Why Are Some Members Deathly Afraid To Say Where They Fish?

[flytyer57]

I don't really eat watermelons that much. They kind of make my throat itch like some other fruits do...bananers and apples do it, too. And I don't grow any in my garden.

Anyway, the point was that seedless watermelons were a creation of man and they don't hurt anything. Regular watermelons will continue to produce seeds, so if we run out of seedless ones, no big deal...we still have the same ol' seedy ones people have been eating for millenia.

I do agree, however, that man is the scourge of the planet and we are our own worst enemy and will ultimately wipe ourselves clean off the earth with all our "technological advancements." I just felt like being difficult. I'm sure I could come up with a few other examples that are slightly less carcinogenic than Joe's.

If a watermellon fell off a truck on top of you, would it hurt?

[joeD]

Fuckin' Ryan Franklin.

[id10t]

If a watermellon fell off a truck on top of you, would it hurt?

Depends on the factors involved. If the truck is moving over 60 MPH you could be in real trouble. Add to the the rotation of the earth and Gravity and, Well its just not a pretty picture. If its a seedless the effects are not nearly as harsh those seed can be sharp. They have also been known to put an eye out. That s why you have to have insurance to enter seed spitting contest. One thing is for sure it will be a Sticky Mess.

[joeD]

Razorback football? Last time I heard about Arkansas football, Steve Little was busy getting drunk then paralyzed after being drafted by the Big Red.

[Flyflinger]

Don't be naive. That's simply not true.

Finding quality stretches of water takes work and it is part of the joy of the angling experience, at least for me. I, for one, will not be blathering about my hotspots on a public forum, but I gladly share my knowledge with friends and other trustworthy people that want to trade info. I don't have a problem mentioning a bigger river, but I won't be naming any small streams or creeks. I'll make vague hints to which streams I fish, and I'll post pics of my trips, and if someone recognizes it, then it's no secret to them anyway...and if you don't recognize it, I urge you to go out and find it and have a great time exploring in the process.

I couldn't agree with you more. I have just moved to Sullivan, I know that I am close to some great water around here and have just began exploring looking for good spots. It takes weeks and weeks of driving, pouring over maps, google earth, getting land owner permission ect...to even find a great secluded place that produces quality sized fish.

Take the Maremec for instance...a great habitat for smallmouth to thrive in. I fish the section above highway 8 quite often...but this area gets alot of pressure. Now I have caught a few pigs out of this stretch, but the vast majority are dinks and gogle eye! WHY....its not because the habit isn't good, or river otters, or herons or my skill level...its because there are so many people that fish this are all year long. I would venture to say that 70% of the "fishermen" that float down that stream in the summer would keep every single smallmouth over 14". Think about it...most proably float it in the summer to party (thousands of them)...if 1 in ten bring a fishing pole and of that ten 1 gets lucky a grabs a pig smallmouth...ect...ect....and the dinks keep on coming.

The biggest threat to good fishing is fishing pressure. Period!

That is why I share information with people I know...now we don't have to be best friends..but I would have to fish with you a couple of times to see if you are a person that won't keep fish. I just don't see the point...if you want to eat fish... Schnucks has a whole area dedicated for it.

[flytyer57]

The biggest threat to good fishing is fishing pressure. Period!

The biggest threat to good fishing is not fishing pressure. It is the environmental factor and those who want to take away our right to fish and hunt.

Take a few pigs out of the gene pool and those dinks will eventually grow into pigs. They all carry the same genes. Take a few dinks out of the gene pool and those other small dinks will grow into pigs.

As for fishing pressure, I've caught my largest smallie while wading a river and it was being pounded by bank anglers all day. In fact, I had to wade to the other side of the river to avoid being pounded by the heavy metal they were all tossing. You just have to know where to be at what time. It is skill that the best anglers have for catching the big ones and every now and then, some just get lucky.

[Smalliebigs]

I couldn't agree with you more. I have just moved to Sullivan, I know that I am close to some great water around here and have just began exploring looking for good spots. It takes weeks and weeks of driving, pouring over maps, google earth, getting land owner permission ect...to even find a great secluded place that produces quality sized fish.

Take the Maremec for instance...a great habitat for smallmouth to thrive in. I fish the section above highway 8 quite often...but this area gets alot of pressure. Now I have caught a few pigs out of this stretch, but the vast majority are dinks and gogle eye! WHY....its not because the habit isn't good, or river otters, or herons or my skill level...its because there are so many people that fish this are all year long. I would venture to say that 70% of the "fishermen" that float down that stream in the summer would keep every single smallmouth over 14". Think about it...most proably float it in the summer to party (thousands of them)...if 1 in ten bring a fishing pole and of that ten 1 gets lucky a grabs a pig smallmouth...ect...ect....and the dinks keep on coming.

The biggest threat to good fishing is fishing pressure. Period!

That is why I share information with people I know...now we don't have to be best friends..but I would have to fish with you a couple of times to see if you are a person that won't keep fish. I just don't see the point...if you want to eat fish... Schnucks has a whole area dedicated for it.

The reason above HWY 8 sucks now is because way too many people are hitting it all the time. I use to catch many 18 and over every year up there, it's not like it use to be at all but what river is??? I know where Al went and caught 683 smallies over 17 inches, I can tell by the gravel that he mistakenly allowed us to see by his paddle

Hey I have tried to take OAF guys on the river to no avail and expose my supposed secret spots.The only one on here who will go with me is MOsmallies and he has reaped the rewards.I have no problems showing people where I go but, you have to go with ME.Not many guys on here are willing to go where I go and do what you have to to get way out into the dung. Go on a 12 mile float and have to drag your canoe three miles of the twelve.I will give props to Fishingcricket he is like me willing to hit the river with ya and have good time and not be so pretentious about it.I don't need the Smallmouth Alliance to show me how to catch smallies or Chuck Tyron to show me where to go.

[gotmuddy]

It is skill that the best anglers have for catching the big ones and every now and then, some just get lucky.

I really think its just my hat.

We should float crooked creek monday.....err, I mean straight creek. Even though the fishing pressure is astronomical because it is one of the top 5 ranked smallie streams in the USA I think we might catch a fish or 40 like last time.

[Trav]

Greedy selfishness.

I don't mind sharing the same water...just don't snuggle up to me when I am trying to fish. I don't like to share personal space. It doesn't make a person selfish to want some peace and quiet while on the water.

I prefer to be called antisocial...haha

[Outside Bend]

Personally, I just don't feel I owe it to anyone to divulge where I'm fishing. No biggie, and nothing mean-spirited is meant by it. Just a different personal philosophy.