[Stealth_Hawk]

Alright, so I'm 14 and my friend who's 10 or so wanted to go with to ride bikes a few blocks away to this little fishing hole I've always wondered about, and it's a little freshwater runoff from a freshwater lake in our area, and I live in the Florida Panhandle, so I know fishing's gonna be good, but the only problem is that there is a sign that reads: "PRIVATE PROPERTY, NO TRESPASSING". What's the worst they can do? We're both under 16, so we don't need fishing liscenses. What's the worst that they could do to us if we're just catching and releasing? I can't get my liscense til' I'm 16, so I can't drive to a friends' house who lives ON the lake, because that's just too far for bikes, and my mom wouldn't want to drive me every day. I just wanted to find a little fishing hole to go to every day after school. So could I really get in trouble? HELP!!!

 

[the hog]

ASK PERMISSION. Dont be a fool, if you ask you might be invited back if you dont and get caught you will look like a **** head and not be trusted by the land owner.

 

[RosesInWinter]

Go ask for permission. It's not you property and without permission, you don't have any business there.

And it's not just about how much trouble you can get in. It's about the kind of person you are and who you want to be.

 

[ActionJackson]

Yeah...the hog's right. If it's private property, the owner has a right to tell you to stay off. If it were my property and I had a sign that said "No Trespassing" I would mean it. Many people are willing to let you on their property if you are man enough to ask them. Give it a try. If the owner says no then no it is. You'll have to go elsewhere.

I'm not saying that I was a perfect angel when I was a kid your age. We used to have a huge rock crushing plant near my home and near the riverbed I used to play in growing up. It was surrounded by a fence that had barbed wire on it and all kinds of No Trespassing signs. There was this huge pile of sand in the middle of the factory area that had my name written all over it. No fence could stop me and my friends from getting to that pile of sand. We would run up to the top and roll down. It was one of the most fun things I ever did as a kid. I got chased by the company guards on more than one occasion and almost caught once.

I've long since learned that rules exist for a reason and it's best to follow them in most cases.

 

[300WSM]

Ask for permission I have posted my family farm because of people hunting and fishing without permission by posting the land I can hold you at gun point while law enforcement is in route. I have to do this because people take and take without regard to conservation. Before I started managing the property is was a mess no wildlife and stunted fish. I have been in a tree stand and watch people take fish out of the pond that should have been put back and I have seen people hunting when it’s not hunting season! My son and I confronted a man hunting out of season we made it clear his life was in danger if he didn’t drop his weapon, plus he was arrested for trespassing and hunting out of season gun and truck taken but he was lucky because I almost killed him because of his mouth! Ask even though I tell people no I have let folks fish. I will not let anyone hunt.

 

[Stealth_Hawk]

Well, first I need to know WHO owns the land. But if they say yes, yay. But if they say no, I'm just gonna respect that. Trust me, I'm not a bad teen. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I try hard in school. I'm just wanting to find a fishing hole.

 

[awildchipmunk]

Well, first I need to know WHO owns the land. But if they say yes, yay. But if they say no, I'm just gonna respect that. Trust me, I'm not a bad teen. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I try hard in school. I'm just wanting to find a fishing hole.

You might be able to find out who owns the property though your county's Assessor/Treasurer Property Information, many of them have the information online.

I've gone into the map section with a address or one from nearby to the land that I'm interested in and find the parcel number, from there you can find the owners information.

 

[haha49]

depends on your area private property signs only mean that its private property and is informing you off it so you respect it.. now no tresspassing with a private property sign then you screwed.. i know in some areas the locals put private property signs up even though its no there or anyones land they just want to keep people out and i was told hey this private property and i turn around and said no it isnt because i wanted to buy it and the government owns it and isnt willing to sell it.. was close to a park and was a nice area.. lots of areas to hid out fish hunt ect why i wanted it but its government land and when they say now its hard to get them to change there mind..

 

[Scruggs]

Well, first I need to know WHO owns the land. But if they say yes, yay. But if they say no, I'm just gonna respect that. Trust me, I'm not a bad teen. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I try hard in school. I'm just wanting to find a fishing hole.

If I had a posted fishing spot, I would certainly let you fish there all you wanted! The land owner may be impressed by you asking for permission. Also, maybe you could offer to do a couple of small jobs for them in return for fishing privileges. It might just be cleaning up the banks of the pond or something similar.

 

[FredLee]

Alright, so I'm 14 and my friend who's 10 or so wanted to go with to ride bikes a few blocks away to this little fishing hole I've always wondered about, and it's a little freshwater runoff from a freshwater lake in our area, and I live in the Florida Panhandle, so I know fishing's gonna be good, but the only problem is that there is a sign that reads: "PRIVATE PROPERTY, NO TRESPASSING". What's the worst they can do? We're both under 16, so we don't need fishing liscenses. What's the worst that they could do to us if we're just catching and releasing? I can't get my liscense til' I'm 16, so I can't drive to a friends' house who lives ON the lake, because that's just too far for bikes, and my mom wouldn't want to drive me every day. I just wanted to find a little fishing hole to go to every day after school. So could I really get in trouble? HELP!!!

Problem is: liability. If you went in there and you or your friend drowns,the owner of the land might face liability.He put a sign up to take some of the weight off.

 

[blindfly69]

well if you owned the land you wouldnt just want ANYONE coming in there and fishing would you?

 

[Herd Sniper]

That property may be posted because the fish in that water are sick or tainted. Could be that your local fishing hole might not be a safe place to get fish at all. In other words, there may actually be a REASON for the owner not wanting people on his property. By ignoring the warning, you risk serious injury or death...

 

[pixelphotographer]

what if the person whos land you tresspass on has a pot farm they dont want you to see.
it would be easy to send you to the alligators for free food.
Dont risk it. Ask permission or dont go. In Fla lots of places to fish you dont need permission at.

 

[kingjames]

Whe I was living in florida 7 years ago. You could shoot on sight if a tresspasser were to be on property. I know you 14 but you may be mistaken thats the worst. you also may be charged it can happen. The state like to pick up charges quick. Also if you were there and someone else comes along and destroys something or ect. you could be held liable because you dont have permmission. Im with everyone else ASK.

 

[bocaj812]

I Would Ask The Landowner they might let you fish then.. it would be better than getting caught when you dont belong there

 

[johngunguy]

Things are sure different from when I was your age 40 years ago. I lived three blocks from a nice bayou in north Louisiana and we fished along the bayou all the time. The home owners who lived on the bayou never bothered us, which looking back on it was a surprise. We never left trash on there property and did no damage either.

Ask the land owners and be respectful of their property if given permission. Also, if given permission don't bring herds of friends along, remember the land owner gave you permission or you and your buddy, not the entire neighborhood.

Have a great time,

John

 

[macmonkey]

"What's the worst they can do" - well in some states they could shoot you and claim that you threatened them. Obviously if you were just fishing and someone did this it would be outright murder but I believe that's the "worst" thing that they could do.

99% of land owners I know will admire the fact that you came and did the right thing by asking permission and say "sure - if anybody gives you trouble you tell them [insert name here] told you that it was ok"

 

[macmonkey]

what if the person whos land you tresspass on has a pot farm they dont want you to see.
it would be easy to send you to the alligators for free food.
Dont risk it. Ask permission or dont go. In Fla lots of places to fish you dont need permission at.

At a local gun shop the owner gets frequent stories of land-owner pot growers taking the offensive and shooting at people until they are off the property (or even near the property). I thought that these things were just in Hollywood but according to the gun store owner this problem is very real.

 

[Per Ardua]

If I had a posted fishing spot, I would certainly let you fish there all you wanted! The land owner may be impressed by you asking for permission. Also, maybe you could offer to do a couple of small jobs for them in return for fishing privileges. It might just be cleaning up the banks of the pond or something similar.

That's a great suggestion.

-Per.

 

[z96Cobra]

depends on your area private property signs only mean that its private property and is informing you off it so you respect it.. now no tresspassing with a private property sign then you screwed.. i know in some areas the locals put private property signs up even though its no there or anyones land they just want to keep people out and i was told hey this private property and i turn around and said no it isnt because i wanted to buy it and the government owns it and isnt willing to sell it.. was close to a park and was a nice area.. lots of areas to hid out fish hunt ect why i wanted it but its government land and when they say now its hard to get them to change there mind..

I'm not sure where you live, but here you don't have to post your property. If you are caught on somene's property without permission, its tresspassing.

Roger