How Close is Too Close? Get out of my Ice Fishing Space!
Ice fishing season is upon us and the local lakes and ponds have a solid coating of ice on them. With these great conditions come great fishing opportunities. These are opportunities that many anglers are sure to take advantage of.
The winter ice season allows the angler to access many areas that they typically may not have an opportunity to fish. Lakes that are typically resident only are open to the public and areas that those without a boat cannot get to can now reach these spots and are rewarded for their efforts.
I am one of those “run and gun” type of fishermen. It is not uncommon for me to drill over a dozen holes before I even get a line wet. These holes are often done on a search mission, however once I find the fish I will then proceed to drill another dozen to two dozen holes in a grid pattern so that I can hole hop as the fish move from one area to another.
Now the question arises is; are these holes “my” holes? This is a matter of opinion. Yes I did drill them, however I am on a body of water that other fisherman are able to fish as well. Does this mean that others can’t fish in these holes if I am not currently fishing in one of these holes?
This has become a huge bone of contention with some anglers as there are some fishermen out there that do not have any concept of personal space. I have personally had someone come up and fish one of my holes that is only a few feet away from me.
I am a hard-core ice angler; however I am also very open to helping others catch fish. The goal of being out on the ice is to enjoy my time and that does not always mean catching fish. I get the same excitement when I see others haul in a nice fish that I helped them find.
With that being said there are some unwritten rules when it comes to a person’s personal space. Just as if you were out on the water in your boat you wouldn’t maneuver your boat alongside another angler’s boat just to crowd them out of a spot where they are catching fish. Or would you? The same goes for fishing on the frozen surface of a lake.
There is no ownership of the holes that you have drilled, however there needs to be some respect shown by others to not infringe on another anglers strategy to locate and catch fish. Where do you draw the line? How close is too close? Three really isn’t any sort of rule-of-thumb, but common courtesy needs to be taken into account.
It would be wrong of me to say that I am the only person that can fish an area within a 50yard radius of where I am fishing. However I don’t think that it is too much to ask that others do not fish closer than 5 yards from me.
It is also a strong belief of mine that if someone is fishing and area and it is obvious that they have “X” number of holes that they drilled that it is my responsibility to give them some room. They don’t own those holes, but they have established an area that they are fishing and I can respect that.
Confrontations are never enjoyable, but it seems that every year there are more and more that occur out on the ice. There are some people that just have no respect for another person’s space. I have seen people drill a hole and then turn around to put their auger away and when they turn back around someone has set up shop at that very hole.
Outrageous is the only word that I have to describe this kind of act. We are all out to enjoy ourselves as well as to catch some fish and when an event like this occurs it can certainly turn a peaceful day into a nightmare.
These same events have happened on the open water as well. The moment someone sees that you are catching fish they have to infringe on your area and invade your personal space. Lines being casted over yours and people playing bumper boats just to catch a fish are often occurring.
The ice is one place that this can easily occur as all someone has to do is stand up and walk a few yards and they are right in your space. The moment that you catch a fish it is not uncommon to form a group of people in the area that you once had to yourself.
No, I don’t own the ice, the fish, or the holes that I have drilled, however I do have the privilege of fishing an area without the interference from others. There are plenty of fish in the water and I have worked hard to find the ones that I am catching. If you see me out on the ice I am not against you asking to fish along with me, but don’t just set your bucket down next to me and expect me not to have a word or two about your actions.
It is unfortunate that this does occur and that anything has to be said. If more people would just think about their actions and use some common sense the day on the ice would be much better of an experience than if you decide to plop yourself down in someone’s personal space.
Think before you move and when in doubt, ask. It is a big lake out there and there is enough ice for everyone. I hate to sound like the old man that yells at you to “get off my lawn”, but give me some breathing room.
How close is too close? Well, use your common sense and let’s all try to get along out on the ice.
