Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations I am a MORON! It's me has; to be me!

I’m a moron! It has to be me! How could it be the people I have allowed to take advantage of me……….so I must be the moron! I am at work ( for 14 days)and had a phone call(4 days ago) from an acquaintance that lives not far from my home. He asked if he could take his 8 yo daughter fishing in our pond as she had never been fishing. I said sure we could work it out just call and let me know when and I would speak to my wife to set it up. I also specifically told him to use circle hooks only, and that it was catch and release. Yesterday my wife calls me and tells me when she got home from work there were two adults and two kids fishing in the pond. I quickly hung up the phone and realized I had a missed call earlier in the day…….it was the guy with the kid…..no message.
I call the guy back and he informs me of all of the huge BG they were catching, quote””didn’t know they got this big’’ and about the beautiful LMB and the giant CC. I was respectful but admit that we had not discussed when he could fish and it was only supposed to be he and his daughter not his neighbor and his kid too. He profusely apologized and said he misunderstood. I accepted it at face value and hung up. Then 30min later my wife calls me absolutely furious! The guys and their kids had kept a cooler full of our giant BG, 3 LMB and 2 HBSB and a CC over 10lbs (31 inches)! I couldn’t believe it! I am so pissed off I have yet to call the guy as I know it will go badly fast. My wife now wants no one’ absolutely no one fishing in the pond accept family and only when I am home…………..she is right! Give people and inch they take a mile, I do not know why I am so surprised !

Thanks for sharing that salth2ocowboy. I'll remember this when someone asks me if they can fish my pond.

You are surprised, Salt, because you are a good and honorable person and believe that others should be the same.

I suggest you tell the guy you will need compensated for the fish that he took and that you are absolutely serious about being paid; and if he doesn't pay, you will show up at his place and take something that you feel is of equal value.

The odd thing is that if those people had been respectful they may have had a beautiful place to fish in the future. Now all they have is some dead fish and an enemy. Most people aren't very logical.

Good point. This guy has basically ruined it for everyone, and he should be told exactly that.

It's amazing the liberties people will take. We used to let people visit our farm, but stopped when they started collecting their own eggs and produce. Now there's a gate at the end of the drive. "No good deed goes unpunished"

My pond has a VERY small list of people allowed to fish in it. I have found that the safest folks to visit are tourney bass fisherman, for whom any concept other that C&R is an abomination. Anyone else gets a VERY strict reading of the rules and slot limits; to keep tings simple I make some species off limits.

My pond rules:


Catch and Release unless directed otherwise by me.
No treble hooks
No live bait
No fishing for non-family members unless the person is invited and is on the Barge with me.

We have signs posted on several trees regarding "our" fishing regulations.

Thanks for the replies. I spoke to the guy……and it isn’t me……the guy is a Moron! He has no idea he did wrong and feels it was a lack of communication on my part and not that big of a deal. He is going to fry my beloved giant BG for dinner and said the CC had a belly full of small BG and a baby snapping turtle? The cat fish have been missing all summer and I had just about given up on them as they never feed or have been seen. The MORON stated he wasn’t sure why the fish ate as the belly was full! He thanked me and wanted to know if he could come back when I get home??? I told him that I had a bad taste in my mouth from our lack of communication……….but I would get over it. Don’t call me I will call you was how I left it………………..freaking Moron is going to fry my BG! @#$$%$^%&*%(^(^)) hole!

Well, that's just awful, and I feel your frustration.

In the past year, I have "standing offers" to fish in 4 different ponds. I have fished in exactly 1, because the guy needed some excess fish taken out.

I've been thinking about letting certain trusted people go fishing, but your experience (and already knowing human nature) has made me re-think that. I don't think I will ever invite anyone to go unless I go with them. Sad, isn't it?

I have posted these before but here are the regulations we have posted at the pond. The most imprtant regulation is listed first.

1.Call before you come out, contact David or Lynn, fishing is by pre-arranged permission for each trip to the pond.

2.No Fishing before 8:00 AM, No fishing after 9:00 PM without making special arrangements.

3.Selective Harvest Regulations on Largemouth Bass:

Protected Slots: Largemouth under 12”

Largemouth over 15-3/4”

Unprotected Slot: 12” – 15-3/4”, please enjoy a fresh meal!

Daily Bag limit is 4 largemouth bass per individual – State Regulations


4.Small mouth Bass – All sizes are protected, 100% catch & release – Be sure to tell David if you catch one.

5.Frog hunting is prohibited year round.

6.Pond is closed to fishing activity during the spring waterfowl migration, closed from ice-out to approximately May 15th. Periodic closings in the fall are possible.

7.Catch and release on Red Ear Sunfish, they have been stocked for snail control.

8.Bluegill and channel catfish, no size limits but Nebraska State bag and possession limits apply.

9.No fishing within 25 yards of aerators. Please avoid the 220V electrical cords and mooring anchors.

10.Enjoy!

Sad is right.

But this guy is not a "MORON." He knew exactly what he wanted to do, and no matter what Salt would have told him, he was going to do what he set out to do. I mean really, this guy brought a cooler to hold the fish, so it wasn't an afterthought.

I would demand payment for all the fish. Why should it be free for the guy? You paid for the fish; make this loser pay.

That is a bunch of crap. I can't believe someone would have the nerve to just help themselves to your fish. If people realized the amount of effort and money it takes to grow healthy fish they might think twice about taking them. People think that taking a fish from a small body of water is the same as taking a fish from a large lake. The removal of a fish from a small pond has a much greater impact on the overall population.

It realy is a shame that intelligent honest people end up feeling the impact of other peoples stupid selfish mistakes. I'm sure salth2ocowboy has a great pond that would be fun for neighbors to fish. This moron probably just ruined those fishing opportunities for other people and his children. This is why water access is becoming more of an issue every year for anglers.

I also can't believe that he had the nerve to say that it's not a big deal. Obviously it's a big deal to salth2ocowboy. Sometimes a Simple sorry goes a long way. The fact that this guy apparently felt no remourse for stealing your fish makes me mad and I'm sure sure your blood was boiling.

I would definately ban this guy from my pond. If he can't respect the privelege to fish on private property he does not deserve it. Hopefully no one else will let this moron on their property.

I had a similar experience several weeks ago. A neighbor, whose daughter I grew up with had a few people at her place swimming and invited me over to chat. Her father had past away and her mother was coming to visit. She asked if it was ok to bring her mother over to do some fishing. I also had met her mother several times over the years, a sweet lady in her 70s and I said that would be fine but I was going to be out of town and to call my wife before coming over. She said asked what kind of fish I have, we dicussed the rules and she assured me that they wouldn't be keeping any. The following week, while working on a job 250 miles away, my wife calls and says theirs 3 people and 3 kids fishing there. It wasn't my neighbor or her mother but the other people who were swimming at my neighbor's house with their kids. They hadn't called, just showed up. My wife said one of them stopped and thanked her for allowing them to fish and said they caught/released a few and had several lines broken. No real damage was done but just couldn't believe the nerve. My family doesn't even fish my pond without calling and getting permission. I think I'll just visit each of their homes unannounced and string fishing line all over their yards then thank them for allowing me to visit.

Salt,

Sorry to hear about this. Not to take away from the loss of your fish but I feel a bit sad for the kids. They probably had a great time catching some nice fish and because of the irresponsible acts of the father, will not get a second chance to wet another worm.

Russ

That is truly a hard way to learn a good lesson, Salt. Your wife is absolutely right, but even with catch and release, family will mistreat your pond by injuring fish, leaving stripped line for your mower as well as wildlife to become entangled, leaving trash on the bank and a number of other thoughtless offences. I would be more upset than you seem to be although you probably can't believe that. The best policy is to let nobody fish (say that the fish are spawning). Thinking up a dozen or so ways to get even is expected and maybe even healthy but seldom beneficial if acted upon.

I am a JERK. I go out of my way to make sure that everybody knows that I am a JERK. They know that I am raising fish and wildlife and that they cannot catch my fish or shoot my deer. They no longer ask.

My benevolence stems from the fact that most of my adult life I hunted and fished thanks to the good will of others. In the last 7 years due to major promotions with my job, and an exponential jump in income. We have been able to obtain a life long dream. My wife and I have a beautiful 11ac farmette’ with a pond and a new home’ and we lease 500 A of quality hunting land. But I have never forgotten whence I came. But so far I have had a rash of bad experiences both with hunters and fishermen alike. Now I am on the cusp of becoming one of those people that you need not ask as you will already know my answer! I have had a few great experiences allowing people access that other wise would not have had a place to water fowl hunt,deer hunt or fish but it only has taken a few to mess it up for the many!

I love my pond and my land, and I would like very much to share it with all my friends and extended family. It's very disappointing that I can't do that. I keep telling myself I am not selfish, but I feel that way just the same.

You know salt, what you said is important. You were probably the recipient of permissions to hunt and fish from the good will of others because they saw the goodwill in you; I'm sure you respected their land and showed genuine appreciation.

So if you come across someone who is deserving of your goodwill, then you can offer your goodwill, but not leave your goodwill for others to take advantage.

Well spoken, little brother.

Thats what i was thinking cause i saw where he said catch and release. ol salty wasnt home so he thought he could slide out with some fish.