YouTubers and Spot Burning 

This is such a great topic and a difficult one to take on. I'm like you I fall in the middle taking into account the biology of the fishery, the social impacts, and infrastructure. It's a tough line to walk.

I've been in the fishing tackle industry majority of my working life Mid (90's-2017) My goal has always been to get people on fish and help them learn how to catch them and be successful. Sharing spots and communication are a part of that game. I have a ton of professional fishing guides who are my friends. They all share information between themselves. Their clients get to learn their spots.We as anglers need to welcome new people into the sport and help to grow it. The more people we have involved in the sport, the better chance we have to fight for keeping our angling opportunities. This state currently is losing opportunity every year since I've been here (another issue in the political arena) Everyone learned from someone, no one owns a spot and in Washington there are a ton of places to fish. I will however as youtuber respect someone's wishes if they are bringing me to a special spot and ask me not to share it. Most of the time I go by myself and bring my friends along. Nice video my friend.

Great topic, totally agree with your thinking.

Great topic! This is such a large, semi unspoken issue on youtube but I've never seen a dedicated video on the subject. I can say I'm 85% in the "don't say where you are" camp. For me, it's about respecting the locals. Thanks for the video

I share when asked. It feels more like the actions of a "Sportsman or Gentleman" to do so. I enjoy knowing I may have contributed to their success. How a person chooses to use the information is up to them. Secret locations are sometimes justified in the name of "Preserving the Fish & Wildlife" but ultimately it seems more "Selfish" than anything else. The more secret spots someone has, the less likely I am to be associated.

Good info for all fisherman 🎣 fish on

This is a great topic of discussion and one that can rattle quite a few folks. Not sure why though since folks have been fishing these waters for years way before most all of us and our ancestors arrived here. My goal is to educate, protect & preserve what we have while it’s still here for us to enjoy. 🐕🦀🐕

All good points, and I'd argue that even your cons could be debated (much like your pros). It all depends on perspective. Your points to consider are exactly what I go through in my mind before I decide to share about a location. One of points that you mention is the trash left behind by other people. To be honest, that happens everywhere. I always pack a trash bag when I go out on hikes or fishing, just so I can pick up trash. We are stewards of this land, not separate from it. As far as the something to add, it is more of a something to consider: merely showing a location can be enough to blow it out. I've watched RU-vid videos on the Oregon coast that show very little features, but because I know the area really well, I know exactly where they are. Granted, if you are able to ID a location based off from a video, you already know it pretty well. Maybe, as a RU-vidr, you can address the beginner by teaching scouting through a series of videos? If you don't want to take that on, there are other RU-vidrs that have created paid courses to address that need, exactly. If you'd like, I can refer them in my comments, but will keep it to myself in case you decide to go down this route. Wow, that ended up being really long winded. Sorry about that, but thanks (as always) for sharing!

Yes, I agree with your stance on spot burning. It's a touchy subject for sure! I'd say teaching a technique and a rough showing of the area you are fishing is more I'mpotand than just handing the person the keys to your spot.

When it comes to salmon and steelhead (only exception would be Puget sound salmon although I won’t give up the exact drag/how I fish it) I believe things should be kept secret because many people put in the hard work or have lineage at certain places. The internet has ruined a lot of places and pissed off a lot of people that grew up/or worked hard at learning particular places. Too many people expect others to give up their hard learned info to them because they “moved to Washington” or “payed for their fishing license” lol good point to address Blake, I appreciate your take on the issue

Well put. WDFW list all the lowland lakes and what fish are commonly caught there. The specifics of where, when, and how to fish within the boundaries of each of those lakes, or any other body of water, should be part of the journey of discovery that drives the passion. I like your channel because it looks like you are having fun which is important to me. Not the location details. I’d still love to collaborate on an etiquette video with you. Humorous and informative for beginners on how to read a situation where someone is already in the spot when you arrive. CHEERS BLAKE and I hope you have a great 2023!!

I thank you for your knowledge. I tried to catch burbot last December. I was not successful but I was out there trying.

If I see you on the water I have very few secrets. Info shared online is more vague. Great considerations for local infrastructure and biology/carrying capacity.

"I hate people outside of my family, so I won't help them have a more enjoyable outdoor experience by sharing a great spot with them", is their attitude, arguably.

This is great😊

Lot of good sense and truths to what you say.

I keep it to myself but if you know you know. I won't advertise it.

Well said, Blake. I'm in the same camp as you when river fishing. I also have no problem telling others about put and take fiseries.

It all depends on the fishery in my opinion. If I do ever mention a place to someone it is usually just a river name or general area in the saltwater.

Sometimes I wonder, if RU-vidrs would have taken the exact opposite approach, and filmed and called out every location, would there be so much available information out there that people would actually be more spread out and less crowded? I don’t know, I guess I play it safe and don’t call stuff out unless it’s already obvious where you are.

Yeah rivers is tricky since it is so limited on space. I've seen rivers I've fish at get absolutely destroyed because it was recently featured on a RU-vid video. How I kind of see it as. If you found the spots yourself, it up your own discretion if you wanna tell people about it. However, if someone else told you about the spot. You absolutely cannot tell anybody about it without permission from the person that initially told you about it. That how you end friendships and fishing partners.

This happens with many outdoor spots now. Fishing, Hiking, Mt biking, Dirt Biking, etc etc etc..... There is a balance to be had, but specifics could be kept quiet, but "in the area" vaguely works I think. Half the fun is figuring out the "spots" on your own as well.

Everyone can do as they wish. If someone wants to tell everyone about a fishing hole then that is they right and if someone wants to keep everything secret then that is their right too. In a public spot no one has more rights than another.

Awesome topic, this is a major hot button for a lot of anglers everywhere! There is so much to consider, our world is overloaded with instant gratification, the pursuit is a apart of the experience.

Some selfish people even waste time to photoshop the background out of the fish photos they post/boast on the internet.

I think you have done a good job of finding a middle ground. We have some great fisheries in our state, and many of them are funded by revenue from license sales, a lot of local businesses depend on $ from people fishing or enjoying the outdoors in general. I think if you tubers show themselves picking up trash and generally how to respect these spots. Maybe people will realize that these spots are really ours to keep up as a fishing/hunting/outdoor community.

I think there is a big difference between saltwater and freshwater. I am generally okay with publishing info regarding saltwater locations, to include shore fishing spots. I generally dislike publishing freshwater river or lake names where the expectation is bank fishing. If it’s a large lake with either designed bank access or people will be fishing out of a boat, then I see little harm in publishing it. People need to be able to watch a video and and learn of a place of two where they can go and be successful. Otherwise, the sport will fail to attract new people to the activity, local companies who design and create gear won’t have needed sales, and some communities lose out of tourism.

To think that a public spot is somehow "yours" seems ridiculous. I do get your point of view. But as a fishing bait shop manager, I ALWAYS try to be an ambassador of the sport. I will always share my knowledge and locations to help get people and children interested. Its a big turn off to new people to be told "put in the work yourself". I get where they are coming from but its highly selfish in a sense and not a good look for our sport.

I will share with people if I talk to them and get a good vibe from them. I try my best to take them to the spots too and give them a better appreciation for the spot.. Plus it's a good excuse to get out on an adventure. I do think doing videos on "How to..." Would be a good thing to do for your channel!

I wonder if it is a matter of personality? Those that will share and those that won't. If you share and those that don't get mad that you did. If I have something of what, I think, is of interest to someone I share it. Rather it is fishing, crafting, cooking, or whatever. I like to share. Others keep fishing spots, recipes, ideas close, never sharing. Fish move around. Rivers, unless there is a dam on it, change course so spots disappear. Population has increased. For 20 years I have wondered if there is spot burning? Since most fish are planted, excluding warm water species, more people catching means less fish. Should they restrict the amount of licenses sold? Does one interview the people in the spot you worked hard for? The last two spots that I found out about were from a customer at where I work. Years ago I even got a spot while I was at the doctors office. Therefore, I believe only a small amount of people chase spots from fishing RU-vid or fishing reports internet sites or magazines. My thought is that if someone is in your spot and you are mad about it, you want someone to blame and the internet site people are easy prey. Since you don't know that customer where I work. :)

As a salesperson in tackle, I believe I could teach someone new how to fish. I could tell them exactly the way I do it for a certain species and what fishery it could be. But that doesn't mean it'll work for them because they need to do their expierence on the water and learn how to fish that setup I sold them. As for places to fish, I don't like to say a certain names even in the store because how so restrictive the state is getting, but at the same time If I told them the Cowlitz River is good for coho. But at that point, the person has to do their own research or hunting to get their reward! I don't handout freebies lol. I am not a fan of social media for fishing anymore!

Swofford pond is no secret 😉. I appreciate you like other youtubers guarded but candid approach to fishing videos, definitely a balance. Your comment on when you do share fishing spots, it is a way to bring business to the local economy made me think it would be great to hear what your favorite places to eat are?

I fish a small lake near my house that its hidden and special rules and it is great. Everyone exclusively Cath and releases the trout in there and it is great. No poachers! The rivers are a big thing for me. I'll fish my favorite hole on my home river and Cath tons of salmon, then to me home and see someone on on RU-vid telling everyone the name of the river and the exact spot. Then I go a few days later to find trash everywhere, and a pile of about 12 dead coho that were gutted and the people just killed the fish for the eggs.

Thanks Blake! Good info for newbies like me.

A couple years ago I was invited to go salmon fishing with a friend and his friend. When I got to his house he was visually agitated and made me swear up and down that I wouldn't tell anyone about his secret spot....Get in the truck and proceed to drive straight to a hatchery to combat fish for the day. Couldn't have had a bigger laugh when I got home that night.

You are to be commended for taking the topic head on. Like others, I would favor withholding exact locations unless, as you note, it's built out to take more people. Perhaps a factor you didn't mention is population growth. Revealing any sensitive area in the Pacific Northwest, while so many people are moving here, puts that place at greater risk. You could be making videos that are just as good in the Midwest, for example, where the population there is actually decreasing -- and I would expect you would not be creating as much risk for those spots. As it is, you are making videos about fishing in a state where many new people are trying to figure out where -- exactly -- to fish.

Walking a tightrope for sure. Good to lean to the secretive side. Even though we might like to know a special location, we can respect not letting it be known. Appreciate the effort you put into your videos. Looking forward to the next.

I think it depends on the community based around a certain fish. As a catch and release carp angler I tell people the body of water I am on all the time even the exact spot I'm fishing. the more people who want to come to catch one the better. The places I fish are not well suited spots for bow anglers so I'm not worried about my spots being killed off by them. I do understand river anglers keeping honey holes very secret based on if they plan to harvest fish. If that spot is "burned it my never be the same again. It's a very interesting give and take. But giving a general name for a lake or river or specific area of hood canal or upper sound doesn't show the person how to fish it, that is something that has to be practiced to see what will work and what will not.

Just something else for people to bitch about. One more reason why they can't catch fish. Most people were told these spots they don't want others to know about and can't find new ones. People that have learned the skills you mentioned will always be able to find new ones. Lazy people that fish the same places every year wont. That said if someone tells you a spot you shouldn't tell others or you are betraying that person. RU-vid is about helping people learn new skills. Teach them. 👍

Not a politically great topic to get stuck in, so I applaud you taking this on. You hit the pertinent topics. I am in the middle; I won't share a spot with someone unless I've met them. They might be great people, but what if they share the info with 23 of their "best friends" who sometimes would qualify for tickets from the WDFW? Its up to the person about sharing spots; I'd rather find things for myself. Its also per species and size of the spot. If its an interception fishery like a river, I don't see an issue, but what if its an isolated rock pinnacle with slow-growing rockfish? Negatively, a lot of it is some people also thinking that they are being crowded out of "their spot", as if they own it even if its on public lands. BTW, I love Westport also, but sorry, it wasn't you who got me to go there, that was way before WA Fish Quest.😁

Hey Blake. I'm finally back in Olympia. Someday we gotta hook up. My wife and I live near downtown/West Olympia. Hope you are well.

you and I have fished many of the same waters for many years. I think I have come to many of the same "sharing" conclusions as you have. I still have my secrets, but love sharing awesome places with others too. Cant make everybody happy. -Sideburns

Ok. I think this is a total non-issue, and you addressed it yourself in your 2022 wrap up video! Your most viewed video is HOW to fish for black rockfish (or something to that effect). It is not "WHERE to fish for black rockfish". I come to your channel looking to learn about HOW to fish for different species, not WHERE. I mean, sure, spoon feeding me would be great, but I (and I would guess 40-60% of your viewrers? Don't know how to fish for perch in the ice. Or albacore on the coast. Or spot shrimp. It's more the diversity and knowledge and then I WILL go out on my own to figure out WHERE it works. .... case in point, a buddy and I followed your plug cut herring video to a T and went out randomly wherever (NOT on fish) and had a great time NOT catching anything. We'll learn that part, but the nuts and bolts technical sutff a) makes for easy, good videos and b) doesn't burn spots and c) gives me the base to at least try. Without the core mechanics, I'm not even going to go try. And then once I get amazing at fly fishing for steelhead, I'll go ahead and do that 7 day bushwack to the super secret wherever wherever. You may think you need to do 301 and 401 material, but the 101 and 201 material plays. thanks - love your channel!

I giggle at the fact people are afraid to share bodies of water. Let me know some spots on the Cowlitz lol. I do see why people keep their honey holes to themselves but it doesn't hurt to help new anglers get on some fish

I am about sharing .Name the lake or river it’s public information. You are a teacher of a public resource.Teach the method plus the ethics.Try to pass on respect for the resources. Washington has grown by millions of people so there are hundreds of new fisherman . If you base your videos on only a handful of places you are going to educate sportsman on those places so keep finding new places to share. Really enjoy your shows Thank you for sharing your dreams and time

I think you strike a good balance Blake. No way should people be giving away secret or sacred spots found through a lot of time in the field, hard work, and dead days at other spots. Finding fishing spots can work very well when you find someone who is like minded and similar skills. You share some info with them and they with you. Needs to be a two way street. Equal work, equal value of the info. As you know I'm a long time subscriber and I'm curious your educational background and what you do for a living, in general terms. It seems to me you have a graduate degree and probably in the natural sciences. ??? 🙂