Share your spots or not?

?Question?  What is your position on sharing your fishing spot on social media sites?  I will share my spot pretty much because i know my spots are not secrets. This is my thought and in all the years i have been online i have not seen many place posted about and then rushed and fished out.  Its 2018 there are not many secret fishing spots left.  That is my 2 cents what is your position on this topic.

I always share the spot I launched from and the area I fished. That said, there is always a spot within the spot (honey hole?) that I will likely not share. For instance when I fished with my grandson for trout a while back I named the boat launch, but not which dock. But what I had discovered on recon is that there was a 10 foot circle about 15 yards to the west of the dock x distance out where the vast majority of the trout seemed to be holding. Four casts into that area and I would find a trout. So I took my grandson out there about 3 hours later and occasionally tossed into that honey hole and got him his first trout.

The next day this was not the case.

dupe

I've been an underwater photographer for years and years.  I've been fortunate enough to see my photos on sites, in publications, on buildings and in books around the world.  The question I get asked most is:  What gear did you use to get that shot.  

Its a ridiculous question, and the result of a culture that thinks if it just has the right 'gear', they can do what I do.  If we play the right guitar, we'll be like Slash.  If we wear the right shoes, we can be like Mike.....  I freely share my gear, my camera settings, and even my post production techniques - because 99.99999% of the people asking are not motivated enough to try to do what I do (get up early, haul the gear, tirelessly working for the shot...) or not talented enough to see the shot, compose the shot and capture the shot.

The same goes with fishing.  People will see me catch fish, and ask the same question:  What are you using... (or where did you catch those... same question really - they're looking for a shortcut)  So I tell them.  I give them my jigs, I tell them where I was, I even show them how to use the gear...

Most of them never catch a fish, let alone dozens of fish that I'll bring in from a place.  They don't have the time, the patience, the reflexes or the sheer will to work at it.    The stuff I do takes work, skill, experience.  

There are no secret fishing spots anymore.  I have never once fished a place I can drive up to and not seen another fisherman.  Not once.  Every bay, marina, harbor, stream, river, reservoir, estuary, lake and lagoon you can drive to and walk up to, someone is already fishing there.

I clicked on "it really doesn't matter' on the survey, because it doesn't.  Most people will never get out of bed early on a weekend to go fish no matter what I say.  And even fewer will fish the places I fish.  And an immeasurably small number will ever be able to do what I do with a rod and reel (what many of us enthusiasts, the ones who fish every week) can do.   Almost none of our spots are in danger of being fished out - especially the bays and marinas.  Its a stupid, selfish, self-important myth that keeping public drive up and walk up spots to yourself will keep the fishing good.  

I would much rather share and see others enjoying the places I've learned to enjoy. They'll bring their kids.  They'll bring a buddy going through a rough patch.  They may just bring themselves to re-center and relax.   How is my blocking any of this goodness by being a selfish prick a good thing?

I share my knowledge freely.  Because in the end, it really doesn't matter - they'll never show up.  And if they do, they won't catch like I catch... and if by some miracle they get good, get motivated and start to catch and have fun, even better.

Its the old paradigm that tries to be hoarders to these places.

From a tube, doesn't really matter. I have mixed feelings about shore fishing. As stated before, there is no such thing as a "secret" spot, it's just a question of when someone will talk about it. However, I have been involved in fisheries where a sudden influx of unfamiliar faces caused a lot of issues (trash, noise and poaching leading to eventual limited access to the area). If someone relies on their one "spot" I understand why they are so protective of it. But in this day and age, you'll be better off with multiple spots so you can rotate them whenever things don't work out your way. Quite honestly, in this day and age, looking for spots is pretty easy because you can use google earth to identify areas (and their access points) before even leaving the house.
Last but not least, we are a disappearing group. Less and less people are getting into fishing/hunting and other conservationist hobbies. If we don't spill the beans sometimes, how else will others get into it?

Kin that is an interesting point of view share to keep people interested in fishing.

Thanks Guys you are all Spot on THANKS

I don't mind sharing the spots I fish. All the spots I fish everyone on here has fished them already. I respect anyones decision to not share, but for me personally I dont have any "secret" spots.

Thanks for the input my philosophy here has always been report what you feel like reporting.  If you choose to report you launch spot and fishing spot its your call.  If you choose not to then that is ok as well.  Its your call thanks for sharing.

The flip side of the coin ...

Half of the fun and the personal gratification for me is to spend the time searching out and locating new areas (to me) on my own, fishing it differently each time, working and learning these areas under all of the seasonal and tidal conditions, learning to appreciate these areas for what they have to offer and to then share these areas along with my self-gained knowledge of the areas with my friends and FTFF members. Then everyone truly gets blessed.

But on the other hand ... I personally don't want anyone to put an "X marks the spot" in a posting for me, telling me where to fish ... I'm a much better fisherman than that ... and so are many many others here on FTFF.

I hope that this didn't offend any anglers out there.
Just my 2-cents

SP Dan     <"))><

Thanks everyone for your input.  I think we all agree that it is better to share info to help others out for the most part.  All of us will hold some secrets we are human is natural.  But it helps no one if we don't share right.  Why else would be invite others to fish.  Of course if we are granted some intel from othes that the share in confidence with us then there is some respect involved.  Don't get me wrong i still am of the position there are really no spots that havr not been fished by others before or after us and because of this sharing is not all that bad.  

If i have a sick spot that produces like crazy i would much rather share then fish it alone.  And most of us just want to help improve a trip on the water.  2018 secret fishing spot if you really have one don't share it because you have a very rare thing.  But that is i feel just not the case now a day.  Post what you want or don't want no one is going to expect more details if you don't want to share and others will take your info and make there own calls when they decide to head out.  Thanks again guys tight lines.

Let me put It this way as a freshwater angler myself there are several spots well known on my home lake that people just don't know how to fish correctly . That is to say they do not have the knowledge of proper positioning , bait presentation , certain times the fish move on to these said areas (especially the big ones) there are so many factors in fishing and for the novice angler that fishes 5 times a year would I share secrets ? more then likely not , But there is a time and place to share some information as information giving and shared is valuable to both parties putting in the time on the water . Adapt and change with the fish .

Remember most people get hung up on if i share or show an area in my picture a lot of people on social media will come and harvest a ton of fish , but take into account the successful spawn rates of targeted fish and it becomes almost impossible for enough fish to be taken from a body of water as most are over crowded and under nourished . so taking the smaller legal fish is Great in protecting and helping to sustain and grow the larger fish already present being out competed 100-1 .

So yes I will share and support Simpler methods for targeting fish for the novice angler to get there feet wet and help introduce them into the outdoors if they are willing , this day and age sadly most are not .

Wes

Thanks Wes well said, that is very well put.