Private Ponds/lakes Cheating? 2024
Rolltide09 reply :
What are yalls thoughts on managed private lakes and ponds when it comes to bass fishing? I have been fortunate to have access to multiple professsionally managed lakes and have a hard time going back to the public honey holes. Downsides are that friends dish out a lot of heat that its not fair fishing and is cheating. Would you mount a bass that you caught from a managed lake? What are yalls view on the subject matter?
outdoorsman110 reply :
Bass fishing is bass fishing right? And bass fishing is fun right? I love fishing farm ponds because it's FUN. Who cares what other people think. Unless your at a tournament level I don't see anything wrong with managed/farm ponds. I prefer river fishing but I do love farm pond fishing.On 4/26/2012 at 6:06 AM, Rolltide09 said:What are yalls thoughts on managed private lakes and ponds when it comes to bass fishing? I have been fortunate to have access to multiple professsionally managed lakes and have a hard time going back to the public honey holes. Downsides are that friends dish out a lot of heat that its not fair fishing and is cheating. Would you mount a bass that you caught from a managed lake? What are yalls view on the subject matter?
shimmy reply :
Not much to brag about catching a big one out of a pond. However, give me a private pond and i will fish it everyday because it is sooooo much fun! Kind of like bobber and minnow fishing. The problem comes from those who brag about their fishing skills sticking big fish in private ponds.
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
Fish'em if you got'em but feel fish from those waters should not count towards records.
Bluebasser86 reply :
They don't hook themselves for you do they? Sure the fish aren't as pressured and much dumber than they are in public waters but they're still fun to catch.
Rolltide09 reply :
These private clubs just kind of fell in our laps over the past few years. We had always had private ponds but not ones like these that have a biologist looking over them every month. Its still fishing because if you dont know how to fish you arent going to catch anything. Just getting some insight on some fellow anglers.
tomustang reply :
Shooting fish in a barrel comes to mind, I don't care about private property catches just don't brag about catching something special that's in a controlled envorment
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
The fish are alot easier to find, and not as smart. But its still fishing and still fun. I wouldnt hesitate to fish them, I always enjoy a farm pond, but I wouldnt go showing pictures like I was the bees knees.
NGaHB
Lund Explorer reply :
IGFA doesn't recognize fish from such places. Organizations like Boone & Crocket don't award scores for big game animals taken inside a 10' fence.
Who am I to say they're wrong?
fowlskies reply :
Lund, that was the first thing that came to my mind. It's kind of like going on a canned deer hunt or duck hunting a managed marsh with levies, fun to do but bragging rights are left at the pond.
ww2farmer reply :
Cheating?.............No, fishing is fishing. But it is much easier. I gave up fishing in all the private farm ponds we have where I work. It got boring. I had different ponds managed for different things, one for size, one for numbers, one for big bluegills, one that had a little of everything. I have not fished any of them in a few years, I plan on hitting them again a little this year to see how they have faired with out me tinkering with them in so long. The public lakes are much more challanging, and I feel I have acomplished something when I have a good day or cash a check in a tournament on a body of water that every one can and has fished.
Flipzter reply :
I would fish it AND brag about the pictures of my catch. I could care less where I have my fun, be it pond, lake, river, swamp, etc. But I would admit that the fish were taken from a managed pond.
Bankbeater reply :
Its much more fun to catch a hawg at a public lake where no one else is catching anything than to catch one at a pvt. lake where everyone else is catching too.
shady oaks reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 6:40 AM, Bluebasser86 said:They don't hook themselves for you do they? Sure the fish aren't as pressured and much dumber than they are in public waters but they're still fun to catch.
Exactly as stated above. You still have to hook them, you still have to fight them in AND land them. Feel fine in letting everybody know what you caught, as long as you don't say it came from so and so lake that is public waters.
Diablos reply :
I am fortunate enough to have in-laws with a house on a private lake and always enjoy fishing there.
I don't think anyone here would decline a chance to fish a low-pressured hole.
Avalonjohn44 reply :
I fish a private lake several times a month, and most days it is just as hard as anywhere else. You still have to find the fish. Just because it is a private pond doesn't mean there's a golden platter where you just grab your limit of lunkers and go on home...
I just don't understand why folks would say don't brag about what you catch at a private pond. What a load of crapola. If I catch a twelve pound bass in a lake, river, farm pond, private pond or out of the tank at BPS itself, I'm happy as heck I caught it, somebody's gonna hear about it. My avatar will show a pic of it and it beats any bass that weighs less than it no matter where it's caught...
Anyone saying otherwise is just one of those 'sour grapes' type of person.
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 7:59 AM, Lund Explorer said:IGFA doesn't recognize fish from such places.
I never have been able to find this is the IGFA rules, tho I have seen people say the same thing many times. Anyone have any links?
NGaHB
bassmaster3541 reply :
In my opinion it is totally fine to fish these, have fun with it. if the fish are being maintained directly by human control, not naturally feeding on bluegills, craw all that stuff I wouldn't be going around saying I am better fisherman than someone else who hasn't caught one as big, but it's still a great fish. If they are living in a natural environment, I see no problem at all with it, what, just because it has bigger fish? That's like saying I am cheating saying I went to Falcon instead of the 500 acre lake up the street, as long as it is not like shooting fish in a barrell, i see no problem at all
fowlskies reply :
I'm surprised flukmaster hasn't weighed in yet.
I would brag but it would come with a cavet of being caught in a private pond. I mean it's kind of like putting a pot of grain in a farmer's field and shooting the cow when it comes to feed for your steak dinner that night.
The real question comes down to where you draw the line between considering it fishing/hunting or farming.
NCLifetimer reply :
Some of the most enjoyable days fishing i've ever had have been fishing at a farm pond. I've recently began to get more enjoyment out of catching a few fish out of a big lake then a 20 lb bag out of a farm pond.
Is it harder to catch bass in a big lake? sure it is. Its also harder to win the bass masters classic then it is to catch fish in a club tournament. But that doesn't mean that the club tournament is somehow inferior, just a different level of the sport called fishing, that's all.
hatrix reply :
I wish I had a professionally managed pond to fish. Who doesn't want to catch only big fish and lots of them? doubt there is 1 person here who wouldn't fish it even if they say they wouldn't.
1234567 reply :
I too thought private areas were off limits for being certified by the IGFA, but like you, I havn't seen anything in the IGFA rules that would disqualify it.On 4/26/2012 at 9:52 AM, North Ga Hillbilly said:I never have been able to find this is the IGFA rules, tho I have seen people say the same thing many times. Anyone have any links?
NGaHB
Lund Explorer reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 9:52 AM, North Ga Hillbilly said:I never have been able to find this is the IGFA rules, tho I have seen people say the same thing many times. Anyone have any links?
NGaHB
If you go to the following link, click on the "English" version of the pdf.file. Scroll down to page 8, left side column under General Information, second paragraph reads as follows:
"No applications will be accepted for fish caught in hatchery waters or sanctuaries."
http://www.igfa.org/Fish/INTERNATIONAL-ANGLING-RULES.aspx
Lund Explorer reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 11:52 AM, hatrix said:I wish I had a professionally managed pond to fish. Who doesn't want to catch only big fish and lots of them? doubt there is 1 person here who wouldn't fish it even if they say they wouldn't.
I don't think the question here is whether people want to fish at such places, but if fishing there is a true measure of an angler's skill. There is much more to fishing than casting into the water and reeling in the fish. Quality fish in open public waters are harder to locate and catch. If that wasn't the case, there wouldn't be a need for professionally managed lakes/ponds.
In my personal experience, it quickly becomes boring when the act of fishing becomes easier.
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 3:39 PM, Lund Explorer said:If you go to the following link, click on the "English" version of the pdf.file. Scroll down to page 8, left side column under General Information, second paragraph reads as follows:
"No applications will be accepted for fish caught in hatchery waters or sanctuaries."
http://www.igfa.org/...LING-RULES.aspx
Seems like somewhat of a grey area to me. I would assume sanctuaries means government designated preserve areas or something. I sent them an email, well see what they say about it.
NGaHB
Lund Explorer reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 4:15 PM, North Ga Hillbilly said:Seems like somewhat of a grey area to me. I would assume sanctuaries means government designated preserve areas or something. I sent them an email, well see what they say about it.
NGaHB
I might have thought the same thing if I didn't live just three miles north of this place.
http://www.sanctuary-ranch.com/welcome.html
I've never hunted there, but I was involved with a company that used the property to film videos for the marketing of several deer hunting related products. Not too many places outside of the fences where you'd have to edit out footage because there were too many 10 point or better bucks in the frame at the same time. I wish there was a way to show you that video, but it was so over the top that we never used it.
In all fairness to this company, all photos of kill or catch are shot, developed, and printed by the staff. All photos you take away from this place has the company's logo on it.
BTW, they have several managed lakes (20 acres or less) on this property that fish just like the property hunts.
Missouribassman95 reply :
Pretty much all I fish are farm ponds, but it seems like the owners stocked them like twenty years ago and haven't done a thing with them since. The bass are maybe alittle more aggresive then in a big lake but it sure isn't like shooting fish out of a barrel.
Hyrule Bass reply :
fishing farm ponds isnt always easy as people seem to think. i would agree a larger public lake or river is probably more challenging. but that doesnt automatically make ponds easy. ive been skunked on lakes, ive been skunked at ponds. ponds dont equal a guaranteed catch...
stkbassn reply :
This is a good point to talk about. Maybe they do seem dumber in a farm pond or lake but it's simply a bass being a bass in an environment that allows them to be that, a fish that isn't conditioned to factors that aren't natural...boats, jet skis, constant pounding and pressure...etc.
So while it may be a bigger "deal" to catch a big, trophy bass on a big reservoir with tons of anglers and pressure, that doesn't necessarily make you a big, bad angler....just lucky to be in the right place at the right time if we're talking about a 7 plus pound bass......it's just easier to be there at the right time and place on farm ponds and lakes. I've seen many a day when the farm pond wouldn't produce fish either so it's not always a cake walk...
Long story short, if you have pics of a 10 pound bass that you caught on a farm pond and your buddy who fishes tournaments and owns a $60,000 rig doesn't.....well, you still have the biggest fish 
I love fishing big lakes and farm ponds and I'm proud of all of my big fish so be proud of yours no matter where it comes from.....fishing is fun!
birdy reply :
I fish in my neighborhood retention ponds. All stocked about 10+ years ago. The ponds have crappie, bluegill, bass, carp catfish and shad. There are plenty of crawfish and snakes as well. These ponds are low pressure when it comes to fishing. Fish few years I could barely catch a bass. Now I'm pulling in all sizes. Is it the practice, patients, skill or a combination of these, who knows? One thing is for certain, the knowledge gained from fishing in such an environment has added in my ability to catch fish in public waters. I enjoy both, I consider myself fortunate to be able to walk out my back door and fish, mind you it is on the bank, no boats, so I river fish in a kayak as well. To each his own I like to say, Fish on!
J Francho reply :
A private lake and a farm pond are two ENTIRELY different things. Catching unpressured bass out of a mud puddle isn't my cup of tea, and certainly does not compare to locating biting fish on a lake more than a thousand acres. Everything is relative, as well. take Richmond Mills Lake. Yes there are tons of fives. You'll be dink dropping them all day long. But, to catch an eight there, well that still takes skill.
Chris at Tech reply :
Who gives a crap? I fish for fun, and if I can get access to a lake that will increase my fun, I'm all in even if I need to pay some for it.
You can make the same argument across the board. Budget tackle vs high end tackle. Jon boat vs $50k tourney rig. Fishing with a guide vs. fishing on your own. In my opinion, anyone who makes a big stink about someone else catching fish out of a private pond is a jealous blowhard.
J Francho reply :
I don't think anyone is debating the point that fishing is fun, no matter where or how. But, to compare skill levels and bragging rights....mehhh.
Sour grapes? Not really, I've been lucky to have the opportunity to fish some pretty sweet private waters. One thing that chaps my rear end is the NY State Record largemouth. Buckhorn Lake? Not public. So, basically, I just need to livewell some big southern fish, dump them in my private lake, and hope I hook one. Hmmmmmmmmm.
hatrix reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 8:28 PM, Red Earth said:fishing farm ponds isnt always easy as people seem to think. i would agree a larger public lake or river is probably more challenging. but that doesnt automatically make ponds easy. Ive been skunked on lakes, Ive been skunked at ponds. ponds dont equal a guaranteed catch...
There is a pond I fish I know has some giants in it. Usually you get nothing there, but some times you might catch maybe 3 or 4 at best but there usually always nice. Last time I went I caught 2 around 3.5-4 and one maybe a touch over 5 and that was about 4 hours of time. Some times it is either on fire or its not and that also applies to bigger public waters. My own private pond that is 10 acres probably has smarter or more hook shy fish then bigger public waters. There isn't a fish in there that has not seen 20 different types of lure or been caught at least once in there life. It is not easy fishing my house any more it has become a total challenge for people who come over. Every little move you make or twitch of the bait matters. They don't just bite any thing.
Rolltide09 reply :
I have one lake thats about 50 acres and on any day you can expect a 100 fish day easily with a good number of 5lb+ bass and its loaded with 10lb+ bass. That gets boring and I only like to do that about once every couple months. The private lake I fish most is 95 acres and is stocked with gizzard and threadfin shad as well as managed by a biologist at Auburn. The most we have pulled from there in one day was 42. Usually there a 25-30 fish per two person boat is good but the quality is a lot better and its more of a challenge.
stkbassn reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 9:56 PM, J Francho said:I don't think anyone is debating the point that fishing is fun, no matter where or how. But, to compare skill levels and bragging rights....mehhh.
Sour grapes? Not really, I've been lucky to have the opportunity to fish some pretty sweet private waters. One thing that chaps my rear end is the NY State Record largemouth. Buckhorn Lake? Not public. So, basically, I just need to livewell some big southern fish, dump them in my private lake, and hope I hook one. Hmmmmmmmmm.
I will agree with this point. I'm totally impressed by someone who has the knowledge and ability to identify good water by using observation, past experience, time on the water, and of course...electronics. That's what always impresses me about the guys who do this day in, day out. There is a reason why we see the pros being able to adapt to changing conditions and still load the boat consistently. They find fish. This is the ultimate key in my opinion.
The local guys in the tourneys here that win consistently do this too....they may have brush piles, honey holes, back up holes, plan b, c, etc....but they have worked at this and guess what, they win consistently. So, skills in this area are way more impressive to me than anything else. If KVD took me fishing every time I went out I'd probably catch a lot more fish.... I think anyone would. He finds em' and man does he catch em'. All of those guys at that level do.
But, still, I love going to a private, unpressured lake and laying into hogs all day long.....that's a different kind of fun but it's fun none the less in my opinion. Am I impressed with myself? Not overly but man it's fun to show off those pictures! LOL.
Coosa reply :
I love fishing no matter what, but I would be reluctant to mount a fish I caught in a managed pond. I wouldn't do it. I would still fish there though and take pics!!
SirSnookalot reply :
I don't think it's cheating at all, it's just about having a good time. I fish my community ponds, they have never been stocked and I'm about the only one that fishes them, little pressure if any. I use pretty much the same lures all the time, they hit them like they are seeing them for the first time, I question this thing about fish being smart, they react to instinct, they don't reason and think things thru. I have pics of the same bass or caught 2 days in row. Some days the fishing is good other days it isn't, the fish have no where to go, they are here.
I grew up fishing Lake St Clair in Mich, probably not the hardest place to catch fish of a variety species, any time a person can catch 20-30 or 50 fish in an outing, I can't see that as challenging, but it's a lot of fun. Challenging is targeting one species(or trophy size fish) and hoping to get a fish once a day, or once a week and sometimes not one in a month.
In most cases you're as good as the body of water you are fishing on.
general3380 reply :
How is it "cheating"? It goes back to the root of why we all started fishing...FUN! I LOVE getting out and fishing lakes, but I would rather fish a pond or private lake almost any day of the week. The anticipation I get going to a new (to me) hole that hasn't had any pressure is so exciting. When it comes down to it, pretty much any lake is "managed" or they are around here...why do you think limits are set in place? DNR research? Stocking when needed? Don't get me wrong it is MUCH harder to locate and catch fish on a public lake, but it is simply a body of water that anybody that can fish. My personal experiences of people giving me a hard time about fish caught from a private body of water is because THEY don't have an opportunity to fish them. WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO CATCH A BOAT FULL OF BASS??
J Francho reply :
QuoteWhen it comes down to it, pretty much any lake is "managed" or they are around here...why do you think limits are set in place? DNR research? Stocking when needed?
The size and creel limits are developed as much out of politics as they are out of conservation. Stocking? Bass? Doesn't happen on public lakes. To make the comparison like that to a "managed" lake like Richmond Mills or random farm ponds is a gigantic stretch.
theonethatgotaway reply :
to me fishing private ponds or lakes would be heaven sent but theirs nothing like catching a big bass in a highly fished lake cause it takes more than just finding them it takes skill
J Francho reply :
it doesn't matter where is comes from, you catch what you are pretty sure is the biggest fish in any body of water, it's pretty cool.
Nice_Bass reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 1:34 AM, J Francho said:The size and creel limits are developed as much out of politics as they are out of conservation. Stocking? Bass? Doesn't happen on public lakes. To make the comparison like that to a "managed" lake like Richmond Mills or random farm ponds is a gigantic stretch.
You may want to look into Illinois "politics"...not to get political here though.
So. ILL actually does have some of the best lakes that are closely watched- Crab orchard wildlife refuge lakes, etc (at least they used to be). These are public lakes.
WookieeJedi reply :
I can compare this somewhat to hunting. I hunt two different types of land, one is public land and another is private land where the lease members practice QDM. There are no fences to keep the deer hemmed in in either place, it is all fair-chase. Guess which place has bigger deer? Obviously, the QDM property! This isn't due to any kind of special forage or feeding, it is due to selective, managed harvesting. Fish work on the same principle, with a few obvious differences. Public land and public reservoirs and rivers get more pressure from us, the alpha predators. If you can eliminate a large percentage of those predators, and then regulate the predation of the ones remaining, you get a better product. Fishing a managed pond isn't cheating. Stocking a backyard pool full of 10 pound bass is cheating, just like killing a giant deer in a 4 acre pen is a canned hunt. I'm not going to hate on anyone with the resources and commitment to own and manage their own water.
5bass reply :
If I catch a load at a private pond I dont feel quite the same as I do when I catch a load in a tournament on the 20,000 acre local lake. It's definitely fun at the pond but 9 times out of 10 I can catch as many as I want there. The odds of doing that on the lake is probably half that.
Chris at Tech reply :
Sounds like a lot of the distinctions being made here are the difference between folks fishing for fun and the folks fishing to impress others. I fish for my enjoyment only, so other folks "assessments" of my skill mean diddly-squat to me 
jiggerpole reply :
I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. It's not cheating. "It really depends on the fishing pressure," regardless of whether it be a small pond or large lake. I know that some ponds or small lakes can be manipulated to make things easier as with high fence hunting. I don't consider either of those scenarios hunting or fishing or sportsman like. I'm not saying it can't be fun. It just shouldn't count towards fair chase.
But fishing in a small pond or large lake can be just as equally a challenge and considered fair chase in my opinion. The biggest fish and the biggest deer I have ever taken have both been on public lands or lakes. Some of the best hunting and fishing can be found in these places. You may have to look a bit harder to find the right spots, but they are there. Allot of small confined places simply cannot produce mature healthy fish without some help. "Nothing wrong with that". We should all be good stewards and learn what is best for generations to come. Any lake or piece of land has what is called a carry capacity. Under natural conditions this can be undesirable at best. To improve the conditions or environment in which wildlife lives is not cheating. The fish or animal if pressured still has an mountain of obstacles to overcome in order to become a trophy and can be bragged on, if that be the case. The critter deserves credit. This argument has been around for ages.
Live bait vs. Artificial - Length limits on poles - Bank Fishing vs. Boat Fishing - Jiggerpole Fishing - Dynamite vs. Electricity - You get the picture!!!!
Bragging I think is where the most problems come into play. Brag on the fish or animal that overcome enormous obstacles to get where they are. And if you know more than I do at fishing or hunting then teach me?
general3380 reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 1:34 AM, J Francho said:The size and creel limits are developed as much out of politics as they are out of conservation. Stocking? Bass? Doesn't happen on public lakes. To make the comparison like that to a "managed" lake like Richmond Mills or random farm ponds is a gigantic stretch.
I can assure you it most definitely does happen around here...Crab Orchard Lake, Ferne Clyffe Lake...
Diablos reply :
I'm a little confused.
Are we talking about a lake that is private and only contains summer homes with some sort of association enforcing rules or man made pond that is stocked?
Sam reply :
There is nothing wrong fishing private waters.
In fact, they are the best places to hone your techniques and practice with various baits and presentations.
I don't believe in taking any bass out of any water. So to answer your question, take a picture, get measurments and get a reproduction made.
shimmy reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 9:46 AM, Avalonjohn44 said:I fish a private lake several times a month, and most days it is just as hard as anywhere else. You still have to find the fish. Just because it is a private pond doesn't mean there's a golden platter where you just grab your limit of lunkers and go on home...
I just don't understand why folks would say don't brag about what you catch at a private pond. What a load of crapola. If I catch a twelve pound bass in a lake, river, farm pond, private pond or out of the tank at BPS itself, I'm happy as heck I caught it, somebody's gonna hear about it. My avatar will show a pic of it and it beats any bass that weighs less than it no matter where it's caught...
Anyone saying otherwise is just one of those 'sour grapes' type of person.
Sour grapes eh? I am still unsure what to make of your comment. Of course you still have to find the fish, but you don't have to look too hard!! The problem is getting them to bite, whereas in a lake you first have to find them in MUCH bigger water and then your challenge is getting them to bite. Let alone trying to track down bait fish and what not. I'm guessing there is a reason why you fish a private pond several times a month...It is all about odds. If it makes no difference, then stop fishing the private pond the rest of the year and let those who eat "sour grapes" fish it for ya!
ww2farmer reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 9:56 PM, J Francho said:I don't think anyone is debating the point that fishing is fun, no matter where or how. But, to compare skill levels and bragging rights....mehhh. Sour grapes? Not really, I've been lucky to have the opportunity to fish some pretty sweet private waters. One thing that chaps my rear end is the NY State Record largemouth. Buckhorn Lake? Not public. So, basically, I just need to livewell some big southern fish, dump them in my private lake, and hope I hook one. Hmmmmmmmmm.
You don't need big southern fish. I had one pond I stocked with Bluegills, and four 12"-14" bass early in the year. The pond was about an acre or so. You should have seen the growth rates on those bass, by the end of the summer they were 3lbers, by early next spring the were 4lbs +, by the end of that summer they were over 5, and the next spring they were pushing 6...and thats the last time I fished that pond. That was April 2008, if they are still alive I wonder how big they are now. They did in 3 years what many northern bass take a lifetime to do. Only forage was bluegills. I might have just talked myself into going fishing in this pond again. It's funny too.............when they were 3-4lbs I couldn't get them to bite anything but live bluegills, but once they got over 5, I caught them on Senkos LMAO
J Francho reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 10:15 AM, ww2farmer said:You don't need big southern fish. I had one pond I stocked with Bluegills, and four 12"-14" bass early in the year. The pond was about an acre or so. You should have seen the growth rates on those bass, by the end of the summer they were 3lbers, by early next spring the were 4lbs +, by the end of that summer they were over 5, and the next spring they were pushing 6...and thats the last time I fished that pond. That was April 2008, if they are still alive I wonder how big they are now. They did in 3 years what many northern bass take a lifetime to do. Only forage was bluegills. I might have just talked myself into going fishing in this pond again. It's funny too.............when they were 3-4lbs I couldn't get them to bite anything but live bluegills, but once they got over 5, I caught them on Senkos LMAO
Hence my gripe about the current record.
And OBTW, you might need to fish that pond, lol.
J Francho reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 5:37 AM, general3380 said:I can assure you it most definitely does happen around here...Crab Orchard Lake, Ferne Clyffe Lake...
OK, I'll accept the TWO lakes you named. You said "any" lake is managed. My point was about the other three million public bodies of water. Eceptions to the rule are a poor example in a debate.
grampa1114 reply :
Seems to me that you are catching very nice fish in a comfortable environment with a high percentage rate....good for you...now if the question is "would you take a trophy?" then it falls to you whether you would personally put an asterisk beside it. JMHO
Grampa
J Francho reply :
Good point. Asterisks....sometimes most of the work in private mud puddle fishing is done before you even pick up a rod. It takes some research, and you'll be striking out sometimes as well.
Rolltide09 reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 6:35 AM, Diablos said:I'm a little confused.
Are we talking about a lake that is private and only contains summer homes with some sort of association enforcing rules or man made pond that is stocked?
Man made stocked ponds (85-150acres) managed by a biologist monthly for bigger bass. They are fishing clubs where the members pay the membership dues for upkeep and management purposes.
hatrix reply :
At what size body of water does it start to matter to someone? Do you not fish places that are small because its not challenging enough for you? what is small 1000 acres 100, 50, 10, 5, 1? Not every one has big water to fish that is close to them and big is a relative term to where you live and what you consider to be big. Where I am we have hundreds of places under 20 acres or so within 15 miles. Actually its probably thousands if you counted what I consider puddles in peoples front yard. Luckily the biggest NATURAL lake in the state 333 acres is 8 minutes away from me and I have access to fish it. It is basically private water until the parks finally open it to the public in future years to come. Other then that it is somewhat of a trip and a all day event to fish other big lakes except for Erie and that dwarfs everything except the other great lakes. That seems more like fishing a sea then a lake even though I never fished a sea I am just assuming since its water as far as the eye can see. You can even see the curve of the earth on a good day.
Nice_Bass reply :
Somewhat interesting debate. I fish mostly a lake around 5000 acres and I consider it fairly small. I catch lots of fish, and pretty decent sized fish out of it. Another lake near me is only 900 acres, and due to size has much more pressure per acre (same with the rest of my area 300-1000 acre lakes). With that smaller and less fish.
On the flip side, my favorite lake in is 55,000 acres (LOZ) and has extreme pressure, but if a study was done would still have less pressure per acre if calculated. Catching fish and large ones there is easy.
I have never fished a pond/lake that was privately managed- if I were to catch a big fish out of there I would be proud, however I would also not mount it. A heavily pressured managed pond that you may or may not catch a large fish out of is an accomplishment, but other needs should be taken into consideration.
Another thought is do we discredit lakes and fisherman that catch monsters that are trout stocked lakes-no, we are in awe.
I guess every picture of someone’s new pb must now contain the following Schaefer short-term catch equation which is as follows.
H(E,X) = qEX
where the variables are; H, referring to catch (harvest) over a given period of time (e.g. a year); E, the fishing effort over the given period; X, the fish stock biomass at the beginning of the period (or the average biomass), and the parameter q represents the catchability of the stock. Assuming the catch to equal the net natural growth in the population over the same period(X= 0), the equilibrium catch is a function of the long term fishing effort E:
H(E)=qKE(1- qE/r)
r and K being biological parameters representing intrinsic growth rate and natural equilibrium biomass respectively.
Note that this is really more a commercial formula management principle but it would also really change that state for state thread!
Also, I really have no idea what it means.
J Francho reply :
What those "fish catches per acre" stats don't tell you is how much dead water water is included. Lake Ontario (oddly enough a "trout stocked lake" lol) is like a sea as another poster referred to Erie. But, the available bass habitat is very small, and easily determined when looking at a map. It's probably only a few percent (if that) of the entire lake.
QuoteH(E,X) = qEXwhere the variables are; H, referring to catch (harvest) over a given period of time (e.g. a year); E, the fishing effort over the given period; X, the fish stock biomass at the beginning of the period (or the average biomass), and the parameter q represents the catchability of the stock. Assuming the catch to equal the net natural growth in the population over the same period(X= 0), the equilibrium catch is a function of the long term fishing effort E:
H(E)=qKE(1- qE/r)
r and K being biological parameters representing intrinsic growth rate and natural equilibrium biomass respectively.
Note that this is really more a commercial formula management principle but it would also really change that state for state thread!
Also, I really have no idea what it means.
OK, I'm lost. You posted something, and don't know what it means? Why?
mod479 reply :
I encourage any who thinks its easy to try my private lake in the Adirondacks. (seriously, lets go fishing) 27+ feet of the clearest water in NY short of Oneida...and the fish watch YOU. There is no being stealthy and using anything more then 4lb flourocarbon is usually ignored (artificials or livebait)...it can be very challenging. They are the smartest bass I've ever had the pleasure of trying to catch... and when you do finally fool one, its far more gratifying then throwing a senko into the middle of 50 bass in the great lakes and winching them back to the boat with 50 lb braid.
( I still love the great lakes btw) 
Just my .02 fellas.
J Francho reply :
Quoteits far more gratifying then throwing a senko into the middle of 50 bass in the great lakes and winching them back to the boat with 50 lb braid.
LOL, where the heck are you fishing?
mod479 reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 2:06 AM, J Francho said:LOL, where the heck are you fishing?
Last tourney was on Lake Ontario. They're not hard to find there in my opinion if you can read your $3k sonar unit and use the fundmentals of map reading..
mod479 reply :
It was the best day of bass fishing I've had...numbers wise anyhow. And easier then catching bullhead! hah
mod479 reply :
On a side note, I did some research, and used KVDs strategy from back in 1996 when he won the Bassmasters NY invitational. Never had to start the outboard, trolling motor all day in Chaumont Bay.
Hope that answers your question!
J Francho reply :
Fished there a time or two....
Chaumont Bay is a special place, indeed. Too far a run for me, lol.
However, Chaumont Bay is FAR from representative of Lake Ontario as a whole. Like calling PI Bay on Erie, all of Lake Erie.
paul. reply :
i've fished both and had plenty of fun doing both. i am very fortunate to live close to ky lake/tn river. when it is "right" at ky lake, i'd say it's some of the best fishing i've ever experienced. plenty of 50 plus fish days with several 5's and 6's in the bunch. i have never experienced that type of size and numbers mix at ANY private pond or lake i have EVER fished. and if public water fish are supposed to be "educated", these fish never got the memo. last december when the water was high, i cherry-picked one sandbar over the course of the month for hundreds of fish with plenty of good ones in the mix using the same lure the whole month. you'd think they'd learn to leave that xr50 alone but they never did.
that said, i have also been fortunate enough to fish several amazing ponds and small private or semi-private lakes. with regards to bass size, there's no comparison. i have 2 teens, a 12, and several 10's and 11's. and i will always feel like these fish have an asterisk beside them because they came from a semi-private lake. i also manage a pond. back when i was really putting the work in, i could fish there on any given day and catch 3 fish over 7 pounds in 5 minutes. once i started supplemental feeding, it was even crazier. big fish, super easy to catch. kinda like hunting for cows in small pature with hand grenades. however, even in this fishing paradise, there were always a few select fish that were super "smart" and incredibly hard to catch. the biggest one of these was over 12 when she died and i felt very fortunate to catch her the few times i did.
with regards to bragging, there's 2 kinds. you can either brag on yourself, or the fish. theres the "hey everybody, look at ME, i'm so awesome!" kind. then there's the "hey, look at this awesome FISH!" kind. i'm not a big fan of the first kind regardless of whether we're talking public water or private. i am proud of the big fish that i produce in the pond i manage because i know how much time, effort, and expense went into growing them.
but the truth is i just feel blessed for every day i have on the water - ANY water. i fish for personal satisfaction and relaxation, not to prove anything to anyone else.
Nice_Bass reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 12:54 AM, J Francho said:What those "fish catches per acre" stats don't tell you is how much dead water water is included. Lake Ontario (oddly enough a "trout stocked lake" lol) is like a sea as another poster referred to Erie. But, the available bass habitat is very small, and easily determined when looking at a map. It's probably only a few percent (if that) of the entire lake.
OK, I'm lost. You posted something, and don't know what it means? Why?
what it means to you is man dont take life so seriously, and dont try to have an answer for everything (you dont). There is a formula for everything, and everything has a formula to disprove it.
Nice_Bass reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 12:54 AM, J Francho said:What those "fish catches per acre" stats don't tell you is how much dead water water is included. Lake Ontario (oddly enough a "trout stocked lake" lol) is like a sea as another poster referred to Erie. But, the available bass habitat is very small, and easily determined when looking at a map. It's probably only a few percent (if that) of the entire lake.
OK, I'm lost. You posted something, and don't know what it means? Why?
Also, are we really taking dead water into this- there is no fishing pressure from people fishing dead water, i dont really look at them.
Also, it is fishing pressure per acre, not catch.
J Francho reply :
QuoteAlso, it is fishing pressure per acre, not catch.
I don't think that's even possible to accurately measure. All you can use is "angling hours," which doesn't really equate to "pressure."
If you don't want to discuss it, then don't post. Mocking people isn't really going to get you very far.
Nice_Bass reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 2:57 AM, J Francho said:I don't think that's even possible to accurately measure. All you can use is "angling hours," which doesn't really equate to "pressure."
If you don't want to discuss it, then don't post. Mocking people isn't really going to get you very far.
I post a tongue in cheek formula used in actual fishery mgmt., I am all up for discussing it but if you did not understand that from the get go then we are off to a bad start which tends to happen in typing. You are correct, it is impossible to measure- which essentially was what my post was clarifying originally with the formula- the almost infinite variables to add into different bodies of water. That there is way too many variables to say this small body of water is easier to catch than this large body, etc. You can argue that "angling hours" is also impossible to measure. Not sure where you get mocking, merely returning the tone.
J Francho reply :
My job is in statistics. I can argue that ANY stat is impossible to measure, and can carve just about any dataset to match the goals of the survey or report, lol.
Nice_Bass reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 3:09 AM, J Francho said:My job is in statistics. I can argue that ANY stat is impossible to measure, and can carve just about any dataset to match the goals of the survey or report, lol.
I like this!
mod479 reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 2:28 AM, J Francho said:Fished there a time or two....
Chaumont Bay is a special place, indeed. Too far a run for me, lol.
However, Chaumont Bay is FAR from representative of Lake Ontario as a whole. Like calling PI Bay on Erie, all of Lake Erie.
Agreed, nice fish, and I had no other choice as the the optimax wouldnt go into gear anyways!
J Francho reply :
LOL, at least it was calm enough to fish. I had a Tx on Champlain like that once. Not a heck of a lot real close to the little Crown Point town launch.
Gatorbassman reply :
Is it "cheating"? In my situation, yes it is. It's easy, but easy isn't bad when you are talking about fishing. It has it's advantages.
The lake is Richmond Mill Lake and the company is The Kingfisher Society. We are the cutting edge of fisheries management. But for me to sit here and say it's fishing just like every other lake would be a lie. It's nothing like a public lake. The bass are all 4.5lbs are better. We are able to sustain more fish per acre than most lakes. We have feeders that always have a couple of catchable bass around them. Our bluegill average 1.5lbs and 1 in 20 will be 2lbs or better. (If you are wondering how we do it just subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine and check out the Pond Boss website.)
A private lake/pond, weather managed or not is a great place to learn how to fish. It's also a great place to hone your skills. You can learn what makes a bass tick a lot better than you can on a large lake. It's a great place to gain confidence in yourself and gain a passion for fishing. For a beginner it's not cheating. It's like driving in the express/HOV lane on the highway. You get where you are going faster than if you were driving with the masses. Be proud of every fish you catch. You earned it.
This is my fifth season guiding at Richmond Mill and I have learned so many things about bass and bass fishing that have helped me be more successful on any body of water I fish. Things that would have taken me years to learn on larger public waters. I have a better understanding of daily fish migration, how bass relate to structure and cover, how they use current and much much more. I've been able to gain confidence in lures and presentations that I didn't have the patients to try on public waters. I've become a better jig, crankbait, spinnerbait fisherman because I was getting more bites. The satisfaction comes from taking the skills that I have learned and trying them out on lakes like Guntersville or Clarks Hill and being able to use them to be successful.
If it's a club or a business I think you have to look at it a little differently. They are in it to make money and catching is much more fun than fishing. The company I work for has a business model that is designed to give clients an experience that will blow them away. It's not about fishing at all. It's about the experience of the entire package. The royal treatment, the great food, the quail hunting, the falconry, the sporting clays, the ultimate man cave, the awesome lake and the list goes on. Clients pay a premium for that experience and that's what we strive to give them. The icing on the cake is that we can almost guarantee that they will catch a bass that is over 4.5lb. I say almost because I had a day few years ago where I had two experienced fishermen in my boat and we didn't catch a thing. But most of my clients aren't fishermen. Most of them have never even held a fishing rod in their hand and that is why I guide there. They asked me to guide there not because I'm a great bass fisherman, but because I'm good with people and I love teaching them how to fish.
Do I consider myself a pro because I guide there. No! That's what they call me and what they pay me for, but I will never consider myself one. I enjoy learning every day and love to teach people what I have learned.
Fish Chris reply :
Private ponds, cheating ? Ha ! That's funny ! I'll tell you what, you can fish ANY private pond in the country, and I'll fish hammered on public waters. Keeps the populations down, and allows for a much bigger top end size..... Throw in a good supply of hatchery trout {which I've never heard of in a private pond} and its on !
Okay, so you can have a shot at a 15-18 lb'er (around these parts) in the public waters, OR if you have some really awesome connections, you might get to fish some private place that's loaded with 5 to 9 lb'ers that just eat everything you throw at them. Ton of fun right, the first few X's.... But they are not real trophys. {again, around these parts} Helps the trophy status if they are Northern strains I love my North Strain LMB
But the kind of fish that really get me going, are pretty much only found in public waters.
From a trophy fishing standpoint, I'd be cheating myself to fish private waters !
Fish
PS, I did see a reply or two that mentioned "not having anything to brag about if caught from private waters"...
Yea', huh....
I could see myself talking to a fishing buddy.... "So we went to that private place and stuck all those nice ones, that was a kick.... But dude ! What about this 15.6 I just caught from ***** Res. !!! Whooo Hooo ! Now I'm braggin' baby ! LOL
whitwolf reply :
In the end If someone thinks I shouldn't brag about catching a nice fish out of a pond, well that's their right I suppose. In turn I personally think some arbitrary opinion will never hinder my love of fishing(or any bragging I might do) and the many hours of enjoyment I have whether It's a small body of water or large lake.
SirSnookalot reply :
From an achievement standpoint a trophy fish is relative to the area that one fishes, not the overall size. A 10# fish caught in an area where high DD's can be caught is no more worthy than a 7# fish caught in area where 10# is almost unheard of.
I personally don't consider any tactic, live or artificial bait, and location to be cheating, especially if the goal is just to have a good time. Some frown on pond fishing not being worthy, yet some of the same people use every hi tech piece of equipment there is to increase their fishing production. I know a lot of the old timers grew up fishing like myself, from a rowboat sometimes, without the aid of a motor and no electronic equipment. As kid we fished Lake St. Clair in a rowboat with a 6hp Elgin engine, both the American and Canadian sides. A handful of lures, unsophistcated gear, 2 rods at most, little available literature to read, no internet forums for advice, we learned how to find and catch fish. I would be the last to turn my nose up at someone catching a great fish in a pond.
I still say this, you're as good as the body of water you are fishing on, all this hi tech gear don't hurt either.
Deadeye-1 reply :
I have fished both and have had good and bad days on both. Years ago I had access to many local Farm Ponds, not managed just private. I fished these about 3-4 nights a week on a rotating basis, so not to over presure any one of them. Had a blast. Got to be the first to fish a pond that had been built and stock with fingerlings by the owner 5-6 years before. Caught a nice one on every cast! Boy that was fun.
I will say that due to my success I thought I was a great Bass Fisher. Then I got my first boat and hit my first public lake. Figured I clean house, now that I could move about the water. Boy I got schooled quick. Whole different game fishing from a boat and in waters that get pressure. In time it has improved me as a fisherman and I enjoy success now.
But if I had the chance to fish private waters again, I would. It is a blast. What gets me though is the guys that fish from their back yards in private waters with live shiners then tell the world that they are as good as KVD.
KS-Dawg reply :
A lot of state records have come from private bodies of water. Does it take as much skill as finding, and catching pressured public fish? No, but it is a lot of fun, and no I don't think it's cheating.
jiggerpole reply :
nice_Bass,
Now that is funny. I like your equation example.
You know, when it comes down to it, all fish are easy to find. You just look in the water.
A true and funny story. The little boy wanted to catch a bass. So he ask his grandpa how to fish for them. Grandpa replied they live in the tree tops, The little boy had almost all his lures hanging in the tree outside his house and not a single bass. Grandpa didn't say which tree top?
Michael DiNardo reply :
This is interesting to read the different viewpoints and interpretations. I think some are taking offense that pond fishing is easy. I do not think that this was started about pond fishing v. lake fishing, but rather a private managed pond.
Mike
Rolltide09 reply :
On 4/29/2012 at 4:51 AM, Michael DiNardo said:This is interesting to read the different viewpoints and interpretations. I think some are taking offense that pond fishing is easy. I do not think that this was started about pond fishing v. lake fishing, but rather a private managed pond like was the subject of Flukemasters post.
Mike
Correct. These are not unfished farmed ponds and what not. These are professionally managed ponds/lakes where they do recieve fishing pressure pretty much daily by the paying members. Other than one pond, its actually not that simple to go out and slay big bass all day long. In fact other than my buddy and myself, a lot of the members struggle to catch 10 bass a day and rarely do they catch one over 5lbs. Our lake record is 15.5lbs and we have a healthy supply of bass 8lb+. Thats what keeps us paying our dues every year. I like to see the different viewpoints and opinions as well.
Hooligan reply :
I don't care who you are, where you fish. It boils down to this: big fish aren't rare because they're hard to catch, big fish are rare because they're rare. Having the best set of genetics, the best conditions, and the best water to grow in makes a big fish. So few of any species get all of those and live to tell. I've been fortunate enough in my career to fish all over the US, and have caught what amounts to big fish in all of the areas I travel to. I'm lucky. In most cases, I couldn't have caught those same sized fish on private waters. The densities are lower, and the chances are much less. I've fished some VERY large strip pits in CA and caught multiple fish over 12lbs, that's far and away the exception to the rule. Are those 12lb fish any less an accomplishment to me because they came from a private pit? Heck no, they're still a double digit bass! I don't care WHERE that fish comes from, it's just RARE to see it in the US!
The kicker? My PB came from a public lake that gets HUGE amounts of pressure; probably one of top five most pressured lakes in the US. I've caught multiple fish over ten from that body of water, too. They're no more an accomplishment to me than catching any big fish out of private water anywhere I've fished. The big one? Yeah, that's a big deal because of just how big she was, don't care if it is public or private, it would've been a monster of a fish any way you look at it.
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
On 4/28/2012 at 1:35 PM, Fish Chris said:Throw in a good supply of hatchery trout {which I've never heard of in a private pond} and its on !
There are actually people doing just that here in GA and several other southern states. Thing is I've yet to hear of any teener as a result, and its a deal delicate balance, but folks are trying.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=9631#Post9631
NGaHB
NCbassmaster4Life reply :
My intake is if you have access to such areas take advantage of the fun,when you want more of a challange go to your public lakes.
Lund Explorer reply :
Into the sixth page, I would have thought by now that the conversation would have turned to where Bill Dance hammers all of his fish.
Fish Chris reply :
They seem to be doing that in the wrong place. They need to try this in So Cal
Fish
On 4/29/2012 at 11:43 PM, North Ga Hillbilly said:There are actually people doing just that here in GA and several other southern states. Thing is I've yet to hear of any teener as a result, and its a deal delicate balance, but folks are trying.
http://forums.pondbo...r=9631#Post9631
NGaHB
buzzfrog reply :
i fish a few ponds, some are not really managed, they owners put em in there and they grow, these bass are pretty dang smart, the get all kinds of bait thrown at em. last summer i seriusly ticked alot of guys off. one guy was throwing live nightcrawler, the a guy T rigging a worm, then a few kids throwing plugs. i go in an plop my bait, bam 6 bass later they are all doing it and nothin.. so i belevie some skill of fishin goes into it. but i am not plastering these monsters like i pulled em out a lake, i wish i had a boat to get me off the shore and id have more chances pulling hogs.
Fishing Rhino reply :
Private or public, all ponds/lakes are not created equal. Some folks have access to great fishing waters, be they public or private. Some fishermen are confined to the shore. Others may use float tubes, or canoes, or kayaks, or jon boats, or full fledged bass boats with every electronic device known to man. Is it wrong for those with all the latest and greatest equipment to "brag" about their catches? Of course not.
If you have great ponds to fish that happen to be private, there is no need to feel "guilty" about your successes while fishing those waters. Fishermen usually look for every advantage they can find to enhance their fishing experience. If one of those advantages happens to be access to private ponds, so be it. Many who call it shooting fish in a barrel would jump at the chance to fish those waters. If you think not, how many fishermen do you know who choose to fish waters where they are least likely to have success?
crossthemeverytime reply :
A private lake is only private if there's a fence around it and the people yell at you to leave 
AK-Jax86 reply :
Regardless if a lake/pond is managed there is no way to "manage"/ guarantee a fish to bite.
If the fish is big enough I would mount it don't matter if I caught it in a huge river or a tiny pond... the common denominator is that I CAUGHT IT.
BASSHUNTER1961 reply :
Does the guy fishing from an all out bass boat with GPS, fish finders, trolling motor have the right to brag when they catch bigger fish than the guy in the canoe with just a paddle?
Fish Chris reply :
On 7/10/2012 at 7:22 PM, mabasshunter said:Does the guy fishing from an all out bass boat with GPS, fish finders, trolling motor have the right to brag when they catch bigger fish than the guy in the canoe with just a paddle?
Sure he does > But what if the guy in the canoe, catches the bigger fish ? I've seen it go that way so many X's, that I'm just not impressed with flashy boats and fancy tackle. Show me some BIG fish, and that's what impresses me
Peace,
Fish
PS, Just a couple days ago, I had a freind telling me about his private pond outing..... They "easily" caught 20 bass in the 4-5 lb range. Sounded fun. "Almost" made me want to go to Clear Lk. with a box of tiny live dads, and the micro-lights (for the same kind of catches).... But in the end, it would just be a bunch of nice 4-5 lb'ers, maybe an 8 or 9, with a little luck. Still nothing to take photos of, or brag about.
Private ponds are a lot of fun > but NOT the place for trophy sized fish.
PABASS reply :
Its a sport and while I can see both sides I have a simple solution, use lighter tackle to make it more sporting if you feel the need to calm down the naysayers. If you go with a light setup say 4# test you are only increasing the fish odds of getting away thus making it more of a "challenge". Personally I have a few ponds and while they are not managed I always catch fish and I always try new lures here, is this "cheating"?
I don't own a boat nor do I own electronics that basically tell me not just the location of the fish, what structure they are on, the water temp, depth GPS to find this location again and the ability to get an idea of what the fish are doing, now is that cheating? To me bank fishing is a challenging enough.
BassAssassin726 reply :
Tell your friends to eat it. Theyre just JEALOUS! If its a body of water and has fish in then fish that joint man!
Mattlures reply :
I fish in possably the most preasured lakes in the country. there is always sombody else close by. even on week days. Its over rated
I would love to have a nice private pond or lake I could go to, to do some fun fishing. I do agree with FC though. These public lakes do hold some monsters so I keep going back. Its up to you to decide if you want to mount the bass. I would get a replica though so I could catch that bass again when its bigger. Its is not the same accomplishment but most of us would love having those private places to fish without having to deal with a ton of other fisherman.
Amoore9900 reply :
I am lucky and live on a 100 acre private lake it does have far more big bass in it then any lake in this state. I still have to find them and hook then I love fishing it and also have a place on a large public lake and it isn't close...living on the lake is also a big advantage you know where to go I have a few spots that hold fish 9 out of 10 times.
SirSnookalot reply :
Nothing in fishing is cheating except breaking a tournament rule or a state regulation. If one's goal is just to enjoy themselves I don't quite understand how I would be cheating by catching a nice fish in a roadside ditch.
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
i like fishing anywhere i can i try new spots all the time but i dont have a boat. soo i shore fish i dont like fishin ponds where i can throw my line across to the other side, ha its got be aleast an acrea or two.. i live right next to the hudson river. we have had the bassmasters here before but its so hard to catch bass here its crazy!
Avalonjohn44 reply :
On 7/11/2012 at 12:48 PM, SirSnookalot said:Nothing in fishing is cheating except breaking a tournament rule or a state regulation. If one's goal is just to enjoy themselves I don't quite understand how I would be cheating by catching a nice fish in a roadside ditch.
^^^THIS. Seven pages and nothing as elegantly put. Could not agree more.
mikey5string reply :
I wouldn't enjoy fishing a "managed" fishing lake where the bass are bred, fed and located specifically to be caught. That's just me though I see how it would be a great experience to a person who doesn't fish much
. I see nothing wrong with fishing private lakes or ponds. If fishing unpressured waters is cheating why not leave the boat home and stand next to the row of worm tossers on the fishing dock on a Saturday afternoon? Bringing in a 5lber there would be impressive ! ; )
What about fish finders?
I have never heard of a managed bass lake in CT. If I can find a hole with 5 lb bass in it I will fish it and be pumped when I get one!
unionman reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 5:07 AM, Chris at Tech said:Sounds like a lot of the distinctions being made here are the difference between folks fishing for fun and the folks fishing to impress others. I fish for my enjoyment only, so other folks "assessments" of my skill mean diddly-squat to me
Exactly.
Highhawk1948 reply :
Great place to test lures and techniques.
bayouXpress reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 6:27 AM, shimmy said:Not much to brag about catching a big one out of a pond. However, give me a private pond and i will fish it everyday because it is sooooo much fun! Kind of like bobber and minnow fishing. The problem comes from those who brag about their fishing skills sticking big fish in private ponds.
this is how I feel. my biggest bass came from a 1 acre pond and i refuse to mount it or classify it as my personal best. i like the fact that you do know the fish are there so you take finding fish out of the equation and can work on your skills especially under used techniques or new baits.
xbacksideslider reply :
Isn't a "secret spot" where you always catch fish on a public lake similar to the easy catch of "private" waters?
And if you keep your spot "secret" then it's "private," right?
The best public waters anglers keep their methods secret; that's a form of private property too.
Should they be forced to share their methods?
There is a "tragedy of the commons" aspect to overpressured public waters, where fish stocks are depleted or overfished because the cost of entry is too low. You can pay more by buying the expertise and secrets of a private party guide, who sells/hires out his private property, his secrets, to harvest a "public" asset.
Like hiring a guide, private lakes are a more costly way to get a better fishing experience - more and bigger fish.
Felix77 reply :
On 7/15/2012 at 7:10 AM, Highhawk1948 said:Great place to test lures and techniques.
Fish them to your hearts content. As for bragging ... I always felt being modest was the best thing to do. Take a picture with it, show it if people ask what your biggest was but never forget to mention that it was in private ponds where you caught it. Don't boast about it per se.
I have a small pond which I use to test out techniques all the time. I have caught some nice ones from there. It's still a challenge landing them around trees and through the brush like I did for one lunker I caught.
Bassfishing375 reply :
If it is to easy to catch fish, you are not learn as much as someone that has to find the fish and deal everything that happens on a public lake. I would love fishing private ponds but somethings it is fun having a challenge.
bmlum415 reply :
Definitely not cheating but much easier, I had one evening in the fall that I caught 9 bass that were all well over 4 lbs a piece the largest being 7lbs, they were all caught within a 30 min window, all on a super spook, gotta love Florida strain bass in Cali, oh and I've caught monster bluegill at those ponds, usually they range from 1/2-11/2 lbs but my PB there is 3lbs
SirSnookalot reply :
What's cheating about having fun and catching fish? You fish the water you available to you. I fished Lake St. Clair for many years. had some really great days, it's anything but private and I wasn't the only one out there.
Quillback reply :
On 3/22/2013 at 12:22 PM, bmlum415 said:Definitely not cheating but much easier, I had one evening in the fall that I caught 9 bass that were all well over 4 lbs a piece the largest being 7lbs, they were all caught within a 30 min window, all on a super spook, gotta love Florida strain bass in Cali, oh and I've caught monster bluegill at those ponds, usually they range from 1/2-11/2 lbs but my PB there is 3lbs
Man, 3 lb. bluegill is truly a monster!
TNBassin' reply :
I don't think pond fishing is cheating, but catching a big one out of a pond vs.catching a big one out of a 30k+acre lake are 2 totally different things. I'd love to be able to have access to a stocked pond so I could test out different rigs/lures though.
PABASS reply :
I typically don't respond to posts that have been brought from the dead so to speak and I already posted too.. Like I said, I don’t own a boat I personally believe my PB was luck and I will never have that luck in this state again. Since I don’t own a boat when I catch a 3,4,5# bass from a very limited shore line, using bank oriented tackle I say this takes patients and skill. You get me on a boat and I figure out the electronics and have the time I will catch far bigger bass then I ever have. So no its not cheating if it’s all you have access to. I am downright envious of Gene and what he has access to and do not consider what he is doing as cheating and respect that Man and what he does then most in this business, Gene thank for the videos, the knowledge it truly has made me a better angler!!!!!!
down4ttown reply :
I would fish private ponds and lakes if I had some. It is much easier to catch big fish on less pressured waters. I think a big bass out of a lake or river is much more of an accomplishment, but I would fish wherever I could.
roadwarrior reply :
On 3/22/2013 at 5:36 AM, xbacksideslider said:Isn't a "secret spot" where you always catch fish on a public lake similar to the easy catch of "private" waters?
And if you keep your spot "secret" then it's "private," right?
The best public waters anglers keep their methods secret; that's a form of private property too.
Should they be forced to share their methods?
There is a "tragedy of the commons" aspect to overpressured public waters, where fish stocks are depleted or overfished because the cost of entry is too low. You can pay more by buying the expertise and secrets of a private party guide, who sells/hires out his private property, his secrets, to harvest a "public" asset.
Like hiring a guide, private lakes are a more costly way to get a better fishing experience - more and bigger fish.
"Back from the dead", that's clever!
Anyhow, I guess I don't really understand this quoted post. "Public" is never "private" although for a while you may
have some "secret spots". The public water around here has been producing both size and numbers, especially for
the last two years. We don't really compare with the big four states, but the Tennessee River excels in several special
categories.
Guntersville may have the largest concentration of 6-8 lb bass in the country. Pickwick and its tailwaters (technically
Kentucky Lake) have the potential of producing the next World Record Smallmouth. There is plenty of pressure from
locals, tournaments and tourists, but the lakes are currently producing the biggest fish and best fishing experiences
in the history of the river.
Diggy reply :
On 4/26/2012 at 6:06 AM, Rolltide09 said:What are yalls thoughts on managed private lakes and ponds when it comes to bass fishing? I have been fortunate to have access to multiple professsionally managed lakes and have a hard time going back to the public honey holes. Downsides are that friends dish out a lot of heat that its not fair fishing and is cheating. Would you mount a bass that you caught from a managed lake? What are yalls view on the subject matter?
Until they are allowed to fish there regularly, all of that yappin will cease...I know Id rather fish in a pond than a puddle. My friends lakes have bigger fish on average than the one I fish in....I like to fish where they live. I consider them lucky, minus the HOA/fishing police people.
xbacksideslider reply :
On 3/23/2013 at 1:39 AM, roadwarrior said:"Back from the dead", that's clever!
Anyhow, I guess I don't really understand this quoted post. "Public" is never "private" although for a while you may
have some "secret spots". The public water around here has been producing both size and numbers, especially for
the last two years. We don't really compare with the big four states, but the Tennessee River excels in several special
categories.
Guntersville may have the largest concentration of 6-8 lb bass in the country. Pickwick and its tailwaters (technically
Kentucky Lake) have the potential of producing the next World Record Smallmouth. There is plenty of pressure from
locals, tournaments and tourists, but the lakes are currently producing the biggest fish and best fishing experiences
in the history of the river.
To attempt to clarify, without getting "political," the distinction between public and private waters really isn't one of poor and rich, or open and closed, it's really a matter of knowledge and knowledge can be just as public or as private as any kind of property. Indeed, knowledge IS a form of property.
Good anglers are rich. They have much more knowledge about how and where and when to fish. They earn it, they create it, they can buy it, they can get it here at bassresource.com, they can get it from books, and they can even inherit it from parents or friends.
So, upon reading this thread, it seemed to me that this was the real point - knowledge - not whether private water fishing was a form of cheating.
I mean, knowledge is why we visit, and why we value, this forum, right?
jhoffman reply :
You people must all have a PHD in fishing with all your "Patients"
bmlum415 reply :
hell yeah it was, even better I caught him on 6 lb test and a ul rodOn 3/22/2013 at 7:50 PM, Quillback said:Man, 3 lb. bluegill is truly a monster!
Dead River reply :
I seriously doubt the IGFA won't recognize a record from private waters. Private waters aren't sanctuaries.
Here's one for you. I used to fish Ocmulgee Pfa a lot last year before it was drained by the state due to low water levels . This was a biologist managed female only trophy largemouth bass lake with a complex forage base. Was it like shooting fish in a barrell? absolutely not, the fish were stocked at a rate of 10 per acre as opposed to 100 per acre. Annually smaller supplemental stockings were added. So, the recipe was for maximum growth of fewer fish. The lake was low when I started fishing it, probably 75 acres or so, but in february of 2012 I caught 20 bass that weighed 170 lbs combined, five of them were over 10 lbs. The biggest being 12-4. Normally, at full pool the PFA was deemed a "two bite" lake. With the lower water the most I landed was 7, but usually 3-4 fish a trip. After feb the pattern changed. Additionally, I was fishing without sonar just covering water. So yes it was a pigpen but it was often difficult to get a bite. I guess it's like going to a casino that you know if it hits it will hit big... but you also run the risk of losing a lot of time and energy laboring at it. In short I am very proud of all those catches and commend the state for designing and managing such a wonderful public trophy bass fishery. A license and a wma stamp got you in.
Another point, what about public small water. I catch a lot of my good fish from public small water, non trophy lakes that is. Some on bed, some regular, some from the bank, some from the boat. Just because I didn't use videogames electronics to find those fish doesn't mean they don't count. As for ponds, unless you get on them during the spawn, big bass are notoriously tough to catch in ponds, esp if the water is clear as is the case with many un-managed waters. Private ponds usuallly fish easier both during the spawn and regular. The public ones, particularly those that are undermanaged represent some of the toughest bed fishing to be had. Seen two many giant sows that I couldn't even make a presentation to...
AND, if people are gonna crack on private water and managed fisheries then they ought to make sure the LM bass and the trout they're gorging themselves on are indigenous to the area... if not, then that's a hypocritical argument. LM bass have obviously flourished in cali and japan by virtue of uniquely fertile situations. Managed fisheries aren't like fishing in the bathtub, esp if they're designed for maximum size as the one I described above. It's not like these biologists are hand feeding dolphins at seaworld, it's about establishing a solid forage base, the right ph, the right algal bloom to maximize productivity and the appropriate population dynamics.
I've got 8 bass over ten pounds. Three from old farm ponds, five from a trophy pfa. I'm well aware that there are people on this forum that have caught hundreds of them. That observation nor the location of the catches invalidates or makes any of them any less special. A ten lber is still a ten lber.
J Francho reply :
IGFA International Angling Rules: http://www.igfa.org/images/uploads/files/IGFA%20International%20Angling%20Rules_English.pdf
A couple of relevant passages:
QuoteNo applications will be accepted for fish caught in hatchery waters or sanctuaries.
The catch must not be at variance with any laws or regulations governing the
species or the waters in which it was caught.
Quote1. The fish must represent a valid species with a recognized scientific name.
2. The fish must be a species commonly fished for with rod and reel in the
general area where the catch is made.
QuoteThe following acts will disqualify a catch:
1. Failure to comply with equipment or angling regulations.
JellyMan reply :
As they say, "It ain't trickin if you got it!" I have had the privilege of fishing a private pond once and I have a buddy who's girlfriends father owns a lot of land with a phosphate lake on it. I have not fished it yet but soon!
BassAddict1911 reply :
Wether your fishing in a 20,000 acre lake or a 2 acre pond, you still have to use brains to catch a fish...
Fish Chris reply :
I'm sure I replied to this thread sometime way back.... but since its been drug back from the dead, I just want to reiterate....
Private ponds are all fine and good, for good numbers, of good fish. But if a person is after a truly huge fish, they would almost certainly be better off, fishing waters that get hammered hard, all the time..... and which are stocked with trout. This means fewer bass, but with a larger top end, and a fantastic food supply. You just don't have this in private ponds.
I have fished a good number of private ponds in CA. I believe my biggest bass from those places was about 6 lbs..... while ALL of my big fish, have come from public waters that get constantly blasted by anglers....
Peace,
Fish
Northern Strain reply :
On 4/27/2012 at 12:22 AM, SirSnookalot said:In most cases you're as good as the body of water you are fishing on.
Couldn't have said it any better!
ColdSVT reply :
every so often I grab a sixpack and walk to a huge private pont not far from my parents house. tons of huge bass and pickerel in there. its nice to have a few beers and catch some fish just for fun snd fun alone
plsnning on teachin the daughter how to fish on that pond this summer
fish4five reply :
I fish a private gravel pit close to my area its not managed though. I don't find it to be easier fishing. It's still just as challenging if not more than some of the public lakes that I fish. Will admit average size is bigger, but that's about the only difference. Don't consider it cheating at all just get out and do what you love. Don't worry about the heat you catch from jealous friends.
HeavyDluxe reply :
Is fishing a stocked private pond cheating? No. Is it apt to represent the same challenge as consistently pulling 'big' fish out of a heavily pressured lake under adverse conditions? No, of course not. Would someone impress me as an angler with the the DD fish they winched out of a private, stocked pond? Dunno, but I'm likely to be more impressed with someone who does it from waters that pit them (after a fashion) with other anglers.
What makes this such a great sport/hobby is that there are so many different ways to have fun... Anyone giving you lip about fun-fishing a private pond is just jealous or so hyper-elitest/competitive that I probably don't want to be on the water with them.
pbrussell reply :
Is it cheatin?
If you use dynamite.
papajoe222 reply :
I've been a member of a private club for over thirty years and the catching is just as tough there as on the public lakes I frequent. The fish aren't stocked and they get a ton of pressure from the members and their guests throughout the season. They do stock trout and cats and they are fun to catch also, but I don't think it's sportsmanlike to brag about the numbers or size of those. I will, and have, over my PB bass of 7.3lb and my best outing of 34 bass taken from there though. It's kind of like going to a madam's house and bragging about the looker you got to nail vs. working at getting some there for free.
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