Was in a good mood and gave some advice for fishing a small lake - bad idea?

The waters I fish aren't very large and most need sonar to find structure. I did well a few days ago and noticed three young angler that had beached their kayaks. I asked the young ladies how they did and was told 'not a bite'. (The male partner was getting the SUV to load up.) He had given them T-rigged Senko-type sticks, new rod/reel combos and were left on their own to catch fish. Their partner (boy friend?)) that was at the other end of the lake while all three were fishing, obviously wasn't into pan fish and didn't advise them what to use or how to use it. (At another lake, one of the girls did catch a bass on a Senko stick.)

I had done well catching crappie, sunfish, perch and bass and figured they might appreciate some advice along with a few rigged soft plastics. But just because you tell someone what to use and how to use it, exactly where to fish is key and no way I was sharing that info.

Should I regret having given the little information I did, thinking afterwards it might have been a big mistake? Good information sometimes gets shared and that's the worst thing that can happen on small public access lakes where competition can grow.

If I'm in that situation I would have given them the bait the technique and shown them on Google earth exactly where to catch them. I would have even given them my fish if they wanted them.

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Originally Posted by catchNgrease

If I'm in that situation I would have given them the bait the technique and shown them on Google earth exactly where to catch them. I would have even given them my fish if they wanted them.

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Me too, helping someone feels good.

Much like a school teacher you gave them the tools and knowledge needed to figure out the answer to a problem. You did not provide the actual answer. That makes you a teacher and mentor. Feel great about the wisdom you provided to them. They will remember your generosity.

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Never hurts to help.

We need more acts of good will in today's world

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Originally Posted by "G"

We need more acts of good will in today's world

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Very true

pass on the knowledge , become hated by the locals , move on to ruin the next lake is my motto ....:Rofl
small lakes can get overfished for sure , but it isn't likely folks are going to go wear out a panfish lake unless they are monster panfish .
if the lake held "trophy" size panfish I might be tight lipped , it's like the legend of sleepy hollow in new york .....
that lake will get pounded senseless in the near future , this is a fact .

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Originally Posted by catchNgrease

If I'm in that situation I would have given them the bait the technique and shown them on Google earth exactly where to catch them. I would have even given them my fish if they wanted them.

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LOL !

...I guess the outfits they wore was a bit of an incentive....I must be getting old. Wait a minute, I AM old.

But reflecting back, I doubt the male partner will ever switch from heavy bass tackle to lighter tackle or even try some of the lures I gave them. In my experience showing someone the way doesn't mean they'll take it. Since he won't continue the lesson I started, though being more experienced than either of them, I guess the secrets of the lake are safe besides which the lake is C&R only.

When they catch fish using the info you gave them they will remember you with happiness.

Passing on some info is no harm as far as I’m concerned. I don’t give away spots on my creek, and many of them are not obvious at all. I have on occasion helped a young mom or dad that didn’t have a clue with advise on a productive spot. Paying it forward a little!
Bob

oh you can lead a horse to water or give tips to the clueless and they won't neccessarily still drink or ketch fish. I do that quite a bit giving folks without a clue jigs and show them how to rig them and where to go. You need to understand that while you give them a better chance you can't pass on common sense or want to in getting out and wetting a line. They are not competition truely but you sure can brighten their day that day. I have filled up empty buckets often with a mess o fish when i have plenty in my freezer already and the smiles you get in return are well worth it. Give most of my ketch away as there are truly many folks who can't or don't know how to get a fresh fish dinner themselves.

For all I know the only reason they're fishing is to please their buddy which gets old after awhile if that's the only reason. Of course once either catches fish on the lures given to them, the odds may change for them wanting to pursue fish with or without him. The thrill of the catch is catching & habit forming as we all know.

I try to make sure the older folks I have a neighbors get some fish when I have time to catch some for them. Most of them have a standing offer to go and catch some fish when I get a chance to go

I have helped numerous people out on a small lake I fish. I have told them what, where, and how to use the exact baits I have used. Most of the times, they still struggle to catch fish. Fishing is A LOT of time put in on the water to find out what does and what does NOT work. Several people that are locals on that lake were not happy about me sharing my information but like I told them, there are so many hang ups in that lake that they are probably going to lose more jigs than fish they catch and get aggravated with the lake and not fish it again! The late great Sneaky Pete, use to say - "That lake suffers from a lead problem, of which I have contributed to!"

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Originally Posted by shadow

I have helped numerous people out on a small lake I fish. I have told them what, where, and how to use the exact baits I have used. Most of the times, they still struggle to catch fish. Fishing is A LOT of time put in on the water to find out what does and what does NOT work. Several people that are locals on that lake were not happy about me sharing my information but like I told them, there are so many hang ups in that lake that they are probably going to lose more jigs than fish they catch and get aggravated with the lake and not fish it again! The late great Sneaky Pete, use to say - "That lake suffers from a lead problem, of which I have contributed to!"

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Most of the time it is not a simple as being at the right place using the right bait

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Originally Posted by Spoonminnow

The waters I fish aren't very large and most need sonar to find structure. I did well a few days ago and noticed three young angler that had beached their kayaks. I asked the young ladies how they did and was told 'not a bite'. (The male partner was getting the SUV to load up.) He had given them T-rigged Senko-type sticks, new rod/reel combos and were left on their own to catch fish. Their partner (boy friend?)) that was at the other end of the lake while all three were fishing, obviously wasn't into pan fish and didn't advise them what to use or how to use it. (At another lake, one of the girls did catch a bass on a Senko stick.)

I had done well catching crappie, sunfish, perch and bass and figured they might appreciate some advice along with a few rigged soft plastics. But just because you tell someone what to use and how to use it, exactly where to fish is key and no way I was sharing that info.

Should I regret having given the little information I did, thinking afterwards it might have been a big mistake? Good information sometimes gets shared and that's the worst thing that can happen on small public access lakes where competition can grow.

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Went down to the river a couple weeks ago and caught two nice cats right off. Guy on the other side was watching and kept an eye on me. Got ready to leave and went to the car with my stuff and put it up. Then went back down and the guy had moved into the spot I'd been in. I went back down to give him some of the bait I used, chicken breast. Guy never said a word! Handed it to him and left. I felt pretty good about that!

Not knowing, But other good advice. is to tell them to watch videos, and to join our site,

Been years ago I had the Neices and Nephews in the canoes chasing catfish jugs. Some folks fishing at the dock would holler and tell us we had jugs with fish on them. I gave them a bag of catalpa worms. They were certainly happy about catching some catfish with them

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Been years ago I had the Neices and Nephews in the canoes chasing catfish jugs. Some folks fishing at the dock would holler and tell us we had jugs with fish on them. I gave them a bag of catalpa worms. They were certainly happy about catching some catfish with them

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This...This is why I fish...the fish caught don't have much to do with it.

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Years ago I was using shiners while bass fishing on a 5,000 acre Florida lake. I was near an old sink hole when a man and wife engaged me and asked for advice about what to try. I told them how to rig a plastic worm and cast a nearby weed edge. A couple hours later I had pulled my boat from the water and as I passed the bait shop I saw people standing around getting their picture taken for the bragging board. As I drove by the man holding the trophy bass said " Hey that's the guy who told me how to catch this fish". It felt pretty good.

Jack

Like most of us, I’ve nudged people in the right direction many times. Giving fish to those unable to go any more is a special thing that has brought tears to the eyes of the recipient on a few occasions. They don’t believe that folks would do that for them. Small things that we do can change peoples lives and cost us little or nothing. I’ve also shared info with someone and regretted it later.

Early on there were only three anglers that showed me what lures could do and we competed in the same bass club. One of them got me into the club over the objections of others that owned bass boats and didn't want inexperienced, non-bass boat owners to benefit from their experience and equipment. Competition at the national level is one thing; competition at the local level another thing entirely. What they didn't seem to get was that there can be a type of brotherhood of anglers willing to share for their mutual benefit and improvement regardless experience level or the equipment they own. The winning-is-everything mentality got old and destroyed the club I enjoyed fishing with and learning from.

Maybe a bit of that competition-paranoia of sharing information is still with me causing me to avoid conversations with other anglers that approach me on land or on the water. I already know how to catch fish so why share? Amazing I overcame that with those two young females - at least for that one afternoon.

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Originally Posted by Spoonminnow

Early on there were only three anglers that showed me what lures could do and we competed in the same bass club. One of them got me into the club over the objections of others that owned bass boats and didn't want inexperienced, non-bass boat owners to benefit from their experience and equipment. Competition at the national level is one thing; competition at the local level another thing entirely. What they didn't seem to get was that there can be a type of brotherhood of anglers willing to share for their mutual benefit and improvement regardless experience level or the equipment they own. The winning-is-everything mentality got old and destroyed the club I enjoyed fishing with and learning from.

Maybe a bit of that competition-paranoia of sharing information is still with me causing me to avoid conversations with other anglers that approach me on land or on the water. I already know how to catch fish so why share? Amazing I overcame that with those two young females - at least for that one afternoon.

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Two young females can do things to a man's thinking LOL All jokes aside, unless there was competition and money on the line, I share what I know quite often. We're talking panfish and our local lake has a great population so sharing some info isn't going to hurt anything, at least for me.

Sharing some info and hopefully later see the the folks I shared it with telling me how the tips saved their day makes me feel better as a human. The old treat me as I would treat you deal.

The bass guys are different by nature of the prey. I fish a lot of bass tourney's and would be leary of sharing or asking for info. Lot of difference between fun fishing and competitive fishing.

I am glad you had an opportunity to help someone.

"Sharing some info and hopefully later see the the folks I shared it with telling me how the tips saved their day"

Very rare in my experience. Can't even remember the last time - even from my wife's nephew who've I've taken out on my boat many times and increased his catches 100%.