Secret Shore Marks

After reading a couple of threads recently it has occurred to me that it is possible that people are not submitting reports in fear of commercial fishermen, poachers and other undesirables gaining from this information. I believe this would seriously hamper the effectiveness of this wonderful web site. Therefore I have this suggestion:

If you have a secret mark that you're catching certain fish from you could simply state in your report the usual details like tide, weather, bait, results etc. but for location simply state that it is 'a mark in Clare' or 'a mark in Wicklow' etc. This way people will still be able to learn how to catch fish and know how good recent catch rates are etc. without you having to reveal the exact location of your mark.

What do you think?

John D

It's a way to go. Other forums have a private topic that only administrators can actively permit trusted users to. Might be an option....

I think a lot of people are not submitting reports as it would show them up as serial blankers :P :D

I don't see a problem in people wanting to keep certain marks 'secret' for whatever reason, it will always arouse peoples curiosity but i'm sure the information could be relayed via private messages amongst trusted members if need be.

i think this is a very good idea if someone wants further info pm's could be used

Have sent in reports before but with fishing in the Cork area, in general, far better the the rest of the island I often wonder do these reports annoy the other forum members. I read reports of anglers blanking or returns of 2or 3 fish and wonder how they stick with it. Had 3 blanks this year so far all in competitions at venues I would not fish. Outside that de wall produced plenty of cod which was well reported. Ringabella had a good run of flounder and the east cork beaches produced plenty of the silvery fellows. Reporting nights of bass fishing is only shooting yourself in the foot. Gone back to the boats at the moment but as soon as the shore fishing gets back in swing I intend to annoy ye all.

If it ment people would post up more reports for certain general areas I would definitely be all for it. Not many reports come in of the area I fish yet I allways see people fishing. It is of course probable none are forum members.

After the report you could allways inquire by pm and if the reporter still isn't comfortable revieling their location then fair enough. They may have worked hard to suss out their mark.
Unfortunately for me I have no secret spots :( , the Wicklow beachs are pretty intesively fished but a little help still realy pays dividends. 8)

Though your reports make me jelous :mrgreen: Donal it provides some hope :D , pity Cork is a bit far on a mountain bike....

col

Life is one long fishing trip. I'll submit a report when I'm done (or maybe just before). :)

Being serious, submitting reports isn't really my thing. I've enough paperwork from my job. I'll happily share my (limited) local knowledge with anyone who's passing through my neck of the woods.

This is normal practice for myself with some of the marks I fish. Especially the ones I fish for Bass. I will gladly revel that spot to lads from the forum if I know them well enough.

Kev

Have been doing this so far even though all my returns so far have been poor enough. Hopefully with the summer here I'll get one or two big fish and a few good sessions.

Donagh

Agreed MAC. I'm never terribly keen to report on bass marks that I fish. It's not because I don't want to see other anglers fishing them, I just don't want to see them getting trawled the next day. However I will gladly share my hotspots by PM with anyone on the forum, particularly as the majority of you practice catch and release. So feel free to ask.

Speaking of which Mac, we must arrange a day or two fishing down in Clare after the ban.

If it's not a bass spot, then I have absolutely no problem posting on it.

Hi

I think for Bass you can never be too careful. There are plenty of rod and line poachers as well and it being a semi-protected species, I doubt anyone will object to people being careful with their marks... and I will certainly vouch for people here being generous in sharing their expertise.

As regards netsmen reading information here, I am sure some do but I'm doubtful as to whether any posts here are telling them anything they do not know already. Inshore fishing has been a family business, so a vast amount of expertise has been handed down through the generations... most skippers will know when species show in particular areas within a week or so, certainly that has been my experience out with the charter skippers who are almost to a man ex-commercial skippers. I do know of one beach in Galway that was illegally trawled after a particularly good showing at a competition, but then the skipper in question had a brother competing in the competition, so I doubt it was a post here that tipped him off. Anyone walking the beach on the day or in the pub afterwards was aware of what had been caught.

People could get paranoid about not posting reports, and in doing so, give the impression that the situation is far worse than it is... we all suffer enough blanks... my concern is that people might be put off returning to the sport if they feel that there are no fish to be caught (much less released).

Perhaps the suggestion that wedisguise certain marks after a particularly good session by calling it "a mark in XXXX" is a good idea if we feel the mark might be accessible / subject to commercial fishing afterwards.

FWIW...

Thats not a bad idea at all. I'll be honest in saying I've held back on a couple of posts purely because I fear the spot will be overrun and/or left in a terrible state. :cry:

Now I love reading the Dublin reports, keeps us Dub lads in the loop as to whats happening. I guess if you want to know the mark being reported on, just PM the poster, I for one wouldnt mind giving the info if I knew it was one of the regulars and not someone who joined just to know where I'm catching.
8)

I'd be the same as MAC and Steve on this one.