Owning a Pond, Hero to Zero

[Offshore]

I own about a 3.5-acre pond and at times people will want to fish, I have allowed a few but for the most part, I do not want a ton of people on my place. I enjoy my peace and quiet. What is so surprising is how mad some people will become when I say no, I am not trying to be mean, but it is my land.
If you ask, always remember, 50% chance of refusal. I hate when people ask to fish my place.

 

[basshappy]

I see no harm in asking, only be open to accept an answer you don't want to hear or agree with. I tell my boy you gotta step into the battery's box to take a swing. You might strike out or you might make it on base.

We have dealt with trespassers fishing our pond, using it for fun and procreation (yes trail cams don't lie!), etc.

I have paid out of my pocket to stock fish, acquire materials and spent my time to build a dock, fish habitats, and work the land. Very few are invited to our private little Idaho as they say.

 

[ryork]

Some folks never cease to amaze me! We have two lakes totaling roughly 28 acres or so that there are several land owners with access to both. We are the only house on “our” side of one of them and our road is private, not a county road. People will show up trailering a boat and claim they have a “right” to fish because a county road crosses the dam of the larger lake. Bank fish off the dam ok I guess, trespass across private property which would be the only way to get a boat in, no……. And there is a little launch area we call the “marina” that is privately owned. It’s a driveway and a concrete ramp. Most of us have no problem if someone asks and will treat the place with respect. Some guy sat in the corner of the public road year before last and absolutely cleaned out some bream beds. Took them home by the five gallon bucketfuls apparently. Was telling people his cousin lived here, but that was a lie.

 

[Batjack]

Just about everybody on this forum knows that I have a 2 acre pond behind my house and will let just about anybody that ask to fish in it in, heck I'll go buy the bait and fish with them. BUT... if I look out my back door and see someone there at a time I didn't say they could be there I'm call'n the sheriff's office. Law reads something like "Must be in the presents of the owner of the property or have WRITTEN permission on one's person to hunt or fish on the property of another one's person... etc." Having that pond has given me the chance to meet a lot of great folks on here and I'll let just about anyone that wants to fish (especially if they have kids with them), but don't just show up here and expect to fish... ask ahead of time and you've got a good chance of get'n in.. show up with live bait and ready to fish with out prior notice, odds are you ain't get'n in.

 

[ryork]

Just about everybody on this forum knows that I have a 2 acre pond behind my house and will let just about anybody that ask to fish in it in, heck I'll go buy the bait and fish with them. BUT... if I look out my back door and see someone there at a time I didn't say they could be there I'm call'n the sheriff's office. Law reads something like "Must be in the presents of the owner of the property or have WRITTEN permission on one's person to hunt or fish on the property of another one's person... etc." Having that pond has given me the chance to meet a lot of great folks on here and I'll let just about anyone that wants to fish (especially if they have kids with them), but don't just show up here and expect to fish... ask ahead of time and you've got a good chance of get'n in.. show up with live bait and ready to fish with out prior notice, odds are you ain't get'n in.

Yep!

 

[kmckinnie]

Just about everybody on this forum knows that I have a 2 acre pond behind my house and will let just about anybody that ask to fish in it in, heck I'll go buy the bait and fish with them. BUT... if I look out my back door and see someone there at a time I didn't say they could be there I'm call'n the sheriff's office. Law reads something like "Must be in the presents of the owner of the property or have WRITTEN permission on one's person to hunt or fish on the property of another one's person... etc." Having that pond has given me the chance to meet a lot of great folks on here and I'll let just about anyone that wants to fish (especially if they have kids with them), but don't just show up here and expect to fish... ask ahead of time and you've got a good chance of get'n in.. show up with live bait and ready to fish with out prior notice, odds are you ain't get'n in.

I didn’t know u had a pond. 1st I heard of this.

 

[Batjack]

I didn’t know u had a pond. 1st I heard of this.

You get'n old and memory get'n foggy... IF you look back several years you'll see where I invited you and BKW up for a weekend of fish'n and eat'n BBQ. Just after the "fire extenguisher" episode at the club house.

 

[NE GA Pappy]

I built a pond for my dad back in the early 90's. His neighbor's kids would sneak in and fish his pond without asking. He had let them fish once or twice when they came and asked, but didn't give them unlimited rights to fish.

The first time he caught them there without asking, he explained to them that he had a lot of money tied up in construction, stocking fish, feeding fish, and upkeep on the pond, and didn't want it cleaned out of fish. If they wanted to fish, come ask, and if he said no, just accept it. The second time he caught them fishing without permission, he took them home to their momma. He explained to her what had happened in the past. He told her that was the last time he would talk to them about it and if he caught them there again without permission he wouldn't be bringing them home, he would be hauling them to the sheriff's office.

That ending them sneaking in, but I did collect 4 or 5 decent fishing rods later on that was left on the banks with no one around.

 

[jNick]

I used to have a lease that had an awesome fishing pond in the middle of it. I fished it 3 times a week out of hunting season. It was almost a full time job keeping the local trash out of there. I found out that the property was known as the “Sanctuary” by them.

 

[kmckinnie]

You get'n old and memory get'n foggy... IF you look back several years you'll see where I invited you and BKW up for a weekend of fish'n and eat'n BBQ. Just after the "fire extenguisher" episode at the club house.

I am getting old.

 

[Batjack]

I am getting old.

We all are Bro.

 

[kmckinnie]

We all are Bro.

Time stands still for no man.
We caught a few fish from our private pond. Lake eufaula.

 

[Batjack]

Time stands still for no man.
We caught a few fish from our private pond. Lake eufaula. View attachment 1231020

 

[Richf7]

We all are Bro.

Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end the faster it goes.

 

[catchdogs]

Now that I own a pond I realize how it feels to be on the other end of the question . Growing up I asked everyone i knew with a pond for permission. With that said I was very lucky to have bunch ponds to keep me out of trouble growing up . Long as you pick up your trash and follow owners rules most will let you fish .

 

[JonathanG2013]

It is very disrespectful for someone to trespass and fish with out permission. My uncle has about a small 4 acre lake that about built around 1980. He has had to run kids off before. They had an 11 pound bass that would cruise around the dock and you could catch her and put her back in. It was fun me when I was younger to catch also. Someone snuck in and caught her out of the pond one day. Sad world we live in sometimes.

The family has over 200 acres so they do not get to that part of the land with the pond all the time since it is on the back side of the property and their house is on the front by the road.

Like the OP said if someone ask to fish on his pond, just accept the no. I hardly every take any fish home with me. I mainly catch and release only. I was raised where you be respectful of someone's land. I always take out what I bring and also pick up any trash that I see as well.

 

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

Uh mister....

Can I please fish your pond?

 

[kmckinnie]

Uh mister....

Can I please fish your pond?

No. Not at this time. Thankyou

 

[deers2ward]

I believe this is what they call a "first world problem"

 

[oldfella1962]

Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end the faster it goes.

Deep wisdom right there. You didn't just pull that out of your...........