Stream Etiquette

[dudley]

I brought my father "fishing" yesterday to a fly fish only, handicap area.
As I've mentioned before, dad's too frail to fish, we are just there to watch others and enjoy a nice lunch on the river.

This area is well stocked, on a nice piece of water, and is wheelchair accessable.
When we arrived there was four anglers in the handicap area. Three wading and one gentleman in his 80's casting from a folding chair.
The clout above this gentleman was slashing the water with his weighed fly/ indicator combo and then letting it drift to a point in directly front of the older man.
The clueless one would then rip his rig from the water cast upstream again.
Twice the older man picked up his chair and moved down stream.
Twice the bonehead edged his sorry *** further down stream to do it all again.
Final the old gentleman broke down his rod, picked up his chair and walked away.
As he pasted us I asked him;"A little crowded today?"
He replied, "Not bad today, weekends are much worse."
As some one who used to stock this area, I know how many fish are in this pool. I understand why people would want to try their "luck" there.
What I don't understand is why anyone would feel the need to muscle their way in front another angler just to catch another little pastifaced little trout.
Maybe no one ever explained stream etiquette to this clout (do you need to?). Maybe he was just an *******. I don't know.
This stuff really burns my toast... rant over.. still don't feel better though...

[MNFisher]

I'm with you dudley.

The world is full of people who think only of themself. I'm convinced they wouldn't have a clue - even if you could buy one......

[flyandtie]

i hate it when people are like that
i have even had them cast across my flyline to get at a trout that rose! and i was working on the fish with a dry
he messed it all up for me

[nick0danger]

I don't about you guys, but im young, and if someone did something like that to me, i would give him a piece of my mind. However saying that, i don't mind if people fish close to me as long as they are not casting over my line or towards me, as long as I have space to fish.

[flyandtie]

I don't about you guys, but im young, and if someone did something like that to me, i would give him a piece of my mind. However saying that, i don't mind if people fish close to me as long as they are not casting over my line or towards me, as long as I have space to fish.

i'm young also(14) and he still tried to take my fish i was working on
and he was in his 40's

[bgreer]

It boils down to common sense and manners.

Many people we meet have them and some we meet are very lacking.

Brian

[ohiotuber]

The worst part is that someone with that inconsiderate & selfish a mentality will most likely never change, & they probably behave just as poorly everywhere, not just while fishing.
Mike

[Joe Valencic]

I used to think it was only the bait chuckin', noodle roddin', center pin worshippin' low-lifes out to fill a creel (did I miss anyone?) who were the ones lacking any stream ethic or common courtesy, but in the last couple of years I also see too many fly fishers (unfortunately younger ones 18-25) who have the same degree of moral turpitude as the former group. This is why I have virtually stopped fishing for steelhead on my home waters in NE Ohio, and have spent more time focusing on summer species like smallies and river pan fish. There are a culture of steelheaders who seem to be cut from the same cloth as once-a-year hunters who target deer for a couple of days, and call themselves hunters.

Now I?ll show my age. In my day we were taught to respect our elders and always give way to them, as well as doing things like holding doors open and offering to lighten their load if they were carrying something. We referred to them as Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so, and our parents (who were considered ancient in our eyes) did the same as an example. When they spoke, we listened intently to their wisdom, and never dreamed of making fun of them. I remember my father when in his 70?s still referring to a 90-year-old neighbor as Mr. Kelly. I do the same today at age 56 because of the example I was shown. Who is giving the example today and what kind of example are they promoting? I?ME?MINE?TAKE?WIN AT ALL COSTS?HOARD?BRAG?SHOVE...SPONGE...

Enough time spent on this soapbox. I think we should be allowed to tazer these inconsiderate #&@^%%?s.

I Remain,
Joseph, the Opinionated.

(I have a brother in a wheelchair, so I get a little worked up on thids topic.)

[perch]

Unfortunatly the above behavior is the norm in the "trout parks " that I have fished in Mo. If I run into somone with manners on the steam I have a strong tendancy to be suprised. In the event that you show ire at boorish behavior , you , the "victim" are considered to be a steam hog. Therefore I have given up on the parks and fish the open, non-put and take places. They are great to teach a little kid to enjoy catching fish , just no place for contemplative angling.
Read "Desiderada" some time . Gives perspective.
Perch

[Joe Valencic]

Thanks, Perch, I have not read Desiderata for quite some time, so this was a joyous reunion. I frequently forget to remind myself of the promise in the last stanza:

"With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. "

Joe