What is the general or unspoken rule a far as fishing and area during a tourny. I know that no one wants someone running up on a spot while they are fishing. But what is the general distance you should stay away from someone else? Lets face it I dont really buy the (Secret Spot) thing, the reason I say this is that everyone is watching everyone on the lake these days. I see a lot of people Striper fishing including a lot of the guys and gals that post on here. So, should you end up in the same area on tourny day do you leave the area or just keep your distance and continue to fish? I am a novice at this tourny thing and would benefit from some answers on this topic from a more seasoned tourny fisherman.
Key West 1720 Sportsman
FISH: An animal that grows the fastest between the time it’s caught and the time you tell your friends about it!
I try to give people the space - if they beat me to the spot then they get the spot - that being said - I’ve also had people run me over when I’ve been at the spot first …
It’s the same way with information on the forums … We’re so new at this our boat should be green, but we manage to catch dinner for the family and give the kids a good time now and then … I share as much as I know while at the the same time if someone who shares info with me asks me to keep it quiet/vague then I do so …
I don’t care what anybody says - there isn’t a person alive today who’s invented fishing and/or some super top secret technique for fishing (although some would argue that Townsend may need a US Patent or two - 
) so at some point someone was willing to tell something and/or teach someone else and so on and so forth …
I have learned so much from a few people on this forum and in the MSC that it isn’t even funny … I don’t have to tell you their names, because everyone already knows who they all are …
Despite what we have learned we also know that we have so much more to learn … This weekend was a sobering reminder of that fact as we spent 14 hours trying to locate the fish only to end up with a 30 minutes of “catching” - I couldn’t find fish on the lake Sunday even if I had X-Ray vision … There simply isn’t enough “information” out there to “study” the lake and how to fish it … Someone HAS to be willing to share - the same thing goes for "that particular spot that’s on fire this week …
But I digress (I do that a lot … LOL), I think it boils down to respect (respect for yourself as well as others) and how you are as a person in everyday life …
If you’re a patient and understanding person, then it’ll show in everything you do … including in making the choice to NOT cut someone else off for the chance to get a few bucks and “bragging” rights …
But, you’re a jerk, then you fish like one too …
DISCLAIMER: If I have EVER cut anyone off or rolled up on you too close for c
I don’t think there is one good answer to this question. When fishing free lines, you can share a spot most of the time as each boat moves around unless the spot is really small and the first boat there is making small passes back and forth over it. If you are cutbait fishing, don’t anchor close enough that if each of you cast towards the other your baits would be in the same spot or even within 50 feet or so, there’s just no need for it. If that person was on the point first you probably aren’t going to be able to fish the same point. On a large hump you may be able to move to the opposite side and fit in. I don’t down rod fish much so I’m not sure how close is too close but they sure do pack them in around the towers.
When trying to make this decision, ask yourself if you would mind someone fishing that close to you. If the answer is yes, then move farther out. If the answer is no, most of the time you are fine. There will always be someone that has a different opinion than you but you won’t find yourself doing anything too egregious if you try to look at it from their perspective.
It is a big lake. Stripers move. If someone is where you want to be, just go to a similar structure and depth. But we all mess up, like when I passed JonBoy in opposite directions and our outer planer boards caught each other. I apologized, he smiled a big “no problem…it happens” Now about the sailboat last weekend while I was double anchored that bumped my anchor rode with it’s keel…that IS too close
phil steude
50 yards, that would be 150 feet.
Rick K
With regard to pulling and downrodding, I’m with my good buddy. However, if someone is cutbaiting, you must bear in mind they could have 500-800 feet of rope out on each side of the boat and 2-3 DOZEN rods cast out well away from the boat sitting on the bottom. I would therefore say at least 2 football fields of distance between you and a cutbait boat.
Xpress HB-22
175 Yammy Jammer
Great advice here from all.Also courtesy says be nice stay away then you won’t have to worry or question yourself about being to close.
TOM GITTO
Team Shad Up and Fish member
20ft Sea Hunt cc Red T Top