21 replies to this topic

[Andy Lee]

Hey everybody, i'd like to start a discussion about the "unwritten" rules of fishing in the creeks, rivers etc. for the largely sought after steelhead and rainbow trout.
First, i'd like to start off with what people should do when they come up to a fishing hole, and there are a bunch of fisherman already there fishing. There is a reason why fisherman will stand about 10-15 feet apart from eachother, because the noodle rods and the type of casting and floating demand that space. The people fishing there most likely woke up earlier than everyone else to make sure they had a good spot to fish without having people disturb that. I've seen guys show up a few hours later, tie up and walk right in between the fisherman, when the best thing to do would be post up at the end and/or start of the pool/holes. It's extremely annoying to get their before anyone else and to have your space shrunken by a bunch of noobs that don't understand the proper etiquette.
Secondly, i'd like to bring up the topic of "drifting", I can't STAND when fisherman don't know how to drift properly and skrew up the floating lines of my casting and everyone elses. A couple days age, I got to the honey hole at 6am and fished for hours until someone came right beside me and started casting in the most random matter and messing up my fun. And i'm not talking about noobies, i'm talking about steelheaders with centre pins, hip waders, expensive vest etc. This guy would basically be turned completely to the left, essentially staring at me and casting infront of me and drifting about 30 feet past me. I would be forced to wait and wait and wait for this moron to reel in and i'd literally have to cast before him to make sure I could at least get a drift in. The guy would hold his long ass noodle rod RIGHT infront of my face basically, and I couldn't even cast. I was forced to start casting over him and I think he was starting to get annoyed, I wanted to say "if you don't want me casting over you, don't cast infront of me". I had to keep my mouth shut and wait for him to leave, which happened a little bit later.
Also, I think people need to understand that when you float, you SHOULD be casting UPSTREAM so you can drift infront of you and maybe a little bit past the guy on your left. Casting and floating properly should involve everyone and everyone should syncronize what they do, so things run more efficiently.
Thirdly, what is with "hardcore" steelheaders landing snagged fished (by accident) and then keeping it, simply because it was a hen, and he had lost a few fish earlier. I'm totally against keeping snagged fish, but it is one thing to do it while you are fishing alone, and another to do it while there are a few people fishing there. One guy mentioned something along the lines of "wasn't it foul hooked?" and the guy said the whole "it was wrapped around" business. I saw it with my own eyes, it was hooked a few inches under the gill area on the belly. Those bright green roe bags don't help lol.
I guess more than anything, this was a complete rant on what annoyed me from fishing all last week. Either way, things like this are very annoying and can put a hinder on a fun day fishing. I think people need to be conscious of their surroundings and fellow fisherman a little bit more. Hopefully some people read this thread and get the hint about things like this.

Anyways, good luck fishing
Andy

[Majstor]

lotta rude people out there man u will hardly ever run into a few nice guys. I was fishin the other day and cought a nice fish after 3 hours drifting. Then some guy that was fishin downstream of me moves up right next to me. i guess he was blind and didnt see i have a 13" ft rod and that i had a guy next to my right and trees behind me and i needed room to cast from my left side. I just packed my stuff and left i'm done arguing with idiots. I doubt he cought anything on hes canadian tire eggs but w/e.

[ret0dd]

lotta rude people out there man u will hardly ever run into a few nice guys. I was fishin the other day and cought a nice fish after 3 hours drifting. Then some guy that was fishin downstream of me moves up right next to me. i guess he was blind and didnt see i have a 13" ft rod and that i had a guy next to my right and trees behind me and i needed room to cast from my left side. I just packed my stuff and left i'm done arguing with idiots. I doubt he cought anything on hes canadian tire eggs but w/e.

LOL SO TRUE.

You Also Forgot The Ones That That Walk Through The Pool Or The Ones That Stand In The Middle Of The Pool While You Are Trying To Land The Fish Or The Ones That Act Like They Own That One Spot.

[Andy Lee]

LOL SO TRUE.

You Also Forgot The Ones That That Walk Through The Pool Or The Ones That Stand In The Middle Of The Pool While You Are Trying To Land The Fish Or The Ones That Act Like They Own That One Spot.

Agreed, can't stand when people walk through the pool spooking the fish and making the water dirty as well.

[LICENSETOPIN]

Etiquette = common sense(for the most part)

most people dont have common sense... its life, live with it.

[Garfield the Cat]

lotta rude people out there man u will hardly ever run into a few nice guys. I was fishin the other day and cought a nice fish after 3 hours drifting. Then some guy that was fishin downstream of me moves up right next to me. i guess he was blind and didnt see i have a 13" ft rod and that i had a guy next to my right and trees behind me and i needed room to cast from my left side. I just packed my stuff and left i'm done arguing with idiots. I doubt he cought anything on hes canadian tire eggs but w/e.

[getin]

Etiquette = common sense(for the most part)

most people dont have common sense... its life, live with it.

I tend to agree that some do not have common sense, but people can be educated. If a few people object the rude behaviour of an angler, I am sure he/she would learn the lessen. But if we all "live with it", soon there will be no place for those who have the "Etiquette" on or near water!


I saw a nice article about the river etiquette in "Ontario Out of Doors" magazine. Not sure if it is legal to scan and post the pages here. any comment?

[ganny guy]

I know its tough fishing on public waterways but its the nature of fishing and fisherman out there. What I have a bigger issue with is when you have a large pool that many people can enjoy and a group of 2 or 3 fisherman believe that they own the whole river. I have seen this to many times and I just shake my head.

[Andy Lee]

I tend to agree that some do not have common sense, but people can be educated. If a few people object the rude behaviour of an angler, I am sure he/she would learn the lessen. But if we all "live with it", soon there will be no place for those who have the "Etiquette" on or near water!


I saw a nice article about the river etiquette in "Ontario Out of Doors" magazine. Not sure if it is legal to scan and post the pages here. any comment?

I think you`re ok on that....as far as I know at least.
I`d love to see that article...

[Andy Lee]

Etiquette = common sense(for the most part)

most people dont have common sense... its life, live with it.

I totally agree with you that most people don`t have common sense. I also agree that if fisherman understand the unwritten rules it might work out for everybody. I guess that's why there are winners and losers in life as Charlie Sheen would claim lol.

[threeparrots]

I saw it with my own eyes, it was hooked a few inches under the gill area on the belly.

Say, for example, someone hooked a fish in the gill, around, or in any other area that would jeopardize the life of the fish once released, wouldn't it be better to simply keep the fish? Obviously a small, insignificant foul hook wouldn't hurt the release of the fish, but I would think anything around the gills could be as deadly as keeping the fish to eat.

[getin]

I`d love to see that article...

here is the article I was refering to.

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[ganny guy]

Say, for example, someone hooked a fish in the gill, around, or in any other area that would jeopardize the life of the fish once released, wouldn't it be better to simply keep the fish? Obviously a small, insignificant foul hook wouldn't hurt the release of the fish, but I would think anything around the gills could be as deadly as keeping the fish to eat.

Don't most people practice catch and release these days.

[Majstor]

gettin this article needs to be published on every tributary. right in the parking lot so as soon as u get out u get something nice to read.

[Garfield the Cat]

gettin this article needs to be published on every tributary. right in the parking lot so as soon as u get out u get something nice to read.

I agree totally bro. This was well said. But still will not stop the arrogant animals that do this irresponsible fishing. Every time I go fishing I can't help thinking about fisherman in general, that most, forget what it was like first learning how to fish trout. "Pros or joes". We all have to have manners towards our fellow fisherman. I have been floating for eight years an I still get uncomfortable looks from older men. Especially when I don't fish wit a float reel. Lol. Peace everyone

[FrankTheRabbit]

Great thread to start up! Leaving enough casting room for a fellow angler is something we all appreciate. So give a brotha some space!

[TorontoMikey86]

Etiquette = common sense(for the most part)

most people dont have common sense... its life, live with it.

Yeah whats up with that?..could that possibly be the leading cause to the downfall of society and our economic crisis annnd over fishing? haha..but seriously..i'm leaning more to the definitely side..

[getin]

I agree totally bro. This was well said. But still will not stop the arrogant animals that do this irresponsible fishing. Every time I go fishing I can't help thinking about fisherman in general, that most, forget what it was like first learning how to fish trout. "Pros or joes". We all have to have manners towards our fellow fisherman. I have been floating for eight years an I still get uncomfortable looks from older men. Especially when I don't fish wit a float reel. Lol. Peace everyone

Well, obviously it is neither practical to publish the paper, nor the ignorat people would read it. But I think if the responsible anglers support each other, then the other will follow too. Two weeks ago, oce a guy hooked a bow in a river mouth, another guy started castign over his line, in the exact same spot. The first person made a nice objection and the rude one started yelling and eventually tossed the lure box of the guy into water. I was the only one to object and the other 5 people fishing there were slinet like a ...So this guy that happend to be huge, left but I am sure if there were not many people around, he could have harmed the first person. Anyway, I think if you outnumber the irrisponsible anglers and voice your view , in a nice way, they would have to follow the same Etiquette.

[NADO]

Is it illegal to keep an accidentally snagged fish?? I would think that if the fish was snagged accidentally it should be fair game providing you don't have a lining style rig set up. I think the problem is people who snag intentionally not accidental snags that are kept.

[FrankTheRabbit]

Is it illegal to keep an accidentally snagged fish?? I would think that if the fish was snagged accidentally it should be fair game providing you don't have a lining style rig set up. I think the problem is people who snag intentionally not accidental snags that are kept.

A snagged fish is a snagged fish, whether intentional or not. The general rule is if you snag a fish, you have to let it go immediately, which may require breaking off your line. I remember some fella was fined for keeping a snagged fish on the end of his line for too long. Because it's not hooked at the mouth, you have less control with the fish, resulting to a tired and stressed out fish. which in some cases can be fatal.