Having Trouble With Troller Fishermen

[Old plug]

This season is the first time in all my years I have had trouble with trolling fishermen. For some reason there seems to be a couple trolling this flat across from me me that they have the right to troll and you are not suppose to come in to the the area they are tracking through and start casting. The other evening some fool told me to leave the area because they were trolling back and forth over a spot about 200 yards long. Then tonight i pulled into a spot and these people come by me not 10 ft from the boat glaring at me.

They went down aways and turned and were coming back up and i hooked and landed a 15 in white bass right in front of them. He looks over at me and glares like I stole his fish. Let me explain something.

Trolling is NOT the best way to catch white bass on shallow flats. You are running a motor through the fish schools and limiting the water you are fishing. With a small tail spinner on a light long spinning rod I can cast 50 ft and cover a area of 100 ft in Dia. I am covering more water and causing less disturbance. If they object to me catching more fish than they are to bad. I just got a better way.

[jpb2187]

Yeah, I hear you Plug... I fish a public pond that is maybe 5 acres, and there are always these guys sitting and catfishing in one of the corners with about 3 poles a piece and give you a dirty look or say something to you if you cast to close to "their corner". It's a public place, I'll respect your area a little bit, but you can't occupy an entire corner of a pond.

[Feathers and Fins]

It is a respect thing (angler to angler) if you knew they were trolling that run why go in on them?

I troll a lot and hate it with a passion when other anglers cut in front of my line when its clearly obvious what I am doing, I call it disrespectful. If I am making a long run and see other anglers I swing well wide of them as to not affect their day and wish they would give the same courtesy to me and others.

Question I have for clarification is did you know this was what they were doing as your post seems to say you did? The lake is huge and no reason to interferer with them if you knew they were targeting a specific small area as it seems you did.

How would you like it if you were fishing the back of a cove and a guy came in and started casting all over you. It is the exact same thing no matter the style or type of fishing you are doing, if you know someone is fishing an area and pull in on it and start interfering with them its simply disrespectful.

[Ham]

So how long does a boat that is trolling an area get to have dibs on that section of the lake?

[Feathers and Fins]

So how long does a boat that is trolling an area get to have dibs on that section of the lake?

How long does a guy working a cove or timber or point get that section?

Answer is; If you know that is what they are doing they should be afforded it so long as they are there. With most our lakes being in the tens of thousands of acres there is no reason to screw-up someones day. Now accidents happen but intentional is rude and something most people on this site have complained about before, when it comes to others doing it to them. If you complain about it why would you do it to others?

[WHARFRAT]

I do troll, especially when the ol back gets tired. My wife loves to troll, but I wouldn't think twice about getting pissed at someone who was casting near the area I was working. I just go around them or go somewhere else. Nor do I get pissed if someone comes in the back of a cove where I'm casting and casts near me. Its a big lake and there's lots of fish in there, chances are they aren't affecting my presentation, plus, it gives me someone to chat with for a couple of minutes and see how their luck is and what they are doing.

But it is pretty cool when you catch a nice one in front of someone! lol

[Old plug]

I never had trouble before. I can cast in a different direction. To avoid a line tangle. The flat is not hat wide but it is long. Nether of them were were near the area i came into when I did. It does not bother me he can troll right by me. I can visualize his lines and where they are. But telling me to leave. Forget it. I think it just pisses them off to see someone pulling fish out around them. Like i said before trolling a shallow flat about 8 ft deep IS NOT a productive way to catch white bass. If you want a real productive way to catch white bass trolling i would suggest you buy a big black jitterbug. Tie about 2 ft of line to it and put a jug or two in there and troll dead channel over schools. But in 8 ft of water they do not care for a gas engine exhaust popping and vibrating in their faces. It will usually drive them out of the area.

[fishinwrench]

I'll give them ONE pass, then I'm going in BEHIND them. THAT'S as courteous and ethical as a caster needs to be to a troller AFAIC.

[blue79]

If someone comes within 10 feet of my boat im putting on my biggest weight and treble hook and im gonna try to catch a seat or some carpet.I do alot of trolling and i stay out of everyones way.If someone cuts in front of me ill just go way around them and let them fish.But 10 feet thats way to close.If someone came that close to me and then glared at me im gonna give em about 20 minutes and then come cruising up within 10 feet of them and stop and then pee off the side of the boat.Or get in front of them and troll an empty tacklebox behind my boat.

[John Andrews]

I've had my run-ins with trollers. Another reason I hate fellows lake. I kayak the James a lot from 65 up and towards the lake. If I am working the banks and come up on some one fishing, I cross the river to the other side and then back once I cleared them by what I assume is beyond twice their casting distance. People these days are just rude and it's getting worse everyday.