Got Yelled At

Thanks all for your thoughts. I’m going to see if I can get in touch with the local authorities to see what they say.
It’s interesting. I intentionally did not even put yarn on, just a piece of shot. Two reasons, one not to even appear to have a fly on and two, not to entice a fish to strike.
Given how hard that is when actually swinging for steelhead or salmon, that, would be a bit ironic.
 
LBL said:
I hear what you are saying. But it’s up to the individual to know the regs. In a fly only lake if someone sees me fishing a bobber do they think it’s ok to fish worms. Just a counterpoint not trying to dis
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If you are using a fly line and a bobber, I’m coming over and giving you a strike indicator 😂
 
Josh said:
Regardless of how WDFW is rumored to feel about it, I have a hard time believing that tossing a line without a hook could stand up in court as "fishing".

Just as an example, here's a couple related state law definitions about fishing
All that said, I think a call/email to the WDFW for clarification is probably a good next step. I'm sure lots of us here would be interested in the answer.
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I did. Mind you my info is over 20 years old. Why I would call the local wdfw and give them my info and where I would be practicing.

Now has this info changed? No idea.
 
Josh said:
Just as an example, here's a couple related state law definitions about fishing (and keep in mind I'm no lawyer)
1) "Angling gear" means a line attached to a rod and reel capable of being held in hand while landing the fish or a handheld line operated without rod or reel.
(20) "To fish" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, harass, harvest, or capture a fish or shellfish.
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Open for interpretation but here is a(n internet) legal definition
Wildlife harassment means to engage in any act which demonstrates a disregard for the well-being of wildlife or which creates the likelihood of injury to, or disrupts normal behavior patterns of wildlife, such as feeding, watering, resting, and breeding.
Would the splash from tossing a fly line or a fish rejecting a hookless fly or yarn cause a fish to cease feeding or spawning activity for a time?
Zak said:
Yeah, I agree you could probably beat a citation, after 15 hours of competent attorney time at $350 an hour. Waving a printout of an email from the LEO/tribal enforcement officer that says you can be there, doing what you are doing, would be a better plan IMHO.
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^^^(y) or at least
Jim F. said:
I called WDFW when my Son thought he was interested in fly fishing. They said it's ok on OPEN water with hookless flies, not ok on CLOSED water and a good idea to notify your area warden to avoid being checked & the keeping warden from wasting his time.
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More so than getting a ticket, would be having my gear confiscated by an overzealous LEO, and being stored in an evidence locker somewhere. I doubt it would be returned in the same condition as when it was taken, if at all. I would just find an open piece of water to practice on.
 
If you go again, take a landing net with you but remove the basket. After all from 50 yards away its obvious that you are practicing so everyone should just assume you are there with good intentions.
 
Irafly said:
Overall, not a great idea. Perception is a powerful thing and regardless of your intentions and efforts to not have a hook anywhere others clearly will assume you are fishing. That assumption will lead to the less informed thinking that it must be open and they will fish it for real. My thoughts anyway.
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I applaud the person who yelled for the intent and attempt, if not the execution.

There aren’t enough enforcement officers, so it’s usually up to us common folk to inform the uninformed and help regulate. I imagine we’ve all seen folks who appeared to be not following regs and wished they wouldn’t violate them. This person did something—maybe not in the right way—but they did something. 99/100 times you see someone casting line into fish-holding water, they’re fishing and “I’ve got no hook on” is such an out-of-the-ordinary response to a lot of folks that it doesn’t surprise me that it wasn’t believed.

Having been a part of Occupy Skagit, I too have cast line into closed water, but I expected to raise hackles and look suspicious. Maybe if you don’t want to get yelled at you should cast into some open/non-regulated water.
 
Jake Watrous said:
There aren’t enough enforcement officers, so it’s usually up to us common folk to inform the uninformed and help regulate.
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With all due respect Jake this can be very reckless if you choose to try and regulate the wrong person at the wrong time. I do not advise this type of approach. But, you are tall and built like a greek God so I dont see anyone messing with you! :)
 
You don't have to start with "yelling", several times on the upper Miss M I noticed individuals fishing (or appearing to fish) during the closed season, it is really easy, you just ask them if they are aware they are fishing closed waters, no yelling needed. Almost always received the attitude I projected, polite, honest, and decent. The one time I didn't, I essentially said "well, I was just letting you know, if you get caught by LEO, you could be fined, and worse, equipment confiscated" then left. No need for confrontation.

That said, I would never think to cast into closed water, maybe because of where I lived, there was always plenty of open water. Don't know the area around the Elwha, so have no idea of the availability of open water.

cheers
 
so many dolts out and about these days already halfway to boiling over, best to park the ego's and attempt diffusing any and all...I got cut off by an idiot fly fisher on Crane Prairie I had seen several times before, always driving too fast and careless with his wake, who gunned his high HP boat to beat me to what was an empty launch ramp, overtaking me at twice my speed just 50 yards from the dock...when I docked behind him, I said in a loud voice "well, at least now I know what an asshole looks like."
His response?
Made a show of pulling what looked like a Magnum revolver out of a bag, sticking it into his belt, and staring at me before trudging off to get his rig. From a friggin flyfisher no less.
I tied off my boat and took a picture of his license plate as he backed down the ramp, making sure he saw me doing it, and sent the pic to a cloud my wife and I share.
Days of skinned knuckles and fat lip being the worse outcome are long gone, and since than I remain quietly cautious at the ramp...
 
DanielOcean said:
With all due respect Jake this can be very reckless if you choose to try and regulate the wrong person at the wrong time. I do not advise this type of approach. But, you are tall and built like a greek God so I dont see anyone messing with you! :)
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If I’m any god, it’s fat Thor.

I agree that trying to regulate the wrong person is risky—even for me and mjölnir, which is why I always cleave to informally informing them.

Here’s about as confrontational as I’ve gotten in the last year:

“I see you’re fishing the Wenatchee. Boy, I sure loved fishing it when I was a kid. I sure am looking forward the day they make it legal to fish here.

Well, you have a good day.”


Or

“Beautiful fall colors we’re having—what a nice October. I see you’re fishing the Methow with Spey gear. Boy, I love fishing out here when it’s open. I get why they’ve got it closed right now, those fish need all the help they can get after making it through the gauntlet, but man do I wish it was legal to fish it right now.

Oh, you’re just fishing for whitefish, eh? Never hooked them on intruders before myself—what’s the fight like on a 13’ 8wt?

Well, you have a good day.”

Unlike the guy on the Wenatchee, Spey bro didn’t pack it in on learning about the regs. I left a voicemail with WDFW when I got back to the car.
 
Rob Allen said:
casting practice on a river regardless of any conditions they clearly do not understand or are disregarding the constitution
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Damn, while I admit that I stopped reading the constitution at the bill of rights, but its pretty cool that fly fishing made it in? You think it was Washington that snuck it in or Franklin? Maybe Jefferson?
 
mcswny said:
Damn, while I admit that I stopped reading the constitution at the bill of rights, but its pretty cool that fly fishing made it in? You think it was Washington that snuck it in or Franklin? Maybe Jefferson?
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I don't want to go that deep into the weeds but the constitution doesn't contain an exhaustive list of our rights.. it contains a list of rights that the government is absolutely forbidden to touch.
The founding fathers would have considered fishing and hunting rights so absurdly obvious that they couldn't invision anything thinking otherwise. Not that they thought it was an issue but if asked they would have looked startled and answer " what an absurd question of course you can feed your families by hunting and fishing"
 
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