Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: steelynightmare on January 28, 2007, 11:04:01 AM
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Was out at a local river yesterday afternoon (take a guess and the first 3 don't count :)) and it was a proud moment watching the local river "etiquette"and attire. Hiked down to a nice spot that produced a nice 10lb hatchery doe the day before, a beautiful chrome fish that was photographed and released. As i approached the river I saw my first indication of true BC sportfishing on the unnamed river. A fine gentlemen was walking up river dressed in classic winter fishing gear...hat, folded down neoprene's over a plaid lumber jacket, side satchel, and to finish off the look a open can of what appeared to be MGD...i only hope the can was at least hauled back out and not tossed to the wayside. :-[ My second observation and lesson was how to fish a nice piece of water. It starts by finding a nice rock in the sun, preferrably one that is large enough to set your gear and bait on without the threat of it falling in the water and still have enough room to be able to sit on. Then all you do(while sitting the whole time) is cast and cast and cast and cast and cast...etc.etc.etc.etc until you realize that the sun will soon be leaving your nice spot and you may just start to get cold. The sad part is that the water that was being fished produced 2 nice fish the week before. If it had at least been fished properly then you could maybe stomach this "style" of fishing. Anyone wanting to fish from top to bottom would have had to leave nicest stretch of river...very sad very sad :'( It was still a beautiful day to get out.
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Just recently i was fishing a run that sounds familiar.
A fellow came down the other side and approached the hole i was fishing.
He asked if i had got any and i replied yes i just got one and had another hit.
He then starts to fish in the hole form the other side.
I just mumble to myself because this is now the third time that someone has done this on this river over the years.
6 casts later and he says,theres one and lands a nice little Steelhead of about 8 lbs.
Funny thing is he then asks if i fished the hole above at all ,to which i replied, no i didnt because someone was allready there so i just turned around to let them have it to themselves. ;D
Meanwhile i know that it was him up there and then he worked his way down.
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I know what you mean, you try to show etiquette on the river and do the right thing but others just don't really give a crap and are only concerned about catching a fish(this is a very broad generalization) It is refreshing to meet someone on the river who does show some respect for others. When my partner and i got those 2 hatchery fish a couple weekend ago we had some one low hole us as we were working down the run. He popped out below us and made 5 or so casts and then pulled out and headed up river. The funny thing was he was not rewarded for his low hole efforts. He was however rewarded with a view of us catching and releasing a very nice hatchery fish 5 minutes later. I was tempted to yell to him that he should have taken a little more time, i mean if you are going to pop out below someone at least fish through the run properly. :D
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I am very proud to be a B.C. Steelheader. What I'm not proud of is living in the lower mainland and being forced to fish our local waters. I find myself travelling farther to fish, just so I don't have to deal with the local etiquette. I may not be fishing as often as I used to, but the quality of my trips makes up for this.
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Did i say at any time that i was pissed...i was on the other side working my way down. If a guy wants to fish in one spot for the whole day thats his choice(he wasn't old and he wasn't injured, although he could have been and maybe just beamed himself over there ;)). i was simply making an observation. And by the way i was fishing new water,I had hiked 20 or so minutes so i could fish the other side and try some runs that were not accessible from the more crowded side. You shouldn't open your mouth and assume something. All my comments were simply that...comments, nothing judgemental. And if you think that having intoxicated people on the river is a good thing or for that matter is in any way acceptable then you need to give your head a shake. I am sure the other fisherman driving from spot to spot would really approve of having a drunk driver on the sometimes narrow roads, and not to mention any wild fish that may be hooked would surely be handled with care and released properly ;)..
well done dojo...
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I like that term...."give your head a shake".... Don't hear that one very often...
I don't think river etiquette was ever what others lead you to believe...I had old guys, twice cut in on me (low hole) in a matter of hours on thursday...One of um did it when I was gabbing with the 77 derby winner who stopped by to have a chat...Great guy, he walked by, saw there was only about 20 yards till the tailout and instead of being an arse stopped instead and had a chat...and then this other guy walks down...looks at us and starts tossing in for all he's worth...
Just not worth getting that bend out of shape for...The derby winner and I talked and he said stories of etiquette from the past are pure B.S. Some people are just jerks...Sitting on a rock in the sun..to me doesn't describe anything but a guy enjoying a nice day though..
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I am new to steelheading and I was wondering about etiquette. When you see someone else fishing a pool what is the proper thing to do, go above them if they are working their way down or just wait your turn? Thanks
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Start above him and work down. However if he's not moving from his perch I would go around him.
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1. Get there early.
2. Stake your gound.
3. and bring friends to help hog out any good area that might produce fish.
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7. bring beer and find a nice rock in the sun.
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I have been out 6 times now so far this year, all days fishing have been on the weekend , and I still haven't had a problem with any fishermen on the river !! I really don't see the problem that you are talking about... if someone chooses to fish one spot then so be it !! if you want that spot then get up before he does ... if he doesn't wanna move for you then go around him !! you have to remember that there is NO correct way of fishing for Steelhead, some people choose to move around and hit many different sections of the river and others choose to fish one spot all day and wait for the fish to come through, just because you want to move around alot doesn't mean that that is the proper way to fish... it is just the way that you CHOOSE to fish, none of us own the river and none of us can say that any certain rock is ours, every single fisherman I have come across this year has been a pleasure to talk to, I always exchange pleasentries, we ask each other if there have been any fish seen and then I move on... I think everyboby needs to appreciate the fact that this is not Salmon season, the river is not full of snaggers, and there are beautiful Steelhead to be caught
cheers TR
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Hear we go again! ;) What's right, what's not! ???
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I don't think there is anything wrong with having a beer and relaxing on a rock in the sun while you fish. I dont do it but I would not say it is poor ethics, we should remember fishing is about having fun and relaxing to some less serious fishers. Not everyone has to get up at first light and pound water till they are absolutely exhausted like me and my fellow steel addicts do.
Different strokes.........dosent mean it is wrong!
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TR
it was just an OBSERVATION!! I didn't care, i was fishing the other side. If someone did want to fish the run properly(top to bottom) they would have had to leave the best part (he was planted at the tail out, generally the most productive part of the run ;) Fish how you want...i heard if you die real dew worms pink and fish them under a bobber that works real well... ;D
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pat av
didn't say it was unethical, just not proper fishing etiquette for steelhead season...if you disagree with that..its your choice. as for having a beer..have at it...just take your empties, we shouldn't have to pick up other peoples garabage....
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I like the way you think Pat, thanks, I needed that. Life is way to short for the U no what. Take a second and realize how lucky we all are to be where we are and try not to take steelheading so serious.
Enjoy nature, the company of other people and the opportunity of chance.
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I agree with Rick, Athezone and anyone else who says enjoy the Ved for what it is a quality fishery close to a huge urban center.
I have fished throughout BC, Washington and the Yukon and the Ved is a special system. I have not fished many other systems with such great access and that is just is one of many examples of why it is special.
As one who has explored much of our great province I can assure you I am still proud to be a BC steelheader and I can also assure you there are many anglers from other countries and provinces that would love to be in our shoes!
Tight lines and enjoy what many of us take for granted,
Pat
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dojo,
you read what i posted by do you understand what you are reading... ??? the fish i caught and released was on a completely different run, and it WAS new water to me..I had never fished it which therefore means NEW WATER...i was not critizing, fish how you want and where you want...i don't care .....once again this was an OBSERVATION..i was on the other side fishing a DIFFERENT RUN...if someone wants to fence post that is there choice...
if steelheading to you is about meeting new people and just getting out then thats good...i don't know if ALL steelheaders feel the same way because if they did then etiquette would never be an issue on the river. If its just about getting out and meeting people then go to the park....you don't have to get as early.. ;) Steelheaders are steelheaders...if you think for a minute that you could just move on through a run while someone is fishing the tail out and everyone will be happy and buddy buddy then you must only fish with guys you know. Not all guys smile and let you through...in fact most guys i come across rarely even ask if they can move through..they just do it. If you do say something or ask if they could start at the top and work their way down they just mumble under their breath and just keep on fishing..talk to me in 5 years or so when you become addicted and obsessed to steelheading..your tune might just change....
pat av...
it sounds like you have fished many other rivers...the vedder is very special..however, do you find the river a little 'suspect' when it comes to steelheading etiquette compared with other rivers you have fished? or is this normal?
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The Vedder is not "normal".
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well said...and by the way i am proud to be a BC steelheader....
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You are right the Vedder is not normal as far as etiquette goes, I think it is just too close to the city and populated by too many fisherman who are learning the ropes to be normal. It may be that the sheer volume of rods on the river would make the rotational system impossible. That said I have had etiquette problems on several other systems as well........
Tight lines!
Pat
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This is the second post on river etiqutte I've seen lately. I'm still confused on whats acceptable and whats just wrong.
Like is it OK for me to slosh around with beer in hand, park on rock by a tailout, and cast till I'm sober. People on this site
keep saying that all of us on the river should be more friendly and polite but on the same page say that hole hogging, meat fishing,
low holeing, are things that just happen on the Vedder and good for those people. Don't let it bother you smile and wave.
It just seem to me that we all say that etiqutte needs to improve. How to do you guys intend to do that? Arguing or making
assumtions on peoples post isn't helping me. Try leading by example. Next time I'm on the river I HOPE that I see you guys shaking
hands and displaying proper etiqutte. So far I only seen people walking by each other without even a good morning "hello".
On the other had if what I think is nice to see but wrong then I should see alot more druken fishing, fist fights, people laying on
rocks getting sick, litter and all the other fun stuff I saw at Island 22 last year. ;D
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Was this guy passed out on the rock?? ;) Must have been a lot of cans around.
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I hate when some careless fisher back steps onto my beer when landing a fish. Thats why you put them on a rock so hopefully they get "Cowgarded" out if the way. Most people on the Vedder right now are quite nice and walk around your suds. Hopefully that helps with the etiqute.
As for the people who can't see their existance on the planet lasting any longer, if they don't catch a steelhead.... grab a cold one and chill out. Hopefully that will make you proud you didn't do something like get steamed all day cause you weren't catching fish. Worse yet some bozo comes chucking Strawberry Koolaid dew worms on your secret hole and slays them.
Theres a fish with your name on it somewhere. Don't let it be "sucker".
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I LOVE the "rock lizards". If they are gonna stay on the one rock for the day,,,waaaaay better for me. At least I know there is one less rod searching different water during the day. I actually think there should be a place they could "reserve" their rock the night before to keep the bickering to a minimum.
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Blue heron:
Get used to the ethics debates on these sites they are everywhere! This site is one of the sites were the debates stay quite tame and civil.
As for your etiquette confusion the most important thing about fishing a busy river is communication!If there is a guy fishing a pool you want to fish, go say hi. Ask him if he is fishing down, if he is go above him if he is staying put ask if he minds if you move around and below him. Most guys will be OK as long as they feel respected. Always keep a good distance from the person who was on the hole first in either scenario.
Communication and common sense will go a long way toward ending your ethical confusion!
Hope that helps!
See you on the water,
Pat
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Pat AV,
Thanks for the response. I'm totally cool with being friendly on the river. The only annoying part is when you seem to be the
only guy that gives a crap about being friendly ( unlike yourself ) . It also becomes tiresome being the peace maker. I had to
give up my spot on the Fraser last year. Just to prevent a fight between the the guy up stream from me and the guy that thought
that he could fish between us. I rather find new water then see some clowns tumble for a fishing spot. It's sad to say but the
more people the more problems. The funny thing is we are all there for the same reason. It's fishing every body should be
the most civil to each other when on the river. Despite how many know it alls or arragent people I meet on the water I'm
still going and trying to enjoy myself and be friendly.
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I hear you on the Fraser fishery, that is why I just don't do it anymore. I can not give any advice on how to get along in that fishery it is just a little too crazy for me. I fly fish pretty much all summer now and I never miss the flossing but I sure do miss the BBQ'ed sockeye!
I am sure if you are friendly on the river everything will be all good for you, I have never had a big problem on any river (with another angler). If worst comes to worst I just walk away, no spot is worth stressing over!
Good luck on the flow!
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blue heron,
i give a crap about this subject, you better be careful or the truck just might drive on by saturday morning... :D
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Steely nightmare, LOL ;D
Don't worry buddy I now your the man. Just found this post and replies funny. Just know this weekend I'm smiling and saying
good morning to all.
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Some of my buddies (and I'm still on the fence on this) say that you should have to take a course like they do in hunting or to drive a car in order to get a fishing licence to teach you about such things as river etiquet, gear use and restrictions, how to handle fish properly to release them,etc.
What do you guys think about that? I would imagine that you would really have to want to fish in order to go through it but at least you'd be educated on the subject.
BTW, Did I mention that these are the same buddies that think people should need a licence to have kids but that's another subject altogether.
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i agree whith most of you im new here from quebec move last year i often be disturb by other arrive after me and come sometimes 8 feet beside me i dont like arguring so i just change spot myself but sometimes its bad when you just find a nice place itry to be friendly but someday its hard anyway i enjoy even
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Best way to get along on the Fraser, get ur fish and go home. I have found most people quite civil on the Fraser but then I avoid the super congested areas ie) Peg Leg, Scale. In my few years of steelhead fishing, I have found almost all people to be very cooperative, in general as some of u have mentioned steelhead fisher "people" seem to be a different breed, usually more patient and accepting, but then it is not a meat fishery! Maybe steelies should be just catch and release?