To Tell Or Not To Tell

[Cold]

The issue of detailed fishing reports, or "spot-burning" as I've heard it referred to on other sites, is a hotly contested issue in many online fishing communities. I dont feel that it was a major problem until the advent of the internet, whereby information can be conveyed by anyone, instantly, to hundreds, if not thousands, and possibly millions of readers. It's situations like this one here at FAOL, and especially popular, localized forums (say...for Potomac river anglers only) that a little discretion is in order.

It's one thing to say, "A buddy and I hit the North Fork of the Big Watery River below Metropolis this weekend. Ended up catching about 20 fish between us. We were throwing buggers and large streamers."

But its quite another to say, "I fished Muddy Trickle Creek yesterday and caught 20 trout in a little over an hour. I parked behind the old general store in Smalltown and walked down the path to the hole with the big sycamore tree beside it. I tried several flies, but they were only hitting on a size 14 light green caddis larva with a bit of flash in the tail, weighted with a single piece of shot 18" above. I'd cast up to the saucer shaped rock at the head of the pool and drift about 10 feet, then twitch the rod tip, and that's when they'd hit. Bite picked up just at dusk."

Obviously, the value of a fishing report deteriorates rapidly over time, and obviously, not even 1% of the regular posters will probably go flocking to that place, but throw in an indeterminate number of lurkers, and the power of Google, and a hole that held 10-20 fish on Thursday might well be fished out by Monday.

I have no problem helping people out in any way I can. I've even gone as far as putting them in a spot, getting them setup, and showing them where and how to cast...but if its specific info, I do it via PM or, preferably in person.

Granted, we'll all have differing views, but I think I'm doing an okay job of toeing the line between being good to my fellow sportsmen and to the resource.

[Kerry Stratton]

The best fishing report ever; "You should have been here yesterday! The fish were hitting everything we threw at them!"

[Colston Newton]

I'd be perfectly willing to tell all, but there aren't any fish in Virginia.

[Max]

You know the old sayings about "Loose Lips"?

[kayakfish]

Well I am a lady angler and have just gotten back to the fishing, but have been here a while back, had some bad luck with health.
As far as telling I not only will tell you but take you show you, and give you the right fly to catch it with. Fishing is a sport that more people ought to be able to share and if you dont share your knowledge then the new anglers cant learn they loose interest and then usually they dont care what happens to our waters. The more anglers you get turned on to the water the better off you and I are to get help keeping our waters clean and stocked.
Plus I love takiing young anglers out and introducing them to the sport.
I have a 3 year old Grandaughter that I showed how to cast a fly rod when she was 2 and she wants to come back and go fishing with Grandma, thats all she ever talks about. They live in Louisanne, and I live in VA, so it makes it hard to take her when ever i want to go, but I send her pics and they say she always says thats Grandma fishing, and I want to go.
If a 2 year old can get the love for fishing that fast and remember it for a year then I have done my job of introduction.

[Terry Lightle]

I will tell what flies I am catching em on ,but finding the fish is a lot of the game to me.

[DG]

It has been my experience that if I take someone to a secret spot, the next time I go there, they will be there with three of their buddies, and the time after that, there will be people everywhere. I only talk about well-known waters and places now.

[kglissmeyer]

Just wanted to interject a big Thank You here to all who have responded. It sounds like most of us think alike when it comes to disclosure. I know there really aren't any true "secret" spots, but there are some spots that others haven't heard of yet.
Anyway, keep 'em coming, this has been an interesting and enlightening thread and I hope to hear from more of you.

Kelly.

[Fishin' Jimmy]

For me I will use the words of the President(Richard Millhouse Nixon) "I do not recall".

Fishin' Jimmy

[pszy22]