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[Fish or cut bait.]

 

"No longer biting" being the key phrase. I'll admit it, I don't give up a spot if the fish are there AND they are biting.
Do you? Does anyone? 
The only time I'd give up a hot spot is for a buddy or family member if we are fishing together that day.

However, true rotational angling would have you land your fish, step out of the run and go back to the top of the run if you wished to have another kick at the can.
I do realize that the chances of that being witnessed on the Veddar would be akin to winning the lottery.

It is the Veddar and is more often fished as if it were the shoreline of a lake or a bar on the Fraser.

Having said that, I too would spend more time in a productive spot (particularily during Salmon season) before moving on.
But waiting for Steelhead to find me? It don't work like that.
It may happen and perhaps enforces a fenceposters reason for doing so; the same way that most anglers make a point of fishing a spot where they 've caught or seen fish caught in the past.

Not all fence posters do it on purpose, some are older and not as nimble or sure footed as they were in the past.
Ask and they would probably most assuredly encourage you to pass and perhaps offer some advice, a tip or story from the old days.
Don't ask and you might get an earful, not so much for going below but for lacking the manners and demonstrating  proper river etiquette in doing so.

New guys are told to cover all the water and in doing so take longer to cover a run.  
More experienced anglers can generally read water better and therefore move through a run faster.
And the Top rods (who get out way too often  ) know the sweet spots in any given run, have a curcuit and probably spend more time getting from one run to another than they actually do fishing any of them.

Fenceposters? ask and go around.
Low-holers? Some are new and don't know (perhaps educate). Some are just plain Ignorant (deal with as you see fit .

Life's too short and as I'm getting older I try not to be overly confrontational (I'd be too busy to get any fishing done otherwise)
I try to keep my blood pressure under control so I just either wait or move on.
I treat others (for the most part) how I'd like to be treated.
I'd rather leave the river as the nice, helpful guy NOT the Frkn' jackhole who caught a fish.

[Dennis.t]

I do not expect other fishermen to use "conventional techniques" or to use "proper etiquette."  I expect other fishermen to behave badly.  That way I am never disappointed, only occasionally surprised (by those that use proper etiquette).

The best post out of the many in this thread. I fish alone most of the time because i fish whatever,whenever.I  always try and strike up a conversation with others i encounter working a run.Anglers feel less intimidated when i approach a hole by my lonesome and communicate with them thier intentions.I am succesful because i cover alot of water in a day and avoid the crowds.I work a circuit based on the level of the flow/ water clarity and insider knowlege from my buds on the river.Fence posters dont understand to be succesful you need to keep your feet moving.You can always come back to the run later in the day.Cant tell you how many times ive returned to a hole later on in the day to have a instant hookup.I start my season after the xmas rush.See you out there and good luck!

[blaydRnr]

prior to the river mucking up yesterday, i fished behind a guy who just happened to get to the river seconds before me... together we must have covered about 12 runs before he finally got into fish...in a time span of 35 minutes he lost one and landed/released one wild...i respectfully asked to leap frog to give him his space and about 15 minutes after i got below him,  he hooked and bonked a nice 9lb hatch.

now if you do the math, he spent almost an hour in one spot...would you accuse him of fence posting after walking for miles to finally find fish? i think not...that's the whole reason why we steelheaders move from one spot to another... you'd be lying if you said otherwise.

[milo]

 


However, true rotational angling would have you land your fish, step out of the run and go back to the top of the run if you wished to have another kick at the can.
I do realize that the chances of that being witnessed on the Veddar would be akin to winning the lottery.

It is the Veddar and is more often fished as if it were the shoreline of a lake or a bar on the Fraser.

Having said that, I too would spend more time in a productive spot (particularily during Salmon season) before moving on.
But waiting for Steelhead to find me? It don't work like that.
It may happen and perhaps enforces a fenceposters reason for doing so; the same way that most anglers make a point of fishing a spot where they 've caught or seen fish caught in the past.

Not all fence posters do it on purpose, some are older and not as nimble or sure footed as they were in the past.
Ask and they would probably most assuredly encourage you to pass and perhaps offer some advice, a tip or story from the old days.
Don't ask and you might get an earful, not so much for going below but for lacking the manners and demonstrating  proper river etiquette in doing so.

New guys are told to cover all the water and in doing so take longer to cover a run.  
More experienced anglers can generally read water better and therefore move through a run faster.
And the Top rods (who get out way too often  ) know the sweet spots in any given run, have a curcuit and probably spend more time getting from one run to another than they actually do fishing any of them.

Fenceposters? ask and go around.
Low-holers? Some are new and don't know (perhaps educate). Some are just plain Ignorant (deal with as you see fit .

Life's too short and as I'm getting older I try not to be overly confrontational (I'd be too busy to get any fishing done otherwise)
I try to keep my blood pressure under control so I just either wait or move on.
I treat others (for the most part) how I'd like to be treated.
I'd rather leave the river as the nice, helpful guy NOT the Frkn' jackhole who caught a fish.

Good post, FOCB.
I was expecting someone to mention true rotational angling. In a perfect world where rotational angling is implemented and observed by everyone on a given run, I would go to the top of the run. Not on the Vedder, though, unless the people fishing above me are in my party.

[azafai]

great thread.

for being ethical one should not care what others are doing.  what that matters more is what that same person is doing.

I always start from the top of the run and fish the run only if the it is not too busy.   I will never "low-hole" anyone during steelhead season.  I just don't care what the others are doing and what reasons they have for their behaviors. 
I just do that what I expect from other reasonable and ethical behaving anglers. 

[spoiler]

I guess I'm an old timer on the Vedder. I too started fishing it in 1966 and like island dude have seen alot of changes. I sometimes try to relate Steelhead fishing to Golf to people new to the sport. I ask them if they were going to take up Golf would they just go buy a set of clubs, walk on to a course and start flailing away? That's basically what alot of new fishermen do on the Vedder. People don't bother learning what is proper behaviour. if the same person tryed that crap on a golf course you know what the result would be. I have been priviliged to fish with some of the very best Steelheaders on the Chilliwack / Vedder system and have learned alot. The most important thing they taught me was the code of conduct that they carried forward from their peers. It really boils down to being respectful to the environment and other fishermen. I have had a well known guide that's on this forum low hole me.
In fact the same guy did it to once in the canal a couple years ago and again today. I guess he thinks because he is a guide that it gives him the right. I try to give new fishermen as much advise as I can. Sometimes the best thing a new fisherman can do is open a dialog and ask questions. You will be surprised how most of us old timers will respond.

[Dennis.t]

I guess I'm an old timer on the Vedder. I too started fishing it in 1966 and like island dude have seen alot of changes. I sometimes try to relate Steelhead fishing to Golf to people new to the sport. I ask them if they were going to take up Golf would they just go buy a set of clubs, walk on to a course and start flailing away? That's basically what alot of new fishermen do on the Vedder. People don't bother learning what is proper behaviour. if the same person tryed that crap on a golf course you know what the result would be. I have been priviliged to fish with some of the very best Steelheaders on the Chilliwack / Vedder system and have learned alot. The most important thing they taught me was the code of conduct that they carried forward from their peers. It really boils down to being respectful to the environment and other fishermen. I have had a well known guide that's on this forum low hole me.
In fact the same guy did it to once in the canal a couple years ago and again today. I guess he thinks because he is a guide that it gives him the right. I try to give new fishermen as much advise as I can. Sometimes the best thing a new fisherman can do is open a dialog and ask questions. You will be surprised how most of us old timers will respond.

Guides are under alot of pressure to produce fish for clients on a river that is just too dam crowded.They are on foot like every other tom,dick and harry competing with the masses.On a river like the Stamp,its a different story because they fish out of a boat in a river where alot of it is not accessable to the bank maggot.Its a huge advantage compared to a flow like the Vedd.

[nickredway]

It is BS wherever it happens, and it happens on the Stamp too.

[Dennis.t]

It is BS wherever it happens, and it happens on the Stamp too.

I agree. Intense competition,even more so when its your lively hood. Thats why i got out of it. I fish for for myself and enjoy that alot more.

[adecadelost]

As fishermen (and fisherwomen) we need to realize that these systems are going to continue to see increased pressure.  As more people get involved in the sport and the resources are slowly dwindling, conflicts are going to increase.

They way I see it we have two choices; we can implement a code of ethics and practices and do our best to teach others on the river, or we can wait till the conflicts get worse and the powers that be will step in and start restricting the river further (flyfish only, non-retention, or other such measures) 

It’s our fishery and our responsibility.

[alan701]

This probably applies a lot to steel head, which I've never done but yeah for other systems I watch my casts and keep good distance when possible and it's problem free. A must do especially in peg leg during peak sockeye season haha. I remember getting knotted up with about 10 other fisherman at once forming a giant birds nest. Once you learn the right techniques and get the hang of fishing then it's easier to go from busy to more private spots and still catch fish

[floatfisher]

Peg leg is no place to learn anything let alone etiquette. But that's just my opinion and I speak my mind and people don't like that sometimes.

[spoiler]

To Dennis t, I don't believe this guy guides on the Vedder for Steelhead, he was  just out sportfishing. I guess I look at guides as the ambassadeurs of our sport and they should be held at a higher standard. I have fished with guides all over BC and for the most part the "real guides" are first class people on and off the river, guiding or not.
 I have fished the Stamp River with and without guides and the good ones are very respectfull of bank fishermen and their fellow guides. These people are very passionate about fishing and it shows. There are others that only see dollar signs and sometimes stoop to unscrupulous tactics to get their clients fish and ultimately fill their wallets.

[Dennis.t]

To Dennis t, I don't believe this guy guides on the Vedder for Steelhead, he was  just out sportfishing. I guess I look at guides as the ambassadeurs of our sport and they should be held at a higher standard. I have fished with guides all over BC and for the most part the "real guides" are first class people on and off the river, guiding or not.
 I have fished the Stamp River with and without guides and the good ones are very respectfull of bank fishermen and their fellow guides. These people are very passionate about fishing and it shows. There are others that only see dollar signs and sometimes stoop to unscrupulous tactics to get their clients fish and ultimately fill their wallets.

I agree with you.Guides need to lead by example.But theres always a few bad apples in every bunch i suppose.I myself have been fortunate enough to have guided and been guided all over this great province of ours.Its a tough job and a stressful one to constantly have to put clients on fish.Very competive line of work.The good ones work thier arses off and respect other anglers.If this fellow is just fishing for himself,then he should know better.

[paul1971]

I think everyone who fishes the vedder has seen or heard stories about this particular guides antics cut below my buddy last year.