Couple questions...

As an avid brush fishermen, I constantly add limbs to existing piles, or create new habitat to enhance my ability to be successful. I have over 500 piles in water depths of a few feet to over 30. This is done to keep me on fish year round. The issue of the “blind hog finding an acorn every once in a while” meaning a random fishermen lucking into finding one of my brush isn’t the issue. The issue is with the folks that do nothing but seek others brush piles by whatever means available. I used to post weekly fishing reports on this site, but had to stop due to being bird dogged every single time I launched my boat. Some of my favorite spots are now lost due to brush poachers camping on spots that were once automatic and now are void of fish. It is my belief that individuals that question the ethics of brush fishing are doing so because they are more likely part of the problem and are looking for support of other anglers to validate their own misgivings.

EDIT: I just went back and read my original post. I DO INDEED include the wording "...riding around looking for other people's brushpiles..." (which was used in the video) So I can see perhaps I caused some confusion there as to the context of my qustion. But my intent was not to question "riding around looking for other people's brushpiles" but rather, simply looking for brush, aka structure, to fish.

Somehow, trying to find some brush, stumps, logs or other structure at a creek mouth, on a drop-off, a point, off a dock, etc. doesn't hold the same context as "riding around looking for another man's brushpiles", but maybe that's splitting hairs. Lord knows, I don't want to do anything that would offend, cause confrontation or otherwise ruin someone's day fishing, they're too precious and life's too short.

I don't think anyone would question the poor ethics of, rather than prospecting and finding productive spots, following another around as they sink brush, or fish certain spots, and targeting their spots based on what could only be defined as "spying".

I have put in 100's of piles....and if i find a pile and it has crappie on it, I'm going to fish it.

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Originally Posted by Inkdabber;[URL="tel:4113378"

4113378[/URL]]As an avid brush fishermen, I constantly add limbs to existing piles, or create new habitat to enhance my ability to be successful. I have over 500 piles in water depths of a few feet to over 30.

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You’ve personally built over 500 brush piles? Wow! That’s phenomenal & you deserve a huge “Thank You” for your efforts at habitat improvement from all of us! My hat’s off to you sir!
I’m afraid I’ve chased Rainbows, Brookies and Browns for too long & started chasing Crappie too late in life to accomplish much.

I read once somewhere on these boards the best tool a crappie fisherman has onboard his boat is a good pair of binoculars. Pffffft.......

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Originally Posted by Bigtrout

You’ve personally built over 500 brush piles? Wow! That’s phenomenal & you deserve a huge “Thank You” for your efforts at habitat improvement from all of us! My hat’s off to you sir!
I’m afraid I’ve chased Rainbows, Brookies and Browns for too long & started chasing Crappie too late in life to accomplish much.

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I have put in at least 300 piles in the last 15 years.....

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Originally Posted by Countryboy N.C.

I have put in at least 300 piles in the last 15 years.....

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That's just great. You guys work a second job putting in brush piles!

I put out my own brush piles and have zero interest in fishing structure that someone else put the effort into putting out….I have about 25-30 on Murray and just as many if not more on the hill. I realize it’s not against the law to fish what someone else put out, but I do think less of them as a fisherman…..same as I would if I worked a climbing spot in the woods, corned it for weeks and worked a big buck. Along comes some Jack ass that put forth no effort and takes the big buck…..not illegal, but a lazy POS all the same……JMHO[emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

well I don`t fish brush (im to doggone lazy to fish brush :deadhorse) but have helped put brush in many times in my 76 years so my question here and now is the same as it has been ever since i used a bare hook and a bolt nut for sinker to find out how deep water was and if brush was there (did not have any electronics)--- question-- and i hope some of you will or can answer it-- just how in the he++ can you tell if somebody has put the brush in or if mother nature just happened to wash it where it is? been bugging since back in early 60s

I mark EVERY brushpile I find. That way I can AVOID all of 'em when longlining. Ha!:)