I am a college student finishing up my degree and I am doing a report on "Paying to Fish at Private Ponds"
Would the anglers out there pay to fish the private ponds in their region? Why or why not?
Would the private pond owners allow anglers to fish at their ponds for pay? Why or Why not?
Thank you!
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I would not.
First of all it is only farm fish you catch and I do not eat farmed fish, because I like flavor in my fish and farmed fish threaten wild populations.
Second, the whole point of fishing is to entice a fish to take the bait/lure you have presented and then to land to fish and, for me, to eat the fruit of your labor. I see the fee-fishing ponds in the same light as guided fishing where they set the hook and hand you the pole - no sport in that.
Just my opinion...
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Have you ever been on a guided fishing trip Lewis? From my experience, and I have been on a guided fishing trip, what you are saying is not the case. I'm not saying it does not happen, where a guide gives the client to pole after the fish is hooked, but in our case, we had to work for the fish and hook it ourselves. The only thing the guide did was net the fish.
fishomaha- On the subject of fishing at a fish farm, there is for sure a time and place for them. Young kids lose interest quickly when they are not catching fish, so it's a good idea to go to a place where the odds are in your favor. With almost a 100% chance of a kid catching a fish, it increases the odds that the kid will want to go again. In the East and maybe even the midwest, that might not be the case because of the numerous small ponds and lakes that hold panfish and other easy to catch fish but in the West, it is extremely hard to fish a place where the odds are very high that a young angler will catch a fish. So the fish farm gives those young anglers a chance to catch fish and want to go out again.
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Hey Lewis,
I would not pay to fish at a stocked pond either and should have been more specific in my questioning.
The question I meant to ask should be directed at your everyday ponds that are not professionally maintained.
The diamond in the rough type areas that are inaccessible without talking to the owner directly. Sort of like a hunting club except for fishing.
Thanks!
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Private Ponds definitely have their own appeal. They are going to be big fish. I guided at Falcons Ledge which had several ponds holding big fish. People came from all over including local to stay at this lodge and fish these ponds. Some even just days event.
Is it a guarantee big fish, absolutely NOT, you do have to work for it, but your chances are better.
The one out in Tooele offers several different species and good strong fighters.
Sure they are pellet fed and the waters should be oxygenated. But that is to keep the fish alive.
When time is limited and you feel the need for a tug, I totally get the Pay to Plays. I might even try one.
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Hey WH2,
Yes I have been on a guided trip, but only in saltwater. We were not allowed to do anything but reel in the fish. I have not experienced any freshwater guided trips, but I have heard stories from other fisherman. I did not mean to insult or insinuate in any way.
As far as the survey, I would fish a private pond that I had to ask permission for and may even consider a pond with a fee.
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I understood what you were referring too and I think it would be somewhat similar to the pheasant farms out here. Initially there is a big resistance both to paying for something that has been free in the past and next they don't fully understand what is available to them. Once people try them and see that they are a lot more like the hunting or fishing we enjoyed in years gone by, then they seem to be accepted and build up a large clientele... However, it does require folks of a certain financial status to be able to afford such things and unfortunately I don't fit into that group, but I wish I did... It makes for good times and they seem to make an additional source of farm income that can help land owners make ends meet... I think they would work here, but I think they would take time to build up into a good business model... Later J
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No insult taken by me, there are many types of Guides, I just think in general, freshwater guides are different that Saltwater guides. I do know what you mean about Saltwater guides and I have had the same thing happen. I think it is because they don't want the fish to pull the rod out of your hands or hurt you as it comes into the boat. There are also those Party boats on Saltwater, were you do it all, except for bringing bigger fish on board.
They have a few small ponds around the area I live, where people pay to fish, they charge you by the size of the fish(trout) and they usually cost $3 or $4 dollars for a 9 to 11" fish. They have different ponds, with different sized fish in each pond. They feed they fish pellets, so all you have to do is put almost anything on a hook to catch them. I took my kids there, when they were small and they had a blast. They keep the area around the pond mowed and even have a place where you can eat or have a BBQ. I've never seen places like this back East but I would guess they exist[:/]. I think it all come down what you expect from a fishing experience. I have a lot of family in Alabama, and it seems like a lot of them have their own private pond. Not sure I would ever consider paying to fish there. I think they rarely fish for trout there, so I bet there are people that would pay to fish for them, just because there are none around.
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I've gone up to Idaho (from Orem) to fish for trout in a private pay-to-fish lake. We had a blast! We knew there were some bigguns in the lake, and we were able to get into a few. We still had to work for them (figure out what they were eating, what depth, and so forth). It was great fun.
I've also gone to LC Ranch one time and had a great time there. There's something about just knowing there are lunkers down there. If my wife or any non-fishing close friends wanted to get into fishing, I'd consider taking them to a private water so they have a greater chance of hooking into something big!
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