"Protected" I love me pictures

[BP]

I appreciate a great picture of someone's caught (and hopefully released) fish pictures  but I cannot help myself from  thinking...."why crop the photo?" I suppose it is to protect the fishing spot. I don't get the chance to fish in East Tennessee much and certainly respect someone's hard work in finding big fish but honestly, do we have that big of a problem that if you post a picture of a nice fish everyone runs to that particular spot to try and duplicate the catch? Getting there is only a part of the whole process, you still have to have the right fly, right technique, right time, etc. Personally I think there is a small percentage of us who might just think these cropped pictures are just a little bit smug......or maybe they just represent someone who just doesn't feel the need to share their success...with anyone. I hope this doesn't fall in the "not very nice" category.

[Glenn Hawkins]

Think of it this way.  The next time you go back to one of your favorite fishing spots do you want to arrive only to find every internet junkie fishing "YOUR SPOT". 

Maybe to find out someone has caught and takin home your previously caught and released trophy.  Not me.  Most of us only want to protect our fishery and let others figure out how and where the fish are.

Bragging on the internet only leads to over fishing of a river of favorite location.
Trust me I know.

Glenn

[Steve H]

Glenn is spot on in his comments and personally I don't think it is smug at all.

[Travis C.]

People don't crop all photos on here. There are plenty that are straight from the camera lens.

I equate this to GPS locations on your sonar. If someone you did not know walked up to you and asked for all you waypoints...would you give them up?

I don't think it is smug at all. As much as everything is getting abused legally and illegally I think it is smart.

[wm1]

My two cents worth, if it's even worth that?
1) Crop or not crop; to each his own.
2) I don't do pictures because: I fish alone. All catch & release. Use barbless hooks. Don't even handle most fish. I fear that a (?) percentage of c&r fish die.
3) I do post regularly for the benefit and encouragement of those following this forum and just starting out like I was a couple of years ago. I try to be fair and honest without pictures.
4) I do not give exact locations for two reasons:
a) The most satisfying part of this sport is learning, as in reading the water, exploring, and figuring out what works.
b) I don't want my "spots" overcrowded as previously mentioned.
5) And I don't disagree with anyything mentioned above...make your pictures, crop, whatever...to each is own. ( But, please handle these precious fish carefully)
ENJOY this wonderful sport! Be happy!
William

[TimM]

A couple of years ago I found a pattern for large stripers that no one else was fishing.  It was consistent easy fishing and I had it  all to myself.  I was boating 3-5 fish over 20 lbs with many over 30 literally just about every trip.

Then I posted a picture on a fishing forum where the background was not edited. It wasn't even really a particularly distinctive background.  The host of that website then called it to the attention of someone else on the board who lives in the same area we do and fishes for stripers.  This person then  called up a friend of his  and they took the picture out to the lake and rode around until they figured out where I was at.  The point of inviting the third person in was so they could use one of his non-striper fishing boats so I wouldn't recognize them if they ran into me.

 The next year when it came time for that pattern to develop again, who did I meet at the ramp but that guy...with another striper junkie.   It didn't stop there...the guy that went to the trouble to sneak around in a bass boat so I wouldn't recognize him if I saw him while he was trying to figure out what I was doing then proceeded to share that information with more people after having made a big show of "we're not going to tell anybody".  Through that process information on that pattern got out to some who are not C&R minded...more bluntly...they are meat hunters.   It spread so far that this year I have heard the general idea discussed on some of the weekend fishing radio programs by so called "guides".  That just plain sucks.  

So yes, we do live in an age where if you have productive information for trophy fish that is not well known and you don't want it spread around, keep your reports and photos to yourself or at least edit the photos to where the location is unrecognizable.  The reality for those of us the seek trophy caliber fish, particularly of certain species, is that there are generally a limited number of places where these fish can be specifically targeted so even those measures are of limited effectiveness.   For me, it will be a cold day in hades before I post another photo or provide a report again.  Some time ago I went back and removed those that I'd posted and could still locate.  I could have kept all that productive pattern to myself, but no, I foolishly posted a picture that lead to it being spread all over the place. The truth is you never know who is reading a lot of the stuff we put out there on the internet or what they'll do with that information.

Call it what you want, but that's the way it is.  One picture can undo a lot of good things.

[Gofisher]

I'd say you are lucky to see pics at all..

[Racer X]

I can't stand the pukes that can't find good fishing on their own so they rely on someone that has done their homework to tell them.  Not a true fisherman at all in my book.  But rather a catcherman, those wussies that whine and cry if they're not catching anything.  Scouting is such a big part of being successful and I have done A LOT of it!  Buring gas and daylight in the process. 

I can see it now.  Someone let's you in on a secret location and then you put up the hero shots.  Like you've um...done something. 

[TWiles]

I guess this post is in reference to me.  And if not...either way, I don't really care .

Maybe it's a little proud to post your glory shots with a big fish, but come on, we're all fishermen here... it's what we enjoy.  
I love sharing other anglers' enjoyable moments and proud catches vicariously through photos...it's the reason I frequent Internet Boards like this one.  
There are really only two ways to not screw up a good spot once you've worked hard to find it.
One...don't post pictures and don't tell a soul about it.  Two..post pictures that don't reveal too much. Three...block out the details that can lead other obsessive anglers right to the riffle you were fishing.

I'm very willing to share great fishing locations, flies, even floats with buddies who I know will respect the area and not reveal.  But where I'm from, I'm surrounded by atleast 50 guides (most are from out of state) who relentlessly pound the same water 5 days a week if they can make a buck off of paying clients.  I've literally been run out of several of my once secluded runs of multiple 20+ inch trout...where now guides and clients line up daily, and you can't hardly catch a stocker now.

Online fishing sites can be frequented by parasitic lurkers who never contribute to the fellowship and stories that we enjoy sharing.  I wish not to lead them to another fishery where I found big fish and have eluded the masses.  

PM me if you're coming to my area, and I'll be glad to steer you to some great fishing...but I'm not giving a bunch of knuckleheads the details that will lead them to ruin yet another fishery that I used to enjoy.

BTW--rainbows over 10 lbs get caught in these waters....so I'm a little protective.

Travis

[GT]

I don't blame you one bit Travis. I crop most of my photos mainly for better composition but sometimes to hide locations. There are so many people it seems over here in east Tn. that don't want to put in any effort to learn about the fisheries. They just want you to tell them where to go, what flies to use, etc. Like Rusty, I have spent time and money driving around, looking at maps, talking with land owners to find access to rivers. I've even shared many of them with him. I've waded up and down the streams during low water conditions just to look at the stream bottom. I've learned so much about the river, the bottom structure and holding areas that you don't see when the river is up. How many of these lurkers spend the time doing their homework? not many.

[BP]

Thanks to all who responded, all are great comments and that is why I reallly look forward to reading the different posts on this message board. I suppose I was naive in thinking that people wouldn't use this site to identify potential big fish sites and then go and cash in on someone else's hard work. I feel that putting in the time, having many fishless days, trying new things and then when it all comes together and you have a great day, well, that is part of the appeal. I respect anyone who wants to keep their particular water a secret and from some of the posts it seems to be well advised. My father taught me to fish and to respect all aspects of the experience. We have become a fast nation, fast food, fast information, fast everything. It really is a double edge sword, on one hand, we can learn from others experiences thru medians such as this forum. On the other hand it can really take away part of the experience and REWARD of doing it yourself. I hope everyone continues to post their pictures, cropped or not. East Tennessee fisherman keep them coming, they are great pictures. Once again great comments from everyone, they changed my opinion.

[MikeA]

Up until about three or four years ago I could fish the Caney under generation and never see another boat. Hardly anyone else was doing it. I am guilty of posting to much information and pics. The speed in which the river took on a new ugly personality is remarkable. Without a doubt I helped turn the Caney into the crowded place it has become, I’m a lot more careful these days. I’ve got a hard drive full of great fish from this year but for now they’ll stay on my hard drive.

[jarrod white]

Up until about three or four years ago I could fish the Caney under generation and never see another boat. Hardly anyone else was doing it. I am guilty of posting to much information and pics. The speed in which the river took on a new ugly personality is remarkable. Without a doubt I helped turn the Caney into the crowded place it has become, I’m a lot more careful these days. I’ve got a hard drive full of great fish from this year but for now they’ll stay on my hard drive.

Oh please , I want to see em, I want to see em.  Are they like really big trout or catfish or what ?