Run Etiquette

[NRC]

Being accused of low holing or being low holed by someone isn’t confined to just rivers or streams.
SF

That’s true. I was fishing a long SRC beach that, on an incoming, kind of culminates with the best water on the downstream side. There’s an oyster and cobble bar that juts way out past the shoreline and gets you into different and better water at the terminal end, and that’s where you catch the most fish until the tide submerges it.

I was fishing this terminal end and just killing it. Great fishing. A guy and his buddy wandered up and spread out at maybe 30’ intervals behind me. I struck up a conversation, and as I was catching more than them, offered to rotate to the top of the drift to let them fish through.

The guy next to me, who indicated that he fished this water a lot, must have interpreted that as “here, I want you to fish the best spot for the whole rest of your session while your buddy and I get skunked.” He was hooking fish after fish and whooping and hollering, and pretty much kept that up until the tide had him belly button deep at the end of the bar and he had to quit.

I had already caught plenty of fish, so I wasn’t too bent out of shape. I felt bad for his buddy, though, who left fishless after an hour or more.

I guess the lesson here is, if you’re on a beach and someone cedes the best water to you after having good success, maybe try and have the wherewithal to do the same for the next angler in line. Especially your sad old buddy who’s 30’ upstream of you getting skunked while you catch a bunch of fish. What a ding dong.

 

[Pink Nighty]

My one bad interaction went like this. I walked into a run off the south Skagit highway. The run is a huge island with 90% of the river flow in the main run, 10% flowing around the back of the island. When I arrived, there was a drift boat anchored in the bottom of the run and 3 guys spread out along it spey fishing. Unfortunately because of time constraints, I couldnt go elsewhere.

I walked in at the bottom of the run (only walk in access) and stayed 50yds from the waters edge while I walked upstream, clearly heading to the top and not interfering with them. I planned to fish the seam where the river splits at the island and wait them out.

As I pass the guy in the middle, he turns and shouts "must have really wanted to fish this run with all of us here!!!" And gives me the finger. I replied "must have really wanted to fish this run to park a drift boat in a walk in run!" And kept it pushing. His buddy at the top was much more gracious, apologized for his friend and we discussed their program and how I could respect it. I fished my seam while he worked down, an hour later they were gone and I took a nice skunking behind them.

 

[Tom Butler]

I've been doing some bobber fishing with my son on the lower river and there is no etiquette exercised down there. You just gotta stand your ground and tolerate it.
I've noticed many boaters on the Snake find it ok to anchor over your gear too. Or summertime, empty shoreline, but if you're catching bass another boat will appear and set up right next to you.
I've noticed my float tube is a magnet for other watercraft as well.
Not like when I grew up, rant, rant, now get off my lawn. Thanks for listening.

 

[_WW_]

Being accused of low holing or being low holed by someone isn’t confined to just rivers or streams.
SF

I confess to low-holing one person. I was fishing behind Angie The Fish Goddess and she was imitating a piling as she broke off spoon after spoon by making the same cast over and over. After 30 minutes I went around her. What happened after that was epic.

 

[Guy Gregory]

I entered a spot on the Henry's Fork one day, about 200 yards below another angler upstream, and I began stepping down what remained of the run. The angler above got out about where I'd put in, actually it was the heat of the day now and everyone was pulling out. I realized I'd low-holed that other angler, and as I got out I apologized to them. They quite graciously indicated I'd committed no foul in their eyes, but they did agree to join me for a couple cold beers in the shade as compensation. So, my foo-pah, my apology and offer of beer, all turned into an enjoyable afternoon. It is possible to avoid being an a$$hat even when you do screw up.

 

[Stonedfish]

I confess to low-holing one person. I was fishing behind Angie The Fish Goddess and she was imitating a piling as she broke off spoon after spoon by making the same cast over and over. After 30 minutes I went around her. What happened after that was epic.

Did she call you “Orvis Boy”?
SF

 

[albula]

I confess to low-holing one person. I was fishing behind Angie The Fish Goddess and she was imitating a piling as she broke off spoon after spoon by making the same cast over and over. After 30 minutes I went around her. What happened after that was epic.

Had the occasional encounter with her near Forks and believe Angie may have been the world's only steelhead guide with hatchery tits.

 

[PhilR]

"must have really wanted to fish this run to park a drift boat in a walk in run!".

This is a huge pet peeve of mine on rivers with minimal foot access. Drives me nuts.

 

[skyriver]

Having fished the Sky, Stilly and Snoqualmie most of the 90s and early 2000s I got decent at, as @_WW_ mentioned, reading the room. Most fly guys back then were all on the same page. That page being essentially "I don't care if you fish this run, but it better be above me." The gear guys were always tougher to figure out since it depended on how they were fishing. Most experienced gear guys knew the deal as well though. And fishing eggs, corkies or spoons can be done much like fly fishing. Start at the top and work the run. It was usually the new guys, gear or fly, that would screw it up sometimes. And, of course, the assholes of any method. That dude slinging eggs that knows there's a fish behind that rock so he's going right to it. Remember, if the dude is slinging eggs, he knows how to catch fish. Take note. But if he's an asshole, also take note.

As far as your situation there on the Clack. 2 things-
1) "we have the run for the day" is not a thing in steelheading. Might be a thing on a lake when you're fishing from a damn chair, but on the Clack? No man.
2) Jeff sounds like an asshole that nobody should be giving their $$ to. Is Jeff sponsored by a shop locally? I don't think they would be pleased with his attitude. I'm all for guides making a living. I have dear friends that are guides. I know the struggle, but that ain't it.

And lastly, and this is the coach in me so take it as a positive thing. Haha! Beat them to the river! You live right on it! Or fish last light as someone suggested. Good luck.

 

[_WW_]

Did she call you “Orvis Boy”?
SF

I didn't hear that mixed in with the talk about my heritage and the size of my dick.

 

[mcswny]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine on rivers with minimal foot access. Drives me nuts.

I got high holed by about 100’ on my favorite winter BWO run on the deschutes by a drifter (I was moving upstream). I agree, drives me nuts. I was walk/drive in so only had access to river right. They had the WHOLE river left to themselves.

 

[DoesItFloat]

New guy fishing my local the past two seasons shows up end of February, sets up at the juicy pool, cinder block boots. Literally 100 shit casts/swings all the same without a single step. Fun to fish down to him, swing into his feet, then go around and low hole him. That's the only time I'll do that. Did it once and landed a fish. He'll talk shit when you get close to him, but myself and a buddy have both educated him on the way it works, and even suggest covering more water would be to his and everyone else's benefit, but he don't care. Ready to do it again soon. Keep an eye out for orange beanie bob.

 

[Salmo_g]

I would like to know everyone's opinion about run etiquette. I live on a popular run on the Clackamas River (I know boo hoo) and I often show up and there are already folks fishing. I am able to fish both sides of the river as I have a little pack raft and I can blow it up and zip across in a few min. Several times I have showed up and have either been told "we have the run for the day" or "I already fished through, my friend is going to fish through, and then I am going to fish through and then you can fish through after that" (lol) or the best one was when Dustin Chromers and I ferried across in my canoe and we were paid a visit by the one and only Jeff Hickman who told us we were messing with his program and we could have the run in the evening but he needed to fish it in the morning with his clients.
So what do you all think? Should I ask to be the next angler through the run or do I need to call the clubhouse for a tee-time?

I think Rob Allen summed up the issue fairly well, except for two things. First, it is opinion. It is opinion because there is no law, no regulation, nor any universally recognized standard of fishing etiquette. There is a form of etiquette that is recognized and accepted by many anglers, but certainly it's a long ways from including everyone. So I contend that ultimately fishing etiquette is fundamentally subjective. You get to decide what yours is. Second, as Rob indicates, the person who arrives first goes through the run first, even if it's a mile long. I disagree with this when it comes to very large sections of water. It's public property after all, and none of us owns exclusive or even first rights to water that might take a half day or longer to fish. If I were going to enter a run downstream of another angler, it would have to be one of those large and long runs, and I'd give the upstream angler a couple hundred yards or so. I don't have a specific example, so I'm just sorta' guessing at what I would do.

That you live on a popular run on a river gives you no more right or privilege than the next guy because it's public water. If folks are fishing there when you arrive, and you want to follow them through, then by all means, go ahead. It's your river just as much as it's theirs. If someone tells me they have the run for the day, I would politely but firmly remind them that it's public water and that I intend to follow the other anglers through. If someone tells me they are going to fish through, their friend is going to fish through, and then they are going to fish through again, and then I can fish through, then I would repeat the above and remind the jerk that it's public water and I'm following his friend through, and he can fish through again behind me. Actually, I don't normally fish water that is occupied by other anglers, but if I encountered an arrogant azzhole like you describe, I just might do so as a matter of principle. Pretty much the same if approached by a fishing guide, unless that guide happened to be a personal friend and we occasionally trade fishing favors - so the Golden Rule might be applicable.

Your don't need to ask to be the next angler through, unless that's just how you are. It's completely acceptable to announce that you intend to follow the next angler downstream of you through the run, if that's what you want to do. Calling the clubhouse for a tee time is for private water, not public.

Years ago, as a younger angler I would let myself get bent out of shape over what I thought were breaches of fishing etiquette. I finally figured out that not everyone thinks the same way about this subject. Etiquette really is subjective. So I mostly use the Golden Rule approach. Being low holed still bothers me, but not as much as it used to. I tend to fish faster than most anglers, so I just fish down to the low holer, reel in, walk a short distance downstream of him, short of a respectful distance, to let him know that since he thought it was OK to low hole me, I assume that he expects to be low holed in turn, drop in and resume fishing. I have never had this go badly. I strive to find civil strategies to share this public resource.

 

[MT406]

If you think that’s bad, try fishing the Barns Hole in YNP.

 

[QuickreleaseEN]

I try and make it a point to talk to other angler(s) if I'm walking into a spot. I've asked if I can fish behind someone a bunch of times and don't think I've ever been told no. Or ask them if they're gonna continue to walk up or downriver. Striking up conversation is the easiest way for people to not piss people off and have GOOD angler interactions. Hardly anyone mentions the positive angler interactions that you can have on the river, even during a crowded shitshow. Boat etiquette is simple as well, at all costs avoid drifting right over top of the water that guys are fishing. Go out further or behind the guys if they're wading way out there.

Or, you can be like the guy who pretended to call someone as I was leaving a run and then said he just called all of his buddies and told them I was an asshole for fishing a run for too long and they all knew what car I drove. I still laugh about that. You'll run into entitled people and people that are just having a bad day as well. You can let them bother you or shrug them off, I know which I prefer.
Nobody likes fishing in heavy angler competition but you can either get pissed off about it or embrace it. I had a year where every fish I hooked was after the guy in front of me left. Rivers are large and dynamic and so are steelhead. Or sometimes, fish just have preferences or the guy in front of you was fishing black when he should've been fishing blue.

Bottom line, talk to folks and have good judgement with your own actions. Don't do shit that you wouldn't want someone to do to you... pretty darn simple.

 

[Mossback]

I didn't hear that mixed in with the talk about my heritage and the size of my dick.

Lol
I got a story or two...
Pretty sure I used words even she never heard before. Certainly gave her clients a good laugh.

 

[doublespey]

I confess to low-holing one person. I was fishing behind Angie The Fish Goddess and she was imitating a piling as she broke off spoon after spoon by making the same cast over and over. After 30 minutes I went around her. What happened after that was epic.

I can only imagine. I watched her in action up on BC's Thompson River when she first showed up on the Steelheading scene. She came downstream to take a picture of a big Steelhead I'd just landed in the Rock Run. Stayed awhile yakking about how she hadn't seen any landed on a fly, why she was fishing a spoon, yak yak yak. Then she headed back upstream. 5 minutes later we hear her and a guy SCREAMING at each other. Another 5 minutes and dude with a spoon rod comes running down the bank. I politely commented "Hope you're not planning to fish below me" and his response was "Talk to that psycho lady - she threatened to shoot me if I didn't get out of 'her' spot"

 

[flybill]

I confess to low-holing one person. I was fishing behind Angie The Fish Goddess and she was imitating a piling as she broke off spoon after spoon by making the same cast over and over. After 30 minutes I went around her. What happened after that was epic.

I've heard stories about her before.. sorta of funny after the fact.. not so much while it was happening..

Had the occasional encounter with her near Forks and believe Angie may have been the world's only steelhead guide with hatchery tits.

Were the fin's clipped?!?

I entered a spot on the Henry's Fork one day, about 200 yards below another angler upstream, and I began stepping down what remained of the run. The angler above got out about where I'd put in, actually it was the heat of the day now and everyone was pulling out. I realized I'd low-holed that other angler, and as I got out I apologized to them. They quite graciously indicated I'd committed no foul in their eyes, but they did agree to join me for a couple cold beers in the shade as compensation. So, my foo-pah, my apology and offer of beer, all turned into an enjoyable afternoon. It is possible to avoid being an a$$hat even when you do screw up.

That's awesome and how it should be.. I was fishing the Firehole in the Park one time and getting ready to go out.. this was early on and I had ghetto waders, jacket and boots.. I asked the guy how the fishing was, he looked me up and down and said "I was on the Henry's Fork yesterday" and that the fishing had been great.. then he proceeded to pack and leave.. I wished him good luck as I left and was ignored.. guess I didn't have the "right" gear and rod..

I only lowhole my friends.. and that's cause I'm slow to walk in, and they'll go higher up the run than me.. so guess that doesn't really count.. I do ask if they mind though.. after the fact! LOL!

 

[MT406]

Etiquette is very subjective. Some people
Lack common sense, are uninformed or are just an asshole.

Was fishing a particular known section of the Madison for risers the other day when a guide and two clients approached me and asked if they could fish below me. I thanked them for the courtesy and said yes. A few casts later, I turn my head to see them fishing 15 yards below me… I figured they would at least walk 50-100 yards below me at minimum, especially considering we were the only people on this entire section at the time. Found that a little irritating.

I’ve also been anchored on the bank fishing the Mo and have had guides float with an oar length away from me, the clients bobbers practically dinging off my drift boat like they’re fishing for Bass off a dock. I’ve also had a couple scream and wave their hands at me, even though I was 150-200 yards below them and fishing that same exact spot before they even parked their car. I use to get really worked up about it, I try to not let it my ruin my time on the water. After all, I’m out here to have fun and relax.

 

[DerekWhipple]

Is the Clack that hot now? Did the numbers jump way up? A couple shops seem to be pushing it more on social media these days.

If you're a guide and you NEED to claim a run or even a bucket/spot for your program and need to keep everyone else out because you don't have other tricks up your sleeve, maybe you aren't that good of a guide.

Might be a hot take, but if it's a crowded day and someone has their feet planted somewhere in a run long enough to grow moss and start getting mail delivered, I think it's acceptable for someone to work around you while giving space, these aren't salmon beats.