What makes a spot yours?

[Kelly Ripa]

I'm guilty of work'n like a fool as of late but I've been reading some things in posts when I can catch up with my Western Bass addiction that I don't understand. What makes a spot yours? Most lakes (excluding the desert lakes ) in SoCal have fewer "spots" than tournament anglers on most any given weekend. I watched a boat haul over to grindstone (Casitas) this morning and by some of the thinking I've been reading here that spot is someone's or someone saw someone catch a fish there once so ....Now it's "HIS" spot? I don't get this at all. Is it me? I don't consider any portion of the lake not fair game to each and all of us from sun up until they throw me off the lake . I KNOW that a thing as simple as a launch number can be a deciding factor on an anglers first stop choice given the size and available structure/cover, or seasonal pattern. How is it that "spots" have become an issue as of late? I guess I'm guilty of not paying much attention to other anglers when I fish because I'm fishing and I take my cues from the fish (not the bent pole pattern ). Have I been cut off/run over/followed/copied...Is the sky blue? Is it a bad thing? I can remember a tournament at Cachuma that I was doing very well in. I fished one location all day as other boats came and went. As the day wore on my trolling motor had less juice but my partner for the day and I stuck it out. The last hour of the day I stuck our best fish with several boats all in the same proximity and in the course of fighting and landing the fish the wind moved us 100 feet from the spot allowing another boat the time to retie and position themselves on the "spot" and pull in a clone to the fish I'd just landed. Did we win...no....did we whine....no! We came in and weighed in our fish and I got new batteries. The spot/the fish/the lure/the pattern belonged to no one but the person who put it in the livewell IMHO. Actually I try to never be a spot person if I can but we all know that certain conditions and areas are conducive to better fishing and fish and given the size of these lakes it would seem next to impossible to claim it " Kelly's Korner " and get worked up over another anglers prescence. Help me here guys....What am I missing here? Have I been fishing your spots all this time I'd have sworn I was fish'n in my boat not yours.

Rip

[drew]

I always thought it was first come first serve. When a boat leaves a spot to go fish another location, the spot is open. I don't believe anyone owns a spot. If someone is where I want to fish I just stay 50 yards or so away and wait for them to move on. If the fishing is meager where I end up and the other boat is there to stay, I will move to my second favorite spot.

[DeltaBound]

Maybe the Pro circuits that typically fish 4 Day events honor a spot. If you notice someone fishing an area on day 1 you should probably not fish that area. These are mostly on big impoundments where there are a mulititude of good spots. I would say anyone fishing 1 Day team events on our small lakes, including DVL, Casitas, Castaic and others and thinking that they own spots on these small lakes must be out of their minds. These lakes are too small and too crowded to own spots. IMHO.

[big_gorilla]

Wow Delta I must say I agree with you. haha

I think if your fishing multi day events then may be you should honor some spots but if you found fish there during prefish then it will be hard to leave alone.

I agree with the 1 day team tournaments you fish where you want and NO one owns a spot. If some one is on a spot I want to fish then I will come back later and see if its open.

If he gets there before me cuz of a good draw then I have to give him room.

So how would this play out at a 100 percent cuz they don't have an incrouchment rule?

[Kelly Ripa]

From what I've seen of encroachment it has never meant anything unless someone asks for someone to give them a break albeit just a small one as they are work'n a fish or don't need the company scaring the fish yada, yada. In this day and age we can all huck a bait into another guys boat if we are so inclined even if they were out 25 yards so it's pointless. My take on encroachment: Don't have a rule you aren't going to enforce! ....Anyone know of a dq from encroachment? I'd hate to be the TD when the he said she said encroachment issue gets brought to the table

Rip

[Ray L.]

If my name is on it then it is my spot. SO with that said Every good spot at Castaic is MINE...... ALL MINE

[smittyfish]

I was first out at Pyramid in a tournament. I headed straight to the rockpile. Everyone knows about the rockpile. I set up and got one quick fish. Then I spent the next hour trying to keep my spot. I think everyone would agree that the rockpile is a one boat area. But this other boat wanted to share it with me. I felt like I was on an America's cup boat tacking to save my position.

Whenever I pull up on the rockpile I forgo fishing there if I see another boat. I guess that is why I was so pissed at the other boat that was trying to encroach.

I did finally end up protecting our spot. We also caught a decent limit off of it. But I think that could have happened a lot quicker had we not been harrassed. I very well could have filed a protest. But I wanted to avoid the drama that would have followed.

I figure the bad Karma thing will even it all out.

[mark poulson]

Smitty,
Victor (Hang'emhigh) and I have a whole wall at Pyramid that's ours, "Cork Soaker Wall", where we "encroached" on another boat that was 500 yds away.
Victor politely inquired as to the ownership of that particular arm, and we both discovered that the whole lake was actually the private property of this jerk who didn't want us fishing anywhere on it, and christened us "cork soakers".
Maybe it's a Pyramid thing, who knows?

[Dynastyworms]

If Your name is Kyle then you own your spot! look what I found in the dictionary

Webster’s Dictionary~

Kyle Grover

[dia-mond val-lee la-ake] King / Champion of southern California,
masculine;
Greek for: One who owns / beats everyone at
Diamond Valley Lake


If your that good then yes you can have spots.

Z

[propgun]

OK I'm fairly new at this front of the boat thing. When people have told me to not fish here or there because it's so an so 's spot I do the drive by looking for the floating sign SO an SO's spot Keep off. These local lakes fish small as it is. Now if I'm going to upset someone because I fishing a spot that I have found to hold fish then let me make my public apology now. I didn't see your sign. I agree with the multi day tournament thing but the one day events on our local lakes so sorry first come first serve. The other thing 25 yard rule ok who can't throw their baits that far but be sportsman about it. If you want in ask. Karma is a big factor in my book.
Just my 2 cents

[one fish wonder]

I looked up Brian Linehan and found that same definition. Something is wrong here!

TK

[Ray L.]

I will never forget fishing at a W.O.N. at Havasu when Aaron used to still fish them. I was in a backwater and he was in the next one over. We are 2 backwaters in from the entrance. Well in comes Carol to fish the entrance. Aaron yells to his mom GET OFF MY WATER. I yelled back to him do you own all of this and of course he said very enfadically YES I F@#%^&G DO. I lost it laughing and to my amazement Carol left. I will never forget that one as long as I live. Later that day I saw Aaron go to his mom and apoligize for his language and hug her in front of a bunch of us. It was all good and all in fun back then. I guess in all things that things change and not always for the better.

[Rick G]

Actually, when the water goes back down about 35' more at DVL, all MY spots will be fishable again. Stay Off. lol This topic is way to hot for me. Rick G.

[Ray L.]

And it will go down. We need the water this year.

[Guy Williams]

Here is my take on this. If I know a team or Pro is winning or doing well in a spot I will not fish that spot. I like to call this respect. If by chance I find a spot on my own and later find out it's where someone is doing well, would I still fish that spot? Most likley no. I would talk to that person or persons and discuss what I know, if that person or persons have a problem with me fishing that spot I would not fish it.
This weekend Pete and I had a game plan that I found midmorning durring Top Stick the prior weekend. I just happened on the spot, caught a couple of nice bass on a certain bait and only had a few of them and could not get anymore to hit anything else. We left the spot and came back later, Kyle was near some tree's 50 yards to the side of the spot and I again tried but still nothing. We talked when he got closer and said "100 bucks per fish if I can get them". He left and then I left. I could not prefish on the saturday before the WON tourney and told Pete to check it out. Well, Pete don't wake up early on any givin' day so by the time he roll's into the lake it's midmorning and he drives straight to the spot and likes what he see's and bails. Two boats near the spot but not on the spot. We start on the spot only to be approached by a team that has doing very well in the last 3 or 4 tourneys. We talk and everything is cool.
BTW, I talked to the angler durring Top Stick and only had 1 bass at that time(9am). Then left that spot and found the spot in question, no boats near the area at that time. Done, over and see you at the next one! I did hear he was fishing at another spot and never even looked in to that spot, then find out after talking to him that he was not using that spot.
I'm not one to go around and see where everyone is(the first time to DVL I did drive around the lake to see where people like to fish but didn't look for any one person). I like to stay away from the crowd and get some nonpresurred fish by myself when I can. I could say that if I knew that the angler that has been winning or finishing well was fishing that spot for sure I would have at least talked to him before the tourney. But that did not happen so we fished it.
The few that question what happened can bite me, see you at the next one if you want to talk about it face to face!
Guy Williams

[Pete Marino]

You and I are gonna have to square off next time I see you for this very disrespectful, very hurtful statement you made...

"Well, Pete don't wake up early on any givin' day so by the time he roll's into the lake it's midmorning"

I'll have you know that I wake up and get out of bed bright and early EVERYDAY during the week at 8:30 - 8:45am. Maybe 9am if I'm feeling lazy. Don't try to act like I get up late or something.

Yes I got to the lake on Saturday morning for prefish "mid Morning" as you put it but that was only because I had a pregnant girl with me who didnt want to wake up REALLY EARLY like I did at 8am. Jeezzzzz give me a break.
The weekends are for sleeping in, not for getting up in the wee hours of the morning like that.
And also I'll have you know that on Monday morning following the tournament I forced myself out of bed extra early (8:15am) because I was still on the adrenaline high from winning the day before.

Pete

[Hollywood]

Mark,

Did Victor show you this wall at Pyramid? If so I own it and he is just renting it from me! Speaking of rent, Vic, where are my royalties bud?

Kevin

Smitty,
Victor (Hang'emhigh) and I have a whole wall at Pyramid that's ours, "Cork Soaker Wall", where we "encroached" on another boat that was 500 yds away.
Victor politely inquired as to the ownership of that particular arm, and we both discovered that the whole lake was actually the private property of this jerk who didn't want us fishing anywhere on it, and christened us "cork soakers".
Maybe it's a Pyramid thing, who knows?

[DeltaBound]

Why don't you guys give us all your way points and we'll stay off your spots

[mark poulson]

Kevin,
Come to think of it, it was his idea to fish that wall, so I guess he does owe you royalties.
I have to admit I didn't see any signs posted concerning ownership, but the rocks there were covered in bird droppings.
Maybe we should call it the chickensh*t wall, after the swimbait master who claimed ownership that day.

[engineeringBASS]

Rick G............enjoy your spots because now everyone will be jumping on them as soon as they see you on one. If you want to hide them.......don't fish them till t-day

As for the way i look at it.....i agree the lake is a public place. If you are on a spot you got 25 yards of it as long as you can stay on it.

Maybe you should put on a wig and glasses to hide.....lol

[Schneider Fishing]

I figure you get 25+ yards on a spot and if you get blown off because you have to re-tie or you're working a fish you get the spot back.

If I'm not fishing a tournament and you want to share a spot with me I'll probably let you in if you ask.

If it's a two day tournament and you have a shot at winning on the spot you fished from the previous day, you should be given that opportunity.

Otherwise the next week is a new draw. First come, first serve. Good luck to everyone.

[drew]

I agree. Well said.

[Ray L.]

I will explain this again... there are 2 ways to know if it is my spot. 1 If my name is on it. and 2 if I say it is my spot.
Heck just ask Art Berry. A few years back at Lake Pleasant his name was on the spot. This is no lie somewhere on the internet is a pic of the sign. It happened in an Everstart before they became the Stren series.

[Schneider Fishing]

I'm going to go make a buch of signs then.


Ray,
Your spot at DVL..... well let's just say you can keep it.

[Hollywood]

Mark,

Look at the near top of the wall, there is a sign, it reads H-Wood's water! HA HA...Damit Vic, showin people them places to catch nice smallies huh.......

Kevin,
Come to think of it, it was his idea to fish that wall, so I guess he does owe you royalties.
I have to admit I didn't see any signs posted concerning ownership, but the rocks there were covered in bird droppings.
Maybe we should call it the chickensh*t wall, after the swimbait master who claimed ownership that day.

[Ray L.]

Give it up Kevin.
Oh and Robert you can have the entire lake as far as I am concerned. I am still not a huge fan of the place.

[Hollywood]

Just look at the top of all rock faces and if you see a tattered sign that says H-Wood's place, then you found the honey hole! Or you can follow Victor, im sure it's his go to starting spot! Bass Tard.

[Lance]

I just follow Rea L around the lake and when he leaves, I move in. When I use binoculars, I catch him yelling at air, at passing birds, water skiers, rental boats etc. When he's in this mode I try to stay away, especially when I notice he's touching and rubbing himself.

[Ray L.]

Up your Lance E Poo

[tunaman]

Here's Hollywood's spot:



Obviously, it's a bit out of water right now, but it IS clearly marked!

[Hollywood]

Nice one Tuna, it's not that elaborate but after that fire catches up to it, it will burn out the OLLY and youll just see H-Wood!

Here's Hollywood's spot:



Obviously, it's a bit out of water right now, but it IS clearly marked!

[Schneider Fishing]

Hear that. Ray says I get DVL as my spot. Cool. rest of you guys need to stay off my water per Ray.

[EP]

Hey Robert! Thats how I pre-fish DVL, I look for you (with my binnoculars of course) on a spot and elliminate that water from my fishing plan all together.
If I think I can catch fish on a spot, I am going to fish it and I don't care who thinks its theres whether I have seen you on it or not.

[Schneider Fishing]

That's exactly whatv i do