Getting Low Holed

[luckie88]

Fished the Deschutes on the way back home from a wonderful trip to the Yak and got Low Holed on a fifty yard stretch of great water. There wasn't anyone out there except my dad and I. We were wet wading down a stretch of river where you can wade nearly in the middle. This guy saw us from the bank/trail moving down river and popped into the place where it dropped off and you get out, and he moved in.

As we were getting closer (about 15 yards) he started to get out into the last stretch. So very nicely, I yelled, "Thanks for low holing us" because that's where alot of fish lay and he spoiled it. He proceed to say something but I couldn't hear. But from from that distance I could have, and should have cast my fly either at him or across his line. I know it's one thing steelheading and getting really mad, but trout fishing that's BS too???

This guy had all the good gear and should have known better (I think). This is my only gripe from one of the best weeks I've had all year. PLEASE LEARN SOME RIVER MANNERS, (people that think they own the river and actually might LOL) but wearing full waders up to the chest in 90 degree heat, maybe he was trying to showoff his cash. All I got to say is he spoiled one of the best ledges on that stretch before we got to it.

Just ask next time or start up above. Don't pull that type of BS. It's not the way things are done or should be done.

-Jake

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Jake,

Sorry that you ran into an idiot in such a sweet spot but it's going happen unless you can afford to fish private water or you can buy a stretch of river for yourself like Ted Turner. My guess would be that the guy was completely ignorant of the "rules of the river" and really intended no offense. I would suggest that you sit quietly 15-20 minutes to rest the water and give it another try. I've had a fishing family wade/swim right up the middle of the run I was fishing with Mom, Dad, three children (complete with tubes) and two big dogs. They gave me a cheerful "Hello" and asked how the fishing was. I waved back, slowly ate a sandwich, and caught another nice fish out of the run before moving on. Sometimes you just have to chill. 8T

[luckie88]

Wasn't too pissed but still, still, should have known better.

[MontanaMoose]

One might have taken the time to educate a fellow flyfisher that isn't familiar with onstream protocol.

MontanaMoose

[branhap]

No offense, but if a fly fisherman doesn't visit the online world for fly fishing he will probably not know the etiquette. It's not like G&F hands out a pamphlet with guidelines on how to behave on the river.

I understand your frustration, but perhaps his under the breath mumbling was actually what you said... thinking you need to learn some manners.

For instance, I'll give you my personal fishing history.

I come from a background of fishing on lakes back east. The rules there, if you are in the spot, it's yours. Perhaps it was somebody like me who primarily fishes lakes and doesn't know that on rivers, you can only enter water upstream of somebody else. (Honestly, even that seems a little pompous, as somebody will always be upstream from your current position if you are fishing a good spot.) And yes, before I hit a stream and see somebody upstream, I will ask first. But I only do that because of visiting this forum and seeing rants like yours.

Lastly, your comments regarding wearing waders when it is 90 degrees out, not everyone likes to wet wade! So really, from my POV, you aren't to different than him in your thinking. Remember, when you assume something, you're just making an *** out of u and me. And if it is 90 degrees outside, then why are you trout fishing while wet wading? If that water is anywhere above 70 degrees you shouldn't be fishing anyways.

Paul

[chewydog]

Yeah, don't hate on the waders. 90 deg out....one of the reasons for breathable waders.

[Normand]

there is usually 2 sides to every story and i'd like to hear his side before making any decision on who is right or wrong.

maybe it was YOU who encroached on HIS water not knowing he was around?

[DaleW]

Things change. Years ago there seemed to be a lot more courtesy, you looked out for the other guy. Not to say there never where any sh&*heads because there seems to always have been ... just less of them. With the advent of the "movie", that seemed to have brought out all kinds - and a lot of rank new comers who knew very little about fly fishing, let alone common courtesy in the stream. I really took notice about 10 years ago when many of my old "secret" fishing holes were no longer secret! On one opening of the season morning, I got set-up in an old favorite spot and before I knew it had FOUR spin casters right at each elbow. I just shook my head and got out of there and went back to camp and put on a pot of chile. The good thing is that was a Saturday morning and by Sunday night the crowd was gone and I was there for the whole week and surprisingly things settled down and there were some trout left!

I don't know what the answer is. To confront or just move on. I guess one just has to make a judgement call at the time. If there's going to be a physical altercation it will have to be fast because at my age I'm only good for maybe 10 15 seconds! (LOL)

[Cold]

Gotta say, no offense intended, but I'd be inclined to agree with branhap and Normand. I certainly know the feeling of being annoyed by another angler that just doesnt seem to "get it", but I also realize I expect more from anglers than others, when it comes to respecting space. I also realize that I've inadvertently crowded other guys or blown their run once or twice (when its happened, I've been fast to apologize).

In any case, while his perceived trespass may or may not have been intentional, offering any sort of "reprimand" or "explanation of the rules" really would take a lot of moxy, in my opinion, and whether I was in the wrong or not, any fellow angler who decided to try to "give me a schooling" about it would become a ripe target for a 1-2 combo of a snarky bon mot, and a cold shoulder. I do what I can do give someone all the space they need, but I've run into guys on the water that feel they own all the water in a half mile radius. Here in PA, its not uncommon to be fishing with 3-4 guys within sight of you on a popular stream, even mid-season.

That said, steelheading in the Lake Erie tribs of PA is enough to redefine anyone's sense of personal space while fishing. I won't touch the more popular areas, like lower Walnut creek (pictured), but even out on more remote stretches, its not uncommon to share a hole with a stranger or three. A hole that, anywhere other than Erie, would only be big enough for one, in October turns into a 5-10 person destination.



For me, its been a good experience in that it made me much more patient with my fellow angler. Most times, I just start talking to an angler that's starting to crowd me from a spot I'm not ready to leave yet. If they're just not realizing they're too close, talking to them will usually send the hint that they're plenty close and they'll stop. If they're purposely trying to crowd me out passive-aggressively, talking to them will usually let them know that I'm not about to leave, and those kinds of people are not normally ones for conversation, so they move on.

[Uncle Jesse]

I've been steaming since Saturday morning when doing a good deed for a friend from my church who is awaiting back surgery, I fished a section of the Hooch that gets very busy with recreational rental floattubers, yakkers and canoest. They are frequently a little noisy they usually keep their distance are not a real problem. Saturday I have pulled over the the side to work an area with frequent rises, when I look up and here comes a dozen tubers right on top of me, over half of them are women darn near as old as I am. It was probably a good thing I didn't have a sharp tipped stick. There's 800,000 residents in this county, I guess it's just too much to expect them to all have good manners.