What would you do if you just had an awesome night fishing, get all packed up and head back to the house, to look back and see someone out of no where, pulling a permanent shack on the spot you were just fishing? Not to mention, you were the only one out there. Would you still go back and fish on top of him? or just suck it up and move on.
I’m “that guy” there are a few spots in the area we fish and they are spot on spot probably much like yours. I know they are productive, but when occupied I keep my distance. But at the end of the day after they leave I pull my fishhouse trailer right on it where I also spend the night camped out on the ice. Would it be different if it were open water and once you left someone else motors up?
It was the just first time fishing it after doing some homework and a lot of trial and errors. I guess its back to the drawing board. But but but… oh well.
Would it be different if it were open water and once you left someone else motors up?
If the shack stays there for the rest of the season it certainly is different. I don’t see too many boats permanently anchored on a fishing spot for days and weeks on end , even when unoccupied.
Here’s your sign
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If it were a perm that is there days on end then why couldn’t you fish as close as you want as long as you don’t either interfere or cause an unsafe situation…like drilling a hole right outside the door, ect?
Because you can does not mean you should. Bad form to do so in my opinion. No point in crying about how I was there first on a public lake. Happens all the time. Simply fish it when they aren’t there or move along. Plenty of other fish and locations to find them.
I don’t normally post, but I had to here. There are no “rules” but there is etiquette. Parking on a spot somebody else found is lame, not insightful, and, in my opinion, rude. Fishing that spot after somebody else leaves is ok but not very creative.
Happy Friday!
Just was a surprise to have someone come out of no where. Maybe it was castle-rock-clown sitting in that van down by the river. Thought it looked a little suspicious…. any-who, back to the maps. Need something to do at work. 
Maybe you were on his spot and he was just waiting for you to leave????
Maybe you were on his spot and he was just waiting for you to leave????
Probably the case. Wish he would’ve came out sooner, fishing was good.
Maybe you were on his spot and he was just waiting for you to leave????
No, breezy is right, while I may not be an expert in alot of things, boy do I know how to use an expensive pair of binoculars. 
Do I understand this correct?
You are fishing a public water for the first time and someone else came out to fish a public water as you were leaving a public water?
Did you consider that maybe this was not the wheelhouse guys first time fishing this public water and knew of this “secret spot” on a public water?
Fish have fins, they do move. I doubt the only fish biting will be just under that particular house day in and day out.
Sometimes it does get annoying when perm shacks are piled in tight and you have to drill close around them to fish an area. Especially when none is fishing those houses for days on end.
But first come, first served. If you are out there before another person you can drill wherever you want. Just because someone leaves a shack out does not entitle them to hold a spot until they feel like coming out to fish. For all you know that guy only plans to fish once a week. You can not assume that someone is going to show up later to fish, that is letting them dictate your fishing. If you are there first, fish where you like. I would not let it get me down.
Here’s my take:
Though it can be frustrating, I don’t think the guy with the permanent was in the wrong. It might be a spot he fishes frequently, or he looked at a map like you, and just planned to fish it. He might have even been waiting for you to leave rather than jumping in right next to you and setting up while you were there. Nobody really knows for sure.
The way I approach permanent shacks is I will drill holes fairly close to them if nobody is fishing in them at the time. They can’t lock the space up to themselves just because they are parked on it. If somebody is in the shack, I’ll give them the space I would give anybody else.
Sometimes it stinks to have a spot or area in mind, only to get close and see a bunch of perms scattered about, but it’s not a lot different than with boats in the summer.
I try to respect everyone’s personal fishing bubble as much as I can. Luckily I live in an area where that’s pretty easy to do – usually not a lot of pressure on my lakes.
Tucker
I just choose to go where I want, if someone is on top of my spot I just go next to them. Not terribly close but close enough to still catch the fish that only seem to be in that particular spot.
on top of my spot [/quote]
Interesting perspective
Just thought I‘d throw this out there.
A guy goes to a public place, let’s say it a nice local park. He finds a prime picnic location. I mean it is one of the choicest spots in the public park for a picnic. He sets up his blanket. He sets up his sun shelter. He gets his picnic basket out so he and his girl can have a nice romantic meal overlooking the river. He sets up his camera equipment to capture a few photos of himself and his girl with the flowing river and everything in the background adding to the occasion. Yep this is a really nice spot.
When it comes time to leave, he decides that because this is such a nice spot, he will leave his sun shelter, leave his blanket and “reserve” this spot for future use. Yes, he comes back a time or two, even has friends over to share “his spot”. Mean while, because his blanket and sun shelter are always there and set up, no one else can set up exactly in this spot. They can not duplicate the photo ops without his sun shelter and blanket in the frame. They can not move his gear, that is not done.
Simply put, he has claimed this public spot, for his exclusive use until such time as he chooses to move on.
Sound far fetched? Not when it comes to “permanent” fish houses on public lakes.
Perms make great wind blocks.. If it looks abandon… No tracks or drifted in.. Ill drill right on them and use the wind block. If they show up while Im fishing there.. maybe I wont continue to use their shack as a back rest.. lol
Thing is no one can claim a spot for themselves. I don’t like being by other people at all. But because someone was fishing there, doesn’t mean that area is off limits. If someone was in my spot I will move on.. lots of commotion trumps good spots IMO.
I went to one of my waypoints to ice fish only to find a wheel house parked right on the waypoint. It is a small spot on the spot and 10 yards either way makes a difference. It was in the middle of the week with no fresh tracks so I drilled within about 15 feet of the shack. About an hour before dark the gentlemen showed up. We had a little discussion and found out we both were local and live on the same bay. We now fish together often as he is retired and I only work 10 days a month. Just because someone parks a permanent on a small spot on the spot doesn’t mean they will be there every day. If they are not around, using the shack as a wind break is ok with me. They can have the spot Saturday and Sunday, I will fish it while they are at work during the week. On the other hand, out on an area like a gravel or mud flat where you can spread out, and depth is more important than a specific hump or clump of weeds, I will give some room. It has happened to me a few times where I was fishing a spot a mile from anybody, come back the next day only to find a wheel house RIGHT on my holes. I really like the years when there is enough snow on the lake so the wheel houses are more limited on travel. Selfish… Yes, fishing is kinda like NASCAR, its not a team sport. I choose to spend my money on atv’s, snowmobiles and portables so snow depth doesn’t make a difference where I can travel and fish on the lake.
If you were already leaving…I wouldn’t call it an invasion. ..the thing I would hate most is when someone drives their truck 5 feet next to your pop up or between you and your friends shelter as if there’s no other place to drive on the lake. That to me is just plain rude.
I have run into the permanent shack invasion more each year and like to keep my distance from others but on a spot on the spot situation it makes it difficult sometimes it is not occupied but at prime time they show up then it has become your invading the owners spot, sometimes getting violent, here in Wi tree stands have to be removed each night and I think it should be the same for permanents,
Just like open water fishing on p4 in the spring. Spot lock or anchor isn’t even up/off the bottom and there are boats waiting to get on that same seam you are leaving. That’s what fishing or hunting or anything else is like when you’re in an area of high population. Binoculars are used every day for pre fishing, etc. Just part of life. Enjoy your time and Move on.
On a similar note what do you do about this. Went out to the lake and an area I wanted to fish there is 2 portables and 4 guys. They have tip ups out. They have 8 in fairly close and 4 way out about 60 yards on all sides of the shacks. They are basically covering a 120 x 120 yard square. They complain when anyone comes close. Their outside lines are approx. 35 yards from their next nearest line. I think they are claiming to much area. JMO.
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