Fishing Etiquette

[fruitloopy]

This is kind of following on from other topics such as fishing and dog owners.

 

I recently went to a free water in Peterborough and, as I am used to commercials where there is not much disturbance from other people I wasnt used to what I had to deal with. This place is open to the general public as it is just a public area with 5 fishable ponds.

 

The conditions were tough anyway because of the weather but I know there are some good size tench and possibly some carp in there as well. It beats sitting at home anyway!

 

I had spotted what looked like possibly a ghost carp and a mirror carp moving from area to area really slowly. The water was very clear and not very deep at only 3 feet. These guys were drifting around with their fins out of the water.

There was no one else about, even at 2pm when I was following these carp around and looking for a good spot to cast to without spooking them and then wait for them to find my bait. I knew they weren’t feeding as it was too hot but I hoped that a bait in their face would change their minds.

 

I found a good spot where I have to lay flat against the bank to make sure I was not skylined and hidden. I knew they would return to this spot in front of me so I cast out a fishmeal pellet which I had caught two tench on in the morning and waited.

 

The carp were about 20 feet away to my left but slowly drifting towards my bait. It seemed like they were moving at 1 inch per month! They were slowly getting closer and now I’m sure they can smell it…closer still, only three feet away…a bit more…come on!!

 

A sudden noise behind me…”ANY LUCK MATE?”

 

This t**ser with a barrow full of fishing gear stood behind me completely skylined then said “Oh look…there’s a ghost carp over there!” he shouted. “Yes there was, wasn’t there” I said as the pair of carp swam quickly away from us.

 

I moved down the bank a bit to try the same tactic, the other angler had gone way over to my right and was starting to setup so I thought I must be safe.

This new spot was even better now, I was sitting flat against the steep bank to stay hidden and I could see 3 or 4 tench and carp all within 2 feet of my bait and getting closer.

 

Closer still…one of them looks interested…he’s moving towards it…

 

“HAVE YOU CAUGHT ANYTHING?” Says another skylined, loud tw*t behind me.

 

“Oh look there’s some quite big ones there!” Pointing his chubby finger towards my swim.

 

“Yes there was!” I said in a less than pleasant voice. “Would you mind bending down please? No, don’t bother, it’s too late now” I said as the whole collection of ‘Big ones’ swam away. Skylined loud tw*t left to join his ‘Any luck mate’ t**ser down the bank.

 

This happened twice more. At least the other two times weren’t from anglers.

 

What annoys me is that this behaviour is from anglers and not from the general public, they should really know better shouldn’t they?

When I was young I was taught to keep quite, never fish in another anglers swim, never jump around on the bank, dont disturb other anglers and dont skyline yourself.

The general public I can forgive because they dont really know any better but are these simple matters of etiquette not taught or observed anymore? I am not a grumpy old bugger but when you've spent an hour sitting on your numb backside getting more and more excited as the fish get closer and closer...then some idiot goes and ruins your whole afternoons work, then I think I may have a reason to be pee'd off!

 

Cant we run a "Good Manners" campaign?

[gozzer]

My sympathies mate,

 

 

I am a 'grumpy old bugger', that's why I started this thread a few weeks ago.

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Angling...te-t111675.html

 

It just goes to show great minds, (or should that be great grumpy minds) think alike.

 

John

[Anderoo]

I had a moan about this recently: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Aah-ban...ys-t150284.html

 

The only solution is to fish these places mid-week when this kind of stuff is less likely, or not fish there at all. It's a real shame as it means a lot of lovely waters are effectively out of bounds. I think once someone's over the age of about 6 a good manners campaign is too late...

[BoozleBear]

Two words mate: "free water".

 

Any free water in a city is going to attract the wrong kind of angler. Tells the wife he's off for a nice day's fishing, meets up with a mate and a dozen cans of Special Brew. The kind that flings out a couple of gobstopper boilies on 3lb test curve rods with 25lb line and a size 4 hook with a barb the size of a kitchen knife. No unhooking mat in sight, just a sea of used line, crisp and pastie packets, fag buts and empty cans of beer.

 

I'd sooner get down to a canal, often free (or cheap annual membership) and still some decent sized fish in there (in general).

 

I feel your frustration mate, I have been there before and it's not nice.

 

Cheers,

 

Simon

[Neil G]

As above, free water often equals morons

[gozzer]

It's not just 'free' waters though.

A few years ago I was fishing an association length of the Wharfe, (members only).

I had found a sand bed that ran off into some streamy water. I could see the chub and barbel moving in and out of the weed, and got myself in a position upstream where I could fish for them, and not be 'sky lined'.

 

I'd had a couple of chub and a barbel, when I heard a shout of "Look who it is, have you caught 'owt John", followed by a thud as he landed on the bank by my side, after jumping from the 5' high flood bank. I could see a mass of bow waves as the fish shot off downstream at a rate of knots.

It was one of my own club members!

I'm afraid I saw red and jumped on him, pinning him to the ground while hurling abuse. Luckily there were a couple of other club members with him, and they pulled me off.

The idiot didn't even realise what he'd done wrong! He just sat there in shock after seeing me act in a way that 'wasn't me'.

The bo****king he got off me and the lads with him, made sure he never did it again.

This lad had fished with us for several years, so he wasn't a nooby, just a stupid git that didn't think.

 

There are other times when it can be comical as well as frustrating.

I was fishing the Aire in Leeds centre, and catching a few roach. After landing a decent one, I unhooked it, threw in some feed and cast out. A Police car went over a nearby bridge with sirens wailing and I looked up as it shot passed. I looked back at my float, in time to see it go under. I struck, and 'another' float, about a yard away from 'my' float answered my strike, while 'my' float just bobbed up and continued down the swim. It was then that I looked over my shoulder and saw a young lad on the high bank behind, who had cast over me, It was his float I'd struck at not mine!

After telling him off, I settled him in a swim above me, with a few instructions and settled down to fish again. (He did start to catch a few).

It was a very surreal moment when it happened, but I could see the funny side later.

 

John.

[fruitloopy]

Apologies to Gozzer and Anderoo, I did a search for similar topics but must have missed them, otherwise I would have just added my two pence instead of creating a new moan!

 

To quote Rusty from Gozzer's topic on Angling Etiquette...

 

"If I'm walking a lake and see an angler in full camo gear lying on his stomach some five yards back from the waters edge then I'll figure that he's stalking and probably won't be in the mood for a chat."

 

As I was kind of stalking or at least trying to stay out of sight in a difficult area I think I may put up a sign behind me to advise others of what I am doing and what they should do.

 

Any suggestions what I should put on this sign?

[mike1234]

i am 26 so sort of in the middle of the miserable old farts and the young loud mouths,i have got the day off today but the only water i can access as i dont drive will be full of idiots of all ages, i have decided its probably better to stay at home than be bothered with the "caught anything mate" questions every few minutes and kids throwing stones etc.but on the other hand i dont think we should all become too grumpy as a lot of people just dont think and once they know they are causing annoyance will usually stop.i have seen anglers walking to there car and have politely said morning and been ignored i always make a point of being polite which includes respecting others and not speaking to anyone who is fishing or looks busy but on the other hand it costs nothing to be polite to other anglers in the carpark or on the pathways a most of what i know (admittedly not alot) about fishing my local lakes comes from either talking to other anglers or watching what others are doing, so if i can help someone or they can benefit from quietly watching me then i dont mind,i would hate to fish somewhere that i felt if i seen another angler i would have to avoid him or not fish within a 100 yards of him

Any suggestions what I should put on this sign?

"GONE FISHING"

[Anderoo]

If I'm walking a lake and see an angler in full camo gear lying on his stomach some five yards back from the waters edge then I'll figure that he's stalking and probably won't be in the mood for a chat.

 

On certain lakes I'd assume that he's having a well earned 'Stella nap' before the proper evening's drinking starts

[fruitloopy]

On certain lakes I'd assume that he's having a well earned 'Stella nap' before the proper evening's drinking starts

 

Stella Nap - a new entry in Collings dictionary.

 

Wouldnt he be on his back though?