I'm curious as to what anglers on this BB consider proper etiquette on entering the river and where and how to fish in relation to others on the river. I fish from northern California to central B.C. I generally believe and was taught that you start at the head of a pool/run/hole and work your way through. Even if it is a very long run like the graveyard on the Thompson. This provides everyone with a chance to fish the same water and try a different presentation of their "stuff". You don't camp on water, you don't drop in below people without asking if they are working their way through (BTW, I learned this throwing hardware). This still seams to be the approach on some rivers (mainly in BC) but on others the etiquette seams to have gone out the door. I've become more attune to this since I began flyfishing. A lot of time my intent is to take a pass with the fly rod and then a pass with a spoon. It's not very productive with the fly to reverse the order. It seams more than not I'll have people jump in below me and just camp or take a half dozen cast in the bucket and move on working their way up stream only to spook the fish holding tight. Just wondering if I'm the only one this bothers. Also wondering if guides with the pressure of a paying client have a different thought. Does the etiquette question change with gear / flies / plugs / floats?

thick

Hey Thick,

I mostly flyfish, but also enjoy fishing a float/jig and chucking spinners for variety. I find that most experienced fishermen (using any of these methods)tend to start at the top and work down. The exceptions to this are when (1) fishing below a hatchery (2) having had a "take" in a specific spot in a run or (3) inexperienced or inconsiderate fishermen. People fishing below a hatchery pick their favorite spot and park on it. People who have had a "take" often want to got back and park the same spot to try to catch "their" fish. And the rest either haven't learned about sharing the river or just don't give a f*%*.

The increase in the Inconsiderate group - those that will cut in below you on a run you're already fishing - has been really noticable on the Puget Sound rivers the last couple years. I guess it's partly because of the relative scarcity of steelhead. Everybody wants one on the end of their line and gets a little crazy/desperate when the fish aren't cooperating.

Don't get me wrong - this isn't a flyfisherman's rant about gear fishermen - the fly guys have been some of the worst at this in the last couple years.

I think the etiquette you descibed is proper for any river or stream in the world. The exception would be fishing the hatchery holes like Reiter on the Sky and Fortson on the Stilly.To expect to have first/only water at these places is silly.However, it is still courteous to ask before crowding in on someone at these holes.
The important thing is to never let some asshole ruin your day.Just find a different hole where you can do your own thing.

ABOUT YOUR GUIDE ETIQUETTE.THREE WEEKS AGO I WAS FISHING OFF THE BANK UNDER THE GOODMAN BRIDGE.A GUIDED DRIFT BOAT WAS FISHING ABOUT ONE HUNDERED YARDS BELOW ME.THEY HOOKED A COUPLE OF NICE SILVERS THAN TO MY DISMAY ROWED UP AND CAMPED 25 YARDS IN FRONT OF ME.THEY HOOKED UP THERE .WHEN ONE OF THE CLIENTS QUESTIONED THE GUIDE OF THE ETIQUETTE OF CAMPING ON ME.HE RESPONDED "OH HE WILL GET OVER IT".THE LOCAL TACKLE PURVEYOR IN FORKS SUGGESTED I START CHUCKING ROCKS AT THEM NEXT TIME IF THERE IN CASTING DISTANCE .i don't want to cause a ruckus but he had a whole river to fish.go figure.

Tim that is unfortunate, pisses me off and I wasn't even there.
I would have loudly voiced my opinion.(I know people who have had their trailer tires slashed for lesser evils on the West End. Just because they own a jetboat or low hole a guide). The boat should either move downstream or come to the bank. I have fished with guides that actually practice "leaving fishing spots alone when bankies are present". Boats can fish from the other side or become bankies with you. Not all guides practice this ettiquette. Do you know this guides name? He owes you an apology or at the very least his side of the story!!

It does seem that etiquette has gotten a little worse(salmon season on the rivers especially), but I do believe it has to do with one or a combination of three things: inexperience, ignorance and plain old I don't care as long as I get mine. I agree when fishing a terminal area on a river the only etiquette you can expect is some courtesy, but I believe a lot of anglers who frequent the terminal areas carry their methods over to the rest of the river. My rant is fishing a run and and boat floats by and start boondoggin' through the run. Guides sometimes get a lttle aggressive when they are trying put their clients on fish because they under pressure to produce, but that dosen't give them the right to fuzz up the water your fishing. The best response is just to ask what their intentions are and if he is a jerk or flipant to you ask for his name and tell him you'll make sure not to hire him in the future.

The conduct you describe sound appropriate to me. I don't have too much trouble with anglers, its the canoeists who are rude.

Most canoeist that is!

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Michigan Fishing and Hunting Forums

When flyfishing, I generally abide by flyfishing etiquette of starting at the top of the hole and working it to the tailout, except at the terminal fisheries (Reiter, Fortson, etc.). But when working gear, I don't think it's a sin to step in downstream of another angler. Not crowding in, mind you, but if you have a 100-200 yd run with one person fishing, I don't think you should have to step in upstream of him.

I guess the reason I think this way is because with the fly rod, your generally limited to a 50-80 ft swing and the fish that are in this radius. There is also less variety of what you can throw (compared to gear), so if your working the water first, you should be able to present your stuff to the fish first. You're also more likely to wade further out and if someone steps in downstream of you doing the same, disturbing the fish, you're out of luck. With fly gear, you're also more apt to get the aggressive ones and putting your presentation in front of the fish first, is more important.

But with gear, the water you can cover is so much larger, and you can use bait, change bait, not use bait, swing with drift gear, free spool, long line with floats, throw hardware, etc. I also will "camp" on a spot for a reasonable time if I think there are fish, because with the variety of gear that can be thrown, you can get shy fish to pick up eventually. Anyone with any amount of time spent on the rivers will tell you of the person that hit a fish standing on the rock you just left; gave them something different. I've done it and had it done to me. With so much more water that can be covered with a variety of gear, I just don't see a problem with stepping in downstream of another gear angler, as long as I'm not crowding them.

If the run is very narrow such that everyone is fishing the same water, then I would probably ask to step in or just step in at the top.

Obsessed,
the only good thing that comes to mind after reading your response is that there are a lot of miles of rivers so the odds of having you lowholing me with hardware are fairly slim.

I am young, 30 is knocking on my door anyday now, but I've been fishing for salmon/steelhead on W. WA rivers for well over 23 years now. Luckily for me my Dad taught me to fish at a young age. I was taught to use all types of gear mentioned above, so I understand what everyone is saying about etiquette. But, some people need to get real saying that "hogging a hole" is rude before you either ask what hole they're fishing and such. I mostly fished SW WA and Olympic Rivers through my life. I've been on the infamous Blue Creek hole and the Hatchery hole at the Hump. I've seen overcrowding and there are times where you have no choice but to sit in one spot and fish. You quite literally have to pick a productive spot (usually one with good cover and holding water) and stand your ground. I too prefer to work a hole, but in todays world there's alot of people that jump on a river if there's a report (not always true may I add) of hot fishing. I don't like doing it myself, but if you're gonna bank fish sometimes you have to deal with it. Then, don't even try to discuss running a flyrod among gear anglers on a drift. It's impossible. I almost only use mine when I drift a river and can stop or anchor up in an unmolested area. (my favorite river for flyfishing is the Hoh). I guess, there's alot of assholes on the river, and I've dealt with them all. I'd say that most experienced guides who actually put clients into fish will give you the right of way. Most that I know that won't usually are new or are just after the buck and not the "ethics" of the sport. I guess what it comes down to is talking with people (which also in todays world can get you killed) and discuss what's wrong. I was fishing the Wynoochee last year and was working a slot on my Dad's property. I had a guide boat pull in the slot and anchor up right in the MIDDLE of the hole I was currently working. (May I add I'd just landed a steelhead as he drifted into the upper drift). I had just released the fish when I noticed he was drifting towards me and I figured he'd run right through to the lower hole. But, instead I had an anchor line stretch through the slot I was working. I had some choice words with him and he was one of those types that give fisherman bad names. Worse thing is he was acting this way with clients on board. His guide license was obscured on his boat (and no registration #'s either) so I had to have a verbal war with him. I finally had to run back to my Dad's cabin (which is about 100ft away from the hole) and bring my small cat out to the hole. After "rudely" telling him that I was going to anchor in front of his plugs did he pull anchor and drift through. It was stupid on my part, but I've been an eye for an eye guy if talking at first doesn't solve a problem.

I'm so long winded, I'll cut this now before everyone tells me to stop responding, but etiquette in the rivers has become a thing of the past. I know a few fisherman that I see alot on rivers that are courteous and we know each other and say "hi". But, for every 1 of them, there's 20 more who'll come up 4 feet from you and start fishing when there's 100 feet of hole on either side of you. They only come next to you cuz you either had a hit or a fish on. Anymore I prefer to drift then bank anyways. It keeps me away from most people and if I get to crowded I can pull anchor and move away. I hope this helps...........

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