Allow me to introduce you to my good friend @Irafly
You'd be surprised at the things he'd do to catch 4" fish.
Run Etiquette
- Thread starter Clam Gun
- Start date
Allow me to introduce you to my good friend @Irafly
You'd be surprised at the things he'd do to catch 4" fish.
My kinda man.Allow me to introduce you to my good friend @Irafly
You'd be surprised at the things he'd do to catch 4" fish.
Interesting timing to stumble into this thread for me. I walked into THE spey clave hole this afternoon and encountered for the first time, spey anglers. Walked right up to the gents at the top and chatted and they fit me and my float gear below them, a fine group, and I move fast to the bottom and out.
Went below the park and one gent was at the top. Damn do you guys work down slow, or so I thought until I read this thread and now know to go ask if he is stationary. That spot is a few hundred yards and damned if I am waiting until he works down. I will go say hello, go as far down as I possibly can, work back up to about 100 yards below him and then pull up my gear. Acceptable?
I’d like to actually like to fish gear with a Spey angler and see how we can work a spot together, would be interesting. My depart d friend Nathan and I could stand on the same rock and work floats and spinners together, even switching rods to continue a good drift.
For those that know me from other places, this is a big leap for me
Went below the park and one gent was at the top. Damn do you guys work down slow, or so I thought until I read this thread and now know to go ask if he is stationary. That spot is a few hundred yards and damned if I am waiting until he works down. I will go say hello, go as far down as I possibly can, work back up to about 100 yards below him and then pull up my gear. Acceptable?
I’d like to actually like to fish gear with a Spey angler and see how we can work a spot together, would be interesting. My depart d friend Nathan and I could stand on the same rock and work floats and spinners together, even switching rods to continue a good drift.
For those that know me from other places, this is a big leap for me
singlehandjay
Life of the Party
Those are the ones that are used to fishing the floss/snag line. They think everyone "fishes" that way
100 yards? Yeah, that's acceptable to me since the run is ". . . a few hundred yards . . ." long. Generally speaking, I find different gear types in the same run to be a bad fit. So for the most part I don't fish a run being fished by gear types different than mine.
I understand the mentality that goes: It's public water, and I'm fishing it, and fishing it my way, and I don't care who else is fishing it or how they are fishing it. Of course that means that the fishing there devolves to the least common denominator. That usually only works out best for the angler who is the least common denominator. What exactly does that mean? It means that the guy fishing with dynamite or a gillnet will generally have a more enjoyable time than the guys fishing with rod, reel, hook, and line. Or the guy fishing bait walking in amongst a group of anglers working the water with artificial flies, etc.
Landlocked
Steelhead
Last week, fishing in Wa, I floated past a couple of guys who popped in a run 30 yards below me and worked their way up towards me. They pulled a nice 10-12 pound fish out of the meatiest spot on the run. One was carrying a pistol in a chest holster, so I didn’t care to try to make convo for about their lack of run etiquette. As I floated by in my personal watercraft (behind them), Pistol Pete turned around and said “can’t catch steelhead on dead bird feathers”.
skyrise
Steelhead
Got no problem fishing with gear guys. In front, behind or along side. Only ones that it might not work with is guys pulling plugs. But id be willing to try it. Heck hand me a drift rod and I will join them. I just wish I could fish my fly as good over on that far bank that’s 8-10 feet deep with good flow like a drift rig will. the problem is Lack of Opportunity these days with rivers closed down because someone Hates hatchery fish so instead of having just about any river to choose from now we are pushed into fishing 6 or 7 rivers for everyone.
I got lowholed by this morning.
I was working my way down the beach, a super nice tidal current seam of the edge of some submerged rocks. I’ve caught a number of fish there in the past. As I got within 50 yards or so, The Swimmer appeared and made a beeline for the rocks.
To her credit, she said “I hope I don’t scare your fish” as she walked by.
Surprisingly, no perfume scent trail today.
Off came her outer clothes and off she went, porpoising happily right down the middle of the seam.
Next time, I’ll head directly to the rocks rather then working my way down to them.
SF
I was working my way down the beach, a super nice tidal current seam of the edge of some submerged rocks. I’ve caught a number of fish there in the past. As I got within 50 yards or so, The Swimmer appeared and made a beeline for the rocks.
To her credit, she said “I hope I don’t scare your fish” as she walked by.
Surprisingly, no perfume scent trail today.
Off came her outer clothes and off she went, porpoising happily right down the middle of the seam.
Next time, I’ll head directly to the rocks rather then working my way down to them.
SF
This is really the problem, when you're working your way down to the bucket, and someone steps in and fishes the bucket. I guess the idea is, when things are busy, fish the bucket first.I got lowholed by this morning.
I was working my way down the beach, a super nice tidal current seam of the edge of some submerged rocks. I’ve caught a number of fish there in the past. As I got within 50 yards or so, The Swimmer appeared and made a beeline for the rocks.
To her credit, she said “I hope I don’t scare your fish” as she walked by.
Surprisingly, no perfume scent trail today.
Off came her outer clothes and off she went, porpoising happily right down the middle of the seam.
Next time, I’ll head directly to the rocks rather then working my way down to them.
SF
Pink Nighty
Legend
Happened to me this morning. Arrived at an empty run that seems endless, but is best about 100yds from the head. The head holds a seam between the heavy riffle and the bank, maybe 20ft at its widest point but deep and choppy. I decide to fish the head with no competition, and about 5 casts in i see a guy come in and head straight for the juice 100yds below me. I couldnt even be mad, hes a football field away from me and I'm the dummy who wanted to get cute.
Hogsnatcher
Smolt
At the very least tell Hickman to go pound sand.
downriver79
Steelhead
So what's the deal if I show up to a run and someone's running a bobber rig and working upriver? Am I high holing them by starting at the top of the run, or did they low hole me before I even got there?
I stopped off at one of my favorite spots yesterday on my way home and there was a guy at the bottom of the run with what looked like a spey rod from a distance. I thought 'sweet - they just finished up, I'll see if I can pick their pocket.' I drove on up towards the top of the run and parked. I still had to put my rod together, wader up and put my boots on. As I'm lacing up my boots, I look up and notice that the dude is now right in the meaty part of the run. For a second I thought they were being an epic asshole and going back to fish the middle of the run again before I could get down to it. Then I realized that his spey rod was actually a center pin rig. He was fishing a bobber and working up the run somewhat fast. By the time I got my rod strung up and tied a fly on, he was at the top of the run so it was a non-issue. I walked over and waved and said hello and stepped in below him after he gave me the wave back and we struck up a short conversatoin about what fly I was swinging, how he'd done, etc. He'd caught nothing. I proceeded to fish through the run and picked up a half pounder down at the bottom of the run. (That was a nice confidence/ego booster to swing up a fish behind someone fishing a bobber.)
Hypothetically, if 2 fishermen show up at a run and one is swinging top to bottom, and one is nymphing bottom to top, how's that work? Do you just leap frog one another when you meet up? I'd love some input and insight on this type of situation. Thanks in advance.
I stopped off at one of my favorite spots yesterday on my way home and there was a guy at the bottom of the run with what looked like a spey rod from a distance. I thought 'sweet - they just finished up, I'll see if I can pick their pocket.' I drove on up towards the top of the run and parked. I still had to put my rod together, wader up and put my boots on. As I'm lacing up my boots, I look up and notice that the dude is now right in the meaty part of the run. For a second I thought they were being an epic asshole and going back to fish the middle of the run again before I could get down to it. Then I realized that his spey rod was actually a center pin rig. He was fishing a bobber and working up the run somewhat fast. By the time I got my rod strung up and tied a fly on, he was at the top of the run so it was a non-issue. I walked over and waved and said hello and stepped in below him after he gave me the wave back and we struck up a short conversatoin about what fly I was swinging, how he'd done, etc. He'd caught nothing. I proceeded to fish through the run and picked up a half pounder down at the bottom of the run. (That was a nice confidence/ego booster to swing up a fish behind someone fishing a bobber.)
Hypothetically, if 2 fishermen show up at a run and one is swinging top to bottom, and one is nymphing bottom to top, how's that work? Do you just leap frog one another when you meet up? I'd love some input and insight on this type of situation. Thanks in advance.
1) Talk. Defer to the person who was there first but come to some understanding.
2) Go fish somewhere else.
At least, that’s how I’d like it to go if I were the one there first, fishing whatever technique.
He was already fishing when you showed up. Ergo, he was there first; he can fish however he likes. He wasn't low holing you; maybe you were high holing them, although I'm not sure that is a concept in play. In your hypothetical example, two anglers arrive at the same time, one starting at the top and working downstream, and the other starting at the bottom and working upstream. Technically there should be no problem to either angler. When you meet up you can work past each other, but if it were me, I'd stop fishing the run and go elsewhere.
When this happens to me its a giant "It depends." If its a hike in run and I see cars at the parking area I try and make a judgement call on how many cars there are, how big the run is etc. Theres a run on the Skagit that a lot of people (used to anyway) like to cross a stream and fish the top part, I don't like to get trapped up there and just fish that one spot so I usually fish the bottom part of the run, so I'll risk hiking in and see. I've rarely ran into some gear guys there, when I do I watch for a minute try and see what they're doing, usually they're not moving up or down so I just say hi and make sure they don't care if I fish below them, a quick chat usually lets me know where I can start. Honestly most of the time they're fishing water I don't care that much about and they're more interested in watching me try and fly fish. I've had more issues with fly fisherman using SH rods low holing me, or guys floating the river that decide that the run I had to hike in to is basically something they have to stop at and fish and crowding me. The worst though are the people who pull into the parking area as you're actively prepping to go to the water, look you in the eye, get out of their car and then start rushing to get their gear ready and get to the water as fast as they can.
I've thought about getting a reasonably priced drone, so I can fly it down and check it out! But I'm efficient! HaHa aka lazy!!
I think you handled it as best you can. On a decent-sized run, I don't believe first come owns the whole run, but, depending on fishing method/direction, does set the direction of where to step in. Talking first gives them the opportunity to not be an asshole and most people can reasonably work it out. on the other hand, if they have no manners, pick a spot and fish.
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Most, including the CP folks (myself included) will fish down the run, same as the Spooners and fly swingers.
If someone was there first and working up, I'd do as Matt suggested and either go somewhere else or talk to them (as you did) regarding their intent. We all need to share runs, but whoever's there has a right to fish it first (assuming they're moving).
I've encountered folks nymphing/bottom bouncing that wanted to fish one part of a particularly long run. They didn't move, just kept changing flies or bait. In talking with them, I asked and was given the 'ok' to fish down from them as they seem to inevitably park at the head of the run.
For me at least, it's all about determining their intent so we can share the water without pissing each other off (if possible).
If someone was there first and working up, I'd do as Matt suggested and either go somewhere else or talk to them (as you did) regarding their intent. We all need to share runs, but whoever's there has a right to fish it first (assuming they're moving).
I've encountered folks nymphing/bottom bouncing that wanted to fish one part of a particularly long run. They didn't move, just kept changing flies or bait. In talking with them, I asked and was given the 'ok' to fish down from them as they seem to inevitably park at the head of the run.
For me at least, it's all about determining their intent so we can share the water without pissing each other off (if possible).
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
What would Travers do?