I was fishing Lake Mendota many years ago during the perch boom. There were pods of people covering the roaming school in deep water. I decided to fish way on the outskirts far away from the crowds but in a similar depth. I drilled a hole and sent the jig down but it never made it to bottom. Big perch were all the place. I was proud of my catch so I started my perch pile.
Nobody really was paying much attention to me until I see a guy approaching from shanty town. He was at least 70. He told me I was “being an idiot”. I asked what he was talking about. He told me he can see my pile of fish from his shanty with binoculars. He guaranteed many in the shanty town had binoculars and if I didn’t hide my fish I would soon be surrounded by shanty’s.
From that point in I’ve always kept my panfish away from public view. Put them under a bucket, in a cooler, anywhere but where guys can see you, especially in crowded lakes.
His parting words were “Whenever I see a pile of perch on the ice I know it’s a guy under 30.”
I thought it was good advice and have followed it since.
