# Fishing other people's brush piles-Crappie



## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

My buddy and his bro-in-law made a brush pile a few weeks ago with the intention of bringing all of our kids to do some crappie fishing while we were up there this past weekend. We also baited the spot the first night there. Both mornings we planned on bringing the kids, there was the same boat sitting on the brush pile pulling up fish. While bringing the kids tubing, I politely pulled up and mentioned to this group that we built the brush pile and baited it so we could let our kids fish it. They mentioned their buddy told them about the spot and that they had only caught about 10 keepers (this is total BS; we watched them from pull them in left and right) and that they kept fishing it because they didn't see anyone else fishing it. I politely asked that they please just leave some for our kids to catch since we had about 7 kids under the age of 10 that were dying to catch some fish. This boat that kept fishing the brushpile didn't have any kids on board, otherwise I would have just let it be. Anyways, I know we don't own the brushpile or the water, so am I wrong for even saying anything?


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## rustyhook1973 (Aug 25, 2014)

not to be a jack wagon but the way I see it is fair game ,,,,I put out some piles one time and the same thing happened to me ,,, the guy told me that he found them on his fish finder so he was going to fish it ,,, and that may be true sence I sunk them in the dead of the night ,,, with no lights on what so ever ,,, so the way I look at it is he found them fair and square....I also have found brush piles on my fish finder that someone else had put out ,,,, the only thing I see you did wrong was telling him you also baited it ,,, that would make him want to stay longer ,,,, for what its worth ..its part of fishing ,,, dam if you do and dam if you don't ,,,next time try this ----my grandfather tought me this trick and it works .... take an old pillow case and fill it with sour maze...and sink it where you want to fish in some stick ups.... its very hard to find them on a finder and once the fish break into it you don't have long to fish it ,,, but trust me they will stay around ,,,I have been doing this on Conroe for a long time ... good luck


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I have found the best strategy is too make sure you beat them to it the next day. Because it is like being on the highway and road rage.
You never know how that other person will react, they could be real mixed up people with a lot of problems ready to explode.
Or they could be very considerate and move on.
You can't always tell from how they look or the kind of boat they have etc...


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## denimdeerslayer (Feb 23, 2012)

I's say it is fair game. It is public lake so you cant own a spot on the water.


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## nook (Mar 5, 2015)

you're definitely not wrong for telling what you guys did , however , been public waters isn't much you can do about it. 

Courtesy would have been nice from the other party but asses are all over the world. sorry about your sad experience , mostly for the kids.


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## mchildress (Jul 11, 2009)

Guess you could say excuse me and pull them up and move them.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Best bet is like SS says, just beat them to it in the morning. Otherwise, high potential to get some back talk which may or may not escalate.


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## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

I know it's not fair in a way and maybe they will move on. You may be lucky as I have witnessed some dragging an established pile to a different location. No Thanks to modern elecronics.


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## kickingback (Dec 20, 2013)

Interesting about the pillow case and sour maze...may try this sometime...how long does it take for them to tear in to it?

As for the pile, I too have put piles out and had people fishing them when I got there. No worries as I know where other piles were as well. I always come back tot he pile after they leave and still catch them. I do a LOT of night fishing also so I can fish spots BEFORE others get ont he lake. I then leave to a new spot and the daylight folks don't know any better!
So you see it doesn't matter whose pile it is, everyone will fish it. Like other said, get there earlier. I know it would be hard on kids but the fun they would have would be worth it.
You can also put out more piles just in case someone is sitting on one. Sorry.


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## Ken.Huynh (May 30, 2014)

Man. I agree with a lot reply above. Its all fair game and some can really explode if you tell them you build it etc. You just have to beat them to it. 


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

With modern electronics there is no such thing as a secret, and public water is .... public.


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## davis300 (Jun 27, 2006)

I agree...public water is what it is. Sorry about the kiddos but you are wrong on this one Sir.


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## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

Maybe I should have just cut his anchor line. Every time we run trotlines, someone cuts them or takes the bait off and leaves an old fish head on it for running them in their spot. Maybe that is proper protocol on Sam Rayburn. Anyways, thanks for y'all's advice. We plan on building more brushpiles. Just out of curiosity, for those of you who say it is fair game, what would you do if you witnessed someone cut your trotline?


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## FoghornLeghorn (Sep 11, 2012)

Tie a drag line to the base of the brush pile/christmas tree when you install the pile. Leave the line loose, with a floatation buoy submerged about 2-3 feet under water so you can gaff the line and attach another line to it to move it. 

If you did all the work, and you pull up to the spot and the guy doesn't have the courtesy to move, then why should you let him keep fishing it. Just tie your boat up to it and move it if he won't move.

This isn't the same scenario as someone knowing the coordinates of where a good wreck is offshore and pulling up to it saying, "hey man, this is my spot. I'm the only one who knew about this wreck"

It's not like anyone had to invest in making a reef offshore, it's up for grabs. Whereas the brush pile is public until the installer pulls up, then courtesy dictates that you leave.

OR, you could just fish off the same brush pile, strike up a conversation, then get to know the guys. You might make a friend


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## crappiecandy29 (Aug 20, 2008)

I used to make 21 spots a year on Conroe,Different depths ,on points ,drop-offs ,flats ,etc.. people always found them ,but I could always find one to fish.


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## Bayoutalker (Jun 30, 2012)

With side scan sonar it is not hard to find brush piles. Do the same thing and mark several so you have a choice. There are far more piles in lakes than there are fishermen and they build more every year. If you are building them then you are adding to the spots. Sharing is just part of the deal. 

Cliff


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

It's a whole new ball game when it comes to cutting trot lines. That trot line belongs to you, if you place it in a legal manner no one has the right to cut it. As an old commercial trot line guys I can tell you I have had a ton of them cut over the years. If someone hangs up on them and cuts them accidentally you can over look that. If I caught someone intentionally cutting one of mine I would insist they put it back together or we would have a serious issue. As far as brush piles go build you at least 3 and odds are one of them will be vacant.


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## Sugar Land YAK (Jun 19, 2004)

DIHLON said:


> Maybe I should have just cut his anchor line. Every time we run trotlines, someone cuts them or takes the bait off and leaves an old fish head on it for running them in their spot. Maybe that is proper protocol on Sam Rayburn. Anyways, thanks for y'all's advice. We plan on building more brushpiles. Just out of curiosity, for those of you who say it is fair game, what would you do if you witnessed someone cut your trotline?


You better be careful fishing on the lady guide spots at Sam Rayburn on the south end they might come after you...


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## kickingback (Dec 20, 2013)

It is illegal to damage, destroy or take other fisherman's legally placed "and tagged" trotline or jugline. If you know who did it report them. If you do not then place a game camera on the shore or tree near your lines and catch the idiots in the act. It is a hefty fine!


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## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

kickingback said:


> It is illegal to damage, destroy or take other fisherman's legally placed "and tagged" trotline or jugline. If you know who did it report them. If you do not then place a game camera on the shore or tree near your lines and catch the idiots in the act. It is a hefty fine!


I have never witnessed someone doing it, but if I had, I promise you they would think twice before doing it again. Anyways, the crappie holes and even running trotlines is something we do primarily for the kids to enjoy; not for us adults. Anyways, thanks again for ya'lls input. Tight lines!


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Whatever you do, don't let this be a negative experience for the kids. Don't carry on about how someone is fishing "your spot" otherwise you are just teaching them to be poor sportsmen. Have more than one spot setup so you have options. It's happened to all of us. How you handle it can be a lesson for the young folks. It's up to you if it's a positive one. Good luck to you and the youngsters.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Fish the pile all night with lanterns or whatever. Good chance you will catch more and the kids will have a blast. Less boat traffic. Less noise. Load the boat with minnow bags! Never confront someone on the water especially with kids in the boat. It will most likely not be a good outcome. Once the brushpile is found which could be the next day the word will spread like wildfire. With the new electronics you cannot hide one.


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## Bayoutalker (Jun 30, 2012)

pg542 said:


> Whatever you do, don't let this be a negative experience for the kids. Don't carry on about how someone is fishing "your spot" otherwise you are just teaching them to be poor sportsmen. Have more than one spot setup so you have options. It's happened to all of us. How you handle it can be a lesson for the young folks. It's up to you if it's a positive one. Good luck to you and the youngsters.


X2

Cliff


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## cleve68 (Jun 8, 2010)

Just hit it before anyone gets to it.


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

I know it won't make you feel any better but I have actually been rooted out of spots on Rayburn that I had marked with a marker buoy and was fishing. I had caught a limit and was culling and the folks thought I had been there long enough . Luckily the game warden intervened and picked my marker up for me. That situation was getting ugly fast. it was not over a brush pile but on the edge of a grass line !!


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## TxDispatcher (Nov 29, 2011)

I don't have an issue with folks finding a brushpile with their depth finder. What aggravates the dickens out of me is the ones who will follow you around while you're sinking the piles and mark their GPS. I get that it's a public water source, but that's just bs in my opinion. And Sam Rayburn has a crappie "guide" who is notorious for it :headknock If you wanna be a guide, don't be a lazy one. Just my opinion :cheers:


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## DIHLON (Nov 15, 2009)

TxDispatcher said:


> I don't have an issue with folks finding a brushpile with their depth finder. What aggravates the dickens out of me is the ones who will follow you around while you're sinking the piles and mark their GPS. I get that it's a public water source, but that's just bs in my opinion. And Sam Rayburn has a crappie "guide" who is notorious for it :headknock If you wanna be a guide, don't be a lazy one. Just my opinion :cheers:


And its probably the same guide that gets ticked if you are fishing one of their spots. Lol.


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