# Sshh SECRET spot



## gpexplorer (Feb 1, 2013)

After my first post for a long time(why don't people post anymore) it got my blood boiling again, so I decided it was time for a new post as some people out there need educating. If you think your spot's a secret your a fool and if you pm someone else for posting a location your a [email protected] 
In my late teens and early twenties(before smartphones) I worked as a dive master on fish and dive charters all over S.A where the skipper would make me search the punters bags incase they were carrying a handheld gps and were going to steal his marks. I worked trawlers in both gulfs and catch boats out of Lincoln. 
Every holidays I hear the punters at the local watering hole bragging about how they sneak out before it gets light to dump their crap to build there new secret reef that no one will ever find. Well guess again because we know where it is. 
My experience with people on this forum was sad. "don't post about Price it's a secret" I was told, sorry to let you know but there's a public boat ramp there and has been for years and yes everyone knows that there is mulloway, whiting, snook, flathead, bream, flounder, crabs and just about anything else that you want to catch. "don't post about Point Riley its a secret" yeah probably right it's a waste of time when you can read what's being caught there in the Advertiser or the peninsulas local rag. 
Those secret reefs that you think you can build without anyone finding out about. Wrong, before the fish even find it and start to populate it, the local trawler skipper will be cursing about it at the pub and how much damage it did to his nets and how much it's cost him to repair. It doesn't stop there though, oh no, despite what most fools think, the commercial boats work together and he will give those marks to all the other trawlers so that their nets don't meet the same fate. Then those blokes over a couple of beers and a game of 8 ball will give the marks to locals like me and suggest that it might be worth a try in 12 months once it gets some growth on it. 
When you see that boat off in the distance, and you think I'd better pull anchor and move off because I don't want them to see where I'm fishing your wasting your time and energy. A good radar will pick up birds diving on a surface bust up, all the catch boats and plenty off private boats have them, how do you think they catch their tuna quotas. So it's easy to spot your boat before you can even see them over the horizon. 
Nothing on the bottom is a secret anymore, it's not even best guess. Technology in the form of down scan and side scan imaging will show you for sure weather it is a rock, a tyre module or a pile of old scaffold tube. 
If you catch a feed of fish there's nothing wrong with letting others know. I would encourage it, who knows, if the next generation of kids could get out there, have some fun, catch a feed and practice catch and release with anything more than what can be eaten fresh they might even gain an appreciation for nature and the environment. Chuck the X-box in the bin and start to right our wrongs and fix the damage that we've caused over the last 3 or 4 generations.


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

Personally, I would "out" anyone that gave me grief via pm over a fishing spot (if I ever find one).

IMO, the best anglers succeed with experience and technique, not location. So I say out the harassers, they wont do it again in a hurry.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I agree to a certain extent, almost everyone has a phone with google earth with which they can sniff out any fishing spot on the planet. Finding a single fishing spot out of the many possibilities that present themselves in any given area becomes a lucky dip when a punter knows nothing about any of the spots. These spots may not be that special but, give someone a photo of a fish and a location and all of a sudden that place becomes a point of reference because catching a fish there is real, it's no longer a lucky guess for a punter.

Up here, as in many other places, there are lots of places where the water is accessed through private property. Even though most fishermen are pretty good, if there is enough traffic coming and going to a particular spot it doesn't take long for bottles, bait packets, ice bags, esky lids etc to litter the sides of the road. No one stops to pick this stuff up because it smells and it's not their place to worry about anyway. After a while the people coming and going take it for granted that it's their right to be there and, the next time they have a car, fridge, house-full of shit they want to dump, they take it to these places because they are out of sight and out of mind and no one is going to see them.

After a while, the people who have done the right thing and let the general public come and go get the shits with all the dumped rubbish, cut fences, bullets being sprayed around the place and stop access to everyone. (oops, forgot to mention the fuel and stuff that gets flogged)

I'm one of those who can go and fish in peace in such places and I'm not prepared to risk that single idiot who'll do the wrong thing and get me locked out. I also have places around the farm where I've let people access in the past and recently I've been picking up ute loads of peoples shit. I'll post some pics of the crap I was left to deal with a few weeks ago.

Yes you are right that nowhere is secret but the place with the flashing neon light is much less secret than all the other random non-descript non-secret spots. It's quite possible though that I'm biased due to my experiences.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

gpexplorer said:


> I decided it was time for a new post as some people out there need educating. If you think your spot's a secret your a fool and if you pm someone else for posting a location your a [email protected]


Bit harsh

I'd like to go Judge Jerk on you and apply the 4Ps to your spelling

Instead I'll give you some rope, and ask who "some people" are?


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

Barrabundy said:


> I agree to a certain extent, almost everyone has a phone with google earth with which they can sniff out any fishing spot on the planet. Finding a single fishing spot out of the many possibilities that present themselves in any given area becomes a lucky dip when a punter knows nothing about any of the spots. These spots may not be that special but, give someone a photo of a fish and a location and all of a sudden that place becomes a point of reference because catching a fish there is real, it's no longer a lucky guess for a punter.
> 
> Up here, as in many other places, there are lots of places where the water is accessed through private property. Even though most fishermen are pretty good, if there is enough traffic coming and going to a particular spot it doesn't take long for bottles, bait packets, ice bags, esky lids etc to litter the sides of the road. No one stops to pick this stuff up because it smells and it's not their place to worry about anyway. After a while the people coming and going take it for granted that it's their right to be there and, the next time they have a car, fridge, house-full of shit they want to dump, they take it to these places because they are out of sight and out of mind and no one is going to see them.
> 
> ...


Barra, I'm not quite sure what to say other than back in my farming days I religiously refused access to the farm when people asked if they could come in to go "shooting". This was pre Martin Bryant - the trouble was a "mate" would come and bring a "mate" for company. Then his "mate" would want to come back and he would bring a "mate" etc until there was an endless troupe of unknowns wandering through. Fishing may be less dangerous than guys banging away with guns but those rubbish dumps... you have my heart felt sympathy. Hope they catch the beggars.

john


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## gpexplorer (Feb 1, 2013)

Thanks Nick I'll go a bit more in depth later when I have time, hard to find time for big posts during the week while I work 12 hour shifts. 
Yes I feel your pain also Barrabundy, might I suggest what my neighbors and some other local farmers have done down my way. We've had problems with people stealing stock to the point where we have now started to get regional tv adverts with a police officer explaining that stock theft is illegal(common sense you would have thought), illegal shooting has always been a problem and now with the regional dump fees having been increased 3 fold people are just driving out to the back roads to dump their rubbish alongside our boundry fences in the middle of the night.
So enough farmers have begun setting up motion activated cameras that in time will hopefully become a deterant as more people get caught. 
These people have no respect for the environment,nature, or anybody else and I believe that has in some part due to how society has changed. When I grew up we went fishing, bush walking or even catching tadpoles in the creek. Where many young ones today grow up in front of the tv, x-box or other new fang dangled technology. So if they don't get out and experience nature they will never gain an appreciation for it. 
Where as if they were to get an idea of where and how to fish and occasionally come home with a feed rather than consistent doughnuts they will be more inclined to continue on and hopefully with time develop the same appreciation for the environment that you and I still have.


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## suehobieadventure (Feb 17, 2009)

The problem with common sense is it's not that common. I too would be livid with illegal dumping in my backyard. Unfortunately it will become more common as dump fees rise astronomically. Councils just don't get that high dump fees do prohibit some people from legal dumping and the cost to clean up is huge.


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## fisherjayse (Jan 30, 2013)

Our council here on mid north coast(Hastings) has a curb side pick up service, no set days or dates, you just call them and they pick your shit up for no fee(Usually within 5 days), I believe we are entitled to 2 collections per 12 months. Do other councils follow suit or are we spoilt with good weather, pretty good fishing and a generous council??


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I know this is going off topic but it's free to dump general waste in our shire. These people don't litter because of the cost, they are just grubs! I've seen garbage bags full of bottles and cans dumped down the river and they're recyclable!


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## fisherjayse (Jan 30, 2013)

Shoot the bastards!!


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

Somewhat off topic, but as far as I can tell, it's just insanity not to have a program in place such as S.A. (refund on cans and bottles).
Is there any good reason that it isn't implemented by all states?


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Barrabundy said:


> I know this is going off topic but it's free to dump general waste in our shire. These people don't litter because of the cost, they are just grubs! I've seen garbage bags full of bottles and cans dumped down the river and they're recyclable!


Same as our place back in Aus. The tip is free, but it's a 30 minute drive away. Most people just dump it on their own land and bury it but there's always some who nip across to the state forest and tip it out.


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## spork (Jan 21, 2012)

Jeffen said:


> Somewhat off topic, but as far as I can tell, it's just insanity not to have a program in place such as S.A. (refund on cans and bottles).
> Is there any good reason that it isn't implemented by all states?


Agree. Put a $ value on empty containers and they will no longer be rubbish.
I believe Coca-cola opposed legislation to do this.
Who the freck elected them anyway???

I drink a bit, but I'd happily pay an extra $12/carton if I could get 50c back for each stubbie or can, and at least that kind of rubbish would virtually disappear overnight.

Back on topic...
Most of my "secret spots" are within sight of the boat ramps. The stinkboats launch, tear off @ 100mph, look at me feeling all superior because they aren't stuck fishing close to where they launched - and $50 worth of fuel later come back with the same or less amount of fish that I've caught.

As jeffen said, it's not so much location as technique.
Have had boaties pull up close to where I'm fishing, chuck out their smelly old prawn, and either catch nothing or keep catching undersize fish, while I keep doing what I've been doing (usually a bit further away from them so they can't see exactly what it is I'm doing) and catching some good fish.


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## fishnfreak (Jun 22, 2007)

I saw on the TV program "Sunrise" a soft drink company representative argue that implementing a cash back scheme for recycling like we have in SA for Victoria would increase costs for consumers and he even stated, " Victoria has a lower litter rate than South Australia anyway".

Somewhat childish really. Not only is there the cash back opportunity but with the incentive to recycle, you get a mindset where people go the extra step to recycle other items too.


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2013)

Jeffen said:


> Somewhat off topic, but as far as I can tell, it's just insanity not to have a program in place such as S.A. (refund on cans and bottles).
> Is there any good reason that it isn't implemented by all states?


You can thank the drink companies themselves. 
Stop drinking coke (and all its associated fizzy drinks) and do your health and environment a favour

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-08/r ... ng/4873740
https://www.facebook.com/I.Boycott.Coke

drinks to boycott


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Seeing as this has gone totally OT now.
Here in Alberta they have a deposit on all pre-packaged drinking containers.
It works, people recycle them.
Unfortunately, a small percentage of people also use this as an excuse to litter claiming they are helping out non-profit groups who do highway cleanups or the homeless / poor who collect bottles and cans for the refund.
However, the litter in general here is far worse than anywhere I've seen in Australia since the 80s. Coffee cups, plastic, coffee cups, smoke packets, coffee cups, chip packets and coffee cups abound.
Soft drink companies claims that it will push prices up need a wake up call. I can buy 24 cans of coke here for $6.99 + deposit when they are not on special. I've bought 6 x 780mL bottles of coke for $2+deposit when on special. Can't buy a single can for that back home.


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## swabio (Aug 16, 2010)

Junglefisher said:


> Soft drink companies claims that it will push prices up need a wake up call. I can buy 24 cans of coke here for $6.99 + deposit when they are not on special. I've bought 6 x 780mL bottles of coke for $2+deposit when on special. Can't buy a single can for that back home.


Unfortunately this is not Alberta..... and here companies love to price gouge.... using any reason to up the prices


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## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

780ml seems like a strange volume to me, but then again icebreaks come in 750ml.


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Thegaff said:


> 780ml seems like a strange volume to me, but then again icebreaks come in 750ml.


26oz. They're only half metric here.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

filthy said:


> Jeffen said:
> 
> 
> > Somewhat off topic, but as far as I can tell, it's just insanity not to have a program in place such as S.A. (refund on cans and bottles).
> ...


But Grape fanta is life givingly delicious.


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## gpexplorer (Feb 1, 2013)

Now I'm at home, animals are feed and I'm on beer number 5. I'll get back to Nick and grab my rope. The some people are a couple of registered AKKF members(who PM'd me, that's no drama ill take their point of view on board). 2 blokes who I met on the water and had words with. Then had dramas at the ramp, but gutless [email protected]!ks wern't there then, but I don't know if they were members or just guest readers of the site. ( that's o.k cause I know their face, yaks and pretty sure on their car and I'm not the one that has to look over my shoulder cause I'm good at fixing my own problems)
The third group of some one is people as close as good mates, so I'll use one as an example. Really good mate, met 20 years ago when we were diving the caves at Mt Gambier. His background was a sniper for the ADF so even when he jokes with you and makes a threat ,I know he'd never follow through but have no doubt that he is more than capable of hurting most anyone he wanted. 
So he gives me a call a few years ago and says"I'm picking up the new boat do you want to come out tonight" to which I told him no we'll go on the weekend. "nah I want you to come tonight" he says, fact was that being his first boat he was to scared to drive himself and wanted me there for confidence. Still i wasn't going to go. " I'll take you to mate X's secret spot and we'll clean up on mulloway" he wasn't going to stop. That won me, I wanted to see mate X's secret spot. 
So off we went and cleaned up on good mulloway, but all night I had to put up with his bullshit"if you tell anyone about this spot ill cut your f!?&&$g tongue out, me and mate X will kill you, blah,blah,blah".
So the secret spot is less than 2 kilometers from Garden Island boat ramp at a spot that I'd tried dozens of times before for doughnuts, but fact is if your not there at the right time, tide and bait the spot just isn't going to produce. The spot still isn't secret, aboriginals have probably been fishing there before white man even settled here. But because of his bullshit carry on all night about keeping it secret I for the first time didn't enjoy fishing that night with him and just wished for my yak with peace and quiet. 
Ohh and the judge jerk on my spelling. I could score A+++ on English papers at school for content and by the time you took out spelling and grammer I'd get a big fat F. So go your hardest cause I've already succeeded at life without having to spell any better than needed to make people understand what I mean. So I won't be offended if you correct me because I just won't bother to read it. 
Cheers, time for another beer.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

gpexplorer said:


> Cheers, time for another beer.


Cheers. I wish I read this last night. Nice rant. It's the same the world over, mate. This topic that irritates me on my local forums, is starting to pop up here, more and more. I didn't bring it! I see an MPA angle. It/they condensed us into fewer accessible quality areas. I remember many days where I saw no one, and then later when I did I actually knew them. Now there are always at least handful spread out where ever I go, even midweek, plus all the boats now relegated to this area also. More kayaks and boats in a smaller area? Sounds more sustainable than the previous... Digress. Fish when you can, tell who you want; just remember the internet is a big place full of people that can't keep a secret.


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## AdrianK (May 30, 2006)

A mate generously took me and my son to a creek near a popular lake, that was a nice open stretch only accessible by a well hidden dirt track. Between the 3 of us, we caught 35 bass in a morning (I was the least successful).
Out of respect to him, I would never divulge the location.
By the same token, I agree there is never a case for pm'ing abuse at someone for including a location in a trip report.


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## soloyakka85 (Sep 19, 2012)

I'll give out info on where I catch fish or don't for that matter for the simple fact that I like to see fish caught. Whether I catch it or someone else makes no difference to me. 
Most times I do fish with my mates though I still outfish them anyway.
I'll give a general area but if you're not fishing the correct structure it is hard to get the rewards as my mates have found out when I'm fishing right next to them and getting jew and EPs and all they get are small flatties. Locations are one thing but being good enough to read the water to catch the fish is another.
Phil


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

gpexplorer said:


> Now I'm at home, animals are feed and I'm on beer number 5. I'll get back to Nick and grab my rope. The some people are a couple of registered AKKF members(who PM'd me, that's no drama ill take their point of view on board). 2 blokes who I met on the water and had words with. Then had dramas at the ramp, but gutless [email protected]!ks wern't there then, but I don't know if they were members or just guest readers of the site. ( that's o.k cause I know their face, yaks and pretty sure on their car and I'm not the one that has to look over my shoulder cause I'm good at fixing my own problems)
> The third group of some one is people as close as good mates, so I'll use one as an example. Really good mate, met 20 years ago when we were diving the caves at Mt Gambier. His background was a sniper for the ADF so even when he jokes with you and makes a threat ,I know he'd never follow through but have no doubt that he is more than capable of hurting most anyone he wanted.
> So he gives me a call a few years ago and says"I'm picking up the new boat do you want to come out tonight" to which I told him no we'll go on the weekend. "nah I want you to come tonight" he says, fact was that being his first boat he was to scared to drive himself and wanted me there for confidence. Still i wasn't going to go. " I'll take you to mate X's secret spot and we'll clean up on mulloway" he wasn't going to stop. That won me, I wanted to see mate X's secret spot.
> So off we went and cleaned up on good mulloway, but all night I had to put up with his bullshit"if you tell anyone about this spot ill cut your f!?&&$g tongue out, me and mate X will kill you, blah,blah,blah".
> ...


Hilarious

And I'm not the one who points out spelling mistakes
I'm the one who points out and judges how pedantic it is to do so

So the someone's are a couple of members who may have PMd you
Plus a bunch of people unrelated to this site?

Boy you learned them uh?


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

AdrianK said:


> By the same token, I agree there is never a case for pm'ing abuse at someone for including a location in a trip report.


No never. I would though send a PM stating my case about how consequential it might be to do so. Especially if its my local area and hes new, but I dont toss around stupid internet thuggery and threats. Just fish.


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