice sack of fish. They were the type of guys in their nice bassboat that saw me in my old aluminum and thought they would show me what awesome sticks they were. So after their big show of fish that they livewelled during the spawn >. I just took the boat out and left.

I didn't have the heart to tell them that I had put a 10lber and a 7lber in the boat

Watch out for the guys in the 1980's trout boat, they might know a little bit about bass fishing

Tokyo Tony reply :

Quote
It sounded like two wildcats in an aluminum drum, and both fishermen spun around
to ogle my boat (What Da?). I kept staring forward as though nothing had happened, but I'm sure my face was fire engine red :-[

Roger

Lol that's hilarious ;D

Rattlinrogue reply :

I may not flat out lie,but I'm not going to tell them EVERYTHING that took a lot of effort to find out for myself

Sam reply :

I tell the truth, with one exception.

I tell the people fishing at my local pond that there are very few fish and the ones in it are contaminated.

So far it is working.+

Siebert Outdoors reply :

I have 2 typical answers

could be worse

could be better

Those answers never lie and they are always true.

RobbyZ5001 reply :

I do the same thing as tin2win. If it is a family or a guy and his kids. Even just a guy that is sick of work and just wants to fish. I put them on the fish the best I can.

frogtog reply :

I will look em in the eye and tell them a lie if he is a competitor. Other than

that I have been know to spill my guts. I don't mind helping people at all. Of course I can tell my buddies the truth and they don't believe me.

Jimzee reply :

Most of the lakes I fish on, people are pretty tight lipped. I guess I don't lie, maybe just get a little creative. 8-)

Fish Chris reply :

I won't lie to them, but I will definately downplay my catches if I'm on a hot spot when they ask. I mean like, "How you doing" ? > "Oh.... okay. I got two bass" ....of course I might leave out that those two bass were 10.3 and 12.8 lbs ;-) Or... "Catchin' any" ??? "Yea, I got one" ......and I promise you, that if I say this with no excitement in my voice, they will assume it was a "little one".... and NOT an 80", 150 lb Sturgeon ;-)

The only time this doesn't work for me, is if a guy says, "Catchin' any" ? And I hit em' with "Yea' I got one"..... and then his buddy says, "Are you Fish Chris" ? And then they are both like, "So how big was the one fish you caught" ? Doh ! Okay, okay...... It was.....

Anyway, ususally back at the ramp, I'll tell most of the guys I meet, most of what I know, or how I did. Just when I'm out on the lake, trying to be completely in "the zone", I usually try to avoid any distractions. Not trying to be rude, just doing whatever I can to 'make it happen'.

Peace,

Fish

guest reply :

Unless it's Like Zel or one of the fellas from the boards I lie all the time. I have no problem helping Zel get on em, and let him know what baits are hot for the moment.

We fish a very small lake Mauch Chunk is only 339 Acres and guys come up to each other all the time, I especially like the gusy who come between you and the shore, or if we have a couple of makers out on the water and ask " Are they bitting?" I always say" Yes, on the other side , we just came here to rest for a while!"

Last summer, I had a decent size fish on and some Mook asked if they were bitting, I answered as honestly as i could and said NO, he asked" Why is your rod bent and shaking like that" my answer" I got it caught in the trolling motor again?" ( Those of you who know me, know this is a distinct possibility for me) He just said "Tough luck, hope you get it out"

grimlin reply :

I once found a hot spot on crappies once,caught 40 in less than 30 minutes.I told somebody once and the word got around,next weekend that spot was picked cleaned! Found dead crappie parts all over the ground.I was mad.Did it once with my bass fishing spot,but apparently whoever tried to copy failed.They told me i lied to them which i didn't :-/.Everybody tells me oh that lake sucks for bass.I let them believe it,while i'm out there having a good old time catching smallies and LM they can travel and fish elsewhere.Now in the wintertime,you ask me for advice on that lake i couldn't tell you honest to God(i can't find them myself).

There's a few guys who come over by me just to see what baits i'm using.I've found a few trying to copy,they always tell me that my baits don't work and suck. ;D Again i just nod and say "yup,yup".

Most guys i meet are not C & R. So my secrets stay with me.

GeneinTX reply :

Look at my quote and ask me again LOL. Trust no fisherman!

Truth be told, I love to take someone out and show them alot of good spots. I have my favorites that I have found and no one else gets to go there.

I usually tell the truth about how the fishing was but not the locations, unless it is somewhere well known.

paul. reply :

i don't lie, i just don't get specific if i can help it. i can be pretty coy with some of my answers sometimes. honesty can actually work for ya sometimes though in a strange kind of way. most of the time, other fishermen ASSUME YOU ARE LYING when you tell them something (especially if you make the appropriate facial expressions) ;D and go somewhere else or do something else other than what you just told them. is that "reverse psychology" or what?

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

If the people know that you know the lake and you tell them the fishing sucks and then they go slay them,......you just got a new boat at your lake for the next few weeks. They think the lake was made for them if they did better than the guy they look up to.

I like to say,..."Well the bite is good but this lake doesn't hold the fish it used to" (truth) granted, it still has more and bigger fish than anywhere else in the state,....but you didn't lie.

Avalonjohn44 reply :

I generally tell the truth, but sometimes, for no good reason, I'll fib and get a little bit of guilty pleasure watching a guy tie on the completely wrong lure based on advice I gave him. Bonus points if he loses the lure I convinced him to try out near that underwater brush pile... I don't do it often, but I do it enough to realize that I am a little warped.

Kess reply :

Raul - I'm going to be in Mexico City in May 2008. Want to get some fishing in. I heard Zimapan is the closest highly rated bass lake from Mexico City. Could you help me out - I'm trying to find fishing guide options. I can't find anything on the Internet. Any phone numbers/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a very much!

Quote
I have no reason to lie, but the catch here is, I 'm saying how I am doing, that doesn 't mean that it will work the same way for you.
Two of my buddies and I went to Zimapan two weeks ago, we were in the same boat, if you asked them and most of the people who were there that weekend how was the bite all of them will tell you the bite was very very slow. You ask me I 'd say the bite was really good as it always is in that lake for me. Being in the same boat and you outfishing by a lot your boat partners says a lot on how subjective the answer can be.

flechero reply :

Quote
..... Trust no fisherman!.... I have my favorites that I have found and no one else gets to go there.

Gene,

I've been up front and honest, even with the smallies, you sand bagger!!!! ;D

Catt reply :

So I guess it's true most fishermen are liars

Del from philly reply :

the other day an obviousely single mom saw me fishing alone on the dock and dropped off her 10 year old son and told him to talk to me....and learn

i thought it was nice, and told the kid everything i know in about 20 mins.....i gave him all my spots, the whole bit

then their are the times where i see teenagers Kicking back the fish they catch......they die immediately from the kick, it is the saddest thing iv ever seen, at least its just bluegills...they cant even catch a bass

i would tell those kids to cut off their own fingers.....and fish them wacky rigged.....

short answer- all depends on the person

islandbass reply :

Quote
I have 2 typical answers
could be worse

could be better

Those answers never lie and they are always true.

There is a saying that sums it up: "Any better and I'd be lying." ;D

I would tell if there is something to tell. Even if I am kicking fanny? Why? Because I don't care to lie (karma) and just because something worked for me doesn't mean that it will work for them. This is also one reason why most my conversations with other anglers out there I usually don't ask how the fishing is going. I know that they are most likely to lie to me anyway and it is evidenced here. If I do ask, I take most comments with the proverbial grain of salt.

mar reply :

i haven't had to lie since i rarely catch anything worth hiding My nephew is pretty bad though he tells others that he's caught so and so at wherever and also that he's caught x amount more than you. i had to remind the kid a couple of times that it's not right. Kids ;D

sal669 reply :

I try not to outright lie, but I do my best to avoid giving out usefull info.

If a guy in a nice bass boat comes close and asks me "how's fishing" I'll tell him about the crappies i cought last week, about where to look for catfish, about all the perch I got, "but unfortunately they were on the small side", about the pods of big carp cruseing in the weeds,etc,etc.

By that time he's fired up his big engine and is headed towards the other side of the lake.

If a dad and kids are strugling to gatch something, i'll point them in the right direction.

GeneinTX reply :

Quote
Gene,
I've been up front and honest, even with the smallies, you sand bagger!!!!

Okay Keith, now I have to change tactics to keep you from bird dogging me. I'll have to go to stealth mode!

fishfordollars reply :

I will tell them how I am fishing, color, and depth, but never where I am catching.

Bassnajr reply :

Hey..

I won't lie. If someone asks me what I'm using or areas that are "hot" I'll tell them where I've had luck. It's still up to them to catch them!!!! How many times have you had two guys in a boat. One's hot...ones not....it's the fisherman not the gear or spot. That's my opinion...what do i know!!!

lol

bassinajr

Cory N reply :

People on the water that ask: caught a few on a green worm

Friends: The good ones were hitting a weightless, t-rigged 6" green pumpkin w/ black flake senko on the north side of stony point.

Jeff C. reply :

I am with ,,

T-Rig

and

5Bass

on this one..

I have a hard time lying to people , but can stretch the story some..

and the C&R is big for me too. I mainly fish smaller bodies of water.

----

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