# Why don't people do fishing reports?



## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

I made the comment either people aren't catching fish or people aren't reporting the catches. Then I had someone remark that people probably aren't reporting their catches. I made the following reply to all of that. I have copied it below, just thought I would start a new thread in case no one reads the old thread under " Quetico Mike ". Thank you for any response to the questions below..........



BMayhall said:


> Im Going to with with "People aren't reporting" lol


Why do you think people don't report about their fishing? I try to do reports all of the time to try and help people out with what they are hitting, when they are hitting and the types of places they are biting.

Do you think that people are just too lazy to do a report?

Do they feel that they don't catch as many or big ones to report anyhing?

Do you think some people just don't like to share information or help people?

Are they afraid it might draw more people to the GMR?

Are they afraid someone might figure out where they are fishing and hit their holes?

I'm confused on why people don't want to do a fishing report. The name of this forum is " Southwest Ohio Fishing Reports ", one would think they would find such information under this heading.

If you (anybody) don't write fishing reports, why don't you write fishing reports if you are catching fish ( or not catching fish ). There probably won't be too many people who will reply to these questions because they are probably the ones that won't do a report.


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## Dandrews (Oct 10, 2010)

For me, I&#8217;m working more/fishing less. If I don&#8217;t sit down right away and post a report then I&#8217;m probably not going to get around to doing it.

As I type this I&#8217;m getting ready to take a nap after Job #1 before I go to job #2, I make time to fish.


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## steve113535 (Feb 7, 2012)

I haven't been on the Miami in a few weeks, the smallmouth spawn has drawn me to other things.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Listen, don't take it personal...it's a "sign of the times"!
On the CJ Water Temps thread we have resorted to telling people what to look for, weather conditions, patterns, etc, and trying to help them learn about their target species. 
For the main group of us that fish together all the time we had to come up with code names of areas of the different parts of the lake that we fish, so we can tell each other where the fish were biting or so we could check progress of structure/cover...WE DO NOT keep fish from Cover locations which are meant to help the lake!

The reason for all of this came from when all the NEW Cover was put into the lake for THE FISH and to improve the populations of certain species!
The GPS locations were giving out to people that helped and next thing you know they were being handed out to others and also on OGF! All of the cover was poached over and over and most of the year it didn't hold anything because even the small fish were kept!
People would sit on these areas 24/7 and they never were allowed to serve the purpose of improving the fishery....THEY ARE STILL BEING FISHED TO THIS DAY... EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN TORN UP AND DESTROYED AND HAVEN"T PRODUCED IN YEARS!
All the new cover has been kept quiet!
The guys that all fish together try to give back to CJ and help it...WE PROVED THAT YOU CANNOT HELP FISHERMEN WHO DON"T CARE ABOUT A FISHERY and just want to keep fish...these are mostly the same people who litter, clean fish on the picnic tables or benches and throw the carcass back in, have no repect for fellow fishermen, keep or kill small crappies/fish, etc, etc, etc!! 

A river setting would be even worse if certain things were leaked out...they could destroy it quickly...I can understand people's reluctance to say ANYTHING!!!


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

I report every time I go out. Even if I get skunked. Reporting has become another part of fishing for me. 

I think a lot of people think that if they didn't catch a hawg or enough fish then it's not worth mentioning. Which is not true. Just the water conditions alone will most likely help somebody out. That's why I try to include water temp, clarity, and level in all my reports along with what type of lures I used. I figure even if we're not fishing the same bodies of water somebody could still learn something from my outing as far as what worked, what didn't, and where the fish could be found in certain conditions. 

Nobody on here is ever going to know EVERYTHING about fishing. And sometimes we forget the things we already know. Every report will help all of us learn and remember useful pieces of information even if it doesn't include a picture of a monster fish. 

Just my 2 cents.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

one of the main reasons the boards go dead atleast on erie and even on some of the other lakes. TOURNAMENTS, its just that simple. when it starts getting close to any tournament you will notice the guys that are usely pretty good about posting there reports just stop. some of these tournaments pay out alot of money. if they go out and work there butts off getting them patterned they sure dont want to tell the other guys what they found. 

now some of the time alot of people just dont think there catch is worth posting, i mean you have these guys that are posting and posting limit catches. why would i want to post i caught 15 fish between the 4 of us. and then there are the ones who think they might give there honey hole away. then theres just people that dont post there catch, maby they are just alittle lazy. or maby there just not that into bragging. then im sure alot of them feel they have there own reasons.

i,ve noticed some of the guys that usely post real good up on erie havent been posting lately. so im just guessing were getting close to a tournament on erie. these are just my opinions and not meant to dissagree with anyone.
sherman


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Honestly I find a lot of info on OGF and try to use it on my own. I am learning a lot quickly but don't think I can report most things as they are on the site already. Unless I am in a different body of water or had good results with a different species.

In the end, I'm new to many things and need to find my way around, so I won't report on things I'm not confident in. 

That being said, and to be fair to the site and our members, I would ask how your trying to find the reports? In my experience people who ask for reports on general places and tips usually get a GREAT amount of information. Some members lay it out there for the world to see, others give you enough to figure things out if you do some work youself, but I don't recall anyone not getting something.....


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I'm just not friendly.


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## viper30j (Jan 15, 2010)

honest answer... I'm not a very good fisherman and I'm not confident enough in my skills to post reports.


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## All Thumbs (Apr 11, 2004)

that was a good answer - our abilities are way less than others and still trying to improve - i have been a member for 8 years but only posted less than 150 times but i am often referred to as a lurker - i am confused to the comment about poaching - u put the cover in place and when someone uses it they are poaching? so i guess you never fish there or close to there even though you know where they are located?


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## mjn88 (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't post reports often because I am not confident enough in my fishing skills. I just started fishing in Columbus last summer/fall, after spending college on lake Erie. I'm enjoying learning the differences in the waterways, but still only have 1% of the knowledge that others have on here. If I do go out and catch fish, by the time I get home and clean them, my fiance is normally frustrated and wants some of my attention. So, in a nutshell, I really don't feel the need to come on and post every time I go out and catch 5 crappie.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

All Thumbs said:


> i am confused to the comment about poaching - u put the cover in place and when someone uses it they are poaching? so i guess you never fish there or close to there even though you know where they are located?



CJ is not a typical reservoir where the ODNR left in everything like trees, structures, etc...it was pretty much bulldozed and some rip-rap around the edges were added. 
After the Lake was lowered and the Marina was built, CJ lost most of it's Bass population, the perch (Walleye Food) and some other food sources were nearly wiped out, all fish populations suffered, and all the plants and vegetation that had grown over the years had died.

After "Hurricane IKE" a bunch of local fishermen headed up by LT, had seen all the wood that was available and decided to contact the ODNR and COE to see about starting a "Project" to add cover to help RESTORE THE LAKE and help the fishermen in THEIR NORMAL FISHING AREAS!
They put in this cover to HELP the lake, which when it became healthy and established again would help the fishermen....BUT, the GREEDY POACHERS, when they found out about the cover, continued to exploit it day after day...until the wood was torn apart and damaged and no longer held or could hold fish! Then they continued to hammer it and took illegal sized fish...many have been turned in but due to the lack of State money are never caught!

The "Friends Of CJ" just checks the cover to see if it is in a good area and is doing it's job, that way we know if more is needed or should be added elsewhere, we all try to C&R 100% from these areas...we try to impress on others that if they do find it, to take care, and let it serve it's function, and not treat it like a "Honey-Hole" that they think will never stop producing! The more fish that can use the cover to grow are more BIG fish out in the lake for everyone! We are trying to properly set up a 2200 acre POND for everyone!!!LOL

We are having another "PROJECT" on July 28th if anyone is interested in helping...Most of this years "trees" will be permanent, with alot of PVC and Plastic skids, barrels, etc, and some wood mixed in! You can make the stuff at home and drop it off at CJ the week before the drop...then you can put it in areas that the ODNR has agreed upon...That way, you are the only one that knows!


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

mjn88 said:


> I don't post reports often because I am not confident enough in my fishing skills. I just started fishing in Columbus last summer/fall, after spending college on lake Erie. I'm enjoying learning the differences in the waterways, but still only have 1% of the knowledge that others have on here. If I do go out and catch fish, by the time I get home and clean them, my fiance is normally frustrated and wants some of my attention. So, in a nutshell, I really don't feel the need to come on and post every time I go out and catch 5 crappie.


Don't feel that way!
On the days you only caught 5 Crappie...what was the temp out? What did the water look like and what was the temp? Was the wind blowing? Were any tadpoles out? Mayflies? Crawdads? FRY? Was the Sun Out??? Was the water high??? ETC, ETC, ETC!

All of these things can be helpful TO YOU and EVERYONE ELSE...one of the keys to fishing is to be aware of what's going on and how it affects/effects the species that you are targeting...the more you see patterns, the quicker you realize situations when you fish....some days may not be good for Crappie, so fish for Bass, Walleye, Cats, etc!
Fishing is Learning and trying to understand Mother Nature and all her glory! 
I still feel like a beginner sometimes but continue to try and understand what led up to my "Poor" day...alot of times when you share that, someone normally can help from an experience of their own!


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## AnglinMueller (May 16, 2008)

I think a lot of it is that people will go out and fish and not get anything or just catch a few small ones and thet don't feel like its worth posting or that other people wouldn't really be interested to hear they went out and caught a few little smallmouth or whatever they are fishing for.


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## Kennyjames (May 13, 2012)

I will post when the fishing is good or not so good. I know some people don't live real close to the lake and may not want to drive all the way out there if the fishing is bad. I live right on CC so I fish it a lot and put work in there to find them. I would like to go to places like CJ and get into some walleye but that's a pretty good drive for me if they aren't hitting yet. I understand people not wanting to give away there spots. I just like to know if they are catching any. I am confident enough that I can find the fish if they are biting


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## BBO Ohio (May 7, 2012)

I try to report as often as I can on here. It's just called being a fishermen. Help a fellow fisherman out. In return I've learned some useful tricks and nicks that have helped me in my fishing


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## Kennyjames (May 13, 2012)

I agree. That's what being a fishermen is about. You don't have to give out you secret hole or lure. Just let people know what is going on on the lakes/rivers. I think most people do and that's why I like this app so much. 


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Posting of specific information (i.e. GPS numbers) on fishing spots is frowned upon because we know what will be the end result. Rather than tear into a fellow member because they posted this information, report the post and let us deal with it. 

EVERYONE should feel comfortable posting their reports on OGF. As for replies, mama's words still ring true... If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all.
Carry on.


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## lovelandfly (Mar 11, 2010)

I also have not been out for weeks. I would never ask for a GPS location, but I have asked for help - and I have been glad to receive it. I have offered what I had to offer too. 

Sometimes, if I'm experiencing poor results it takes a few trips for me to rat myself out. 

I certainly appreciate the fine reports from you all that have even more time than I do to both fish and report!


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

There are MANY reasons why I dont post like I used to in years past. The reason I am going to use for this thread is this: From May to Oct, 90% of the trips are mirror images of one another. 15 or so fish with a couple 14-16" and an occasional kicker (18ish). I just got lazy with everything else in my life to take the extra time to download pics and take time to post. If I had a really good day or a BIG fish I would take time to post. I will however say that "not keeping tighter lips" in 2006-2007 caused increased pressure and negative results as some of my "holes". Fortunately for me I now mostly fish from the Kayak so the whole river is my "hole". I enjoy reading peoples posts as much as anyone else does, I just don't have as much desire to "prove anything" on my fishing trips. Lots of folks catch lots of fish, some just don't post their successes like others do.
I have 3 of the next 6 weeks off, so maybe I will post some reports. I know there will be lots of fishing and catching going on those 3 weeks


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## BMayhall (Jun 9, 2011)

I agree with what some people said..Not everyone has time to get a report out...If your like me you fish up to the last minute you have untill the girl wants to go out or your have to work, and you dont have the time to write a report and you forget.


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

To be honest i quit posting trips because this site has burned me in the past. It was because i was a newbie and didnt know any better but im still cautious especially when it comes to Catfish.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I have several reasons I dont hardly post and if I do, many of the "key" points will purposely be left out, first of all Im lazy, seriously, I get home from fishing and Im tired and its late etc. so I think Ill post tomorrow, never seems to happen. 
Secondly and most importantly is that this year either Im prefishinga tourney, or fishing a tourney or doing some off the wall practice stuff on a practice lake for catfish. The catfish tourneys are every bit as serious if not more then the bass guys, dont kid yourself , 90% of the boats I see or fish against are or would be 40K rigs if new not counting stateof the art livewell systems and electronics. Yup, if money is on the line and work my tail off to find fish, Im certainly not gonna tell everyone, LOL Youll notice I post a lot of catfish posts late in the year since all the tourneys are done. 

Now on Smallies, Im in a tight circle of trust group who all shares all there info, its a pretty elite group and it takes years of trust before your in the loop. we share common tachtics and successes with EVERY point shared. We have all learned from the hard way to NEVER post any specifics on a open forum as several of our honey holes were found from our own posts and shared around the web. Smallies cant hardly take our groups pressure let alone half the world hitting them hard, 

Another point is that even I, and many of my buds on here always are blowing up posted pics and looking for landmarks so you know the less scrupulous folks on here known as lurkers are doing it as well. Be warned, the web is a dangerous place and we all need to use it with some common sense, I have seen several of my fav spots blasted on here by a newbie who likes to see his name in print, I used to PM these folks and try to explain why they shouldnt have done that but the point is that now I just move on and find new water so the next guy can blast it out there for the world to see, I used to loose sleep over it but not anymore.

Salmonid


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

Salmonid said:


> I have several reasons I dont hardly post and if I do, many of the "key" points will purposely be left out, first of all Im lazy, seriously, I get home from fishing and Im tired and its late etc. so I think Ill post tomorrow, never seems to happen.
> Secondly and most importantly is that this year either Im prefishinga tourney, or fishing a tourney or doing some off the wall practice stuff on a practice lake for catfish. The catfish tourneys are every bit as serious if not more then the bass guys, dont kid yourself , 90% of the boats I see or fish against are or would be 40K rigs if new not counting stateof the art livewell systems and electronics. Yup, if money is on the line and work my tail off to find fish, Im certainly not gonna tell everyone, LOL Youll notice I post a lot of catfish posts late in the year since all the tourneys are done.
> 
> Now on Smallies, Im in a tight circle of trust group who all shares all there info, its a pretty elite group and it takes years of trust before your in the loop. we share common tachtics and successes with EVERY point shared. We have all learned from the hard way to NEVER post any specifics on a open forum as several of our honey holes were found from our own posts and shared around the web. Smallies cant hardly take our groups pressure let alone half the world hitting them hard,
> ...


 screw the assassins guild, if you want secrecy, join the smallmouth bass fishermens guild. every member gets a lil' white pill that goes in capsule in a necklace around the neck.
good reason i post pics only when ive got the fish at my house, try finding landmarks now, you jackrabbits..... LOL


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

I just haven't been catching fish, if I'm not catching fish I have nothing to "report".


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

i some times report even i don't catch nothing.. still haven't caught nothing


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> if you want secrecy, join the smallmouth bass fishermens guild. every member gets a lil' white pill that goes in capsule in a necklace around the neck.


Thanks Jonny, so much truth it made be belly laugh.


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## BBO Ohio (May 7, 2012)

Lakes and dams/reservoirs I don't have a problem telling where we caught the fish because I'm bank fishing. If I'm on a boat I don't tend to let my secrets out on the Internet. That's why I like having the success in spots "everyone" fishes. You can check out my videos on YouTube find all the land markes, look at the same bait I'm using and everything doesn't mean you'll have the same success. The thing of it is.... I only hit my secret spots if I'm having fish madness from not catching fish which (thankfully) hasn't happened in a couple years 


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## heavyft (Jun 2, 2010)

If I'm fishing I'm not on the internet. If I'm on the internet I'm not fishing.


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## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

OK, so what I learned about this group so far is the following reasons for not posting a report:

1) Too lazy
2) Not enough time
3) Inexperience \ not confident enough to post
4) Afraid of people poaching their spots
5) Not friendly
6) Don&#8217;t want to post bad results
7) Too repetitive
8) Lurkers

Does that sum it all up or are there other reasons?

1) Too lazy &#8211; not sure what to say about that, you&#8217;re not too lazy to read reports that people went to the trouble to write for you to read

2) Not enough time &#8211; it doesn&#8217;t take long to post a very general report ( I will demo. below )

3) Inexperience \ not confident enough to post &#8211; I can understand this, but there are so many people willing to help you if you post a report, they can lend a guiding hand and help you become a better fisherman

4) Afraid of people poaching their spots &#8211; If you don&#8217;t post your exact location or pictures of your location, then this should not be an issue

5) Not friendly &#8211; not sure what to say about this either, they just like to read your reports and not help a fellow fisherman . As long as they benefit they are happy I guess.

6) Don&#8217;t want to post bad results &#8211; I can&#8217;t blame someone for not wanting to post bad results, but there are people on here who might have some ideas that can you help you on your next outing.

7) Too repetitive &#8211; not every trip is the same, I know people switch lures every now and then, and there are plenty of other little nuisances that could be shared I am sure

8) Lurkers &#8211; again here are people who benefit but are not willing to share for some reason. Join the forum, help a fellow fisherman out.

The reason I do reports is a selfish reason for the most part, I want a journal I can refer back to over the coming years and this forum holds all of my journal listings. It is nice to go back to 2010 and see what I was doing at the end of May. There might be some clue to what I need to be doing now. The second reason is to help out all of my fellow fisherman if I can. If I can help someone out there to learn one thing about smallmouth river fishing, then that makes it all worth it. We need more people to care about our lakes, rivers and streams. With all of the video games there are fewer and fewer kids fishing these days. Who is going to take care of the water sheds when we are gone?

I am not asking for a whole lot, just a quick and dirty journal if you don&#8217;t have time and no one will know where you were fishing to steal your holes. 60 seconds and you are done.

Date: 5/24/12
Time: late afternoon
Location: GMR ( Great Miami River )
Lure: Chartreuse rebel craw
Type of fish: smallmouth (10) rockbass (5)
# of fish caught: 15
Biggest fish: 17 inches (smallmouth)

Now how long would it take you to fill that out? A lot quicker than reading this post that is for sure.

You don't even need to put down the location, just state whether it is a lake, river, stream, pond, etc.....

If you want to get fancy you can also add any combo of these:

Wind: 12 mph
Water temps : 59 degrees
Air temps: 74 degrees
Barometric pressure: 29.92 ( and rising )
Water clarity: 14 inches visibility ( good )
Water level: 1.5 feet ( normal )
Structure : weedbeds and rocky shoreline
Time spent: 2 hours
Method : canoe ( or waded, yaked, shore, bass boat..ect... )
Moon phase : waxing cresent

None of these give away your hot spots, but can be very helpful to the average fisherman.
You can even post a picture of biggest catch if you feel so inclined. If you don&#8217;t want to show the background, do what I do, lay it on the ground next to your rod.

If this gets a few more people to post generic reports, then this was all worth it.

Fish on&#8230;&#8230;..my fishing brothers ( and sisters )


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

That was a mouthful Mike but well said. If everyone clams up, this forum is no longer needed.

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## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

KaGee said:


> That was a mouthful Mike but well said. If everyone clams up, this forum is no longer needed.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


The forum is called Southwest Ohio FISHING REPORTS.....so I assumed there would be fishing reports when I signed up. I'm sure there will be some people who are willing to step up and help the rest of the readers. There are a lot of good people on this forum, and I would like to thank all of them who take the time to do a report. Some people have no idea how much they help others when they do a simple report.


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## GatorB (Jul 24, 2006)

Mike, you've been helping me via email prepare for my upcoming Quetico trip in June. I must say, it's extremely appreciated and rarely found these days to have someone with a wealth of knowledge and experience similar to yours help out a complete stranger who they've never met over email. Your assistance has been invaluable for me, and I would never have connected with you had it not been for the OGF forums. (I do plan on posting a Quetico trip report on the bwca.com forums and then posting a link to it from here.)

As to the topic at hand, I haven't posted any trip reports this year at all because I haven't been fishing a single time yet this year - at least not in Ohio. My wife and I had our first kid in September, and fishing has (momentarily) dropped down a few spots on my list of priorities. Heck, I haven't even gotten my state fishing license yet. I guess I come here to read others' fishing reports and live vicariously through them and their photos. It's reassuring to know that you guys are out there still catchin' em.

I do agree though; if you take information from this forum and use it to better your fishing aptitude and skillset, you should have the common courtesy and decency to contribute back to the forum as well. That's what will make this place such a vibrant and lively online community. I can think of no other place where you have such a diverse group of people from a region who are willing to help out and provide information - all for FREE. And who knows; you may even make a new friend or two. 

Last point - by users posting their fishing reports, it contributes to the health of the site (ad revenues)...even though we don't have to pay any membership fees, hosting this site isn't free, and I'm sure the costs associated with keeping the site operational are substantial based upon the traffic it sees.


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## scappy193 (May 11, 2009)

i've been a member for 3 years now and the first two seasons i was all gung-ho about posting reports but starting last season and so far this season my enthusiasm has lacked for at least 1 of the reasons on your accumulated list. but after reading this thread i can honestly say that a small fire has been lit beneath my seat and a new found enthusiasm has arose. mike, i always like reading your posts. you always have great info, great fish and are truly always open to helping your fellow fisherman. thanks for starting this thread. i hope a lot of others see it, read it and keep posting reports or start posting again or for the first time.


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## Crankb8 (Jan 1, 2009)

I guess I've got a little different perspective. Rather than ask why there aren't more reports posted, I'm curious about why there aren't more responses. Most reports attract views of 100 or more, but only a few responses. If you appreciate the effort it took for the poster to put together his report and offer tips and pictures and the benefit of his experience(s), take a moment to let them know it. Especially if you've adopted one of those suggestions in your own fishing. I posted several reports from last Fall through early Spring this year and tried to offer up any tidbit that I thought played some role in how well I did (or didn't) do. I would've loved to hear that someone had some success based on one of my reports.....or if they didn't, let's start a discussion as to why. 
After spending 30-45 minutes on a report and only getting a few "pat on the back" type responses (don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate those) it just didn't seem like anybody was getting anything out of it. 

My $.02.


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## j777extra (Oct 22, 2011)

I try to when I can. Because I know how hard it was to learn different fishing techniques and what to use around here in SW Ohio for me. So I try to give back to our community the best I can. I would rather everyone have a great fishing experience then get skunked if at all possible. Although some people along the LMR think they own the river, like a recent experience I had in Indian Hill, OH. Its a frigging river, there are plenty of fish in there, but only a few quickly accessible areas for me. So when I find a spot or technique, etc that produces, I share.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> screw the assassins guild, if you want secrecy, join the smallmouth bass fishermens guild. every member gets a lil' white pill that goes in capsule in a necklace around the neck.
> good reason i post pics only when ive got the fish at my house, try finding landmarks now, you jackrabbits..... LOL


Johnny wins the thread! Haha 

I'd post more if I were catching more fish.. Last couple times out, we didn't catch very many, and didn't end up bringing any home. Kind of went against many of the reports lately and tried other areas/species because I knew all the posts DOES lead to more pressure.. Hey BassmasterMJB aint that right??!  Question for you if you read this, how much traffic do you think those few crappie pics early this month made for Rockwell? You notice he hasn't been posting much been too busy! heh.. And great for him if it is busy as heck! I don't want this to sound all negative.. I know a lot of the bait shops had a pretty tough winter with all that ice we had... It's just bad for those monster slabs! lol! I know I had a buddy down here in Columbus ready to make the trip. He was talking about booking at Granada down in Alabama before he saw those pics! Lol!!! Hard to catch monsters outside of Erie and private ponds anymore cause of pressure. Unless of course your name is FishSlim.. Lol!

But yeah. We had plenty a good time, but not much to report to the OGFers heh. Haven't been skunked yet, just haven't done great past couple times out. Just wait till we start catchin some saugeye!


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## taxiecab (Apr 24, 2004)

I had some one tell me that I had no idea how many were reading my post when I posted and what effect it had on the spots. I posted about fishing wood structure and he said the next day he couldn't find a tree that didn't have a boat on it. I was trying to help peole catch fish but some of my friends thought I was giving too much information.
I will still post but not have detailed information in them. But enought to help you find your own. If you want to learn look at my past post and they will have all the information you want.
The one thing I hate is when I make a post and some jackass comes in and post on my post about something not related to my subject and than it gets carried away and it get lost in all the crap that has nothing to do with any thing. 
My interest was to teach young fishermen how to start and learn from my mistakes and give them the use of my years of experience so they can learn fast and become a success. There is no feeling like seeing a friend you are showing catch the fish of their life.


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## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

best fish of the year 15 inch smallmouth jumped 3 times
on a lure
after a few beers


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Am "guilty as charged" for posting GPS coordinates of cover in CJ once upon a time. There were at that time 3 reasons that did this, 1st because it was a condition of recieving official permission to do so from the Corps of Engineers and ODNR AT THAT TIME; a map of the lake was produced showing their locations was in fact made available to the general public. Second, due to the layout of the lake AND our then placement depth restrictions (8- 15 fow) it didn`t take a great deal of thought to figure out where they were. Third, there were several persons whom helped significantly either donating several hundred hrs over some rather cold winters or who stealthily donated proportionally large chunks of pocket change (yes, YOU Leo, AND your all weather "army", among others ) to quietly allow the 'project' to continue forward. I PROMISED those who helped that would post them, and wisely or not, kept my word. Which brings us to NOW...our "coordination specialist', Sir Intimidator, has gracously parleyed with the "Powers that Be' on our behalf, gaining the "right to remain silent' and more importantly pushing our allowable placement depth to 20 fow. Looking at a map of the lake, this increases our potential placement area by somewhere near 15X what was previously allowed. If you aren`t involved (or just 'luck out") personally my only comment will be "Cover ? WHAT cover ?"


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

BTW was actually "banned" (suspended?) once upon a time for proposing the "project" and asking for help carrying it out...guess couldn`t blame you for figuring whom in their right mind would think an ad hoc bunch of rank amatures with only a "green light' by 3 different gov`t agencies and NO public funding and little assistance from them could possibly haul in, assemble and place 700 attractors; we actually "splashed" 875. We HOPE to shortly "splash" more and THESE will be our "SUNDAY PUNCH" long lived variety. Good luck finding "WHAT cover?"


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## SharkBait (Jun 20, 2008)

I got skunked all weekend long. CJ, Eastwood, and Huffman. Mornings seemed to be the Ti e to go out. 


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## freedomsoldier86 (Jul 23, 2011)

I have not been out in weeks and my fishing partner, the wife, is pregnant and on the edge of vomiting 24/7 so fishing not been happening.


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

haven't fished since it's hot out.. i had a heat stroke in 03
my temp was 106 my late ex-wife said i was lucky to be alive


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

Ok, not much to report but here it is:
Floated both Sat and Sun on short floats but made them last a while. Took the Wife and kids so aside from the canoe caravan making clanking all day the family water fights probably spooked a few...lol Had a great time and got some good sun as well as some good family time, however I only landed 4 smallies total. 3 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. All were caught on topwater (althought the topwater bite is not on, it is just the only thing I threw both days.) either a black buzzbait or a prop bait. Now the real fishing begins ( I am on vacation this week) as I will have most of the river to myself in the mornings during the week. Other than from daybreak till early morning I think topwater is a waste of time right now. I will definately be slowing down and fishing more direct this week. Hopefully the next report will be more worthwhile with a nice pic or two, if I break 16" or so I will bother with pics...lol Tight lines!!


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## JShort (Sep 16, 2011)

I post some reports on here when I go to lakes which isn't very often since I have no way of going myself, somebody else takes me. I post more reports on another site simply because I like it better, people aren't getting all pissy with each other and it seems like you actually know the people. I have had a couple people on here help me out with spots and lures for my jr. tourneys through PM'ing and I really appreciate it, but it seems like somebody is always complaining about something on here (like people fishing "their spots"). It ain't just "your spot". They are PUBLIC lakes/rivers/whatever and are for everyone to use. Now if people are going there and littering/poaching/etc. then I can understand keeping it to yourself. But just some general information helps everybody out and helps people get started fishing.


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## Lungbuster (Apr 8, 2012)

I thought the whole purpose of this forum was going to be sportsman helping sportsman....you can believe about half of what a bait shop is telling you(maumee bait and tackle tells you what they can sell you) so this is a good place for everyone to get a more accurate barometer of fishing reports. I live in me Ohio and lakes are limited up here...I need to drive at least an hour and a half to find a decent crappie lake... Long way to go if nothing is biting. So share your info(even if it's generic) so someone else can enjoy the outdoors....that's what it's really about!


Ken


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## icehuntR (Dec 18, 2005)

I noticed a lack of fishings reports here 3 years ago.Thought it was a dry spell at 1st, you know poor fishing . Maybe facebook took some away or people are PMing info more or sharing info has just declined.Whatever its kinda bogus  sharp hooks & tight lines.


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

when i would post reports some people reply other don't at all


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

Lungbuster said:


> I thought the whole purpose of this forum was going to be sportsman helping sportsman....you can believe about half of what a bait shop is telling you(maumee bait and tackle tells you what they can sell you) so this is a good place for everyone to get a more accurate barometer of fishing reports. I live in me Ohio and lakes are limited up here...I need to drive at least an hour and a half to find a decent crappie lake... Long way to go if nothing is biting. So share your info(even if it's generic) so someone else can enjoy the outdoors....that's what it's really about!
> 
> 
> Ken


you must have some big liars around your fishing place.
the only way your going to get the best info around here is to make some friends. post in the fishing reports is good, but brings a higher chance of being mislead.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

I'll post up a report from time to time, but it will only be in spots that are well known. Although even "well known" spots are usually only well known to locals, and when they are listed on the internet for all of eternity and for everyone to see, you'll end up with traffic from non-locals and when you cruise on down to fish your areas, the likelihood that someone is already there is now much higher. Lake Erie may be excluded from this (with a few exceptions) but much of the rest of the water in the state is subject to this.

I used to also do generic reports that focused on the fish, technique, and water depth, but I wouldn't mention the name of the body of water. I had numerous "why don't you tell me where you were at" demands, and if I wanted to tell you, I would've. Take a look at the "posts" count in comparison to the "views" count. Sometimes there will be more than 100:1 ratios in views to posts. Why would I want 100 people or more to know where I go fish at, especially when some of my spots are good for 3 people max? 

I think when most people find this forum, they are eager to get information, and don't have much to provide in exchange. Perhaps they are just getting into fishing, or are targeting a new species that they are unfamiliar in locating. I was there once myself, but I quickly found the best way to go about getting info is to p.m. someone that has caught your attention based on either reports or detailed descriptions of techiques or whatever. It is much easier to get info from a p.m. than to ask for someone to post their info on a forum that anyone can read, and can search for it years later to find.

Generally, the best thing to do is to take the info that you can get from these forums and expand on it through your own efforts. If a certain type of water holds fish at location x, then similar water at location y will most likely hold the same type of fish. I got in my car and drove. I fished rivers and lakes on a whim that I though looked "fishy" to see what they were about. I've scoured maps to find access points on skinny water and read DNR stocking and lake reports. I used the bits and pieces of info that I gleaned from various fishing sites to find new locations that I then expanded on with my own efforts. I would communicate with my group of friends and we would share info over beers or on joint fishing trips. 

No one is going to become a trophy hunter overnight. It's taken some people the better part of 10 or 20 years to gain the info they have, and to just blindly post info to total unknown viewers is not in their best interest. 

I've gotten some good advice from several people, and in exchange, I've provided some solid info to them, all through p.m. I know that p.m.'s don't guarantee that info remains private, but it is focused to only one person instead of the masses who are happy plucking the info provided and will now be in your hip pocket at your favorite spots until it's all fished out...

In summary, at least for me, the key element is trust. I'm happy to give out thoughts on approaches to fishing for certain species, just not specific locations. Some people get angry when you provide vague info, so it's turned people like me off from posting reports.


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## chrsvic (Apr 20, 2005)

My last post had 100 views and zero replies. Maybe a ho hum report, or i need pictures. I'll still post reports, maybe there is helpful info for someone in them.


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## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

Crankb8 said:


> I guess I've got a little different perspective. Rather than ask why there aren't more reports posted, I'm curious about why there aren't more responses. Most reports attract views of 100 or more, but only a few responses. If you appreciate the effort it took for the poster to put together his report and offer tips and pictures and the benefit of his experience(s), take a moment to let them know it. Especially if you've adopted one of those suggestions in your own fishing. I posted several reports from last Fall through early Spring this year and tried to offer up any tidbit that I thought played some role in how well I did (or didn't) do. I would've loved to hear that someone had some success based on one of my reports.....or if they didn't, let's start a discussion as to why.
> After spending 30-45 minutes on a report and only getting a few "pat on the back" type responses (don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate those) it just didn't seem like anybody was getting anything out of it.
> 
> My $.02.


I always get something out of the river reports and any little tidbit or clue you can pass along gives me some ideas at times on how I approach my next outing. Sorry it took so long to repond but I have been up in Canada chasing monsters  I need to hit the river tonight after work!!!

And I think the reasons for some lack of response from those 100 views is because they are viewed by non-members who can't respond because for some reason they don't want to join the forum. That is a whole other thread to start........

Fish on....


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

QueticoMike said:


> ...And I think the reasons for some lack of response from those 100 views is because they are viewed by non-members who can't respond because for some reason they don't want to join the forum. That is a whole other thread to start........
> 
> Fish on....


Mike, we have thousands of lurkers in any given month. Why they don't join is the $50,000 question. Perhaps they do not feel compelled to because they are out of state or even out of country.


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## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks for everyone's input on this! I haven't been on here lately, I've been up in Quetico backpacking, canoeing and fishing for the past two weeks. I am just trying to get caught up with everything now. Hopefully I will find some time to fish this evening and let you all know how I did, when I did it, what I used, size of the fish, type of fish, and a picture if I think it is big enough 

Fish on...........


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

KaGee said:


> Mike, we have thousands of lurkers in any given month. Why they don't join is the $50,000 question. Perhaps they do not feel compelled to because they are out of state or even out of country.


Or just looking for spots or reports before hitting the river


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

quick post, hit lower GMR last night. one run one fish


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