Fly Fishing Etiquette Question

[bucky86]

I was out fishing this past weekend with my dad who is very new to fly fishing. I had us setup in a decent-sized run where we could both fish without running into each other, but I was also close enough to talk to him if he needed help on anything.

The area was crowded, but nothing too crazy. We had a couple people moving up stream, but then passed us and went up stream a few hundred yards and continued on their fishing. However, one guy later on ended up moving across the stream between my dad and I fishing the same run, but the opposite edge where we couldn't really reach. If he had asked we'd probably let him fish it, but my dad being new to fly fishing, didn't feel comfortable with a guy moving in that close to him while he was learning the ropes.

Essentially he ended up muscling us out of the hole and inviting his buddies over after we left to find a new hole away from people.

So my question is what exactly is the etiquette in these situations?

 

[osseous]

Hard to answer without seeing the pool. If there is any question, in my mind, the proper thing to avoid confrontation is always to just ask. It often leads to a good exchange in my experience. It's when people fail to communicate and just act, that problems arise.

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[bucky86]

I agree. We're both non-confrontational, so we decided to just leave instead of engaging. If he'd asked we would've said, "No problem, just don't laugh at my dad hacking at the water learning to fish."

 

[osseous]

When someone does something without asking and I find it offensive, I will get their attention, extend my arms, palms up, shake my head- and then leave. Any other response is not going to a) fix the situation. B) accomplish what I'm out there to do- have a relaxing time in the outdoors. And- it's usually best to cover more water anyway~
If you get the message across, you probably accomplish more with that passive action than you would with a confrontation that could turn ugly.

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[bigal36]

Big believer in manners, politeness and respect....not that hard to do, assuming those things mean something to you.

 

[Ard]

These topics can run into many pages of replies. It's always unfortunate when someone else allows their curiosity or greed overrule common decency but you will most likely encounter more people & days like this.

This is often a good rule to live by when fishing: 'Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to understand the difference between the two.'

Always sad to hear a tale like yours but these things happen.

 

[trout trekker]

Try to make friends with them.

I've never heard of a single principle that would realistically hold up for all waters. I fish both very public waters and wilderness areas, where you could go several days without coming across another soul, let alone another angler.

This is the way I look at it, anyone who fishes public waters that have fairly high recreational pressure, ( fishermen, kayakers, tubers, drift boats, jet ski's, power boating, etc. ) needs to have a well developed sense of humor. The populations will continue to grow and we all need to share the resource.

Honestly, I'd have just smiled and wish them the best, maybe asked a few quick angling questions that might tip their hand as to their level of experience and politley answered any questions they had, then gone about my day. Use it as a chance to start making a positive bond with them. It's a lot tougher to be a _______ to a friend, than it is to be one to a stranger. This approach has worked for me with future encounters with the same individuals.

Here's an idea. Don't let your hopes and expectations cloud reality when it comes to a public resource. Have a brief and good natured talk with your fishing partner about the reality of the place before you set off. Acknowledging the likelihood of something like this and how you'll respond to it will help keep the blood pressure in check.

Be well, Dave

 

[dharkin]

I so wanted to post this;

Pick up a big rock and throw it at him! When asked, you reply with" Oh, i'm sorry, I didn't see you.



So glad I didn't.

 

[kevind62]

Being raised in the swamps of SE Louisiana I would do what my elders taught me to do when we were duck hunting and someone would come set up on top of us. Politely go over and kindly ask how they’re doing. Then politely set their blind on fire. In this case I guess it would be his waders. Just remember to stay calm and not be aggressive while doing this.

 

[jeep.ster]

I walk away from situations like that of the op and have a better day doing it. It happens a lot at the san juan where I fish.

 

[cooutlaw]

All good advice presented thus far. ('cept maybe don't throw a rock or light their waders on fire) . This is actually one of the reasons why I have migrated to fishing smaller, more remote, water, and, also one of the reasons why my "compare 3wts" thread came to be.

Colorado, and I'm sure many, many, other places, has seen enormous population increase. I remember fishing the Deckers area or the Dream Stream and maybe seeing one or two other anglers for the day during the mid-late 1980's. Today, it can look like some of those silly pictures we see from the 1940's or 1950's that have anglers lined up 2 feet apart all the way down a river on opening day.

The only thing else I might have done was to talk to the other angler and say look, you are of course welcome to fish here, but just so you know, I'm helping my father learn to fish and we've set up here for the day, there is going to be a lot of water thrashing and conversation between us as he learns, so if you are looking for a spot the isn't going to be disturbed this might not be the best choice. I'd imagine that simply communicating your situation and plan for the day might have eased the whole crowd a bit further up or downstream. It's pretty hard for any angler to object to or impede upon on any situation of someone learning to fish, unless they are just truly a jerk. As others have stated, often polite communication can be a very powerful resolution tool.

 

[old timer]

Whenever you think it gets crowded. It probably isn't compared to these guys.

 

[ddb]

Ouch! Those pictures! The bottom one must have had a hatchery truck somewhere on the other side of the water.

True story. Fishing the Yellow Breeches once, a bit crowded but lots of guys spaced comfortably enough apart to avoid friction and warfare. Some clown enters below us and wades upstream in mid stream directly in front of half a dozen of us other fishermen! The guy closest to me -- obviously a native by his accent -- snidely asks him " What part of New Jersey you from?"

With full apologies in advance to all NJ good guys out there, but that's what happened.

ddb

 

[old timer]

NJ is ok if you can handle the smell.


Who said that?

 

[denver1911]

I had us setup in a decent-sized run where we could both fish without running into each other, but I was also close enough to talk to him if he needed help on anything.

one guy later on ended up moving across the stream between my dad and I fishing the same run, but the opposite edge where we couldn't really reach.

If he had asked we'd probably let him fish it,

Essentially he ended up muscling us out of the hole and inviting his buddies over after we left to find a new hole away from people.

So my question is what exactly is the etiquette in these situations?

His etiquette? Or yours?

I can’t see anything he did wrong. Sounds li,e there was plenty of room and the place was a tad crowded .. not too much, but a little.

I also can’t see anything you did wrong. If he wasn’t obviously and intrusively in your space, you had two proper choices .. fish or leave. You took one of those choices. To confront him, IMO, would have been improper given he wasn’t invading too close.

That said, your statement about him muscling you out leaves me believing he may have been closer than your initial paragraph suggests.

 

[brownbass]

Seeing the pictures of the crowds reminds me of opening day in Missouri. I like the idea of just walking away, what would Jesus do, unless they are outright rude. Then a kind word about their family lineage may be in order.

Bill

 

[old timer]

With my short Italian temper. I would have said something.

 

[scotty macfly]

It's funny, I read about topics like this, and all I can think of is famous lines from Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry character.

1. A man's got to know his limitations.
2. Go ahead, make my day.
3. Do you feel lucky, punk?

But then reality sets in. (heavy sigh)

I have to wonder these days if talking in a friendly way does help as much as I'd like to think. I have had too many negative outcomes happen to where I just leave because I just don't want to deal with it anymore. I'm not saying all incidents have been bad, but enough to out weigh the good ones. I have encountered too many times this me attitude, and that talking is just a waste of time. But if they are going to stand their ground and not respect you, then I say stand your ground too. Or, just try to avoid it at all cost and do what I do by searching for waters that have more solitude.

I, like cooutlaw, have searched out smaller waters that hold such solitude, where a 3wt rod is the perfect rod. Many people around this part of Colorado like to fish the big popular waters where crowds can get to be too much. Maybe not as bad as Old Timers pics, but where there's a fisherman behind every bend of the river. I have found that creeks hold such an environment of solitude because I tend to believe many people must think they aren't worth fishing, maybe because the fish are smaller; I don't know. But what I do know is there are a few creeks I fish and nine times out of ten, I see no one else all day. And if I do, I just keep going till I know that other person and I may not run into each other again.

But in the case of the opening post, if I was that other guy, I would have politely come up and ask if I could fish the other side of the pool. Then you could tell me about your dad learning how to fly fish and tell me about what I should expect. Then I could make a choice as to fish the other side, or move on. But then there's the argument about it's public water, and one and all can fish it. So again, danged if you do, and darned if you don't.

I sure like those creeks I fish.

 

[cooutlaw]

^^^^THIS^^^^ There is a reason every vehicle I own has a 4 wheel drive shifter and it isn't just the inclement weather in Colorado.

 

[JoJer]

Being raised in the swamps of SE Louisiana I would do what my elders taught me to do when we were duck hunting and someone would come set up on top of us. Politely go over and kindly ask how they’re doing. Then politely set their blind on fire. In this case I guess it would be his waders. Just remember to stay calm and not be aggressive while doing this.

Hah! I'd heard of guys saying nothing to other hunters who set up too close, then sneaking in behind them and leaving a flashlight on pointing straight up.