River Ettiquette & Conservation - Name and Shame

[William Ewels]

(One does not walk DOWNSTREAM towards other anglers and basically stuff up their fishing spot.)[/IMG]

Michael, I would have been seriously miffed had my fishing been stuffed up by encountering a person fishing through my intended water. And I commend you for putting the spotlight on some of his behaviours.

However, a small point if I may. Downstream fishing techniques are not illegal or even unethical. It's another time honoured way of fly-fishing. I do sometimes fish downstream wets and I have to say I have ZERO qualms about doing it. The guy coming downstream was probably just as irritated to meet somebody coming upstream as you were meeting somebody coming down.

The meeting is just an unfortunate clash of expectations and overlapping of equal rights on the commons - basically bad luck. The other stuff - the mishandling of fish and targeting of spawners is pretty low grade shameful behaviour.

Hope I haven't ruffled any feathers with this post - but upstream is a preferred "technique" of some people, not a "right" or a matter of etiquette.

I contend that if you have a beat to yourself then you should be entitled to fly-fish it in any direction you like.

If it's public water with no beat reservation then meeting somebody coming from the opposite direction is unfortunately a risk we all have to wear.

I'm reminded of a trip to Alaska, where the VAST majority of fly fishing is actually downstream - swinging big wets or beads for salmon, dollies and trout. One day we walked a long way through bear infested country fishing our way DOWNSTREAM to the mouth of a particular creek entering a larger river system, only to find a guide and his clients anchored in a boat right in the middle of our intended "honey-hole". Three of us fished limited parts of the pool we could reach from land - nobody close enough to cast into the water the boat was fishing - and we started extracting salmon after salmon, while the boat remained fishless. Instead of asking us what flies we were using, the guide rudely started up his motors, revved them long and hard to destroy our fishing and left in a complete huff. We acted well within our rights and etiquette (have you ever seen combat fishing in Alaska) - but the guide got his nose out of joint because he could not fulfil the unrealistic expectation he had created for himself and his clients - that of exclusivity on the commons.

Cheers
William

[Michael]

Hi William

I agree with you, nothing wrong with fishing flies downstream.

But my point is when you are wading downstream to guys who are clearly fishing their way upstream, then it's common courtesy to either give them a wide berth, or ask them if it's okay to fish the water directly above them. I'm telling you if the guy walked on the bank down to me, and asked me if I minded if he fished the piece of water just above me (where we were heading), I would have probably said no problem!! But this guy just kept coming down towards us (IN the water), with zero regard to where we were fishing. After I left, he waded directly accross and through the water Ryan was fishing! I mean come on...
And yes he was casting over spawning fish, using no net, etc etc...
Just basically an all-round disaster.

99% of Vaal flyfishermen enter a stretch of water and then fish upstream, wading up too. That's the most effective way of fishing as you are approaching the fish from behind, them facing upstream mostly. Also, the most effective way to catch fish is either NZ style upstream nymphing, or Czech (or whatever method) nymphing. These all require you fish upstream mostly, walking up and targetting "fresh" water as you go. Walking DOWNstream and fishing as you go along is actually hindering you from fishing effectively. It's more effective on the Vaal (and trout streams) to work a beat going upstream.
Even so...this guys was coming downstream, but then stopping and fishing UPstream techniques anyway!

[William Ewels]

But this guy just kept coming down towards us (IN the water), with zero regard to where we were fishing. After I left, he waded directly accross and through the water Ryan was fishing!

Michael we are on the same page - the guy had no manners!

[damage]

Talking doesn't always help either...you saw the Oord Nebo thread, where some of the guys did speak to the anglers, only to get the reply "I do it 'cos I can"...stuff you basically.

Ya exactly then you have my full permission to strip your Moer ;0)
When it's like that it goes from being a fishing thing to a personal thing where they think they own the place
I really struggle with the mentality of " I Caught it I can do what I like with it "

But I've also had the other side where the guys didnt know and once they know are sorted
We were all beginners once (I'm still one )
/d