Rant

[seanp]

Really? That's news to me.

 

(Actually it was in the early 1950's Alberta's population hit 1 million and it surpassed 3 million earlier this decade. )

 

:shrug:

 

Whatever. Having taken the time to wiki it, I see that the population was about 2.5 million in 1990. It's a little under 3.5 million now. That's still an increase of about a million (I know that's not precise, but can we go with it?) in less than 20 years.

 

Still results in increased pressure on recreational areas and activities that cannot or has not been addressed in a timely fashion.

 

[matt1984]

When I have a good day and I want to share, I will do that too. This is a forum and that is one of the reasons why I come on here. Flame away if you want.

 

I don't think anyone has a problem with you sharing a great day, most people like to see the pics and read about a good day on the water. However, how is telling the public your location of any benefit to your post?

 

[wtforward]

Heres a thought for all the guys who like to share fishing spots on the net

and post pics of me and the days catch. Next time try and stage the fish picture taking

event without you being in the picture because it is all about the fish right ?

Or is it ? An added bonus is that you might not have to take the fish out of the water.

[LastBoyScout]

For me the sense of discovery and adventure and the beautiful places you see have been half the enjoyment of the sport. Walking along side of a Trout stream I've never visited before with absolutely no idea of where the good stretches are or what the fish are hitting on from the local fly shop is exactly perfect. Its figuring it out and enjoyed the long walks through the wild places if you catch fish or not. I've enjoyed trout fishing up and down the east slope, caugh fish most every where and I've learned it by myself and enjoyed it all. I'm sure I would not enjoy it as much if I learned every thing in a book or had it handed to me on a silver platter. I'm glad to share with family and trusted friends who are not quite as commited but in my opinion the rest of you should go for some long walks you may find a top secret spot of your own.

[Crowsnest]

As has been well said by many before me, we don't 'post to boast', but we 'post to host'. That is to say we share our experiences (good, bad or indifferent) with those that are interested in hearing about our adventure.

[rusty]

As a guy who used to fish well in excess of a hundred days a year and is now a weekend warrior, I have to say that I love sneaking on here every now and then and reading everyone's reports. Could we do with a few less pics of boilerplate 14" rainbows? Sure - but vicarious fishing is much better than no fishing at all.

[Din]

Not sure who wouldn't like to read about everyone's adventures, but there's a difference between telling your adventure and telling people were it was you were on your adventure...

 

Some streams just can't handle the pressure. I hope that the streams I go to the fish don't turn into livingstone cutts with half their faces missing because somebody told people on a internet site to go fish there...

 

 

As has been well said by many before me, we don't 'post to boast', but we 'post to host'. That is to say we share our experiences (good, bad or indifferent) with those that are interested in hearing about our adventure.

 

[snakeman]

It's all about discretion. When it comes to a river like the Bow I have no problem telling new anglers about spots like Calf Robe, lots of people already fish there anyway and it might serve to reduce pressure on the poo-hole, 22x, etc. Or streams like the Crow that can be tricky to access but don't really have 'secret' access points. But there are streams that just shouldn't be discussed on a forum. I recall one thread last summer where a poster inquired about a certain small Elbow trib and got a reply with far too much detail. This is a stream with one or two fish per hole and simply can't handle the pressure that discussion on FFC brought it. The number of anglers on that stream increased and it was harder to find fish after the post, and since it has a 2 trout limit I have to think that some friend of a friend who likes to eat trout probably found out about it and killed a few that we couldn't afford to lose. It's nice to help people, but a lot of the smaller streams aren't discussed here for a reason. If someone wants to know about a creek let them get out and spend the time and gas money to explore it instead of finding all they need to know after a few minutes in front of a computer screen. If they end up finding your spot then so be it, they earned it, but without the dangers that come with public discussion.

[trailhead]

Well I think that if someone asks and they seem real sincere, I mean genuinely sincere. Then they can sit in the pumpkin patch and the Great Pumpkin will rise up, out of that pumkin patch, and maybe if they are definitely sincere will tell them about the sweetest honeyhole on the most gorgeous little stream. That is full of 16 inch native fish and where no one ever fishes.

[RonEh]

I wonder about anybody who can't figure out that the rivers, streams, creeks and lakes belong to all. If your a guide who gets paid to take new people to a stream isn't that the same as posting it on this site. If the fishing is good then why not let the masses know, only a few will trek back into the woods all others will park and walk the short distance.

I have seen some beutiful waters in my time and have no issues telling them to anyone who wants to know. If you get upset about things like this then go fish a atlantic river and stand arm to arm with others or go to the states and hit some of those rivers, heck go over to the UK and try to get onto a river there.

What about all those books and magazines that have them all named with fish type and access, not many people complaining about them.

So I say suck it up sweet cheeks and if you don't like people talking here well then don't read about it and just plain leave, your choice, as for me I like to see what's happening in the world as I will be out of fishing for over a year serving in another country where I can't fish, hard to cast wearing a flak vest and carrying a weapon, lol.

 

that is all from me, for now,,lol.

 

[newflyer]

Hey if someone wants to share their spot with the masses all the more power to them.

If it also happens to be "your" spot I guess it wasn't a secret anyways as it would seem that at least one other person knows about it.

Don't get me wrong I am not so in to Hot Spotting, I think we should all have to find our own special places, but the water does belong to all of us to share or not share as we choose.

but what do I know about (there is this great creek across from the second road weast past the funny shaped rock near the best vista in the foothils) Hot Spotting...

 

 

*shrug*

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

the bow has NO secrets spots on it from the city down to Mckinnin!!!! This is a population of over 1000000 people. When i float down the bow i try to keep track of EVERY fly fisher i see, just by standing there they give away "their" spots, it works GREAT.

[cdock]

I still don't get most of the concern here. I fish a not unknown body of water near here. In 3 years of going there, I've had someone parked there exactly once, ran into people twice. I haven't had anyone in my favorite Bow spot, here in the city, in at least 10 trips. I went down south last week, on opening day. I stopped at 4 or 5 different locations. Saw one car, no people. I did have to drive past some random campers though.

 

Anyway, seems like a tempest in a teapot to me.

 

I just made a similar comment to Birchy last week. There is one place I have been going for ten years and it's less than 500m from the main highway. Very rarely are there others there and when there is it's only a couple of guys and it's nice actually speaking with them and sharing some stories and fishing "secrets". I was always thought that was part of this gig.

[bhurt]

Throwing kindling on the fire but honestly who is anyone to tell anyone else what they can or can not say? Last time I checked we lived in a country that had freedom of speach.

 

I have taken out people from the boards in the past to honey holes I have discovered only to have them tell everyone they now and so forth and so forth. At first I got mad but over the years I just shurgged my shoulders and found new spots.

 

In the end if you don't want anyone to know then don't say *hit, but if someone else says something then it is just something that you have to live with, does it suck, sure does but what else are you going to do about it, cry on a internet forum about it?

[rehsifylf]

My dad was the best fisherman I've ever met.

 

Is this not true of all dads? I imagine someday your son will say the same.

 

One thing I learned early is that if you have a "go to" or secret spot, you need to enjoy it while you can and accept that some day it won't be the same. I've had plenty over the past 20 years. I miss 'em when they are gone, but it allows me to move on and discover new places - and guess what, there are plenty of places out still 'secret'. I used to hit a lake every opening day for about 4 years in the late 90's. Never had so many big Cutts (and still haven't) - then one year, the fishing was awful and I stopped going. But that allowed me time to go check out a new place and it was great.

 

A bunch of us go to a lake in BC for a week every summer. This will be the 13th annual, and before that, an uncle of mine had been going there every year since the early 70s. Someday soon, I imagine we won't go there anymore, because it will have changed too much or become too popular (or the group that bought the whole shoreline will put up condos). I could sit here and gripe about how isolated it was years ago, or I can look forward to finding the next place.

 

As for folks posting 'too much info' - I have no problem with that - helps me to know where not to go. I'm pretty independant when it comes to fishing and discovering places to go, flies to use, techniques etc is half the fun of fishing.

[Weedy1]

Since we're on the topic of giving away secrets, I thought I would post all of my secret lakes from BC.

Have at er boys, let me know when you've fished them all.

 

[fishguide76]

thats freekin hilarious Weedy1

[Taco]

friggin lakes

[bowbonehead]

The great thing about a freestone river like the Bow is that its constantly changing with every winter freeze up ,spring breakup and runoff so its like a new river every year. Some years it just changes more than others!