Although river etiquette seems sometimes non-existent anymore, I have a question regarding the proper way to float a stretch that bank fishermen are fishing What is the proper –or most polite way- to get past someone fishing from the bank? It seems no matter what approach is taken, the people in the boat receive the look of death, and it tiring to say the least. I always try to avoid the actual run or holding area where the fish would be, but sometimes that takes you to the near side of the bank (close to the fishermen), and sometimes it’s the far side.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, may you all have numerous strikes!

If there is enough room I pass behind them, if not pass resonably close to them, stay off the fish holding water, and don't boondog past them. This approach usually keeps em happy.

Driftwoods description reflects the fisherman he is! Thumbs up!

FJ...out.

Hey FM,

Drifwood is pretty much dead on with his interpretation though occasionally ya just can't please some people. I had a guy hollering at met because I passed too close to him when he was fishing the far bank

If I have a question as to what they're doing I'll ask where they would like me to go. That way the ball is in their court.

Driftwood is right that is what I do. Some guy started yelling at me on the cowlitz because I floated to close to him. I asked him "would you rather have me float over the hole?" That shut the guy up cuz he didn't have aclue how to respond.

I have seprate question:
When coming up on a hole and it is about 60 yards long and a boat is parked at the top of the hole, where can I fish that hole cuz I don't what to down hole him but is there anyother option???

Personally I don't care how close below me you fish as long as I can't snag your line or anchor rope, and you are not parked on the fish. As far as keeping others happy, Good Luck!!! There is no shortage of jerks and morons on our rivers. I try to stay close to where someone is standing or anchored so I don't go over the water they're fishing but I've been yelled at plenty for it.

I try to make a demonstative effort to avoid his fishing area. Asking the fisherman what he would like for you to do is excellent approach. It's not that important. My problem is if you go through all this to make them happy and they act inappropriately, I go postal!

I agree asking is sometimes the best.

Fly fisherman on the bank will be fishing (sometimes) different water than a drift fisherman. When in doubt ask, "Where do you want me to pass?" Couldn't hurt, and I think it shows class.

Drifting the Elk three weeks ago, a guy with two others in the driftboat tried to edge between me and a boat anchored below me about 50-60 feet. He got way too close to the anchor rope of the boat below and tried to over-compensate, lost his balance completely, and all of a sudden he's gone- all I see are a couple of red rubber boots and orange gloves sticking up. He had fallen over backwards, probably because his "fish gloves" were a little too slippery in the early morning dew. His boat ran into the other guy's boat as his passengers attempted to maintain ramming speed. It was hilarious.

KORE,

True fishermen aren't supposed to talk. We have to give each other dirty looks. You are asking too much.

I agree with you guys about just tactfully asking the bankie where he'd prefer you drift past. ... As for those fishermen that seem to have to 'lay the brow' on other fishermen for no reason I think it's pretty primative - and funny even. One of these days I'm going to turn toward a guy with the 'get the hell out of my river' scowl on his mug and just growl visciously like a wolverine while showing as much teeth as possible.

I always try to stay out of the holding when Im passing a bank angler. I either go to the other side of the river ar get as close to them as possible. If there is enough room I go behind them. I noticed on certain rivers when you groups of anglers, ther is always one dumb a$$ that acts if your boat is not there and proceeds to keep casting. These guy piss me off to no end.
The rule I use when fishing a hole that already has a boat it. I never anchor any closer than I would want someone to anchor to me. This has worked most of the time.

I think it's interesting that we have heard from the boaters on this topic, but little from the bankies. Guys, how about it? We'd like to be courteous, how about telling us what you'd like? Though rowing upstream at planing speed is not liable to be on the menu...

I think what we really want is to be invited onboard to drift for a couple of miles, reach some of those spots we can only covet from afar.

I'm a bank fisherman during most of the steelhead season and have watched a lot of boats go by.
I have rarely experienced any inconsiderate boaters on Olympic Peninsula rivers. Regardless of the river size they usually just ship the oars and drift on by putting baits/plugs/whatever again after they have cleared my water. This works very well. Thanks to all boaters who handle it this way.
On some Puget Sound rivers my experience has not been nearly as civilized. I have seen jet boaters back plugs down through the water i'm fishing, hookup, land the fish and then slam the gas to the jet and plow right back up through the drift. These guys have no thanks coming -- and do receive a glaring stare.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed however because we are in the next few years experience:
A. An increase of angling pressure (bank & boat) due to the increase in population that we know is going to happen.
B. An overall decrease in habitat and access and river bank which will be the result of "A".
While this population increase is going to be primarily in the Puget Sound basin, it will spill over to the Olympic Peninsula, Southwest Washington, etc., because more and more anglers -- and guides -- will move into these less traveled areas in an effort to find better fishing conditions.
This is not a complaint. I'm just stating the facts and the need to address this critical issue sooner rather than later.

Les Johnson

I’m a bank fisherman. Only been in a boat on the river one time, which just happened to be this last weekend. You guys with the boats are lucky this was one of the most pleasurable fishing experiences I have had. Drifting down the river is totally cool and I will soon be getting a drift boat.

I have not really had any bad experience with the drift boaters. Usually they are nice and I try to talk to them a little as they go buy to keep up good relations. Sleds on the other hand have irritated me a couple of times. When wading into the middle of the river to fish the deep slot on the far bank, I have had sleds come up and beach their boat right were I was casting to start my drift. If I were to move down river and cast below the boat I would be out of the slot by the time my lead hit the bottom. Frustrating when I spent 20-50 minutes to walk into this hole.

As a banky I learned something knew by being in a boat this weekend. I have probably pissed a few drift boaters off before I learned some etiquette this weekend from the guy I drifted with. If a drift boat is pulling plugs and working his way slowly down river, as a banky just arriving to the river, I should not fish below the boats plugs until he has passed by me because he is slowly pushing the fish down river until the fish get ticked and strike the plug. Since I had never plugged fish until this weekend I admit my ignorance to this but will be more aware of the drift boats in the future.

Sometimes the bank fisherman get to easily upset by the boaters, and sometimes the boaters get to easily upset by the bank fisherman. This has been my experience on the Snohomish river system, which are basically the only rivers I fish.

I fish mostly from the bank - and as long as the boater attepts some curtisy - I have no issues. Usually this simply means drifting quietly by. I'm usually not too concerned about where he passes.
Now for jet boats - it would be nice if they slowed down a little - but on a crowded river - they'd be constantly working the throttle - and I'm sure it's just easier to pass by quickly and let everyone get back to business.
No bankie likes to share his hole with a boat, but on a large river, some holes are quite easily shared. I would hope that unless this is the only (or best or whatever) hole that the boater can or plans on fishing, that he would just move on to the next one. The bankie is usually very limitted in the amount of water he can cover in a day -where a boater really loses nothing by passing by an occupied run.

Hey Boys,

How about a "Take a Bankie Driftin' Day"? I'll bet there are some Bankies on this board that would like to take a trip down the river. This would,no doubt,improve relations and let some of us meet that normally would not. I'm always up for meeting new fisherman and most of the people on this board seem to be squared away.
I already have AKkings and Sparky on my list to drift the Sky,but
I could take others too.What do ya say fellas? Don't you have it in your heart,this holiday season,to help out the less fortunate?

[ 12-11-2001: Message edited by: Bigdog2250 ]

Since I fish on the bank about as much as I do out of a drift boat I will add to the bankes perspective. If the boater can safeley get out of the holding water and off to the side I would like to see him do that. If he cant do it safely I lke it when they just float quietly over the hole. If I am fishing an area that is big enough for a boat and a bankie I will tell the boater to fish here if they would like. About the only thing that gets me pissed off is when some pulls plugs or boondogs through the water Im fishing. That will earn the boaters some harsh words or other corrective actoins

I have never really had any problems with sledders. I woul rather have a sled go by me on step than slow down and throw a big wake. If the sled can go by at a real slow speed I would rather they do that. I know a lot times its easier and safer for a sled to go by you on step.

BigDog--How cool are you! Here is one banky that would love to take a drift...I'll bring the refreshments!
RSVP if you have a spot some day.
Thanks,
Dan

I'm up for taking some folks out. I just retired, have a bad ol' boat that needs more rods out the back, and I can't find guys to fish during the week, when I prefer to go. Interested parties send mail. Unfortunately, I can't go weekends, due to kid responsibilities.

How about a "take a boater bank fishing" day? I'm sure we'd get a big turnout for that!! (:
Or how about "take a fly fisherman plunking" day? Hmmm.

Actually that sounds like a great idea (not mine - the other one...).

I'm a 'big brother' (Big Brothers of King County) and have been taking my little brother out fishing with me as much as possible. Unfortuneatly, we don't have good 'mojo' together and we usually end up getting skunked. It never fails - i go out by myself or with a buddy and nail fish with 'ease'. A day or week later I'll take out Josh and we get skunked!! He is getting a little turned off to fishing and that is NOT what I had in mind!! One of these days I need to get this kid into some serious fish! I even took him to hood canal and he did catch one fish and snagged another - but that was still pretty sad.
Anyway, I guess I'm thinking that a boat trip - while not a sure thing for fish - would at least be entetaining and fun for him - and fish caught would be an added bonus. Besides - it would be good to learn a few new tricks.

As a general rule I haven't had many problems with the boats while fishing from the bank. The one exception was last year. I fished just above Douglas Bar for coho(along with 15 others) and these three nit wits in a 12' boat anchored 40' across from us and proceeded to cast at our feet. I asked the guy if he needed to anchor on top of the fish and cast at us. He calmly replied "I'll fish wherever I f*****g want". Everyone of us tied on 4" BuzzBombs and started bombarding his boat. He made a hasty retreat and anchored on top of a drift boat just downstream. Shortly after there was mention of lead and the three amigos left. I'm stuck on the bank and all I ask is a little respect. Don't anchor up and fish my water. Don't pull plugs tight to us bankies. Going up the middle of the channel is fine. I can just make shorter casts as you troll through. Also please don't come in tight to the bank at full speed. Stay outside of us(if possible). I hate having to climb the bank to get away from the wake. I think most boaters are straight up folks. It is a few people that don't have a clue. But their are bankies that don't have a clue either.

Tight lines

Chumcatcher

I really have no problems with the boaters when I bank fish, and the same is true the other way too. I've let guys( and guides ) work their plugs and or boondog around me. What's 5 or 6 minutes. I use this time to check leaders, hook sharpness etc. One boater on the Sandy commented how most people give him the "stink eye" when he passes by, gear out or not. I replied that I too have to work for a living, and had no problem sharing the slot with him. Nobody hooked fish, but it was still friendly. Most people think boats have the whole river to fish, but what if all the spots are filled ? I think we can all share. Well at least most of us most of the time.
The only thing I ask when I'm drifting is that the bankies stop casting for 20 seconds to leet me float by. So far everyone has been pretty good about this too. I don't think common courtesy is too much to ask. After all we're all after the same goal.....FISH ON !!!!

Chris

Interesting thread and good to se this topic being aired out a bit.

I fish from my sled, from friends drift boats and from the bank.... "Just Fish!" is my motto!
I agree with Chumcatcher's attitude and idea of the right way to go.

Common sense approaches usually work pretty well.

I would add that comments and attitude before approaching a hole with bank fishermen working it can really affect how an encounter will go.

Remember, especially if in a boat, that sound carries over water very well. If I am bank fishing a hole and a boat approaches from a couple hundred yards above and I hear "Oh #(&^%#%$!!, there's a #&^@%$% Bank Maggot in my hole!" I am not going to be Mr. Sunny Delight when you get down to my location. I am not a maggot and I will not be nice if you call me one, to my face or upriver an eighth of a mile.

Also, bank anglers need to be aware of some laws of physics...... if I am moving upstream in my sled, it matters not how slow I go, there will be a wake. It's that two opposing forces and action and reaction stuff you know.

And, it would be helpful if there were universal "rules" of the river. On the Rogue, my home river, it seems the guys in the lower river would rather I stay on plain and get the heck through (I agree) while the folks on the upper river expect you to slow down to crawl speed at every encounter.... if we can't figure out what will make each other happy on one river, how are we gonna figure from river to river?

Way to go BigDog and Silver! I hope that your generous offers to take some other PP members fishin' comes back to you in spades, ehh...fins!!!

I really think that this is a super way to come together as a fishing community. Excellent idea.