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[dave c]

I am dumbfounded as to why people insist on walking downstream when fighting a spring or chum. I see it all the time.  Fish on! Followed by...Coming down. Absolutely unneccesary.

[DanL]

if there's an open area downstream I may do it to get out of the way asap so others can keep fishing without having to wait

other possibilities could be using gear and tackle that's nice for coho but realistically undergunned for bigger targets. Basically not using the right tool for the job

Foul hooked fish are obviously going to be difficult to control. For those who peg beads, and hook them south of the corner jaw, you lose a lot of leverage and ability to turn them. It does make sense to keep the line out from getting too long, so if it goes for a run and you cant turn them because of hook placement, the logical thing is to follow them downstream to re-establish the best angle. If you hook them top dead centre, you have the greatest leverage, and even big fish can be turned and guided where you want; with 'alternative' hook placement, not so much...

[RalphH]

IME when fish run they go downstream much more often than up. Who wants to pull a 15 to 25lb fish back upstream? Also it keeps the line from angler to fish short or at least as short as possible. That reduces current pressure on the line and clears more water for other anglers to fish.

If the banks are clear of anglers and you want to stay in one spot go for it.

[psd1179]

IME when fish run they go downstream much more often than up. Who wants to pull a 15 to 25lb fish back upstream? Also it keeps the line from angler to fish short or at least as short as possible. That reduces current pressure on the line and clears more water for other anglers to fish.

If the banks are clear of anglers and you want to stay in one spot go for it.

Nope. Salmon almost always run upstream when hooked in a river, unless they're hooked in the tail. Most fish tend to run in the opposite direction of the pressure you're applying.

The key is to keep side pressure on the fish rather than holding your rod tip high. With the current carrying your line downstream, the side pressure encourages the fish to run upstream toward you.

We see so many people fishing on the Vedder, but unfortunately, less of them know how to fight a fish. That's why you see so many anglers walking downstream fighting fish—some quietly, others so noisy for the entire river to hear.

There is one important exception. When fishing the canal, some dude float drift too far downstream before hooking a fish, there is a tremendous amount of line to recover. At that distance, the line angle can make side pressure ineffective.

In that situation, walking downstream actually makes sense. It helps recover line, saves everyone else's time, and reduces the chance of tangling with other anglers' floats flying into the river like nobody's business. But hey, don't drift too far when dozens are downstream

[RalphH]

Nope. Salmon almost always run upstream when hooked in a river, unless they're hooked in the tail. Most fish tend to run in the opposite direction of the pressure you're applying.
...

Nope they do not. IME they seldom do. Most often they don't run in either direction. When they do it's downstream, the way they came. They also seldom leave the pool. Side pressure has it's benefits so I agree there. It keeps them off balance and provides pressure on the fish and less on the angler. But that issue was not the question.

Again the question was not which way do they go but why do some anglers move the fish downstream. Like I said it's the easiest direction to go.

[dave c]

Actually its possible to fight without moving anymore than about 10 fish. Im talking canaI. When hooked up its just not necessary to walk in front of 20 people and affect their fishing. Yes if foul hooked u r going for a walk. I use 20lb main and 15 leader and brought in my P.B. 47lb spring on cp during the fight moved maybe 15ft to access nice landing area.

[RalphH]

if there's an open area downstream I may do it to get out of the way asap so others can keep fishing without having to wait

yes. Best I recall from back in the day that was the idea.

Dave C, not all big fish run. MY PB was 57lbs from the chuck and just circled the boat or pulled it in circles , for 45 minutes.

I get what you are saying but in my day the idea was someone with a fish on had priority and if necessary everyone else pulled their gear in until they either landed or lost the fish or moved out of the way.

[clarki]

In typical C/V congested fishing conditions, in most cases I think walking downstream to keep a shorter line on the fish is the respectful thing to do.

However I also think that many anglers who, in walking downstream, fail to keep a big bend in their rods and to put the boots to the fish. That in turn just prolongs the fight and inconveniences more anglers as a result.

I also think sometimes walking downstream yelling “fish on” is more about showmanship 😀

Btw I am unable to fish the entire month of October, so good luck out there!

[RalphH]

Btw I am unable to fish the entire month of October, so good luck out there!

OMG Clarki sounds like a serious situation. FWIW I did not fish at all this year until 3 weeks ago. Having a great fall season so far.

[bj23]

I am dumbfounded as to why people insist on walking downstream when fighting a spring or chum. I see it all the time.  Fish on! Followed by...Coming down. Absolutely unneccesary.

Coming down. Going up. Rod up. Rod down. Rod left. Rod right. Line weight. Rod action. Reel drag. = ANGLING.

[clarki]

OMG Clarki sounds like a serious situation.

All is well; we are just travelling abroad with friends. The other individuals in the group are not anglers and my vote to not travel in October was easily overruled😕