Bow River Etiquette

[Tungsten]

Maybe it will remind said 2 boats already at the launch that it is in fact a boat launch. A launch is not an area to get the boat prepared, tie on flies, untangle your 3 fly nymph rig, strap down boat, inflate/deflate pontoons, hook up anchor, put rods together, disassemble rods, put on waders, place oars in oar locks, load boat with the days essentials, etc...

 

I say the above a bit tongue in cheek as I know guys have to go and fetch their vehicle, but really way to much *hit goes down at the launch that should happen away from the launch in the parking lot.

 

Oh, and I love the dudes that give the pissed off glare that fish just above the launches as you float through their "run"

 

No its not people getting ready , they put there boat in while i'm parking.I don't no why they can't wait the 60 seconds it takes to walk back and push out.

 

 

I agree,i had one fellow pack up his boat well i waited .I didn't take long to tell him to move it,he grumbled and moved ahead 30 feet and parked again.So i drive up behind him and blow the horn and yell get the hell out of the way i yell out the window go to the dam parking lot.He throws his arms in the air in disgust .I don't think he really knew what he did was wrong.I think he was from Edmonton.

[Guest Jeremie]

^ wasnt me! worst so far i've experienced is pretty much the same deal except it was guide boats with a group. They had 6 boats parked at fish creek and we were coming to put the trailer in. They basically stood there and had a leisurely conversation then proceeded to show the guys how to cast at the boat launch, usually i see these guys giving instructions in the parking lot or once they get out the put anchors down and then show. while we were parked right ahead of them. Took em about 30 minutes and there was no way we were going to squeeze our boat through. Then once we did manage to get our boat in after 1 had left, one of the guides came to us and started asking about our boat, what pieces we had installed and etc. Taking up our time, and proceeded to say, "love your boat guys, good luck out there."

 

I dont know if he took the hint we just wanted to get the F88k on the water. Once we did get on the water we started rowing only to see 3 boats parked on the back which was the right thing to do, then another 3 parked in seam 30-50 feet off the shore with their anchors down. Bit rediculous considering it was a hard row trying to get past them in time in order to not cause a collision.

[EveretteD]

so far this year i have only had one run in with a fellow.. i wasn't to pleased. I showed up at a run that i find very productive most of the year.. i was the only one there.. it was kind of nice.. i fished it for a bit and moved up kinda around the corner. About 10 minutes later i took a step back around the corner and their was a father and son duo fishing just below me. Clearly they were unaware of my presence. The quickly packed up and moved farther upstream. We exchanged a few pleasantries as we passed one another but nothing mean or offensive. I appreciated him moving on after he saw me.

now as i fish downstream and back to the whole i originally started at.. A guy walks down that bank and asked how i was doing this evening. I said nothing yet. And then this ass hat (to coin someone elses phrase) has the balls to say I'm just gonna fish up a bit, doesn't even ask. I assumed he meant up around the corner which would have been fine by me. But nope..just about ohhh 30ft upstream.. where i was basically casting my line and letting its drift downstream. I literally could have cast in his pants pocket. I'm sure you could have seen the steam coming from my ears and I'm sure my face was red as blood. But i never said a word.. just fished a for a few more minutes and then F this S, I'm just gonna go home.. completely ruined my night...

 

There isn't a chance in hell i would fish that close to someone without asking them first. But i guess some people are nice and pleasant and some are just dicks.

 

I really hope that the guy who mooched my run is on this board and reads this. I'm sure hes not because i have found most people on this board have a brain and know how to use it when it comes to etiquette. But i have been wrong before.

 

I'm going out Saturday for a drift. I will be sure to say hi to as many folks as possible and no.. i wont cast in the same run as any shore fisherman..

 

god damn I'm mad right now.. .i need a beer.....

 

Everette

[bhurt]

My golden rule is always to say Hi to everyone on the river, regardless to weather they have a fly or spin rod in their hand. I also wave at boats floating by and if they are close enough ask them how their day is going. I also exchange any information or what is working for me.

 

I have found the nicer you are to people the more enjoyable the experince is out on the river.

 

Good things comes to good people or so that is what I think.

[Quillyrabbit]

I had a few incidents last year that really tested my patience. I addressed one as politely as I could which was met with an "unsatisfactory" response. This year, there have been no issues and I am hoping that it will continue. Powered boats muddying my water brings on my inner hulk however.

[DaveJensen]

Harps - great post that might have been missed. Hopefully someone in Calgary / on the Bow will see the light and realize one act like developing such a sign for the common accesses would do very well for the communication and betterment of the community. A great thing that possibly the shuttle companies/ guides/ shops/ TU could work with to ensure the signs are always present as a community service component to their business.

 

In the bigger picture, whatever happened to simply going about one's day and if someone else does something, simply not reacting and not trying to change/educate someone else... simply to carry on enjoying our day and being pleasant when afforded opportunity to interact? None of us are judge and jury, just like Paul's post's points suggest. Why is it the other guy is always wrong when this topic comes up? I've certainly made my mistakes in being over the top and learned from them and certainly have adopted a different approach and perspective.

 

How others act is how others will act and they generally will be oblivious to how they affect others. How we react sets the table for how our day will go. What use is there in ruining your day based on someone else's actions or attitudes? Do we not have the capacity as fly fishers to separate ourselves from that and live happily within ourselves (dare I use the word boundaries?)

 

The Headstones had it right... just smile and wave.

[skearns]

Well said H and DJ, seems to me that as we get older we either get grumpy and assume posessions that could be shared or go 360 and don't let it affect the experience...For some reason I have never had a serious conflict in over 10 yrs of hitting the Bow...keeping in mind the more days you fish the probability rises. I get out about 30 times per year..half and half WW and pontoon float. Don;t hear too many compaints about the 'toon floaters but I am sure they are out there...and the odd time when you are not paying attention downstream ..reel in and apologize...now you want to see a gong show try the pheasant release sites at the beginning of the season...you soon make the effort to find private access instead of Lebanon....sk

[SilverDoctor]

I like this one, geared for steelhead but I like it

 

"SOME THOUGHTS ON ETIQUETTE"

 

"TREAT OTHER ANGLERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED"

 

"RESPECT OTHER ANGLER'S FISHING SPACE,

DO NOT LOW HOLE"

 

"ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION TO SHARE A RUN,

START BEHIND OTHER ANGLERS ALREADY FISHING"

 

"WHEN FISHING A RUN WITH OTHER ANGLERS MOVE DOWN A COUPLE  STEPS AFTER EACH CAST IS FINISHED"

 

"AFTER YOU LAND A FISH GET OUT AND GO BACK TO THE TOP OF THE RUN"

 

"HELP A NEW ANGLER IF IT'S OBVIOUS THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE, OFFER USEFUL TIPS, SHARE A FLY OR TWO"

 

"WHEN FISHING CATCH & RELEASE USE TACKLE HEAVY ENOUGH TO LAND THE FISH WITHOUT A PROLONGED FIGHT, MASH THE BARB TO MAKE THE RELEASE EASIER ON THE FISH"

 

"RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY, ASK FIRST,

LEAVE GATES AS YOU FOUND THEM"

 

"PROTECT THE RESOURCE, DON'T LITTER"

 

"REPORT GAME LAW VIOLATERS"

 

"RELEASE ALL WILD STEELHEAD"

 

"LIMIT YOUR KILL, DON'T KILL YOUR LIMIT"

[Hawgstoppah]

couple times this year I've found myself almost on top of someone I did not see working a shoreline. A quick apology followed by quick rowing out away from the area is usually good enough, mistakes happen and sometimes it is impossible to see someone on shore... especially at 430AM like this morning (if your on here I am terribly sorry... I hope you had a great day, fish were rising above you and I am sure you nailed a few )... I also find if your nice to everyone and wave and see how their day is going, things just simply go better.

[robert]

I also find if your nice to everyone and wave and see how their day is going, things just simply go better.

 

Well said... and if they don't wave back, frig em...

 

 

I go fishing to relax, and when i'm out flicking a fly, nothing gets me down.

Catching a fish is a bonus, not the do all and end all.

If someone doesn't talk to me, no big deal.

 

Fishing is supposed to be fun folks, laugh it off and enjoy your day.

 

[Gil]

couple times this year I've found myself almost on top of someone I did not see working a shoreline. A quick apology followed by quick rowing out away from the area is usually good enough, mistakes happen and sometimes it is impossible to see someone on shore... especially at 430AM like this morning (if your on here I am terribly sorry... I hope you had a great day, fish were rising above you and I am sure you nailed a few )... I also find if your nice to everyone and wave and see how their day is going, things just simply go better.

I've done this both in my pontoon when I get too focused on hitting the banks and in my drift boat. We all make mistakes. Like you I always apologize and try to get out of the way of the person. Mistakes I understand. It's the guys that look you in the eye and puts a cast a foot in front of you that gets me.

[bhurt]

So on Sunday morning me and FNG went out to look for some rising fish, not seeing much we decieded that we would do some hopper dropper fishing and do some prospecting, we were roughly about 50 yards apart and what do you know two yahoo's come down and place themselves right inbetween us.

 

No hello no nothing, we could of got angry but since the fishin was slow we decieded not to say anything (we really didn't want our day to be ruin but a couple of classless idoits) and moved to a diffrent spot.

 

I would of expected this out of some spin guys as with my experince with spin guys they usally sit in one spot and do not move, which I always leap frog ahead of them and smile and ask how their day is going. However these guys had fly rods in their hands and I was just kind of surprised as I have never had this happen to me before with Fly Fishers.

 

Taking the lead from Harps, I decieded that I was going to work on something like he suggested, anyone that wants to help me out is more then welcomed.

[upperbowtrekker]

Harps - great post that might have been missed. Hopefully someone in Calgary / on the Bow will see the light and realize one act like developing such a sign for the common accesses would do very well for the communication and betterment of the community. A great thing that possibly the shuttle companies/ guides/ shops/ TU could work with to ensure the signs are always present as a community service component to their business.

 

In the bigger picture, whatever happened to simply going about one's day and if someone else does something, simply not reacting and not trying to change/educate someone else... simply to carry on enjoying our day and being pleasant when afforded opportunity to interact? None of us are judge and jury, just like Paul's post's points suggest. Why is it the other guy is always wrong when this topic comes up? I've certainly made my mistakes in being over the top and learned from them and certainly have adopted a different approach and perspective.

 

How others act is how others will act and they generally will be oblivious to how they affect others. How we react sets the table for how our day will go. What use is there in ruining your day based on someone else's actions or attitudes? Do we not have the capacity as fly fishers to separate ourselves from that and live happily within ourselves (dare I use the word boundaries?)

 

The Headstones had it right... just smile and wave.

 

 

I have seen signs like this in Australia at popular surfing beach's. Surfing has no "rules" but surfers use etiquette in order to share the waves. I see this as being similar to fishing, an agreed upon set of etiquette's set by the community.

 

 

Happy Trails

[CopperJonny]

IMO - it would be a great start if they made the river a fly fishing only river , to the Carseland wier ! ( i know , somewhat biased . But they do it elsewhere don't they!) Afterall , with all of the stars lined up correctly , which they happen to be regarding location , the Bow river's Blue Ribbon fishery is not much less than a miracle right!!

[headscan]

IMO - it would be a great start if they made the river a fly fishing only river , to the Carseland wier !

 

I get lowholed, etc. by fly fishermen as often as by gear fishermen so I don't think it would make that much difference. To my knowledge "fly only" regs have never been introduced as an etiquette solution.

[Tungsten]

IMO - it would be a great start if they made the river a fly fishing only river , to the Carseland wier ! ( i know , somewhat biased . But they do it elsewhere don't they!) Afterall , with all of the stars lined up correctly , which they happen to be regarding location , the Bow river's Blue Ribbon fishery is not much less than a miracle right!!

 

 

You kidding right?

 

The large gape curved SJW hooks do more damage then spin casters and bait fishers i'll bet .

 

 

[CopperJonny]

Not kidding at all ! As I mentioned , IMO ! Thats why i said it . Take a look at "Rip Lip" , again IMO thats either a bad shot by a heron , or a treble hook at its best !! I have landed over 50 fish in the past couple of months and have not damaged one Eye , jaw nor even snagged a fish by accident !! I tie all of my own flies too . ( mind you Im pretty proud of that , and understand that alone is a miracle) yet I do have to dissagree with your statement. I guess after mentioning that I will thank Aaron , Chris and Matt at FT for helping me decide which hooks work the best and I will keep using them. Thats just my opinion . Which is built upon a rather first hand experience , regarding the basis of my opinion . Proof is in the puddin' as they say . Also its all in how the fisherman handles the fish...after all , fly fisherman tend to be geared toward conservation more than any other user of the river .And that I will boldly state , as a fact.

CJ

[reevesr1]

I get lowholed, etc. by fly fishermen as often as by gear fishermen so I don't think it would make that much difference. To my knowledge "fly only" regs have never been introduced as an etiquette solution.

 

Totally agree.

 

I am often surprised by the number of problems people have on the river. Maybe because I tend to fish on what many would consider off peak times, I don't often have issues. I did get a bit disappointed when someone was in the spot I was heading to at 5:30 in the morning the other day, but I just went somewhere else and had a great morning.

 

It would be interesting to see how many of the etiquette problems are in popular areas, mid afternoon to evening, on a weekend. Not condoning any bad behavior, but limited spots in popular areas on a busy day would tend to lead to problems.

 

[CopperJonny]

. Signs are a perfect start ! IMO

[robert]

To my knowledge "fly only" regs have never been introduced as an etiquette solution.

 

 

 

Yeah, I don't think they have ever been either... I think back in Newfoundland, the stricter regs have actually contributed to more poaching sadly enough. When I fished salmon 20 years ago, barbed hooks didn't matter but now these are the current regs - Alberta is still gentle:

 

 

An artificial fly must be used for salmon and trout angling on scheduled salmon waters throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Only one hook may be used at a time. Regulations describe an artificial fly as a single barbless hook dressed with materials to attract fish. It is not baited, does not have a weight attached to sink it, and does not have a spinner or similar device attached. A barbed hook may be made barbless by cutting or filing off the barb or by pinching the barb flat so that it is in complete contact with the shaft of the hook.

[CopperJonny]

 

So unless this is just a bitchen kitchen and a sounding board.........who's got an idea ?

[jimbow]

i realize this is a fly fishing board but i think the problem of etiquette and lack of consideration is simply widespread through our me-me-me, i want it now society......pretty much any activity from fishing to hiking to hunting to driving to shopping to.....well you get the idea.....

[Hawgstoppah]

ok well let's move on this. lets nominate a chairperson for the bow river etiquette committee, and a treasurer, and a few committee members, and then we can take donatuions to create aforementioned signs and start getting permission to install them at various places.

 

wasn't there a "friends of the bow" groups around at some point? maybe we could work with them.

 

I'd be willing to chip in some money, if we all chipped in a little bit we'd easily have enough for some signs. Many hands make light work...

 

Brian

[CopperJonny]

Very good idea Brian . I'm going to donate as well . Thats what Im talking about !! .......Action !

[Giovanne]

i realize this is a fly fishing board but i think the problem of etiquette and lack of consideration is simply widespread through our me-me-me, i want it now society......pretty much any activity from fishing to hiking to hunting to driving to shopping to.....well you get the idea.....

 

 

Yup, you hit the nail on the head. Instant info, instant gratification, no one wants to work for it, henceforth the resource is not as valued when you don't have to "work for it". Human nature is not to value something you did not have to work for. Etiquette follows suit..