How close is to close

I was wondering and I am sure that this has been discussed before but if you are ice fishing what is the general rule about fishing by others? Jigging and tip-up fishing? 50 feet 100 yards, 10 feet? what is sportsman like? I understand that the state of wisconsin has a “inpeedment rule” meaning if you are obstructing my ability to perform my outdoor activity you are inpeeding. let me explain again. I am tip-up fishing and another fisherman lets call him a “jigger” drills several holes within feet of my tip-up what do you do? is this inpeedment or is the jigger just unsportsmen? Another question. I am the “jigger” in an area with not another person for several hundred yards and another person comes within feet of me and starts drilling holes. Inpeedment or unsportsmen or just fine? What do you do? Would I be wrong in both cases to tell them to find another place to fish or do you call the DNR? Bite your lip and remember them for the next time ” do unto others”? What do you do? I am sure most of you have been in this boat before so a little help would be wonderful…

I think some people just don’t think they are being unsportsman like. However some must think no one owns the ice and I can fish any place I want. Hard to tell. I tend to be rude when I bump into people like that and then later feel guilty for loosing my temper over it.

I am not too sure of what the law/rules state. So I don’t know what the impeding guidelines are. But, as much as I would like to scream and throw my ice scoop at the guy who I feel is somewhat “intruding” on you; I think the bigger thing to do is to get up and move . Maybe you try that new spot on the lake that you have been wanting to try. I think the clueless person next to you will have a lightbulb turn on in his head when he sees you packing up and then he may realize that he shouldn’t have gotten so close. And who knows, you may find a new spot that is holding some nice fish.

Personally, I don’t know how anyone could justify that in their right mind to come and drill a hole a foot within’ yours. Unreal. I think we should all take a class in sportsman ethics and etiquette.

I hope this helps.

“Do unto others what they do unto you”

Let them know that you feel that they are rude for doing that. Let them know you did not catch any fish there and then make a lot of noise as you pack your stuff up to move to another spot and maybe them on your way out.

To answer your question, I just move on. Also when I am catching fish and someone sits on top of Me its all catch and release and the looks on their face is priceless. But here is another scenario I own a portable I am out there fishing in all extreme conditions and stay away from the crowds and then you find the honey hole and there it is a permanent shack.

WeFish

As sad as it sounds, about all you can do is suck it up and learn to deal with it. It’s a public waterway, and people are going to fish where they want.

It happens just about everywhere I’ve been. Yesterday, out on Lake Onalaska, there was no safe zone. People were piled on top of people and their tip ups. Calling that a zoo, is a huge understatement.

As far as impeding your ability to fish, good luck with that one. A CO will most likely tell you talk walk around the guy or find another place to fish.

Just like everyone here, I have hours of stories to tell about guys camping to close to me on the ice. The scars on my tongue tell many a tale.

Gets back to how you were raised and your value system. I don’t like to intrude on anyone, but I’m in my mid 40’s and think about how it would feel the other way around. Some don’t think about it that way, or just simply don’t think at all. It is unsportsman like in my opinion if there was a lot of room for them to have fished near by instead of on top of you.

I’ve been at my permanemt house before and found holes drilled with in 3 feet of it. As if I had “the” secret spot of something. But I was not there when that happened.

You Said It Blue Fleck, all you can do is suck it up and learn to deal with it. Another note, with people losing their jobs and the unemployment rate climbing, there will be a greater fishing pressure on are lakes and rivers and boat ramps. Now is when knowledge of fishing “hot spots” will need to be kept secret.

My wife Has a saying (Andrew Be The Better Person) when this stuff gets to Me and when fishing is suppose to be relaxing and fun.

WeFish

In my opinion some of people who fish tip-ups on the river shouldnt! I see many times where the people fishing them are oblivious of whats going on. Example: About a month ago I was on the river and a couple guys came out and set up tip-ups a couple hundred yard from there tent in all directions. About 30 minutes after they set up a flag went up…..I waited for a bit and yelled flag! He caught a 5# northern. About an hour later another flag went up..I watched and waited again(this time I wasnt saying a word) 30 minutes later he came tearing out of his shack. He pulled the tip-up out and all was gone(bit off). He had the gall to ask me if I seen the flag….I told him yep….he say why the %$#@ didnt you say anything.. I answered with I didnt know I was fishing a %$#@ tip-up!

I’m not bashing tip-up fishing. I fished this river 30 years and have always noticed some of the people that fish tip-ups are the last to know a flag is up…they rely on everyone else. I totally understand if the bluegill/crappie bite is good you “forget” but thats why I dont fish tip-ups.

I think you definately see more close fishing on the ice than open water fishing. I grew up in Lansing and the people were really friendly and we just went to the community holes and visited and fished together maybe 20 or 30 people. I know what you mean I had some guys from Milwaukee move right next to us on Lauderdale a while back and I even made a staement hey it’s a big river aren’t you kind of close. They didn’t care. Didn’t bother me, now if we were in a boat itwould really bother me.

my rule is if i can hit them with a snowball they are too close and i can throw pretty far

yest on petenwell we had the neighbors that thought hot lapping thru the tip-ups with a 4-wheeler would make the fish bite

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I fished this river 30 years and have always noticed some of the people that fish tip-ups are the last to know a flag is up…they rely on everyone else.

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I did someone that exact same favor yesterday. By the time they got there, the fish was gone. Tip ups aren’t fabricated by Ron Popiel. Their method isn’t to set it and forget it.

Maybe a person should go ask that intrusive angler where they are not going to fish!

One has to keep in perspective why we are out there fishing in the first place (most likely for pure enjoyment). It’s so easy to get upset or confront someone who’s hoarding in on you which usually ends up wrecking your day. Even though it’s a little harder packing everything up and moving to another location, it usually is bitter sweet when you once again find those fish!

From my expierences….Most bucketeers aren’t going to move in on you unless you are putting some fish on the ice.
With that said, if you don’t care for the company maybe trying to be a little more descrete with hooks sets & overall success will keep the vultures at bay. For example, keep the “Woos” to yourself or the standup arm/pole above your head hook set…well you get my drift.

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I fished this river 30 years and have always noticed some of the people that fish tip-ups are the last to know a flag is up…they rely on everyone else.

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I did someone that exact same favor yesterday. By the time they got there, the fish was gone. Tip ups aren’t fabricated by Ron Popiel. Their method isn’t to set it and forget it.

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WAAAAAAAAYYYY to many people assume they are!

No such thing as too close for most people on the ice. We were out chasing perch on Monona on Saturday. We were setup before it got light. Right about sunrise, a group of 6 guys come hoofing out and start popping holes, basically around our group of 3 portables. At one point, one of the clowns drilled a hole so close to my shack I could hear him breathing, and I’m not kidding on that one. I was marking his jig on my locator in 55 feet of water.

We packed up and moved. 30 minutes later, surrounded again by the same clowns. Moved again. Yes, they followed.

Some people just don’t care.

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No such thing as too close for most people on the ice. We were out chasing perch on Monona on Saturday. We were setup before it got light. Right about sunrise, a group of 6 guys come hoofing out and start popping holes, basically around our group of 3 portables. At one point, one of the clowns drilled a hole so close to my shack I could hear him breathing, and I’m not kidding on that one. I was marking his jig on my locator in 55 feet of water.

We packed up and moved. 30 minutes later, surrounded again by the same clowns. Moved again. Yes, they followed.

Some people just don’t care.

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I usually don’t care that much but I’m pretty sure I would said something to these guys……
Politely of course

I don’t think there is one definitive answer to that question as,it will vary from lake to lake and species of pursuit but,I think one thing is universal…timing is everything.Just yesterday,I arrived at a bluegill/crappie lake.The best of the morning bite was over and I proceeded to cut open about 20 holes scattered throughout the area with some being fairly close to other fisherman.My intention was to cut as many holes as I might care to hop around in and to do so BEFORE the afternoon bite started.If another fisherman decides he likes one of the holes that I drilled…no problem.When the bite is on I’d rather share holes than have someone fire up their auger and spook the fish.Timing is everything.Nothing will kill a bite faster than someone punching a bunch of holes at prime time.

There are more or less, two types of ice fisherman.

There are “social” ice fisherman, where they are out on a nice day to just relax, be on the water, have a beverage, socialize, and if it is a good day, they’ll catch some fish.
No stress at all with this type of fisherman.

Then

You have the other type of ice fisherman.
The man that is on a mission.
He is cherishing his prime-time on the water,
wants no company,
doesn’t even really want you to know where he is fishing, what he is fishing for, and how he is doing it.
This guy doesn’t want to socialize and doesn’t want you near him.

Nothing wrong with either type of fisherman.
Just have to be respectful of both.

If you don’t like company while ice fishing, then you don’t want to go to Dushane’s when the crappies are going. There will be 15 people in a city lot, all fishing out of the same 50 holes that are drilled. Funny thing is, EVERYONE is catching fish and having a good time.

However, if someone crowds me and it is unwarranted or un-invited, I’ll explain it to the person, in a very, very, very polite and respectful manner.

I will state this too, I’ve met quite a few IDO people on the ice, that I had no clue who they were prior too. I’ve also met some really good people and even made a few friends while on the ice, being “crowded”.

You have to remember there are no secrets when it comes to ice fishing. We all leave some kind of sighn that we were fishing there weather it is tracks in the snow or the froze over hole you were fishing out of. I’ve also noticed here in iowa especualy on the lakes that are harder to figure out that most peoples search tactic to find fish is to look for other anglers, because if someone else is fishing ther thats just got to be the spot. Last weakend I was fishing a 700 acre lake in Iowa wich is big for us got to my spot befor dark and had nobody within a couple hundred yards till around 8:00. A guy and his kid drive there ATV right up to me and set up about 15 yards away. The guy asks how I’m doing and I give the standard pretty slow not catching much hopeing he’ll find his own spot. He doesn’t but it doesn’t bother me to much. Then after a couple hours his buddy comes over sets up between us and decides he needs to listen to the radio. I don’t realy like any noise when I’m fishing but playing your radio when you moved to within 5 yards of my tent because you don’t want to put in the time to find you own fish is to much for me. Get headphones cause I don’t want to here it. I decided the fishing wasn’t that great I might as well leave cause there not going to.