Fishing Golf Courses: How to be Respectful and Still Catch Fish

Due to overfishing and an increase in the popularity of bass fishing in the last few years, more and more anglers are looking for new and better spots to catch fish. Many anglers, such as myself, have turned away from the usually productive public parks, ponds, and lakes to find new areas of interest like golf courses. 

Unfortunately, for most of us who have tried this strategy, we have had our fair share of getting booted off property, threatened with weapons, or even had the cops called on us. 

In this article, I want to focus less on fishing and more on some strategies I’ve learned to stay on the water longer and not get kicked out as quickly—or maybe even not getting kicked out at all. So kick back, relax, and enjoy reading about how you could potentially make your next golf course fishing session more productive.  

Tips for Avoiding Confrontation While Fishing on Golf Courses

The first thing I always recommend and practice when fishing on a golf course is to avoid confrontation in the first place. This is important in every aspect of fishing. You want to avoid maintenance, homeowners, golfers, etc. You don’t want to avoid them because they could hurt you; you’re avoiding them because they can kick you out of the spot. 

This being said, when entering the golf course, take precautions and try not to trespass—something you might have to do, but this is entirely at your own risk. I recommend finding a cart part that leads into the course or sneaking onto the course through a more unpopulated area where you aren’t as likely to be seen. This is often the sketchiest part, so be careful. 

Another super important thing to remember is that you want people to know what you’re doing if you happen to be seen or caught. You want your fishing gear displayed and easy to see. There are plenty of people in this country who would have no problem shooting at someone that they think is sneaking through their yard. I know this sounds extreme, but you have to put it into perspective. If you had a family and kids and saw someone sneaking through the yard, you would rightfully be alarmed. So, make sure your intentions are clear so it doesn’t look like you’re about to break into a house or trying to hurt someone. 

In summary, avoid people and avoid suspicion. Even if it takes double the time to get to the fishing spot, it is better to take your time than end up hurt or in cuffs because you were impatient.

Strategies for Successfully Fishing on Golf Courses

Assuming we’ve made it onto the course, there is now a new set of strategies to increase your chances of being able to fish the course. First, you want to stay hidden from golfers and maintenance as much as possible, especially when making your way to the fishing spot. This gives you less chance of getting kicked out before getting a line in the water. Sometimes, if the course has trees on the outskirts, I like to stay on the tree line and strategically advance on the way to the spot where I’m trying to fish. Basically, keep yourself away from people as much as possible. 

Next, you will actually need to pick a spot to fish. This is probably one of the most important factors in your not getting kicked out. There is one mistake many people make at this particular point, though. Just because you think that spot looks like the best spot in the pond does not mean it should be the first spot you fish—especially if it’s not in a favorable area. Regardless of how fishy it looks, the first spot you want to pick to fish is where you are least likely to get kicked off. This means avoiding tee boxes, greens, and any other area where golfers might hesitate to hit you because they think they could hit you. 

Stay out of the way of the golfers, and you will usually be fine. They don’t want to be forced to play a different game style because you’re in the way. They paid to be there on the course, so they have the right of way. This is one of the biggest reasons why I get kicked out sometimes. If you are in the golfer’s way, you will make them angry, and they will be far more likely to come kick you out or call someone else to come kick you out. Aside from that, the golfers aren’t often the ones who care. If you are out of their way, you should be fine for the most part. 

Then, from there, read your options. If the course is not busy and there is a gap, try a different spot, but when golfers are hitting, avoid being in their way. They paid, and you didn’t. So have fun, but be respectful of those on the course. 

If you want to eventually go fish in that spot that looks the best but is in the open, save it for last. That way, if you get kicked off, you will have at least fished everywhere else first and hopefully have already had a decent day. Essentially, save the spot you will most likely get kicked out of for last.

Read also: New York Fishing Seasons: Your Comprehensive Guide

Handling Confrontations While Fishing on Golf Courses

Chances are, if you’re fishing on a golf course, especially a nice one, someone is going to confront you if you are fishing. 

Before I go any further, the first thing to remember is that you are not trying to win an argument. You are just trying to have a respectful conversation. From my experience, a few different types of confrontations generally take place. 

First, someone could approach you and simply ask about the fishing. “Are there fish in here?” “Have you caught anything yet?” “What kind of fish is that?” Answer the questions honestly. There’s no need to lie because you’re the one who is somewhere where you probably shouldn’t be. Be kind, cordial, and respectful. You could even go above and beyond and ask them if they’re having a good day. This is your ideal scenario. 

Second, the hard kick out. Although rare, there have been times when I’ve been kicked out with extreme harshness. If you fish long enough, this will happen. I would like to pass on the advice that you must keep cool. No matter how annoying or how much of a jerk someone might be, whether it is a golfer, homeowner, or maintenance worker, you have to keep a level head and not blow up the situation further. Poking the bear is the worst thing you can do. Don’t backtalk or ask questions. Instead, say “yes ma’am” or “yes sir” and leave. If you try to back talk or are disrespectful, you have a much higher chance of getting the cops involved or even getting trespassing charges pressed against you. So, keep your cool, leave, and live to fish another day. You can’t control what others do but can control your response. So, make sure your response is God-honoring and loving, even though it may be harder—and yes—it is objectively easier said than done. 

Third, someone could politely ask you to leave. Out of all the many times that I have been kicked out from places (mainly golf courses), these are the most “enjoyable” ways to get kicked out, all things considered. Often, it will be an employee who will simply say you have to leave. I’ve had many do this simply because it is their job. You must think from their perspective; their job could be at stake if they don’t successfully remove you from the course. Don’t jeopardize someone’s job, but instead, leave respectfully and in a timely fashion. These are pretty much the three scenarios you will encounter when being confronted. Now, obviously, they can look different, but for the most part, this is what you can expect when someone approaches you. 

There is one last thing I’d like to touch on before I move on to the next section of the article—if authorities are involved. In a few circumstances, I have had the cops called on me—not because I was back talking or being stupid, but because someone was either very angry or felt threatened for some reason. Yet every single time the cops come out, they are never jerks about it. Yes, they absolutely have the right to arrest you for trespassing, but often, they just want to see you leave the property. And again, don’t try to escalate with the cops because that is a horrible idea. All things considered, cops have much bigger things on their minds than trying to write up every kid who trespasses on a golf course just to fish. They respect the person who called and is simply doing their job. Explain to them that you were just trying to fish and stay out of people’s way. If they ask questions like if you knew you were allowed to fish here, answer them honestly—it’s never worth lying. 

Hopefully, this advice will help you when fishing on a golf course next time.

Staying Calm and Respectful When Confronted While Fishing on Golf Courses

Often, videos on YouTube depict outrageous shouting matches and even physical altercations when someone is kicked out. While this is sometimes the case, there is often much someone can do to prevent the situation from getting to this level of intensity. 

For example, back talking or being disrespectful or crass to the person who is trying to kick you out is not the way to go about this:

1. It’s extremely rude and disrespectful, and you’re in no authority to do so.
2. You don’t set a good example for others to follow, and you’re not honoring the Lord in what you do.
3. You put yourself at a way higher risk of getting in legal trouble because if that person feels threatened or even disrespected, there is a way higher chance that the police can get involved.

Additionally, remember you are on someone else property, so if you try to escalate the situation to be edgy or funny, there is a chance that force could be used and the use of weapons threatened or implied. I’m sure you have seen plenty of videos on the internet of people getting threatened with guns while fishing on someone else’s property. 

Every interaction you have, on a golf course or not, doesn’t have to be a monster scene like you have seen all over the internet. Do your best to remain calm, cool, and collected, and try not to blow the situation out of proportion. Suck up your pride and move on so you can fish another day.

Read also: Do You Need a Fishing License? A Comprehensive Guide

Tips and Tricks for Confidently and Respectfully Fishing on Golf Courses

One of the biggest tips I would offer to those looking to fish on golf courses and not get kicked out as easily would be to act confident when fishing there. Try not to look like you’re sneaky or covert. In a humble yet confident way, act like you belong there. If you look like you know you’re doing something wrong, that is not a great sign. 

Another tip I would offer anglers looking to fish golf courses is to try to fish a less popular and not as nice one first. At least in Charlotte, where I’m from, there are many golf courses ranging from very nice PGA courses to very poor ones. Work your way up. It can never hurt to have practice.

Additionally, I would recommend planning your approach and entry to the course before you arrive—that way, you don’t waste time and look suspicious while sitting there and walking around. A couple more things—you can also call the course and see if they have a day when the course is closed or under maintenance, which can help you avoid more people. I also prefer to go at night closer to sunset so that the last tee times will have already wrapped up. 

The last tip and advice I would offer is not to disrespect the area where you are fishing. Pick up your trash, and don’t be loud and obnoxious. No one likes obnoxious people, believe it or not, and especially not golfers. You are both on the course for very different reasons, but at the end of the day, you just want to have fun. Please don’t get in their way; this will be easily attainable. 

Conclusion

While not getting kicked off a golf course is extremely important, you still need to figure out when you want to go fishing to give you the best chance of catching fish. This is where the Fishbox App comes into play. Using loads of different metrics, including wind, weather, lunar cycles, solar cycles, and more, the Fishbox App can help you more accurately predict when you should be going fishing to give you a chance at better results. 

So don’t wait any longer; download the Fishbox app today. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this article about how to prevent getting kicked off golf courses so that you can fish longer and have more success. 

Remember, if you get caught, the trick is to de-escalate. As always, good luck and tight lines!

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Photo Source: All photos in this article were provided by expert Pierce Latta.

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