While out fishing today we were walking down river when we encountered some guy having a full-blown conversation while he was still casting (or trying to cast)??? Can’t say that this is the first time I’ve seen this though, once before and only once. He was dressed to the T with all new $tuff in ankle deep water. We were at least 1/2 mile from the nearest car and deep in the canyon. But talking to your stock broker while trying to fish, come on.
It’s a good idea to carry a phone with you in case of an emergency, but this was really ridiculous. Almost like he was putting on a show for us. It’s illegal to talk and text on the phone while driving in Oregon, because it can lead to accidents. I’m glad he didn’t slip or drop his phone in the river, because we were deep in the Deschutes Canyon and we probably would have had to use our phones for an emergency call.
In My Humble Opinion (IMHO) you probably shouldn’t try to fish and talk on the cell phone at the same time, accidents can happen, usually when talking really loud. Plus, shouldn’t you be enjoying the place, and time, and being out in nature while attempting to catch some nice Deschutes Gold??
We never know the whole story. Imagine that this was a call you knew had to be made today with serious consequences if it was missed. At the same time, imagine that this is the first opportunity you’ve had to get out fishing, with no immediate future opportunities in sight. Would you pass on this chance to fish that day, or would you take that detestable little gadget out there and make the call while on the stream? I know I’d be out there.
Personally, I keep the phone in a sealed bag in case I take a dip. I don’t use it on the water. Now my wife…I’ve seen her bowl one handed while conducting business…and still do far better than me.
I have a good friend, a novice fly angler, who called me at work from his cell while still fighting a huge catfish on a flyrod I built for him as a gift, just so I could hear the reel singing. It left me smiling for the rest of the day.
i get every other friday off, but i am considered “on call” those of us in management positions know that if we are consistently unreachable the benefit will be taken away. when i fish on that day off i always have my phone in my waders ON VIBRATE so i know when i get a call or email or text. then i can check to see if it is personal or business and of i need to respond immediately.
and beyond that i agree fully with normand.
Long distance hikers have a say “hike your own hike”, we as fly fishers could certainly take a lesson from that.
Gone are the days when you had to be home to receive a phone call. Cell phones these days are like belly buttons, everybody has one. We don’t even have a land line anymore. I hardly notice that someone has a phone stuck to their head in a public place or where ever. A person fishing “deep in the canyon” may inspire some wonderment in me but I don’t really care.
My son is in the USAF, and it’s not uncommon for me to get a phone call from him while fishing. I do take the call, as you never know. Since I usually let my fly dangle downstream while on the phone, I often get a fish that didn’t take when the fly was swinging. Some days I hope my son calls, so that I can get a bite…LOL!!!
As for the rest of the anglers using phones:
It’s possible that they are able to be on the water at that time because the phone allows them to conduct business, stay in touch with the wife, etc.
They’d be sitting at Starbucks yacking away on the phone if they weren’t fishing, and I guess it’s better to be standing in a stream than sitting in a coffee shop.
Originally Posted by Normand
it seems today that people are more interested in someones else’s business instead of just minding their own. who cares.
While float fishing one day this past summer, a couple friends and I encountered a guy between Holter Dam and Craig on the Missouri River. He put his boat in just before we did, and we played hop scotch with him going down the river most of the day.
He was alone in his boat, except for his dog and cell phone to keep him company, and I don’t think we ever saw him when he wasn’t fumbling with his oars or anchor, always clutching his phone with one hand and from time to time fumbling with his rod and reel with the other - how he managed to do so is beyond me.
He anchored smack dab in the middle of a big pod of rising fish not more that a hundred yards or two of the put in, and as we floated past him he was much more intent on his phone call than on the (many, large) fish rising all around him. However, when one of the guys in my boat cast in the direction of several of these rising fish as we floated by, he was quick to look in our direction, interrupt his conversation, and announce “hey, I was planning on fishing for those fish.”
Fortunately, we lost sight of him by early afternoon, and didn’t see him until we were taking out that evening at Craig. It was almost dark, and I had winched my boat out of the water and onto the trailer. Three elderly guys had arrived at the ramp after we did, and two were sitting in their boat while the third had gone to get their vehicle parked in the lot. Just about that time, there came our Phone-a-Friend in his boat, still talking on the phone and fumbling with his oars. And, before we could help the old guys who were patiently sitting in their boat get out of the way, WHAM! That Phony Phisherman broadsidded them with his boat, going full steam ahead!
Should we have driven away and minded our own business?
I will have to respectfully disagree with your comment. How do you mind your own business when someone is broadcasting their business up and down the stream. I’m out there for the peace and quite, and if someone else can’t respect that, maybe they should take up golf? If your lifestyle conflicts with those around you, are you being fair? To me, this is the same mentality that the ATV riders in my area project - they bought it, so by god, they’re going to ride them wherever they damn well please, even if it’s on your private property and our state game lands and parks etc. I don’t care to hear someone else’s business, and along with all this new technology, there needs to be some basic common respect displayed by those inflicting their new found toys on the rest of us. I think this is just another source of noise pollution!
Not fishing related, but probably the most idiotic thing I have seen done with a cell phone - A bunch of us were out on a group ride with our motorcycles when a new person to the group just had to answer his phone as we were going around a corner. Yup he dumped it - thankfully we were going slow and no injuries or damage done. He was promptly told to put the d&$!n thing away, when we got back to the starting point he was immediately on the phone giving the person who called him he!!. It was pointed out to him that he didn’t have to answer it -duh. BTW we never saw him again.
I am sure life was a lot simpler without the cell phone , faxes , texting etc. but I can’t remember.
I agree fully with Normand. To each his (or her) own. If it bothers you so bad, its up to you to move on; it’s not up to everyone else on the stream to make sure they don’t interfere with your idea of a good time. Saying that they shouldn’t be talking on the phone because it bothers you is just as ridiculous as them saying that your ‘silent treatment’ is bothering them, so you need to talk so that they don’t feel uncomfortable.
Can’t say I’ve ever gone so far as using an iPod on the stream, but if I did more brownlining (and I plan to this year), I may do so to block out the noise of traffic.
I always have my phone with me on the water, and if I get a call or text, I’ll usually respond once I’m back on dry land. I keep the on-the-water conversation to a minimum, but I have been known to carry on a conversation walking to the next spot. If someone has a problem with that, I honestly couldn’t possibly care less what they think.
I’m with the “to each there own” crowd, however, I feel sorry for those that most take the cell phone with them wherever they go, whatever the reason, I don’t really care, its their business. Probably impossible to do but it would be nice if everyone could go out and enjoy whatever they like to do(fishing, hunting, hiking, etc) and not have to worry about talking on a cell phone to someone but with todays society its hard to do. I carry my cell phone with me when I’m in an area that has service, but like someone mentioned earlier most of those places don’t have service yet so the phone stays in the vehicle. I go out in the outdoors to escape from all the hustle and bustle of cell phones, ipods, laptops and all the ohter everyday hassles of life, but thats just my choice, others may choose different means and that is their choice!
Because of my wife’s physical conditions and arrangements I must make to insure her safety when I am gone I consider my cell phone a necessity. Without that phone my fishing and hunting time would be greatly reduced.
Lets face it - cell phones are here to stay so I woulds suggest you learn to live with that minor nuisance.
I don’t have a cell phone, haven’t seen but one or two faxes since I retired 17 years ago, and couldn’t receive or send a text to save my life. Don’t know what those “etc.” are, but I do know they aren’t intruding on my life.
Byron is pleased that there is no cell phone service where he fishes. I’m pleased that I don’t have a cell phone and rarely see anyone else on the water, whether or not in areas where there is service, which I wouldn’t know since I’ve never seen evidence of it being used.
when did the great outdoors suddenly become yours and yours alone! mr. cell phone has as much right being in the great outdoors as anybody else.
i carry a cell phone in the great outdoors for emergency purposes due to an aging parent and my own medical problems. will you begrudge me when i need to make a phone call to check in on my father or i have to call 911 for a medical emergency??
Since I usually let my fly dangle downstream while on the phone, I often get a fish that didn’t take when the fly was swinging. Some days I 
Originally Posted by 