2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
Yes, me too. Almost as much as the "It's all BPS's fault that the Stick Marsh has gone downhill" post. I am no fan of BPS, having worked at the Palm Bay store, but it in no way ruined the Stick Marsh. Hurricanes and spraying have not helped, but the fishing is still pretty good there. They should never have put in the ramp, should have left it where you had to launch in the ditch and have to have another vehicle pull you out when it got wet. Of course that would eliminate all the big boats and "guides".
I fish it a lot. It used to be that Saturday and Sunday was crowded, but that was about it. I did not fish much then because I can fish anytime I want and I left weekends to people working that could only be there then.
BPS advertised itself as BPS Stick Marsh and sent everybody it could there to fish. It is now crowded all the week long a lot of weeks. The lake fishes small and they had people in the overflow parking a lot. It is their job.
Spraying does suck...so does a crowded lake. It was not NEARLY as crowded before BPS.
RT188
I LIKE boats...BUT I LOVE PLANES
Oh yeah.... I love the RT188 too.
I fished SM probably 75 times or more the last year. How many times have you fished it this year? Laugh if you want...laugh all you want... to some of us, it is not funny.
There are a lot of nails in the coffin...spraying, hurricanes, whatever that algae color was ... but also crowds caused partly by BPS...and a lot of BPS customers that don't know how to catch and release a decent fish.
RT188
I LIKE boats...BUT I LOVE PLANES
Oh yeah.... I love the RT188 too.
I quit fishing there a few years ago, got tired of the drive and the out of state yahoo's. But to say BPS ruined the place is total BS. It has been going downhill for years, ever since the hurricanes of 2004 tore up the bottom. Don't get me wrong, I don't give a rats butt about bass pro , having worked there for a couple of years. Just be thankful that the idiot manager at the time and the mayor of Palm Bay didn't get their way, because it would be a lot more crowded if they did. But as far as naming a store after the place causing it to go downhill, I fail to see how you could possibly use that as a valid reason.
I never said that...read my last paragraph...lots of nails... and you have not even been there..soooo.....
My buddy was in the store...the spawn was on....the employee w a s circling on a Stick Marsh map where they spawned and sending people there... the store just has not been good.for the lake.
RT188
I LIKE boats...BUT I LOVE PLANES
Oh yeah.... I love the RT188 too.
It's called customer service.
I'm sure the problems related to the Stick Marsh aren't related to the amount of new people we have moving into the area. Have you lived in the area long? Did you fish the place when you had to launch down the side of a ditch? If you have. then you would have seen the decline start many years ago. But it seems as though you are looking for something to blame, so blame BPS, no skin off my nose, I despise BPS anyway, but it isn't going to solve anything.
Would you rather have the Stick Marsh a "pay as you fish" area? That way you could limit the amount of people fishing there, just kidding. that will never happen.
And as far as people not releasing fish properly, I agree with you. I have had people show me pictures of them holding 4 large fish that should have released ASAP. When the Stick Marsh was first opened FWC was all over the place, when was the last time you have seen any FWC out there looking for violations? Handing out a few tickets for mis handling fish would do wonders.
Last edited by acesover; 09-13-2021 at 03:57 PM.
When a Lake or any water that once had few people fishing it, gets more well known, more people will fish it and it does change it.
That is just what happens when Thousands of People a week move into Florida for the last 20 years or so.
It's not like SM isn't a well known body of water in the state.
Sounds like the Guy at PB BPS was doing what he was supposed to do, Service the Customer in order to get Repeat Customers.
When I worked in a SG Dept guys would ask for advise all the time. Out of Area Visitors. New To Fishing. Whatever. It's not like the guy gave them exact GPS Locations and told them where to set the boat down and how to hold the Rod and ETC.
Sounds more like someone has an axe to grind and after all BPS is a Big Target to hit.
Maybe the guy should go back to flying planes. like his signature implies, if he even does that.
And I have probably fished that place hundreds of times, it's not like you imply, that I have never been there, maybe you should read things closer yourself. Your lack of a reasonable reason is amazing. Somebody must have had a faster boat and beat him to the spillway.
When you said up above in a previous post that you have not fished in a "few years" ...that tells me all I need to know.....just like other internet people that troll with no knowledge of the situation but just fake their pseudo knowledge of the subject and hide ignorance of it. If a "few years" is correct, you don't know the lake or what has happened with the crowds since BPS. I hope the new Headwaters lake will help.
And lots of people have faster boats and beat me every day. I don't care. I am retired and take it easy.... both my boat and the plane at Melbourne are both kinda slow....but so am I nowadays.
I have fished SM about 20 years....maybe a couple more. I forget the exact year I first fished it. I still say BPS has not been good for it.....and unlike you, I DO have first hand experience with the situation. Maybe since you don't fish it, you should opinion about mowing grass or cooking or something that you actually do.
RT188
I LIKE boats...BUT I LOVE PLANES
Oh yeah.... I love the RT188 too.
Lol. Let me correct my statement. I haven't fished in 2 years. And if you are a transplant, you are part of the problem,plain and simple.
As far as being a troll, remember who brought up the ridiculous idea of BPS ruining the place. And for someone who has supposedly been fishing it for 20 years, would.surley have seen the decline start BEFORE BPS came to town. The reasoning you use is laughable and a great example of a troll.
Another update
https://www.southcentralfloridalife...._id=b044188a8b
Steve McQueen "Le Mans"
Own the Champ! Life Long Petty Fan!
2003 ChampioN 2006 250 Merc. XB, Prop By Mark C.
2002 Ranger Okeechobee Special EvinRude Ficht 90 / 9.9 4-Stroke GLAD to have a Get me to the Dock motor maybe!
Thanks for the update.
2008 Ranger 178VX
150 Yamaha V-max
GO Fins!!!
Another update 12/03/21 Sounds about the same but looks like everyone connected is on the same page now. Just looks like paperwork now.
https://www.southcentralfloridalife...._id=37c02b3779
Steve McQueen "Le Mans"
Own the Champ! Life Long Petty Fan!
2003 ChampioN 2006 250 Merc. XB, Prop By Mark C.
2002 Ranger Okeechobee Special EvinRude Ficht 90 / 9.9 4-Stroke GLAD to have a Get me to the Dock motor maybe!
Steve McQueen "Le Mans"
Own the Champ! Life Long Petty Fan!
2003 ChampioN 2006 250 Merc. XB, Prop By Mark C.
2002 Ranger Okeechobee Special EvinRude Ficht 90 / 9.9 4-Stroke GLAD to have a Get me to the Dock motor maybe!
Steve McQueen "Le Mans"
Own the Champ! Life Long Petty Fan!
2003 ChampioN 2006 250 Merc. XB, Prop By Mark C.
2002 Ranger Okeechobee Special EvinRude Ficht 90 / 9.9 4-Stroke GLAD to have a Get me to the Dock motor maybe!