Am I overreacting?

[Moefoe]

This is going to be a long winded rant so bare with me. So I hit the Bow on Friday and head to a place I call the winter hole, you know what they are everybody has one. From where I park on the south side of the river it takes about an hour walk down stream during which I have to carefully cross the river over a gravel bar until eventually walking on the north side. In all about 3 km me thinks. So I start fishin, catch 3 nice rainbows in 10 mins look upstream to see a drift boat coming down the bank then eventually pull over about 60-70 yards upstream from me. I have fished the river for 20 years and own a drift boat, I recognize the boat that was upstream from me and the dude rowing, his buddy in the front seat I've never seen before! I tie into a big brown, 23", he bulldogs in the hole for a bit, then turn and burns straight down stream with me running down the bank trying to keep up. I end up landing him about a 100-130 yards down maybe 5 mins later, real nice fish! So I make my way back and you all know where this is going...the boat is now 20 yards upstream from where I was with the guy I know still in his seat and the other dude fishing in the spot I just left. I take a seat on a log about 40 yards from them, they can clearly see me and watch buddy hook 5 fish in 20 mins, loosing 2 of them cuz they too headed downstream, he didn't follow and busted them off. Eventually the guy rowing says "we gotta go" picks him up then rows right through the middle of the run and B lines it for the other side. I go back there fish for a bit, nuthin, then make my way back upstream, across the river, which is way tougher than the way down and get back to the truck an hour later still shaking my head. As far as fish go I had a good day, it was so nice out on Friday I shouldn't be complaining but even as I write this I'm kinda ****ed...in a million years I would never do that and always go out of my way to give bank anglers room! Like I said I know the boat and it's owner and will have words with him this summer when I eventually bump into him. So there you have it...am I overreacting? Again sorry for the rant!!

[6tmile]

Are you over reacting? I believe so. You dont own the river, neither does he. You left the fishing hole, he moved in and caught fish from his boat. It happens.

[Todrod]

I don't think you are over reacting. I always try to give 100 yards either side of a fisherman. Common courtesy. What the drifter did was an a-hole move.

[Pincherguy]

I don't think you are over reacting. I always try to give 100 yards either side of a fisherman. Common courtesy. What the drifter did was an a-hole move.

I agree, we do not own the rivers or the banks but lets be ehtical when we are out there. This sounds like something a kid would do. Unless you are friends with the guy I would let it ride, no sense causing more trouble.

[fish gunner]

Etiquette is hard to find on our over pressured waters. It is correct to move thru a run, not consider it "your" run . They do show poor form drifting over the holding water .

[Nova]

While on vacation in Oregon a few years ago we were on our way back to Tiller from Crater lake and stopped in at a fishing spot along the river to check it out. A boat moved into a hole across the river from where everyone was casting (probably 30 people). Pretty irate bunch, they made a game of casting as close to the boat as possible, with all the other anglers cheering for a "nice cast". I'd say you remained civil in comparison.

[Guitarplayingfish]

I have heard this situation a thousand times.

Drift boats need show some common courtesy. You aren't over-reacting.. It would **** me off too.

[Sloughsharkjigger]

Personal space in public areas is classified as "within arms reach" (period) With that said, when it comes to fishing I guess it comes down to fight or flight.:bad_boys_20:

[Gust]

Are you over reacting? I believe so. You dont own the river, neither does he. You left the fishing hole, he moved in and caught fish from his boat. It happens.

So if you and I are fishing 100 yards apart and I catch a fish that I have to fight causing me to move from my spot,,,, you decide the spot is open now? How do I return to my spot, my coat, my gear? Will you move off or tell me to take a hike?

Drifters can be driftbags often and some dont even execute safe water safe travel laws,, I have had to wade out of way many times even when they could see me a km away.

[Badflies]

Whoa, big debate here. I agree it was a little heavy handed for the drift boat to slide on top of your spot but did you politely ask them to drift on? Water etiquette is learned no-one is born with it. Also great job on fishing through a cold day and finding the trout. I hope this small miscommunication didn't spoil what sounded like an awesome day.

[pikergolf]

I struggle with personal space as well. I only fish lakes, but even then after being out of fishing for a good 10 yrs.I am amazed at the preasure now. I've had guys in pontoons go out of their way to cut me off as I move along a shore line and I've had guys pass within 3 ft of my anchored pos. as they troll by. The 3 ft. guy was wearing and oxygen mask so he got a lot more grace than anyone else would have. So what is most peoples personal space? In a river I would assume setting up directly above someone would be bad form, what about downstream? What about a lake? I figure if you can't reach me with a really long cast, I'm good?

[BeeGuy]

Over-reacting?

I think so.

There isn't much that gets my blood pressure up while I'm fishing.

They were in a boat.

You headed downstream and out of 'your' spot.

How long should they wait for you to play, land, photograph etc and hike back up to 'your' spot (or maybe keep fishing downstream) before they have a go at the hole?

They are in a boat and will eventually have to drift past you....

$0.05

[fish gunner]

I struggle with personal space as well. I only fish lakes, but even then after being out of fishing for a good 10 yrs.I am amazed at the preasure now. I've had guys in pontoons go out of their way to cut me off as I move along a shore line and I've had guys pass within 3 ft of my anchored pos. as they troll by. The 3 ft. guy was wearing and oxygen mask so he got a lot more grace than anyone else would have. So what is most peoples personal space? In a river I would assume setting up directly above someone would be bad form, what about downstream? What about a lake? I figure if you can't reach me with a really long cast, I'm good?

It is proper on a river to move thru a run if others share the run .if one wishes one can move to the top of the run after a complete pass to refish the section making sure to pass out of sight behind the other parties on the run. Giving an other angler generous room to cast, mend and deal with a catch on their longest presentation.

[Cal]

If I'm in a boat, and have the option of fishing all kinds of water out of reach of those fishing from shore, I make a point of letting the shorebound anglers enjoy their spots. I can easily access all kinds of fishing spots, why be a dink and crowd into theirs? Ditto on my dealings with smaller, less mobile, craft. IMO if it had been another shorebound angler I would be more inclined to be understanding, because he was in a boat I'd say it was a dick move.

Just my .05

[drhook]

I would have started fishing the hole again upstream and let them fish it down stream.

[marty1]

I to have pretty much spent the last 20 years fishing the bow with more rude people showing up with absolutley no respect.i could wright a small novel on the encounters ive had myself alone,last year anchored in a hole on an inside corner guys down stream at least 100 yrds away thought it would be cool to drag their boat up right beside us (nose to nose,no joke ) push out 10 feet and drop anchor.Heres the real deal weather people like it or not the sad truth is i find 98% of the guys are fly fishermen (i am an avid fly guy just for the record) for some reason they got these,im better than you attitudes,i don't know ,i don't get it i thought we are all out trying to enjoy a the same things.Just my experience,who knows maybe its just bad luck.

[HunterDave]

I'm not sure that I understand exactly what happened. What I'm getting is that you left a spot and someone moved into it after you had moved. Could they have known that you were coming back to that spot (ie you left gear there when you headed 100 yards down stream battling your fish)?

It sounds to me like the fellas in the boat wanted to fish the same hole that you were fishing but couldn't because you were already there. Once you (apparently) vacated the spot they moved in.

[Gust]

He vacated the spot to fight his fish as some of the bow river fish can take you for a walk and wade.

[HunterDave]

He vacated the spot to fight his fish as some of the bow river fish can take you for a walk and wade.

Should the guys in the boat had known that he was coming back or is it reasonable for them to think that he had left that spot to fish somewhere else downstream?

I don't fish the Bow so I'm trying to imagine what happened.

[RustyRat]

Ive been fly fishing for over 20 years now and I can remember my grandfather taking me out as a boy. The river we fished was self policed by the "regulars" who all knew each other. Sadly, most of those old timers have passed and when I fish that river now it makes me sad to see how it has changed. It's nothing but over sized jet motors and people who couldn't care less whether or not they ruin your pool for half an hour after they've sped by. Weekends are especially bad. I realize I do not own the water but it still makes my blood boil. So.........I get up at 4am, get my morning fish in, and am off the water by 7 when the crowd arrives. Our camp is right on the river so I drink beer all day and watch them ruin the fishing for each other while tearing up and down the water and overcrowding the pools. :)

[goldscud]

When you leave the spot due to a hard fighting fish it should be more than apparent that you would like to return to that spot once the first fish is released. You are not leaving because you are done fishing there, rather you are just fighting a fish. It is one thing to fish along through a run and give the water a thorough search. It is quite another thing to leave a run while landing a fish. For the boat guys to slide into the first guy's spot is just low. With a boat you have access to a number of spots. Try the next one if a shore angler is in the one you were planning to fish. The wader made a serious effort to travel by foot to the quality water. If the boat guys are hung up on fishing that spot, they should approach the person who was already there and ask him if he would mind if they could follow behind him down the run. Then the group could cycle through the run. It's simply a matter of respect! I feel your pain Moefoe.

[silverdoctor]

It's hard to ruffle my feathers when i'm out flyfishing.

Ask yourself, are you fishing for the sake of fishing or are you fishing for the sake of catching?

I managed to get 3 glorious hours flogging water on the bow last weekend, first time in 9 months since moving to Edmonton - hooked one, LDR'd but that few seconds completed my day. I miss that river something awful, just be thankful you have her on your doorstep.

[Redfrog]

I was shovelling drifting snow in whiteout conditions while you were fishing. :angry3:

I think you are over reacting.

[Moefoe]

I'm not sure that I understand exactly what happened. What I'm getting is that you left a spot and someone moved into it after you had moved. Could they have known that you were coming back to that spot (ie you left gear there when you headed 100 yards down stream battling your fish)?

It sounds to me like the fellas in the boat wanted to fish the same hole that you were fishing but couldn't because you were already there. Once you (apparently) vacated the spot they moved in.

Yeah that sounds about right. I left because I was scrapping a fish, they knew that and also knew the water below that run though nice for dry fly in the summer and fall is pretty lame in the winter! Now that I think about it maybe it's the effort I put forth to get down there, it's not easy and i'm no spring chicken anymore for what amounted to 20-30 mins of fishing...they, the guys in the boat don't know that, maybe they thought I got permission from the land owner (no chance, never, Iv'e tried)!! They'r in a boat and have the whole river, I don't know where they were pulling out but I guarantee they'll pass over plenty of fish holding water, just unfortunate and it sux!

[goldscud]

I can go casting at the park...I like to go to the river to hook some fish. If someone is in the spot you desire, either go somewhere else, or ask them if you could try it AFTER they are done.

[EZM]

Drifting through your run or setting up upstream is bad etiquette.

Some guys just don't understand that - I'd bet that many of the guys on here, who don't fish rivers, would not quite understand the "rules". I grew up in Calgary and some old timers taught us these things.

Moving into the top of your run when you went downstream is poor judgement.

Having said that - I would just let it slide ...... don't upset yourself too much about and certainly don't make it worse by approaching the other guy.

If you come over to the NSR many people here wouldn't even begin to even understand these concepts. Guys come right up to you and throw their lines in right beside yours here and leave you lot's of trash to clean up.

That's when it's time to say something - your incident is just poor manners.

[Fil_Can_Yakker]

I agree, we do not own the rivers or the banks but lets be ehtical when we are out there. This sounds like something a kid would do. Unless you are friends with the guy I would let it ride, no sense causing more trouble.

2X

[bobalong]

Drifting through your run or setting up upstream is bad etiquette.

Some guys just don't understand that - I'd bet that many of the guys on here, who don't fish rivers, would not quite understand the "rules". I grew up in Calgary and some old timers taught us these things.

Moving into the top of your run when you went downstream is poor judgement.

Having said that - I would just let it slide ...... don't upset yourself too much about and certainly don't make it worse by approaching the other guy.

If you come over to the NSR many people here wouldn't even begin to even understand these concepts. Guys come right up to you and throw their lines in right beside yours here and leave you lot's of trash to clean up.

That's when it's time to say something - your incident is just poor manners.

I agree poor manners and bad etiquette. You can always tell the anglers that know what there doing is wrong because the first words out of their mouth is "you dont own the lake, or you don't own the fish". These anglers are not worth waisting your time with, they know what they are doing is wrong, they just don't care (although a verbal tune up is in order sometime).

[petew]

Now I remember why I don't fish much anymore.

[catnthehat]

If I'm in a boat, and have the option of fishing all kinds of water out of reach of those fishing from shore, I make a point of letting the shorebound anglers enjoy their spots. I can easily access all kinds of fishing spots, why be a dink and crowd into theirs? Ditto on my dealings with smaller, less mobile, craft. IMO if it had been another shorebound angler I would be more inclined to be understanding, because he was in a boat I'd say it was a dick move.

Just my .05

X2.
I would rather move along through and let a shore angler enjoy the spot he is fishing than decide and fish the same water he is.
lots of pools to fish ....
Cat

[Guitarplayingfish]

Now I remember why I don't fish much anymore.

Is this the Petew I think it is? :sHa_shakeshout:

Send me a text of what you want to fish for and we will head out some time. I can take you to some areas where you don't see much pressure.

[Mike Oxbig]

I've always been taught to leave two holes downstream from the last fisherman you see. That way when the fisherman gets to where you started fishing the fish should be settled down from when you fished there.

When in a boat it's good form to not fish where shore fisherman can reach either but maybe that's not taught to everyone.

[SCHOOCH]

Some people just really don't give a damn if their actions make them look like total morons.........same thing happened to me on Saturday except i didn't get pulled down the river by the fish and it was a small rainbow. I guess it was a "good enough" fish for them to throw into the same run from 40 ft away from me! I totally agree with you venting your frustrations but i really doubt it will change the very few anglers that just don't get it.......

[Nova]

There is a good reason I prefer to fish on week days, I hate being in anyones way and would hate to be in anybody else's way. Most of my fishing I did in the last year was at our local reservoir. It isn't a terribly busy place, but there are only 2 docks, and about 500' of fishable shore line on either side. Hot spots vary from day to day. When I go out I like to take my dog along and let her hang out and wander within my view. I'll never go anywhere close to anyone that is already there, and if anyone comes where I'm fishing I move or go home (my dog is always looking for a new friend and I don't want her to be a pest). It kind of ticks me off when I'll be the only person ot there and the next person to show up has to plunk themselves down right next to me.

[Daceminnow]

This is going to be a long winded rant so bare with me. So I hit the Bow on Friday and head to a place I call the winter hole, you know what they are everybody has one. From where I park on the south side of the river it takes about an hour walk down stream during which I have to carefully cross the river over a gravel bar until eventually walking on the north side. In all about 3 km me thinks. So I start fishin, catch 3 nice rainbows in 10 mins look upstream to see a drift boat coming down the bank then eventually pull over about 60-70 yards upstream from me. I have fished the river for 20 years and own a drift boat, I recognize the boat that was upstream from me and the dude rowing, his buddy in the front seat I've never seen before! I tie into a big brown, 23", he bulldogs in the hole for a bit, then turn and burns straight down stream with me running down the bank trying to keep up. I end up landing him about a 100-130 yards down maybe 5 mins later, real nice fish! So I make my way back and you all know where this is going...the boat is now 20 yards upstream from where I was with the guy I know still in his seat and the other dude fishing in the spot I just left. I take a seat on a log about 40 yards from them, they can clearly see me and watch buddy hook 5 fish in 20 mins, loosing 2 of them cuz they too headed downstream, he didn't follow and busted them off. Eventually the guy rowing says "we gotta go" picks him up then rows right through the middle of the run and B lines it for the other side. I go back there fish for a bit, nuthin, then make my way back upstream, across the river, which is way tougher than the way down and get back to the truck an hour later still shaking my head. As far as fish go I had a good day, it was so nice out on Friday I shouldn't be complaining but even as I write this I'm kinda ****ed...in a million years I would never do that and always go out of my way to give bank anglers room! Like I said I know the boat and it's owner and will have words with him this summer when I eventually bump into him. So there you have it...am I overreacting? Again sorry for the rant!!


i agree, not the coolest move. one question though. why especially knowing this cat from 40 yards away and him clearing seeing you, did you not have a conversation regarding what took place? if i were in your waders, i wouldn't have elected to wait till bumping into him this summer. again especially if i knew the dude.

Dace

[Bhflyfisher]

Nope you did not over react. There is proper etiquette when it comes to drift boats vs walk and wade. He did not follow it. I would have spoken up.

Although, hopefully you didnt spend too much time downstream taking pictures and what not. Cause if so, then you did over react. If you landed the fish, released, and immediately headed back upstream and they did this. Then they pulled a dink of a move. If you spent your sweet time downstream, then you shouldnt be getting mad about it.

Regardless, i played sweeper this past weekend on the bow. Fishing pools that people had pounded ahead of me by possibly 5 minutes, and i caught plenty of fish. As i'd catch fish, those people would start coming back to those holes, and fish near me, didnt bother me much though. But again shortly after leaving, i repeated the process. Persistence is key.

[waterninja]

i don't think your overreacting. it's very diffucult for a shore angler to set up at a spot that they can fish from , but at the same time if your in a boat you have complete access to the water and if you get the urge to fish a certain area then of course your going to. personnally,i always give way to someone who is there ahead of me but i'm old school.

[6tmile]

So if you and I are fishing 100 yards apart and I catch a fish that I have to fight causing me to move from my spot,,,, you decide the spot is open now? How do I return to my spot, my coat, my gear? Will you move off or tell me to take a hike?

Drifters can be driftbags often and some dont even execute safe water safe travel laws,, I have had to wade out of way many times even when they could see me a km away.

How would you return to your spot? If you can't figure that out you shouldnt be out of doors, are you the type of guy that scatters your fishing gear along the bank as to say that you were fishing there? If you ever get a chance try fishing the Russian river or Cheechatko river in Alaska when the run is on. Its shoulder to shoulder fishermen or woman. If you catch a fish and can't land it where you are at, you create alot of havoc with other fishermen, tangled lines and such. You move out someone moves in. Its like a parking lot. That is why I usually fish the part of diffrent river systems where there isnt much for people. That way if anyone tries to fish in "MY SPOT" there isnt any witnesses. LOL. :sHa_sarcasticlol:Yes im being sarcastic, and before anyone flies off the handle just sit back and have a pint, quart or another snow boarder's cigarett. Tight lines!!

[waterninja]

How would you return to your spot? If you can't figure that out you shouldnt be out of doors, are you the type of guy that scatters your fishing gear along the bank as to say that you were fishing there? If you ever get a chance try fishing the Russian river or Cheechatko river in Alaska when the run is on. Its shoulder to shoulder fishermen or woman. If you catch a fish and can't land it where you are at, you create alot of havoc with other fishermen, tangled lines and such. You move out someone moves in. Its like a parking lot. That is why I usually fish the part of diffrent river systems where there isnt much for people. That way if anyone tries to fish in "MY SPOT" there isnt any witnesses. LOL. :sHa_sarcasticlol:Yes im being sarcastic, and before anyone flies off the handle just sit back and have a pint, quart or another snow boarder's cigarett. Tight lines!!
iv'e seen pics and postcards of the rivers in alaska where people are elbow to elbow and 3 deep. they call it COMBAT fishing.
there is a river where the anglers are on one side of the river and the bears on the other.

[Kyle]

This story does not make sense. You knew the guy but didn't call him on his idiotic move? You should of talked to him about it on the river instead of complaining on the internet.