What is Spot Burning?
Spot burning is bringing unwarranted attention to a fishing spot. Spot burning is a touchy subject and also a context-specific one. In some places with low angling pressure spot burning is generally not a concern while in other, typically high-pressure places it is a major breach of local etiquette.
Spot burning is generally regarded as a negative thing for reasons like:
- Generally increases angling pressure in a specific area
- Increases mortality of fish through harvest and post catch and release mortality
- Fills up areas that may only have limited space to fish
- Fills up available parking in places with limited parking
- Increased littering and environmental damage from low-effort individuals
- Breaches local peace from anglers playing music or talking loudly in groups
- May get fishing shut down by anglers angering local private land owners or local authorities
- For non-migratory or structure-oriented fish may see them wiped out completely
On the other hand, cries of spot burning can also be wielded by bad-faith individuals. Some people just want fishing spots all to themselves and will try and bully other anglers out of the area. Some people take anti-spot burning to the extreme where they don't want people talking about fishing at all. Apps like Fish Brain, local tackle shop reports, and online groups and forums often find themselves tangled in the spot burning debate.
Fishing Fundamentals