Your thoughts on helping others on the water?

[Betty Hiner]

Sharps, we only fish Roaring River during the winter c&r. We'll have the river totally to ourselves. Don't fish the other parks. Blue Ribbon streams for sure, and very few people on them. Other than that, it's South Dakota and Wyoming for us ... and we pay it forward.

[sagefisher]

You mean there are fish in South Dakota?

Larry ---sagefisher---

[appalachian angler]

I very rarely run into people, but a few years ago I ran into a young guy just starting out. He had got out of the water downstream of the bridge I was on. Being polite, I asked him how he did.

Turned out, he was a complete noobie, had bought some gear because he was going to be in SWW for the summer and tried to learn from a Dave Whitlock book. Anyway, it was a disaster and he was dejected as hell.

I asked him if he wanted to fish upstream with me. We took turns, I corrected some of his misinterpretations, and he got his first couple of trout.


I'd like to think I did some good.

This is my appraoch too! When I first started fly fishing, most I encountered on stream were of the second camp. I met a small handful of folks that gave me some key information and I vowed that the same would be my mantra...help anyone who is willing to listen. One of the rivers I fish has a long stretch of river access but the parking is pretty much limited to one boat launch/parking area. The Post fishing discussions can be highly enlightening for those who join in the conversations!

aa

[4590Sharps]

Then my memory is worse than I thought!! I thought I remembered you mentioning several years ago that ya'll fished Bennet and had recently been to Montauk...but I've slept since then so hopefully I won't be held accountable...hehe. The C&R at Meremac, 12 miles from my house, was not a lot different from trout season the two times I went 8 or 9 years ago. I just cannot do the park thing. I've never been to Roaring River.

Where do ya'll fish inWyoming? I lived out there for a few years, right on the Idaho/Wyoming line. Haven't been back in 10 years come October. It's a trip I need to make.

[anglerdave]

I'm only too happy to share flies and techniques. But not honey holes or secret spots. Part of the fun of fishing is find them on your own, so why spoil that for someone?

[Uncle Jesse]

That Golden Rule thing works pretty good most of the time.

[Jax]

There is nothing that gets to me more than watching someone Thrashing the water to death with a fly rod.

I simply can't walk past without asking if I could offer a tip or two to making things a bit easier.

Most times my offer is accepted and I am then ready to spend an hour or more showing the tyro how easy it is to cast a fly line when you are shown the Basics and how to apply them.

My Reward is that look of absolute astonishment accompanied by a wide grin as that first GOOD cast sails out there and the line slaps against the rod.

I have taught many to cast a fly line in my time and helped a lot more. Just my way of paying it forward. I love Fly Fishing.

[okflyfisher]

I have helped lots of people and continue to. I participate in a 4+ church fly fishing group. Usually on a trip we will have a nooby or two. I "guide" them help them with flies, reading the water and drifting. Several of those i have helped have turned into fly fishing addicts like myself. I have also helped quite a few on the river if they were obviously noobys or asked for help. I have had several bad experiences.
The worst of which was giving in to the pressure from 2 work friends who loved to fish ,but did not fly fish. They knew i fished for trout close to home twice a week while living in Denver. The fishing spot itself was not what i call secret, but completely over looked. I finally gave in and they drifted salmon eggs as often as they could get there and killed every fish they caught until all the fish were gone. Prior to that I typically could catch a dozen 12 inch rainbows an an 16 to 18 " brown after getting home from work and mowing my grass. One evening I caught four 18" browns. Thankfully I was transferred so I didn't do anything stupid.

[ScottP]

Took a water break one morning and watched a guy who had been trailing me (at a discrete distance) fish a pool I had just finished. After a few minutes it was pretty obvious he was new to the game (the lack of sunglasses and hat should have been a dead giveaway), spraying sloppy casts all over the place and either fishing barren water, hooking the overhanging bushes or spooking the fish as he waded right in to where they were actively feeding.

When he had finished with the hole (no bites) he came over and asked how I'd done (a few), and if I could give him any suggestions. First thing we did was to walk back to the tail of the pool and I gave him my sunglasses so he could see where the cutts were lined up in their feeding lane as the pmd's came drifting down. I wasn't going to get into casting mechanics (I'm poor enough that I'd just instill all the bad habits I've taught myself over the years), but I did point out where the fish typically could be and that he should just keep the casts short to have a bit more control, especially when the wind brewed up by afternoon. Then I gave him a couple pmds, foam beetles and hoppers and told him to get his butt up to Cooke City and buy a pair of polarized sunglasses and a baseball hat asap.

Regards,
Scott

[NJTroutbum]

It all depends on the person for me. Although admittedly, some things I just plain keep to myself.