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[RalphH]

Well I guess the jury is still out for some people on the idea of rotational angling as I found out yesterday morning.

I managed to find a nice run empty on the lower river and started at the top working out spey casts - what a fine day for practice and even a crack at a fish.

Wasn't long before another guy carrying a single handed rod arrived, scrambled down the bank and sat on a log at the bottom of the bank. How nice I thought, he's waiting for me to move and open some of the water above me. So I cast and stepped down. Then he got up, cast me a quick side glance and started to walk downstream along the bar.

"Excuse me!" I called . "I just got here would like to work my way down the run. Would you mind starting above me and following me down?"

He then told me I couldn't reserve a piece of the river and asked if I knew where I was fishing. "Do you know you are fishing the Vedder River?"

I said yes I did know where I was fishing and no I couldn't reserve the river but it was all a matter of etiquette and being polite and I was moving down and there was room above me. He told me he was going downstream of me and asked how much room I wanted between us. I again asked him to start above me. He asked me what I would do in his place?  I told him if another angler was already on the run I would have gone elsewhere - as I had done with the first 2 runs I'd looked at that morning.

Well then I was answered with a well reasoned FU. He then went well below me effectively splitting the run in 2 between us until he left.

I'm surprised a fly angler would act this way particularly on an empty run with vacant water elsewhere. He was clearly aware of what I was asking and why but not willing to play along. I can't help think that if I hadn't pipped up I think he would have cut close in below me in the sweetest part of the run. It shows me there is some way to go in sharing the water on what's often an overcrowded river.

[Brian the fisherman]

this happens every year every day, nothing new.

I just don't understand why so many people expect etiquette.. there is way to much pressure on that system.  it should not  be expected  its just nice if it happens..

on occasion i get up very early to walk an hour and a half into a spot so i can get a crack at a spot for first light before things get crazy.. and not once  have I been able to enjoy such fishing. The people walking up on me are by no means new anglers. most are very good rods, and locals. They do not share the spot or even expect to give any etiquette... so it just keeps confusing me why so many people expect this on the vedder, so I would have to agree with the other angler when he says.. "what river are we on".. this wont change but will just continue to get worse.

[ByteMe]

When I used to fish the Vedder, if I was the first one on the river,I would start at the sweetest part of the run first to get the first crack at holding fish,then start at the top

[islanddude]

Right on. Choose the spot where you think the fish will be holding first.

[Fish or cut bait.]

Well,  discussing it is the first step.
Perhaps if enough folks piped up (in a non-confrontational manner) enough folks would become educated and then the behavior would be the wade of shame.
You can't change everyone's behavior but even educating some might have an impact if for no other reason than not being the asshat that's discussed on the internet.

I used to be confrontational but that just left me with baggage that I'd carry around all day and found it hard to enjoy the rest of my adventure at times.

Say a few words then let it go.

[Noahs Arc]

I'm surprised that you were surprised a "fly angler" would do that to you? Like they're better then gear fisherman??

[leapin' tyee]

I'm surprised that you were surprised a "fly angler" would do that to you? Like they're better then gear fisherman??

x2    ..  I got low hole all the time,  it will get worst.

[RalphH]

Actually yeah they are often better, at least if they've been at it a while  but not always. FWIW judging by his casting ability and the fact he hung up his fly on the bottom so much I think he was a neophyte inspired by the romantic ideal of a steelhead on the fly after decades of catching them on guts and jam dunked well down with a section of lead pipe. But don't take this seriously.

I do agree the Vedder is what is and what's to be done but go fishing or go elsewhere.

I've been on both ends now - virtually assaulted after moving into the water what I thought was a more than reasonable distance from a pair of anglers who were close enough to each other for a good long french kiss between each cast. One of the amorous pair then  charged down the 70 feet or so between us chewing bile about "low holing fly fishing A** holes" ( and I must confess I feared for what was left of my virginity!) to fence post less than 2 feet from me and pop a cast dink float not 5 feet right in front of me. Well when I lost control of a few snap Ts propelling a well weighted intruder about both our ears he retreated back upstream to the safety of his clearly embarrassed life partner.

But I digress...both 'gentlemen' were well on in years, perhaps in the early stages of dementia which can effect the temper or cause a lack thereof.
 
Since that latter event and one other on the Judd road chum salmon conga line, I always ask first and have never been denied or had a bad experience.

[typhoon]

Last trip out I got to the (short) run second, waited for the guy in front of me to work the run thoroughly. He stepped aside to let me and my buddy work it. I hooked and landed a hatch doe on cast 3. My buddy stepped in and hooked and lost a large buck, then we stepped aside and let the guy behind us work the run.

Other than fenceposters I rarely run into annoying people on the Vedder, but then again my expectations are different.
I don't expect to force everyone to work at my pace and I don't expect that a 500m long run is owned by the person who starts at the head.

[Stewie]

I started at the top of a run with 1 guy below me about mid point of a fairly long run. I would make about 20 casts and then move down 10-15 feet eventually catching up to this guy after about 30 min. I asked him if he was fence posting, because if he was, I was going around around him. He responded by saying "I just got here"... I had a laugh and said, " I've been behind you for half hour now and you haven't moved". He got really pissed when I told him that I was going to fish around him. I believe in river etiquette because I would expect some in return but sometimes it just gets ridiculous out there. If someone expects another fisherman to wait an hour behind him so he can diddle his way through a run, that's just crazy. I have never had a problem with people fishing around me when I feel the need to work a spot for a bit longer than normal so why should anyone else. Am I wrong??

[RalphH]

No you're not wrong. In the case I opened the thread with it was just a story. A true story but still a story. There's no particular lesson to be learned.

 I thought I'd ask rather than getting pissed off because the guy shows up later and just goes in below me. As I said I've been doing the same for people already on a run just to avoid any unpleasantness.I don't particularly like the idea of rotational angling and have been skeptical it can work on rivers like the Vedder/Chilliwack. Too many people there don't give a crap and think of fishing where they want and how they want as a right.

[Rieber]

This is exactly one of the reasons why I'm turned off the Vedder now.

It started with a fishing friend who always like to hit the top of the run and then book it below me to hit the tailout around me. Eventually I had enough and we just stopped fishing together.

This activity is so common now that I just gave up. I started getting the impression that if you go out with a fly, you become a magnet for others to fish out of your back pocket.

I started going to more secluded areas where gear fishermen wouldn't go - but that's not what happens - they come anyways thinking there must be a hidden run or something they need to try.

Like I say, I've given up on the Vedder for now - I don't go fishing to add stress to my life. It stopped being enjoyable for me so I'm done with it for now. I hope things and attitudes on the river change, but I fear they won't. I might try sneak out there once in a while but for now I'm a little bitter about it.

[banx]

Last trip out I got to the (short) run second, waited for the guy in front of me to work the run thoroughly. He stepped aside to let me and my buddy work it. I hooked and landed a hatch doe on cast 3. My buddy stepped in and hooked and lost a large buck, then we stepped aside and let the guy behind us work the run.

Other than fenceposters I rarely run into annoying people on the Vedder, but then again my expectations are different.
I don't expect to force everyone to work at my pace and I don't expect that a 500m long run is owned by the person who starts at the head.

excellent.  as it should

[Flytech]

I just don't understand why so many people expect etiquette.. there is way to much pressure on that system.  it should not  be expected  its just nice if it happens..

That attitude is part of the problem. We should always expect etiquette, and respect, with everything we do as humans. If we don't expect it, we won't get it. Allowing people to be douchebags because it's the norm is just as much a part of the problem as the idiots doing it.


I'm glad Ralph said something, and hopefully that idiot will think twice next time.

[spoiler]

it's funny to me that nobody puts up with that cupcakes on a golf course! Yet any schmuck can go buy a fishing licence and some gear, show up at a river and lake and do whatever he pleases.
I think fishing licences should have the same drill as a hunting licence and these schmoes should have to take a course. Just my two bits after fishing the Chilliwack /Vedder system for more than 49 years.