Happy Fishing...

[Mike Carey]

wow, all this from a secret spot discussion. I've always felt that the concept of the "secret lakes" report was to have a little fun, share some info, get people thinking. For me, I have posted a lake for years that I kept the name secret out of respect for the person that told me about it. But, I still wanted to track my trips and keep them in my online fishing log. After ten years of posting reports I can look each trip up and bring up old memories, refresh myself on how I did and what I used, etc. I know where it is, and I am willing to share it with special friends, but not everyone. I know the whole idea of a "secret lake" report turns some guys off. Oh well, the idea of an online fishing report website turns some guys off, too. To each their own.

My finale thought is this: I love the idea that anglers use this site to build a community and make new fishing buddies. In my wildest dreams I never saw it growing the way it has. And the icing on the cake for everyone is making new friends and learning new places to explore and try out. To me, that is the essence of sharing and secret spots is a part of that experience.

[Marc Martyn]

Well put, Mike

[Mike Carey]

thanks. I did forget to mention one other point. As Sam K mentioned, a lot of people don't do anything other than log on. No reports, no forum posts. To me, that is OK and I wouldn't pressure people to participate, BUT, the more you participate, the more you become a "regular" that people recognise. And with that "regular" status people begin to trust you and that's when friendship begins (assuming your posts and reports are reasonable and useful). So participation leads to friendship which leads to learning about neat "secret spots" that are maybe overlooked and/or under-reported. Plus the more important benefit of new fishing buddies (if that's something you want).

[A9]

First of all, point out where I called you a kid. I don't recall doing so. I only mentioned you living here since you were four, which was solely repeating what you mentioned earlier. If I did call you a kid, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, and I'm not sure where I did IF I did, but if you cuold point it out for me, please do so I can correct myself and apologize.

2nd of all. Learn to use the quote function instead of throwing a bunch of copied sentences together if possible. I can't tell what's your writing in your last post cause you got it all messed up. Please make it more legible.

3rd. I said SEATTLE is a PREMIER FISHING LOCALE. NOT A PREMIERE BASS FISHING LOCALE. Theres a difference. For a city to be a premier fishing locale it doesn't require every species to be also at that premier level. It just wouldn't be possible. You can't mix Florida bassing and Alaskan salmon fishing in a few square miles. Not possible. FYI tons of people catch bass all over the Seattle and eastside region (being Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish, etc)
I know many people who are very big into the WA bass scene and many believe a state record smallie is milling around Lake Washington. Maybe it's some incentive for you to put more time into trying to catch bass here. Put in more work, and you will find bass around Seattle. If you don't find any, try another spot. Head over to the eastside of the state, or better yet, move to the South and you'll be in better bass territory.

4th. Thanks for letting US know that you know the "level of commitment to be successful." I can go to bed now knowing that. Thanks. I was really really really really worried.

Lastly and most importantly. Thank you very much Mike for this site and everything you've done for it and even for the sport of fishing here in Washington. I don't like to speak for others, but I'm sure many feel the same way and feel the same gratitude I do. I can't tell you how much this site has helped me, from providing topo maps to articles to directions to reports, to the forums and everything else. It's on my favorites list on my Internet Explorer and will continue to be. This site I'm sure has also helped quite a few more people, so I'd like to thank you Mike (and anyone else who's put in the time and effort) for putting all the hours into this site to make it what it is today.

[Mike Carey]

My pleasure, thanks to everyone that has made this site what it is. From the 100% participants to the lurkers, we need everyone of you. I'll speak for Aaron - "right on".

[profishin206]

[Derrick-k]

I have 2 secret lakes with nice trout in them one with holdovers and one with natives. I have 3 secret steelheading rivers and 1 secret trout stream. The reason why fishermen can't reveal there secret spots has alway been that there afraid of there spot geting fished out. It's not specificaly telling you, it's leting the information out on the internet. Once some information is on the internet it is availableto everyone. If I where to tell people about my secret lake there would be no nnative trout left in a few years because people would fish it to much. As for the steelhead rivers It would become combat fishing and eventualy poeple will start to poach the natives there and then it would be hard to fish it because of all the people, and me and my dad wouldnt be able to enjoy fishing the same rivers the way we used to.

As for bass even if the majority of bass fishermen are catch and release eventualy, some of the poeple who catch and keep will start fishing it and eventualy that spot can become fished out. If you value a fishing spot that not many people know about then it isn't selfish to keep ther people from knowing it is at least partly for the fish.

[The Quadfather]

Whooo!! The Secret lakes forum has got to be the most sleepy of the bunch... I am glad to to see it rockin'
but easy fellas please!!


My two cents on this thread is that while the original poster may be a great guy underneath it all............ if you just hang out on this site a little while, post a few things here and there,, comment back and forth.. blah blah blah, THEN go out and and PM somebody and ask them a few personal questions about their spots. Many people on this list will at that point (REEL) you in and feed you some info.
Message boards are kind of strange that way. Most these people have never met each other, but you develop a sense of who is who, and who you kind of respect from what they have shared of themselves, etc. and then in a short time you have made some friends. I don't know who the heck bigbassdez is,, but he sure seems like a good guy, and I'd share whatever with him, same goes for GPC and the like, wouldn't know him if I passed him, but these are people who have given a lot to the table.

(On that note............. fishinislife, Sorry that you can't hook up tommorrow for some fishin'. I will let you know when I am in Kitsap again.)
I only say this here because I know that you read EVERYTHING. LOL.

Chris

[CK14]

my philosophy on "secret" spots is that i never give them up on any public board, but i will PM them to people i trust will be respectful to "my" spot. i've had people with no posts PM me (not on this board) asking me to tell them where i caught my fish. to me this is very disrespectful and you will get no info from me by doing that.

[A9]

Ck14: That is exactly what Profishin did. Kinda weird. He basically asked "where is the ship canal and where are their bank access spots..."

[cavdad45]

thanks. I did forget to mention one other point. As Sam K mentioned, a lot of people don't do anything other than log on. No reports, no forum posts. To me, that is OK and I wouldn't pressure people to participate, BUT, the more you participate, the more you become a "regular" that people recognise. And with that "regular" status people begin to trust you and that's when friendship begins (assuming your posts and reports are reasonable and useful). So participation leads to friendship which leads to learning about neat "secret spots" that are maybe overlooked and/or under-reported. Plus the more important benefit of new fishing buddies (if that's something you want).

Mike, I have been surfing and participating on this site for a little while now. I have enjoyed it more than I can describe. I have had the opportunity to interact with alot of people and have made quite a few on-line friends that I look forward to fishing with in the future. I believe that was your vision here when y'all created this site and in my eyes that's what has been fulfilled.

I look forward to hearing what my friends report from their experiences, what they post on the forums, and even the personal dialogues from friends via the PM. Thanks.


Now, about secret lakes or secret spots. As a general rule, I don't share many of my honey holes with others until I have gotten to know them. I work hard at developing secret locations so that I can consistently catch fish. I research books, maps, on-line, and on the water. A lot of trial and error and alot of dead water as I develop these spots at various lakes. I don't just give them away.

However, I do share them with friends. I don't share them with people who will harvest my bass, but only C&R anglers. And I don't share all my spots for fear of increasing fishing pressure on MY spots. And yes, they are mine, I did all the leg work.

On this website, I do share some of the more known spots and how to fish them, so others can have the opportunity at success because fishing is a fantastic sport that should be shared. And most people I meet here I do consider friends.

So don't take it personal, if the anglers on this site don't draw you a map with a big red "X" on it saying drown your worm here. It's just what fishermen do.

[T Dot]

... Now, about secret lakes or secret spots. As a general rule, I don't share many of my honey holes with others until I have gotten to know them. I work hard at developing secret locations so that I can consistently catch fish. I research books, maps, on-line, and on the water. A lot of trial and error and alot of dead water as I develop these spots at various lakes. I don't just give them away.

However, I do share them with friends. I don't share them with people who will harvest my bass, but only C&R anglers. And I don't share all my spots for fear of increasing fishing pressure on MY spots. And yes, they are mine, I did all the leg work.

my words exactly

:king:

very well put

[mallard83]

Ck14: That is exactly what Profishin did. Kinda weird. He basically asked "where is the ship canal and where are their bank access spots..."

This is the thing that got under my skin the most, is the fact that profishin would pm Sam and expect to get a secret out of him without no prior communication/friendship. Are you kidding me? Sam already had posted what he thought of secret spots and you have the audacity to ask him to give one up. I found this to be very disrespectful also. People usually work long and hard for their secret spot and for a complete stranger to even think of asking it's location is completely out of line in my opinion. So I RESPECTFULLY suggest to you profishin, to get on the water and try to find a nice secret spot you can call your own. Because then and only then, will you understand why we have our secret spots. Was that more respectful? I think it was. Mabey not. Good luck to you profishin.

[mallard83]

Ck14: That is exactly what Profishin did. Kinda weird. He basically asked "where is the ship canal and where are their bank access spots..."

Sorry, I accidently posted twice.

[A9]

Mallard: That PM/email came to me about 2 days prior to his first post.
And when I didn't respond, I think it got him engaged and angered to then post his questions on the board....

[mallard83]

Mallard: That PM/email came to me about 2 days prior to his first post.
And when I didn't respond, I think it got him engaged and angered to then post his questions on the board....

Oh, I understand now. Thanks Sam.

[profishin206]

Hey you guys I love fishing just as much as the next person. I think it goes too far when you equate asking a question (of which Im being accused of doing and did not do) about secret spots, bass fishing, fishing in general to that of being disrespectful.

If that is disrespectful then the tolerance level to those things in life aside from fishing needs to be raised. I only say that not because I think less of fishing but because disrespect is more serious to other life matters than asking a question about a secret fishing spot.

Disrespect is curshing your mother out, or not giving attention to what instruction your father gave you, or going off the college on your parents dime and doing nothing but partying more than getting the quality education they saved up for through working.

Sam please provide me with when I asked you or pm you or emailed you about the where abouts of the ship canal and its access to banks for fishing. I did not ask you about that and the person I did ask that to was IB and I did not ask about where bank access was. So I dont know how you probably being full of integrity would acuse me of something I did not ask you.

This is becoming childish!!!!!!

The bottom line is you guys have your secret spots that fine!!!!!!!!!!

I dont have secret spots I DONT WANT TO HAVE SECRETS SPOTS.

"That PM/email came to me about 2 days prior to his first post.
And when I didn't respond, I think it got him engaged and angered to then post his questions on the board.... "

This is not even the way I think, I can careless if someone responds or not. I dont have that kind of time or energy to think this.

"So I RESPECTFULLY suggest to you profishin, to get on the water and try to find a nice secret spot you can call your own"

Mallard83:

Dude I have said it once "Pride comes before fall". This is not respectfull this is sarcastic.

I dont have a problem getting on the water, I dont have a problem catching fish.

Mallard, Sam step your game up!!!!

Stop playing the he said she said game and be real!! It can mean whatever you want it too!!!!!!!!

[A9]

Mallard, Sam step your game up!!!!

Stop playing the he said she said game and be real!! It can mean whatever you want it too!!!!!!!!

Alright profishin206, ya dug yourself your grave. I'll be more then happy to STEP MY GAME UP. You better step up yours cause your in a hole.

Sam please provide me with when I asked you or pm you or emailed you about the where abouts of the ship canal and its access to banks for fishing. I did not ask you about that and the person I did ask that to was IB and I did not ask about where bank access was. So I dont know how you probably being full of integrity would acuse me of something I did not ask you.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to prove you wrong. I didn't accuse you of ANYTHING you DIDN'T DO.

Here's a copy of YOUR MESSAGE that is SITTING IN MY INBOX STILL and I copied it so ALL COULD SEE IT RIGHT HERE:

From:profishin206
[Add to Address Book]

To:"Sam Kafelafish" _______@comcast.net
Subject:Ship Canal
Date:Monday, September 03, 2007 9:55:21 PM
[View Source]
Im not trying to steal your fire of a fishing spot but, the ship canal. I
normally fish the Montlake Cut which is essentially east of the I-5 bridge.
Where is or where in the ship canal is there shore access.


Clearly, in the last line, you asked where bank access was. Did you not? Read the line again if you say you didn't. Your wrong.
Your message to me through the Private Message/Email: 9:55pm September 3rd.
Your FIRST post/starting this thread: Posted: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 9:55:05 PM
Exactly a day later. Sorry I overestimated and said it was 2 days later.

Talk your way out of this one Profishin206.

[mallard83]

Real quickly to sum things up for you, if you don't want a secret spot don't beat around the bush wasting your time on an internet forum looking for one like you have been doing. If I didn't know any better I would think you were glass because I can see right through you. Others might believe you but I personally don't, I know you don't care, but I just don't. Sorry. Like I said, just get out on the water, mabey get a little more experience and you should have no problem at finding a secret spot of your own. Good luck.

[profishin206]