I am curious, why do many sportfishers on this board feel the need to blab about their success on a favorite stream or tell others you don't even know how to access it? I learned a long time ago if you find a great river to fish, are very successful and enjoy the solitude keep it to yourself. The only people you share it with are your close fishing partners. Many complain of overcrowding, yet they get on this board and post it to the whole world, why?

[This message has been edited by Rich (edited 02-24-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Rich (edited 02-24-2000).]

I think it has something to do with promoting the sport and a willingness to help others enjoy it. Very rarely do you see any details about rivers that aren't in the magazines or papers every other week. If you think the Nooch, Hoh, Sol Duc or any of the other major producers are real secrets you've had your head in the sand. More than anything, this board is a great place to learn about technique.

I really respect and appreciate everybody on this board that "spill the beans" about rivers and techniques. I am sure that we have all received information at some point in our lives about where and how to fish. By passing that information on to new anglers and the next generation is what will help our sport grow and strenghten our voice towards the powers that affect and regulate our past time. So spill the beans, and help teach etiquette as well.

Tight lines!

Boy.....I dont know. I asked about salmon fishing on the Columbia (a huge river indeed)
and nary a peep did I hear! I did find the spot though and truly slayed them. Everybody was pretty jacked for me--and nobody asked where I did it. B.Gray is right though-there are alot of rivers that are talked about all the time--there is almost no sense in pretending they don't exist. I'm from Oregon and I asked about some spots on the Peninsula
last year--no definites, but the guys helped me with at least a few "rivers" that I could go to. That saved me hours!!

PS Thanks for those of you who helped!

Crayfin

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I moved up here almost 2 years ago from the Beaverton, OR area. Needless to say learning how to fish a whole new set of rivers is a challenge even for someone with several years experience. I have only been using this BB for a month or two but I have been very impressed with the advice and assistance I have received from the BB members. It has saved me untold hours of bangin my head on riverside trees attempting to learn local techniques. As a steelheader for many years, I too have kept quiet about certain "secret spots" of mine. In retrospect, I now see that they really weren't that secret at all. I now favor a more compassionate approach of sharing knowledge about the sport and helping others enjoy it to the fullest. Just my sappy .02 worth...

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ExtraStout

It seems to me that to post a message about how many fish one catches without giving something about the location is simply boasting, neener-neener-neener type stuff. Why even bother with such blights on the spirits of those of us less fortunate? What purpose does it serve? Who does it help? What does it affirm? Why not just keep a secret a secret. I would, and do, give something about location and the technique that worked for the reasons stated in the replies above, to help out those that would like to know and/or learn. I certainly am greatly appreciative of any hints and help I can get, especially about where to go. My pledge in return is that I will not abuse the trust, unless your definition of abuse is that I might show up some time and fish. If I want to keep a location secret, then I'm not going to post any information about it at all, no numbers, nothing. Otherwise, it would seem that there ought to be a fraternity among those of us who pass this way.

[This message has been edited by T Dodge (edited 02-24-2000).]

In one of Bob Arnold's books (sorry, I can't remember which one) he has a chapter on this topic. He is of the opinion that it is the proper thing to do to share information but not always specifics.

For example, I have no problem telling the board that I swam a hen on Tuesday morning in the lower Skykomish. I would even have no problem saying that she hit on a Purple Marabou Spider. However, I would not give out specific locations or directions to the run I hooked her in. The reason for this is twofold. Of course I don't want to show up there on Sundy morning and find 10 guys in one of the runs. This is unlikely to happen though. The main reason I would not post this info is it would be quite arrogant of me. Just because I have my favorite water, I would hate to think that I am the expert voice on a particular run. I might believe that the water above or below "my water" could be good water but for whatever reason I don't fish it. I have settled on the water I fish because it matches my presentation style and I have confidence in its ability to hold fish. Whats more, I fish it because I "discovered it" and learned the knowledge that comes from fishing it many times a year. Over the years, it has undoubtedly been discovered many many times by many people but to me it is my discovery. Part of its appeal to me is that I stumbled onto it and hooked a fish. If I would have been told about it, where to enter it and where to exit it, I don't think it would mean as much to me.

[This message has been edited by Sinktip (edited 02-24-2000).]

Well said Sinktip!
Personal discovery is what makes fishing a infinite sport.
Just because Bobberman says he caught 5 nates on the green yesterday, certainly doesn't mean I'm going to run down there and try to duplicate his apparent success.

I have been reading these posts for a while and I don't see anyone going into any great detail about where they fished. As in " throw your bait up against the bank 20 steps down from the big tree next to the old car on the Crack Snak river below Skukumglob" I learned a long time ago that fishing is the sport I am willing to share with freinds, and discuss with folks I don't know. I also hunt. I don't mind telling you that I am fairly well known in this area for bringing home some real big whitetail bucks... And I do not share that information with anyone. Its cost me a couple of freinds over the years. To me, fishing is about freinds, learning, and enjoying the outdoors. Someone made a point here earlyer that if you think some whole river is a secret, you have your head in the sand. Thats well said. I can't tell you how many people I have taken to their first steelhead. They don't forget it and neither do I.

I agree with many reply's that most rivers mentioned here are far from secret. I believe that sharing information is a big part of the fishing experience. You will never hear me post results on my favorite summer streams, I just don't believe they could handle any additional pressure. I rarely see another angler on these rivers, but they are far from secret. As far as posting the name of the river I've been fishing this winter, I will refrain from mentioning its name. Not because it is a secret, but rather because I have recieved requests via email not to. I will share info on techniques that are working for me under different conditions. By trying new techniques during tough fishing conditions, I have dramatically increased the amount of hookups I have had this year. Many of those techniques were learned from other posts on this BB. Thank you to those of you who have shared this info, and I will continue to share this with others.

Being relatively new to this particular breed of fishing, the information I have been to get from this board has been invaluable. I cannot say how much I appreciate being able to ask and get answers to my questions. I don't need to know exactly where people are fishing on the river...it is part of the expertise to be able to locate your own holes, but as far as technique and gear, I couldn't have learned this much on my own, without everyone's help. Thanks guys.

Well Rich, that sure was an ungenerous thought! If you ask me, I like the spirit of this board and most of the people that post here. I wouldn't mind sharing a chunk of river with them.

The papers, F&H News, etc still do a much better job of hot-spotting rivers and sending crowds to a certain river...this site for the most part hasn't been doing that.

Lighten up...have a beer!

I'm glad to see the positive responses to this issue on the board. When people tell me they want to get into the sport of fishing I always direct them to this site. The comments I hear back is they learn a lot, the board makes them jazzed to go fishing, and this is one of the best web sites they have seen.

You KNOW I'm gonna have to say something here!!!

I've learned so much good basic stuff on this board! I agree that it's a fraternity of sorts! We all, obviously love the outdoors, or we wouldn't be comin' 'round these parts!!! I regularly ask fisherpeople I meet on the water if they frequent Piscatorial Pursuits...I think it'd be a KICK to meet some of you!!!

My take on the sharing of spots is this...I was thinkin' about it while fishing this week. My odds for hooking a fish are so much less than someone with years of experience, that, other than spooking the fish out of a good hole, I can't see how my being present on the river is going to impact a seasoned veterans chances of hooking up!

I will always try to get into a conversation with an old-timer if one is present...just to glean some helpful tips and information! I ALSO come HERE to learn...and to find out where to go!!! I don't know the river systems, being a beginner, and I need SOME sort of direction! I always thought that this was a place for sharing a reasonable amount of the expertise you guys have!

Whenever I go out, I'll try to send a little report on conditions of the river. I know I don't fish the BIG producing rivers, but I share, in hopes that it will help out SOMEONE!!! That's what I hope to get back in return!

I appreciate the information the folks on this board are willing to share!!! I think we should all get together for a big Hoh-down someday!!! (har har...get it...Hoh down!!! Hey I tried!!!)

*so now...WHERE was that path to the hole with 30 steelhead in it???



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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

[This message has been edited by Fishin Farmgirl (edited 02-26-2000).]

I really enjoy reading about who is getting what and where. Oftentimes, I won't go to the rivers mentioned, but hearing about Bob or someone getting into fish tends to get me off my butt and go fishing in the winter rain. Yesterday, I called an old friend and floated a nearby river - and we released a early winter steelhead which went 38 3/4", my third best in over 25 years. Keep it up!