Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Crappie day

Your place, your rules. If they don't like it, then they don't have to stay.

I set rules for a neighbor and his kids to fish. There are some fish holding tanks near the pond. I said to tell the kids no fishing in the holding tanks. I showed up unexpectedly, and the oldest was slinking away from the holding tank area with a fishing pole in his hand. I asked dad to ask him and he fessed up to it. I told his dad that that boy couldn't fish on the property for the rest of the year, but the other boy could. (the wife was with the kids when they were there and she knew of the rule too. I told the Dad that the only reason why I will allow them to fish in 2026 is because the boy was honest and fessed up.

Another neighbor knew the rules about fishing. All largemouth come out, no matter what the size. I caught him putting them back in and told him that they needed to ALL come out.He tried to explain ("It slipped off the hook and bounced off the pier into the pond" - he didn't know I saw him do that twice.....) and I told him that I spent a lot of $$ feeding, adding fish, and managing the pond. If he didn't want to abide by my rules he didn't have to fish there, A month later I caught him putting them back in again. I told him that he couldn't fish there any more. Talk about butt hurt! Too bad.

A customer asked if I wanted to deer hunt on his place - he didn't like to eat deer, and his deer were eating a lot of crops. He's in a deer reduction area and I can shoot 12 there. He said no bucks, only does. There was a big 12 point there, and I know he was trying for it. I sent him a picture of it framed nicely with my crosshairs on it. That evening he asked where the deer was and I said it was walking around somewhere out there. He said "Why didn't you shoot it?" I said "You said no bucks, it's your property, your rules. His reply was you should have shot it. I said Nope, you said does only and until told otherwise, that's what I will shoot. Now I have the green light on a buck. But I'll still just shot does and leave the bucks for him because he likes hunting them. I'll only shoot one if he tells me to take out a specific buck.

Esshup - Teaching guests to follow the rules is good social training. Thumbs Up!