Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Bugatti

Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Bugatti » Fri May 03, 2019 2:07 pm

We all have our spots and unfortunately we can not truly put them under lock and key.

We are all vulnerable to the "unscrupulous person" who would do what ever they can to get our spots.

This thread is to share methods and ideas to protect our spots.

THIS IS NOT A THREAD TO BAG PEOPLE AND CALL THEM NAMES because that would end up with this thread being locked , , , , when it is the intent of this thread to lock our spots, as best as we can.




A Story of GPS Thievery:

An acquaintance of a mate's, catches heaps of Snapper, I mean heaps. He never berleys and only ever drifts to catch them (I on occassion drift till I find them, then I anchor) But he only drifts over the spot/school and never never anchors.

I first thought this was just his method of fishing for Snapper AND and an easy way to "get off" the spot if a boat is approaching, so as not to waste time lifting anchor, berley pots/rope etc, and to get off the spot quickly.

Prelude:
This bloke had an Upholstery Business till recently, doing Boats only - seats, covers, canopies etc etc.
While the Boat was in for some work and fitting, this bloke would help himself to the data stored in the customers GPS unit. Recreational AND COMMERCIAL Fishermen.

He was the first choice (unknowing of his thievery), that was recommended by a fair few Dealerships here in South Australia, for their customers.

If anyone knew of what he was doing, stealing GPS data, he would be drawn & quartered at the very least.



HENCE, he would never anchor , , , , not as we thought, so not to give the spot away , , , , BUT not to get caught on someone else's spot.



Where I take my Boat, they ask for all electronics to be taken off and the Boat not to have them on when dropped off , , , , for many reasons.

Do you trust where you take your Boat , , , , I mean, every employee there ????


Cheers, Bugatti
I have your back, not your spots :)

purple5ive
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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by purple5ive » Fri May 03, 2019 2:37 pm

Man thats crazy stuff, have never heard of this kinda stuff before hahaha.
i think GPS units need to come with a password protect feature, like most new phones.

i have never had to leave my boat anywhere except at the mechanics when its getting serviced. if they did end up stealing my spots then no biggie as i dont have much in there and ones i have there are common knowledge

i have however been at the receiving end due to being in the vincinity of a particularly famous vocally fiery charter operator who is well know locally.
i was just sounding around and happened to get a bit close(still a fair distance away) to him and we copped a earfull.
But the thing was if he didnt scream at us i wouldnt have known who it was, and by doing so he also gave away one of his spots to me..

have also heard of people taking mobile phones and recording the locations on charters
also people following out Charter boats from the ramp, etc etc..

Lightningx
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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Lightningx » Fri May 03, 2019 2:51 pm

Wow mate I have never really thought about this till now that you mentioned it!
I usually just book my boat in and drop it off and arrange to pick it up and that’s the end of it. Now it’s really starting to make me wonder!
I mean I have no idea while it’s there who’s going through my boat and what they are actually doing.
Thanks for the post mate. It really has made me think...

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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by yepi'mon » Fri May 03, 2019 4:17 pm

Bugatti, surely all of your GPS marks are put together in a custom made clip art meme that no one could ever replicate?

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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Mattblack » Fri May 03, 2019 4:40 pm

have also heard of people taking mobile phones and recording the locations on charters

[/quote]

Guilty as charged your honour.....fk 'em, might as well get my money's worth

Bugatti

Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Bugatti » Fri May 03, 2019 4:45 pm

yepi'mon wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 4:17 pm
Bugatti, surely all of your GPS marks are put together in a custom made clip art meme that no one could ever replicate?

Close, I do call my spots by people's names and not by fish (ie. my Son's Snapper Spot which he found sounding with me, when he was about 10-12 is named after him), named after odd items etc , , , , that way it doesn't give away what fish that spot has.

BUT GPS spots are partly useless, some spots fish different to others. Like the grounds where my Son's spot is, fishes badly unless there is a North wind, out-going tide, and two other factors (to remain ssssshhhhh).

But you know yepi'mon , , , , I like you, even though my spots are in SA, I shall give you one :-D but keep it a secret


HERE IT IS
X marks the Spot.PNG

Cheers, Bugatti
ps. happy to share X with you on PM if you are ever in Adelaide

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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by bowl » Fri May 03, 2019 4:59 pm

Mattblack wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 4:40 pm
have also heard of people taking mobile phones and recording the locations on charters
Guilty as charged your honour.....fk 'em, might as well get my money's worth
[/quote]

Yup stuff the charter operators.....had them anchor on top of me and do circle around me n my mates boats when i have been catching...
To many boats kayak, helicopter , catch a fish,catch a fish

Bugatti

Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Bugatti » Fri May 03, 2019 5:01 pm

purple5ive wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 2:37 pm

Man thats crazy stuff

have also heard of people taking mobile phones and recording the locations on charters
For some people, it's only about the fish, the ego and the selfishness. They are Catchermen NOT Fisherman

I have had (long time ago) a friend/acquaintance on my boat for the first time (and the only time, as you shall read on), who ONLY after we were on the first spot, said "I brought my GPS (handheld) to get a better mark on the spot instead of you just giving me the GPS Co-ords". Yeah, right like I was going to give him any anyway (well not now that he has shown what he was like). I said "yes" , , , , like I could stop him. We fished and caught some fish (Gar, Squid & Crabs an OK catch) but cut the time at that spot short as I offered to drive him to some of my other spots (for him to zap) to help him out.

He was excited and zapped about 7-8 spots of all kinds , , , , the hardest part for me was, pretending they were real spots :rofl:

I am very very choosy on who gets on my boat now.

Cheers, Bugatti

Oh EDIT , , , , what I am surprised with, is the select people I did give spots to back then, would give them to others , , , , the cheek

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Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by rb85 » Fri May 03, 2019 7:58 pm

Bugatti that’s a crazy story love your work leading the acquaintance up the garden path.
Stealing marks is wrong whether guest on a boat or customer two wrongs don’t make a right.

Have had an unnamed charter business circle my boat fishing for snapper off Rhyll I phoned the business the next day to let them know it’s not right the response was “people do it to us all the time” my reply “I didn’t I found my own mark away from the boat if you can’t get your clients fish don’t spook mine”.
Have also had Shaun from think big cruise by sounding as I was on a patch of snapper he saw me land a couple but still kept a respectable distance anchored near by. That same day there was 30 boats around Worstleings corals mark catching zip marks aren’t everything.

How do I keep my spots a secret I don’t try too but I’m guarded about no labels on my gps just 1,2,3 etc and I don’t post pics giving away specifics.

It’s a massive issue of contention to me about people profiting from marks and drawing crowds to once quiet coastlines.

Bugatti

Re: Protecting our GPS Marks and Fishing Spots from others

Post by Bugatti » Fri May 03, 2019 8:37 pm

rb85 wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 7:58 pm
Bugatti that’s a crazy story love your work leading the acquaintance up the garden path.
Stealing marks is wrong whether guest on a boat or customer two wrongs don’t make a right.
I actually copped flack from some because I did that , , , , and the acquaintance and his mates were livered with me. So yeah, crazy that they thought they could fleece without consequence, and sooked when there was consequence.


Where as this mate, top bloke, was just happy to catch his first Snapper. (thread/post I put up before "Small Fish, BIG Smile")

Smiley big.gif



rb85 wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 7:58 pm

Have had an unnamed charter business circle my boat fishing for snapper off Rhyll I phoned the business the next day to let them know it’s not right the response was “people do it to us all the time” my reply “I didn’t I found my own mark away from the boat if you can’t get your clients fish don’t spook mine”.
Have also had Shaun from think big cruise by sounding as I was on a patch of snapper he saw me land a couple but still kept a respectable distance anchored near by.
Yeah, some Charters are good and some not so , , , , just like rec fishos , , , , good and bad.

I've only been on three and had two great Charter guys.

Gary at Cape Jervis, top bloke. I only fished for a bit, I let the rest of the lads fish, just enjoyed the day. Gazz & I got along like a house on fire. He asked me to drive his Charter Boat, I did most of the driving for most of the day.


The beer was only for the pic
Cape 12.JPG

Cape 21b.JPG

Cape 16.JPG

Cheers, Bug

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