Run Etiquette

[charles sullivan]

I underst

Wow - words like this tend to bring out the worst in some folks. It isn't worth it to me for a couple of reasons. I don't want to deal with a creep like this guide and I don't want to get my butt kicked (I'm no spring chicken and the Charles* ads from the back of Sports Afield never were true.)

*(Atlas )

The last year the Methow and Wenatchee rivers were open, and especially on the Methow, finding an open run was at times challenging. The river was loaded with (hatchery) steelhead that fall and it was a busy place to fish. I'd gotten into the middle of the car body hole, my friend was at the head, we were working our way down when two anglers showed up. They'd accessed the river elsewhere and had hiked in after seeing the hole was open. I guess our route to the hole was shorter than theirs. They headed upstream and came back later with three hatchery fish while I took a skunkin'

I understand that perspective.
I also understand the societal need to give people feedback in a manner that is equal to their behavior.
Privatizing a public resource is theft. I am not a fan of theieves.

 

[clarkman]

Privatizing a public resource is theft. I am not a fan of theieves.

I think that's a big leap from "run etiquette" compared to the ambiguous laws laid down by the best intentioned (albeit perhaps slightly selfish) fly angler....

Lots of great points made, but I think some folks need to take an honest step back here...

 

[charles sullivan]

SOmeone attemting to force another off of public ground for their financial benefit needs a strong push back. They are claiming public property as their own.
I would be very clear that they were not stealing from me.
None of the scenarios are all that tough. No one is more entitled to a piece of public ground than another. When you try to force someone off, you are in the wrong.
It's also super easy to just be kind, have a discussion or try to communicate by other reasobable means and come to an agreement. Give space when you can.

this is far different fom the scenario where someone tries to tell me where I can be on public ground, I feel the best response is to that is tell them where to go. It simply can not be tolerated IMO, especially if the other person is engaged in selling that space.

 

[clarkman]

It's also super easy to just be kind....

bottom line, this! ^^^

 

[Yard Sale]

I find it easiest to buy a raft and stay the F away form areas most people fish. Tough floats, longer floats where i just grab what i can, shoulder season floats, long floats. There is plenty of open water out there, you just gotta go find it.

 

[clarkman]

I find it easiest to buy a raft and stay the F away form areas most people fish. Tough floats, longer floats where i just grab what i can, shoulder season floats, long floats. There is plenty of open water out there, you just gotta go find it.

I mean, I can fit some crazy shit on top of my dinky little Prius, but probably not a full on raft, sadly.

 

[DanielOcean]

I mean, I can fit some crazy shit on top of my dinky little Prius, but probably not a full on raft, sadly.

Hold my beer!

 

[GOTY]

Let's be honest: there's not many better feelings in steelheading than sticking a fish behind a low holer.

Last week we anchored at the top of the run. Buddy got out to start fishing from the riffle to work his way all the way down the bar. Fifteen min later a dude walks out from the woods, makes zero eye contact, and drops in right below my buddy. Classic low hole behavior. We both stick our arms up but don't confront him or anything. Another fifteen min goes by and I jump in at the top.

When I hooked up I let out the most obnoxious yell possible to make sure that low holer heard. Yelled again the second time I saw my backing. Funny enough he made eye contact both times

 

[clarkman]

Let's be honest: there's not many better feelings in steelheading than sticking a fish behind a low holer.

Last week we anchored at the top of the run. Buddy got out to start fishing from the riffle to work his way all the way down the bar. Fifteen min later a dude walks out from the woods, makes zero eye contact, and drops in right below my buddy. Classic low hole behavior. We both stick our arms up but don't confront him or anything. Another fifteen min goes by and I jump in at the top.

When I hooked up I let out the most obnoxious yell possible to make sure that low holer heard. Yelled again the second time I saw my backing. Funny enough he made eye contact both times

That is perfection!

 

[albula]

When I hooked up I let out the most obnoxious yell possible

Says a lot.

 

[GOTY]

That is perfection!

It was beautiful. Karma is 100% real with the river gods.

Says a lot.

Agreed!

 

[CougarZeke]

Let's be honest: there's not many better feelings in steelheading than sticking a fish behind a low holer.

Last week we anchored at the top of the run. Buddy got out to start fishing from the riffle to work his way all the way down the bar. Fifteen min later a dude walks out from the woods, makes zero eye contact, and drops in right below my buddy. Classic low hole behavior. We both stick our arms up but don't confront him or anything. Another fifteen min goes by and I jump in at the top.

When I hooked up I let out the most obnoxious yell possible to make sure that low holer heard. Yelled again the second time I saw my backing. Funny enough he made eye contact both times

I did walk up to low-holer when I got to the bottom of the run and simply asked him if he'd been spey fishing long? He said no and I nicely told him the rule of thumb is to start at the top of the run and follow the other people thru. He said he thought it was the opposite so he went below. I said, cool. I told him we were gonna eat and then leave so if he wanted to start at the top he could. He proceeded to beat feet and low-hole us (legally) at the next hole. We swung the opposite side, but the prick move would have been to drop in below him at the second run.

 

[Salmo_g]

there's not many better feelings in steelheading than sticking a fish behind a low holer.

That only counts for good feelings if you hooked the fish in water the low holer fished and then you moved down to that point and hooked up.

 

[GOTY]

That only counts for good feelings if you hooked the fish in water the low holer fished and then you moved down to that point and hooked up.

I was scared to fish right behind him; I didn't want to be exposed to his low holing germs.

 

[ifsteve]

Man I am so happy to not have to fish for those things. Shame they are such a cool fish in cool country but life is to short to have to even have this discussion. Can't imagine if this was what I'd have to deal with on a daily basis. Kudos to ya'll. Sounds like you by and large deal with it ok.

 

[albula]

It was beautiful. Karma is 100% real with the river gods.


Agreed!

Appears I was misunderstood.

 

[GOTY]

Man I am so happy to not have to fish for those things. Shame they are such a cool fish in cool country but life is to short to have to even have this discussion. Can't imagine if this was what I'd have to deal with on a daily basis. Kudos to ya'll. Sounds like you by and large deal with it ok.

It's really not that bad out there, at least if you avoid terminal areas I guess. Nobody makes a thread about the 1,000s of times they fish a run without issue.

 

[DoesItFloat]

That only counts for good feelings if you hooked the fish in water the low holer fished and then you moved down to that point and hooked up.

"Picking a pocket", the preferred nomenclature.

 

[speedbird]

It's really not that bad out there, at least if you avoid terminal areas I guess. Nobody makes a thread about the 1,000s of times they fish a run without issue.

People constantly talking about bad experiences salmon fishing put me off freshwater salmon fishing for a long time, but the majority of interactions I've had on the river have been very good. From the rugged looking guy in a drift boat who saw me snag a jig, and then put his boat back into the water just to attempt to retrieve it for me. (He saved a good chunk of line for me at the least which I much appreciated) to the local at Sultan who spent a good hour with me talking about fish conservation and the good old days that I was too young to see. Only two bad ones I had were at a hole where people were casting from both sides of the bank, and when I confronted a family for bonking a snagged chum after the dad got pissy at me for politely and very friendlily suggesting to tighten up the drag just a little. ("It's alright buddy we've been fishing for a long time", he said, as the foul hooked chum on his Zebco rod and fixed round bobber swam downstream at a combat hole into five other anglers lines as the drag on the spinning reel stayed at zero) Even then the son was incredibly polite, asked me to clarify the rules and apologized profusely for his parents behavior, although he sent the wrong message by walking up to me with a huge stick in his hands.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Pro tip: if you get low holed, or encounter someone "owning" a piece of water, simply bust out the whiskey (or drink of their choice - I carry several just for this reason). Offer them a drink, and then another, and then another. Repeat the process until they get black out drunk and pass out on the gravel. Boom, river is all yours as they take a nice nap on the rocks.