Fishing Manners

[flybugpa]

Don't ask me if i am catchig any trout, i will tell you i am carp fishin. "those who say don't know"

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

You haven't seen anything until you've fished the Au Sable on a warm summer weekend (especially from Mio-4001). It's next to impossible to even try to fish during a weekend there with all the tubers & Canoers. I understand everyone having the right to share the river usage, but when one group of people (rental tubers&canoes) completely take over a river it's just ridiculous. They will run right into you, bounce off you, go right in front of you,and not even try to avoid you. Last memorial day I even had a group of them stop and get out not even 5ft from me sitting on the bank and then start jumping into the river right off a bridge into the water right in from of me. I don't mind families canoeing or tubing if they are respectful of others, but the main problem is 99% of the time it's always a group of 21-29 yr olds that are drunk off their A$$'s and have zero respect for anyone else trying to actually enjoy the river.

I've got to the point where I hardly ever even fish on weekends anymore because of it.

This is not my video but is a video I saw someone post not that long about on a weekend ausable trip, and this will show you just what I'm talking about http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/29341050

Steve

[James Smith]

Uncle Jesse,

I'm afraid that your assessment that their Mama's or Daddies never taught them any manners is accurate. I think the worst example I ever experienced was while I was fishing a WMA fishing area lake. I got there early and I was the only person there. It's a fairly good sized lake (about 95 acres) with peninsulas built out into the lake to add fishable shoreline. There was at least 3/4 mile of open easily accessible shoreline to choose from. After about an hour, another fisherman showed up. He had a ton of stuff to lug around with coolers, 4 or 5 rods and chair ect.. It was quite a production just to watch him as he trudged along. I was about 300 yards from the parking lot and I watch with some interest as he headed my way. Without a word, he set up less than 5 feet from me on my right hand (casting) side. I watched him with some disbelief as he silently set up his chair and proceeded to bait up his Zebco 33 outfit. The only thing I can figure is that either he saw me catching fish (which I was doing fairly regularly) and he wanted to catch fish too so he went to where he knew some were; or perhaps this was his five foot section of shoreline that I had somehow invaded. I am usually a very friendly person, but I chose to not say a word to him and to move to about 200 feet from him on a section of shoreline he has just walked by with all his gear. I started catching Crappie again immediately and I must admit I took some pleasure in watching him sit there not catching anything while I threw back fish after fish. I think I even rubbed it in a bit by smiling across to him and saying how lucky we were to have such a good place to fish. He never said a word to me which is probably just as well since I’m sure I couldn’t type them here anyway.

Jim Smith

[kglissmeyer]

The NE end of Yellowstone NP, particularily Soda Butte Creek, has had it's share of problems the past few years with a real increase in fishing pressure. A few years ago I had guys trying to jump my hole while I was turned away from the stream for a moment to dispense with the morning's coffee; also had folks trying to crowd in at the top while I was playing a fish that headed for the tail of a pool. I've had fishermen high-bank the hole I was fishing as they moved up and dowstream (also had bison do this but since they're residents and outweigh me by a few thousand pounds I'm willing to make allowances). I'd say the majority of offenders are just clueless when it comes to stream etiquette although the ratio of a..holes is definitely on the rise, and I don't even bother to fish there during hopper time any more.

I was fishing the Lamar a few weeks ago, working a bank from the shore (fishing upstream) while another fisherman entered the river well above (300 yds maybe) and started working down, fishing from midstream. I was taught that someone working upstream had right-of-way over downstream and sure enough, when he was within about 50 yards he climbed out, got away from the bank and moved below me. We stopped to chat for a minute, asked how each was doing; I pointed out a channel just downstream where I had turned a real nice cutt on 3 different flies (he laughed about that, noting that I had spent a bit of time there and wondering why he had seen me slapping my head every few minutes), and he id'd a boulder upstream where he had seen a decent fish as well. We wished each other good luck, I thanked him for his courtesy and we went back to fishing; made for a pleasant day on the water.

Regards,
Scott

Scott, that's the way it ought to be. Thanks for sharing that experience. I hope we all read and re-read it in order to fasten it in our brains.

Kelly.

[pspaint]

I think the most important question is: "Who are the blondes in the tubes"? lol.

[billhouk]

My brother and I once canoed the St Mary's River from the dike in the Okefenoke Swamp to the Atlantic Ocean, a three day paddle (on a weekend long ago). We never saw another boat on the river and only went under a few bridges. The people in the video may as well be in a swimming pool. I try to be polite on the river so thanks for all of the tips on the finer points. Those of us who are new may just get too excited to know we are being impolite. Please accept our apology.

[Uncle Jesse]

I think the most important question is: "Who are the blondes in the tubes"? lol.

Those are just average Georgia Peaches. You should see the really pretty girls.

[pspaint]

Those are just average Georgia Peaches. You should see the really pretty girls.

I'm off to Georgia! lol.

[Silver Creek]

Here's a guy who low holed me on the Madison in '06. I was catching fish and he dropped in right below me. You can see from the second wide angle photo that there is no one downstream for hundreds of yards yet he parked his butt right next to me.

When I caught fish he volunteered to net it to see my flies and rigging. I turned and netted my own fish. After a while I went on the bank to rerig and he came up and fished right where I had been. So I slipped down to where he was and started to catch fish. After I kept catching and he hooked zip, he finally left. Outfishing them is the best revenge.

[quillg]

On two different trips out west while fishing the Madison, two friends each had an incident where someone came down to where they were fishing and told them that they were fishing in their spot and had to leave. One confrontation ended fairly quiet and my friend stayed in the spot he was fishing. The other ended when after giving some very harsh verbal abuse to my friend the guy got in the water 10' upstream and proceeded to fish...my buddy started throwing large rocks from the river bottom in the direction of the guy...the guy decided my buddy was a little crazy and left the area.

A few weeks ago while staying at the West Fork campground there was a guy staying with his wife and 3 Chiuaua's in the cabin next to us. Other folks that have dogs take them up the road and out of camp to let them do there thing....not this guy he would let them out and all three proceeded to urinate all over the picnic table and cabin railings. We told the manager who said he would speak to him but I don't think he did because the guy kept doing it. My friend confronted him one day when the dogs were at it again and the guy said "it's a community picnic table, so what" my friend said "exactly, people sit and eat at that table"....the guy turned and went back inside. Should have gone all over his tires but didn't want to risk not being able to go back to the place in the future. Takes all kinds.