In Finland, there's no such thing as a private lake or woods. There is private ownership of land, but if you own a woods or a lake, anyone may walk through your woods or fish your lake. This is from  visitfinland.com:

 

"In Finland, nature is both wild and free. The law allows anyone living in or visiting Finland the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish with a line and rod, and enjoy the recreational use of natural areas – respectfully, of course."

 

I rented houses for about 20 years on Wisconsin farms and the owners were Finnish in their land-generosity. If a couple fishermen wanted to cross a field to fish a river, that was generally okay, that part of the farming good neighbor culture.

 

Here in Maine, rich people from Boston and New York have the means to buy the land surrounding a lake and I've had no luck obtaining permission to fish that water. 

 

However, we don't have pay lakes because whereas the rich would like to own all the land and post their "No trespassing" signs, there are simply too many lakes to entirely own.  

 

 

54 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

In Finland, there's no such thing as a private lake or woods. There is private ownership of land, but if you own a woods or a lake, anyone may walk through your woods or fish your lake. This is from  visitfinland.com:

 

"In Finland, nature is both wild and free. The law allows anyone living in or visiting Finland the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish with a line and rod, and enjoy the recreational use of natural areas – respectfully, of course."

 

I rented houses for about 20 years on Wisconsin farms and the owners were Finnish in their land-generosity. If a couple fishermen wanted to cross a field to fish a river, that was generally okay, that part of the farming good neighbor culture.

 

Here in Maine, rich people from Boston and New York have the means to buy the land surrounding a lake and I've had no luck obtaining permission to fish that water. 

 

However, we don't have pay lakes because whereas the rich would like to own all the land and post their "No trespassing" signs, there are simply too many lakes to entirely own.  

 

 

We’ve come a long way since the thread a couple weeks ago about everyone building their own dream private lake to keep the public out hahaha

25 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve come a long way since the thread a couple weeks ago about everyone building their own dream private lake to keep the public out hahaha

Not me...I want that lake just for me and my friends ?

7 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Not me...I want that lake just for me and my friends ?

That’s not very Finnish of you….. hahahaha

28 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s not very Finnish of you….. hahahaha

Lol.

 

It's a great idea, very noble.......and then I remember what humans do to nice things they don't have to work hard for.    

 

If everyone were like Katie, I'd be down, but she's a unicorn ?

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

We’ve come a long way since the thread a couple weeks ago about everyone building their own dream private lake to keep the public out hahaha

 

Threads wander, for sure. Threads are like a beagle, following every little scent. 

8 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

 

Threads wander, for sure. Threads are like a beagle, following every little scent. 

So, you're a beagle man, huh? No wonder I like you!

3 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Is that a pet sitting beside you or a coworker?

5 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Is that a pet sitting beside you or a coworker?

A guy I used to work with rode around with a dog everyday forever, seemed awesome. I tried it once and my beagle buddy puked twice and wouldn’t stop howling when I got out of the truck haha

 

Bo only goes on rides from point A to point B with no stops now 

6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

So, you're a beagle man, huh? No wonder I like you!

We think he’s a bagel, beagle basset cross. Not really sure tho. You have him pegged, always leads with the sniffer 

On 4/4/2023 at 2:12 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Lol, and then pay again through various State or even Federal taxes.    

Pay lakes are a big thing down here in the South, or at least in AL, and TX.   

 

There is a really cool pay lake deal in N AL.   You pay $1000 a year and get to fish a number of different managed private lakes.    

 

I'm going to go to some this winter for sure.    

We're fish siblings lol.....my first was a white bank fishing with my dad who was likely dying of boredom.

 

I caught that little sucker, the rest was history.   I was obsessed with lakes, and the fish in them since that moment.  

 

real quick - where in N Alabama? I live in HSV

24 minutes ago, Smirak said:

 

real quick - where in N Alabama? I live in HSV

Donavanlakes  is the place.   

 

If you join, you gotta take me as a guest ?

 

If I lived closer I'd join no doubt.  

 

ETA:   I'm an idiot, it's in S AL.    My bad brother. 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Donavanlakes  is the place.   

 

If you join, you gotta take me as a guest ?

 

If I lived closer I'd join no doubt.  

 

ETA:   I'm an idiot, it's in S AL.    My bad brother. 

You’re good! Still might take a trip anyway. I fished guntersville on Sunday from my kayak and was literally sitting on top of beds with fish on them about 3 feet deep that were not interested in ANYTHING I threw at them. They’d just run away and come back like 60s later. V frustrating!

6 minutes ago, Smirak said:

You’re good! Still might take a trip anyway. I fished guntersville on Sunday from my kayak and was literally sitting on top of beds with fish on them about 3 feet deep that were not interested in ANYTHING I threw at them. They’d just run away and come back like 60s later. V frustrating!

I hear that brother; Spring and the Spawn has been a whole lot of frustration with some quality fish mixed in.  

 

23 hours ago, Catt said:

Search YouTube for Zona & Hackney or Zona & KVD at Grosse Savanne.

 

Probably my favorite Zona (and Hackney) fishing video. I loved the ending segment. They definitely had fun.

On 4/4/2023 at 3:27 PM, ol'crickety said:

 

Heck, yeah, we are! 

 

@TnRiver46, am I allowed to share that I'm published in a particular fishing magazine this month?

Share away, we are fans of your articles 

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Share away, we are fans of your articles 

 

The magazine is Gray's Sporting Journal and I'm always thrilled when they publish me because it's such a beautiful magazine: photography, poetry, art, essays, travel stories, etc. I can't link to the article because it's not on the Internet, but the Table of Contents gives you a taste of the magazine's look and focus. I hope no one at BR will hold it against me that I love trout too:

 

https://www.grayssportingjournal.com/in-this-issue/

     Every lake I go to I pay by donating tackle.  One lake is prone to snags, with lots of tackle steeling old nets.  The tackle fee at this lake is at the very limit of what I can afford.  Another lake has less snags, and I usually only have to pay a small token fee of a lure or two.  As with most things in life, the lake I have to pay the most at, also has the biggest bass.

4 hours ago, king fisher said:

The tackle fee at this lake is at the very limit of what I can afford.

 

Such a funny line!

 

4 hours ago, king fisher said:

Another lake has less snags, and I usually only have to pay a small token fee of a lure or two.

 

Another good one.

 

4 hours ago, king fisher said:

As with most things in life, the lake I have to pay the most at, also has the biggest bass.

 

So true in Maine too. My favorite lake is also the one that makes me pay to reach it. 

Each to their own, and enjoy the experience regardless of what you choose.  I personally would never pay to fish a glorified aquarium private lake.  There is just too many good quality natural lakes to fish, and lucky for me many are around where I live.

About 30 years ago I belonged to a sportsman’s club in Illinois. Real nice place that was kept clean and had a maintenance person living at the site. Great cat and bass fishing. When the caretaker retired they couldn’t get anyone at his pay. They upped the yearly fee to cover the new guy’s salary. That was too pricey for me so I dropped out.