Illegal Pond Action

[BensalemAngler]

Got out yesterday at 6 am til 7:15 am. and still left a sweaty mess. Caught 3 small bass less then 12". The bass have spawned at this pond so it will be time to go deep with my favorite crankbait.

No pics taken b/c of their size. All caught on a Senko Paddle Tail and Weedless Jig.

 

[Jim]

I am afraid to ask, What made this pond illegal?

 

[BensalemAngler]

For years it was legal, but then over time dirty a-hole anglers would leave all of their crap around. Bags, line, worm boxes, stuff like that. So the Hospital that owns the lake posted it. Most times you are never bothered there. I still fish it b/c I feel I always cleaned up before they posted it plus I clean up after. Even other people's trash.

 

[Waterwings]

Congrats on the catchin'. What happens if you get caught fishing there?

 

[BensalemAngler]

A couple of times they just tell me to please leave and I just go and and say thank you. Usaully I see the police parking so i start packing. I could be cited for trespassing, but I have been lucky.

 

[shamoo]

theres a pond close to the hospital, in the woods , dont want to give out too much more info, ever fish that?

 

[FishinsMyLife]

A lot of my bass are "illegal" because I catch them from golf course ponds. In one pond, I'm waiting for someone to tell me there's no fishing allowed so I can point to the sign that used to say "NO FISHING" but now says "O FISHIN." Some guy told me one night (freaking after dark) that I wasn't supposed to be fishing, and told him that he wasn't supposed to be walking his dog on the course (the people that own the golf course are pretty up tight) #-o 8)

 

[BensalemAngler]

theres a pond close to the hospital, in the woods , dont want to give out too much more info, ever fish that?

If it is in PA then yes, if it is in NJ then no.

 

[Captain Ahab]

You gotta wear Ninja stuff or camo

 

[Quackrstackr]

I have zero respect for trespassers of any sort.

I hope they are all fined to the maximum allowed by law.

Maybe some random uninvited person should come into your unlocked houses and watch a little TV while eating out of your refrigerator.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I have zero respect for trespassers of any sort.

I hope they are all fined to the maximum allowed by law.

Maybe some random uninvited person should come into your unlocked houses and watch a little TV while eating out of your refrigerator.

I get your point here - but we are not talking about fishing some person's private pond - both teh ponds mentioned are on public or semi-public land, just closed to most fishermen becuase of teh slobs who trash the property.

I think there is a great distinction between a truly "private" pond and one on a golf course or hospital campus.

That being said - it is always better to ask permission rather then sneak onto the land

 

[Quackrstackr]

In both of those cases, it probably has as much to do with insurance and legal reasons as random slobs leaving trash around.

I pay good money to belong to my country club and fish the ponds a lot more than I play golf. I could save myself a bundle if it were free to the general public. :lol:

It's just been my personal experience that people with no qualms about trespassing on one property also have none about trespassing on another. Semi-public or private.

 

[Captain Ahab]

In both of those cases, it probably has as much to do with insurance and legal reasons as random slobs leaving trash around.

I pay good money to belong to my country club and fish the ponds a lot more than I play golf. I could save myself a bundle if it were free to the general public. :lol:

It's just been my personal experience that people with no qualms about trespassing on one property also have none about trespassing on another. Semi-public or private.

I agree with that 100% - If part of your fee is for fishing rights then anyone who fishes without joining is clearly wrong!

As i said - you really should ask permission or find another place

 

[shizzy]

I don't think I have any qualms. Is that bad?

 

[BensalemAngler]

I don't think I have any qualms. Is that bad?

Nope

 

[Johnny5]

better to ask for forgiveness than permission 8)

 

[BensalemAngler]

I have zero respect for trespassers of any sort.

I am sorry you feel that way. I hope you have a nice day

 

[Quackrstackr]

Don't be sorry about how I feel. The law is the law and is in place for a reason.

When you have your own properties that trespassers run amock on, you might begin to understand why property owners feel the way that they do about them. I had a pond that was intensely managed for trophy fish on my family farm. I put a lot of time and money into that pond. All of that time and money was erased by two trespassing sob's in the matter of two weeks' time. I thought that I had something catastrophic happen to the pond because the big fish were just suddenly gone..... until I happened to be at a party with one of them about 2 years later. Talk turned to fishing and his bragging about how many 5lb+ bass he and a buddy had once removed from a pond that they snuck into over 2 weeks. I played along and asked him where it was at. He described in great detail exactly where to park and how to sneak into my own pond.

He wasn't there much longer....