Fishing Forum

First for the fishing report. We got on the river around 430 as we usually do and fished lots of the normal side channel spots that we always fish. Water has dropped a little and changed things a bit. Side channels have changed just enough that we spent some time finding where the fish had moved to. Still had some success on PMD's, Caddis emergers, Pink Cahills, and on bead head pheasant tail nymphs. None of them were really the hot item but all in all had 20 fish to hand for me personally.

Now is for the 2nd part and interested in some input from guys that run drift boats. Having run nothing but a jet for the past 8 years its interesting at the things we see/deal with. Ill preface this by saying we go out of our way to give a wide berth to people that are wade fishing or floating in drift boats. No sense in trying to piss people off. Often times we will be left with not much choice when you round a corner and have a drift boat on each side of the river and very little room between. Most of the time we kill the motor until we can get past without causing problems. And in 8 years I can honestly say I have had one problem with a drift boat. We were up a side channel that there is only one way out....... back out the bottom after you go up it. While coming out a drift boat was anchored up right in the middle of the only exit out. I ran it as slow as possible without dragging and after some great words were thrown my way. Pulled up and explained that is the only way out for, and we went as slow as possible with no intention trying to step on toes. ect.

Fast forward to tonight. We get off the river after only seeing 2 boats drift by us as we were wading fishing in a side channel and on the passenger side of our rig is a note "STAY THE F@*& OUT OF THE SIDECHANNELS"
Did I miss a memo that we aren't allowed to fish all the areas of the river that drift boats are? Whats with the drift boater vs jet boat attitude on our rivers? I guess I dont get it, aren't we all triing to fish and enjoy ourselves? Do guys that get behind the oars suddenly have more right to sections vs. the guys that bust their tail to earn the coin it takes to run a jet?

Guess Im interested to see the perspective of forum members that fish using drifts and why the bad attitude towards fellow fisherman. Seems they bad mouth us and look down their nose at us right up until the point some thing bad happens and they need some help on the river.
[signature]

I hear ya the first time we fished that river we had a blast in our pontoons, we made another trip back on a Saturday and the river was packed. first time down in the drift boat. I have never seen a more rude bunch of people. we came out of a side channel and was within 15 foot of another drift boat. guy yelled a few words and started his motor and zoomed off almost beaching it on the other side of the river when he didnt get it shut down fast enough. then there was the 4 pm take out at byington. had more scratches and run ins from other boats then we did rocks and bushes on the river no body wanted to wait there turn wife even almost got knocked out of the boat by an oar . lot of bad attitudes floating around there and your not the first as i had one buddy who got a note and a screw driver stuck in his tire, he was a jet boater .
[signature]

I suspect it's the usual situation of 1% making the rest look bad. I've never had an issue, but I haven't run the river too often and never in a jet. Either way it's a public waterway and everyone should deserve respect and give it in regards to where they want to fish.
[signature]

I'll be optimistic and say somebody was just having a bad day and got frustrated with all the water traffic. Doesn't make it any less messed up that you got a crass note telling you where not to go.

As far as oars having more right to sections of the river - most of the drifters I've seen pass me on the bank seem to be guides. From the dress and appearance to how they handle the oars. It could just be my perception, but there's a lot of business going on on the SF, and I could see that causing the most frustration if you can't get your clients into the side channels...but it doesn't speak a lick for professionalism.

Now for a personal take on an experience off the SF, on the Snake. I went fishing Sunday night with my wife at Freeman park. Before the water went down I was catching quite a bit there (a ridge of rocks that I now sit on was about 10 feet out and submerged, fish were hanging out there), but I haven't had much luck in that way lately, haven't found the structure yet with the water low. Anyway, as I was sitting there I saw a jet ski coming around the corner down river. I absolutely hate jet skis, and fight to hold my every time I see one...it's like they don't think they throw a wake or disturb the fish. So I'm practicing restraint, expecting him to go right down the middle at 40mph just like all the rest. I had just casted out and was watching my line when I heard his ski, much louder than I expected. I look over and this goon is 7 feet away from us, staring and smiling, busting ass up river. I wish I had had a rock, but I threw the bird instead and kept words about him between myself and my wife. When he came back he stayed to the center and didn't bother us again...but the audacity of that moron still gets me. I hate placing a label on an entire group of people, but jet skiers are just sucky, careless jerks.
[signature]

I used to do a lot of fly fishing in Montana. I gave it up due to the rudeness of drift boaters who seemed to think they owned the river and I was in their way when I was wading. I live on a bass lake and find just as many jerks with no concept of fishing etiquette among the bass boat crowd. I have had a jet boat for about 10 years and fish for smallmouth during the week so that I can get away from the crowds of boaters and fishermen who seem to have no idea of why I go fishing.
[signature]

I was pretty far down the river up near Lower Mesa falls last year, walking down the river. I had seen a couple drift boats and have never had any problems sharing some of the better holes with them since there is plenty of water and usually not many boats. Well I was standing near the top of one hole fishing the riffle and here comes a guy that I kid you not pulled about 3 feet right out in front of me and dropped anchor. I usually have a pretty calm head about me but all I said was " Are you serious?". This guy flew off the handle at me and told me some crap that he thought he had taken me on a guided trip or something and that I was walking the river fishing out all his holes so he felt it was his right to pull in front of me for his lively hood. I have never been on a guided trip for one but I basicly told him in the nicest words I could find that he was dumb. I stepped a little ways down below him and made him look fairly bad out fishing him and I guess it was a client. So with competition being much less on that stretch of river I was on, I can see the SF having a bunch of asses thinking they are owed something for being guides or long time fisherman through that stretch.
[signature]

Sounds like someone was really ticked off and decided to take it out on you.

I think jerks come in all kinds, driftboaters, jet boats, waders. On the other side of the coin the majority of people are really good and try to stay out of each others way.

Some people feel like they own a certain section of river, if they fish it a lot or they make their living from it.

Windriver
[signature]

I hate to say it, and I don't want to label a whole group as it isn't all of them, but I think some of those who make their living on the river lose sight of everything except getting a good tip.

There are also the "old boys" --- those who have fished the river for ages and feel they have grandfathered rights to some spots.

And there are the "purists" .... those that think there is only one way to fish "properly" and want to outlaw anything else. Or just leave nice "love" notes for you.

The good thing is all of those are really a very small percent of the fishermen. Unfortunately they seem to be 90% of the rude and vocal minority. I wish I could say it will get better, but I doubt it. The more popular an area gets .... the more jerks show up.

Best to ignore all of them.

Or show them how to be properly courteous, after you ram them with the special reinforce bow you had installed, by waving politely as you jet on by.... j/k [angelic] [laugh][laugh]
[signature]

Wow! I guess I've been lucky, about the only troubles I have ever had in Idaho was with tournament Bass fisherman, now there's some folks who think they are truly entitled to what ever water they want to fish and be damned anybody that was there already.
[signature]

I haven't run into the tournament issues, but it is competition and big money on the line for some. So anything goes, but what really goes is courtesy.

I have only seen some of it on the "overly popular" waters. Mainly I think it is people who have spent a lot of money getting there, and feel they and their guide has bought them first rights. Others are just jerks that no matter where they are, they have no manners or courtesy for others.

I guess I am just not used to the combat fishing anymore. I usually fish more remote areas as I don't like elbow to elbow fishing, and a carp or a brookie is more fun to me than a steelhead caught in a popular hole with 30 other people there.

I was camped on the South Fork this last month and two people drove up and parked just up from me and then walk through the middle of my camp, between me and my truck, to get to the water. Obviously they didn't notice me there putting my waders on! They went down to the river and set up their fishing camp for the day. I was courteous....I at least said good morning to them, as I waded out between them.

The thing is, I wasn't camped near anyone else and that spot wasn't special in any way. There were empty places all up and down that area. So why????? Was it a hot spot because someone else was already there? They were from Idaho, so I think it was their "grandfathered spot". Hope it was lucky for them after I waded up and down the area. The will probably post next and complain about the idiot that waded up and down around their fishing hole!!

Later as I had moved to a different area, a driftboat came and plowed right through the seam I was fishing. There was plenty of room for them. I was the only person out there as far as the eye could see. Dozens of other boats had passed by and hadn't needed that spot. The river is huge and there is room for all. I half got the impression that it was intentional. Mainly from the guide's face as they went by. Boredom??? Entertainment value?? Harrasment of the lowly waders??

This was all in one day in the middle of the week, so it wasn't even really crowded. Nether of these was any real big deal to me. Frankly I caught more and bigger fish on some of the smaller streams of the area,
but it shows an attitude that is developing all over.

That is what it really comes down to .... good manners. Too bad so many missed learning that!

It really is only a few, thank goodness. Most people are very nice and will help you out if you need it, or go around you and leave you plenty of fishing room. It is the few that make the most stink though.
[signature]

We were bank fishing henry's this spring, nobody within a quarter mile of us, very few boats, calm flat water, just a real nice morning.
After a couple hours I noticed a boat coming closer and closer, it was a fairly young couple with a "BOAT LOAD" of small kids.
About that time I tied into and landed a nice cutty. the Idjit in the boat must have decided that we were fishing a good spot, he motored right over and anchored up right where I was casting.
He is in a boat with the whole dang lake to fish and he anchors right on top of where we are fishing [laugh]

Unreal, what a way to teach the kids.
[signature]

It doesnt matter what a person owns one should always have manors while running any boat on any body of water. the only thing you can do is bite your lip and go about your buisness. i have run into my fair share of a-holes on the southfork. most of them being from out of state on guided trips. one time it almost came down to a fist fight on a gravel bar in the middle of the river after the guide and client beached there boat near us because they saw my buddy and i working a riffle loaded with fish. he seemed to think it was time for my buddy and i to move on and it was his turn to fish that spot. i tried to talk to the guy about him being a jerk and some very unkind words that were said by him to my buddy and I but to know avail. I knew the guide he was with and the guide kept trying to get the guy back in the boat but he wouldnt listen. he thought he was 10 foot tall and bullet proof. finally i got up in his face and asked him if he has ever had his a@# kicked by a guy in waders? he just turned beat red with anger and turned around and got in the boat. after talking to the guide a few weeks later i found out the guy was from northern california and had been a jerk to the guide on the whole trip.
[signature]

I just usually talk to them about Jesus.......[]

They either listen and get saved or..............[]

get out of there as fast as they can!!!
[signature]

Good to see that My experiences with some of the guides up there aren't too different from others. I fully understand the amount of cash that is on the line for some of those guys. I have had the pleasure of taking tying classes from a couple of the long time guides and they are class acts. Seems its the younger guys that have issues.

Ill share an experience last fall on one of my favorite riffles. Many will know this spot. Just above where the farm house is at lufkin flats on the opposite side of the river from the farm, there is a good set of side channels that feed into one big channel and then it splits into 3 fingers before coming back into the main channel. If your looking up the river I was fishing the riffle on the far left of the 3 where it splits. At the time it was the shallowest of the 3 channels. Leading into it is 200 yards of flat water that you can see me fishing this riffle the entire time. During a 2 hour stint there was 9 to 10 boats that floated through. All but 2 were courteous and gave me a wide berth. The 2 that didn't though rowed over from the far side to come right over the riffle I was fishing. Both boats had big lodge stickers right on the front. I am not one to hold my and let both of them know what a busch league move it was. Too which I was informed by one that it wasn't my river.

Just seems like there has been a general loss of respect for others in our fishing community.

Drowing flys, byington is a cluster at best. I could go on for hours about it. The best was this time last fall we roll up around 5 and there were 7 boats waiting to take out. So we line up and wait to take our turn. Well as we are getting ready to back up a nice new pickup pulls past everyone, backs down the middle of the ramp. I was a wee bit hot. So I backed down and blocked him in, climbed out infront of everyone, and tore into him infront of everyone. Asking him if he was some how better than everyone that was waiting since he had world cast on the front of his boat. He was hot, but 3 or 4 or guys took over from where I started and let him know he wasn't welcome on local waters if he wasn't going to be courteous.
[signature]

10% of the population has a severe personality disorder and don't know how to interact appropriately with the rest of us. Fortunately those who fish a lot the percentage is probable a lot less the the average. It could be worse as 30-50% of politicians and those in pro sport have personality disorders. The common thread with a lot of these idiots is the won't even discuss things reasonable with you. They either don't give a damn and do something inappropriate in front of you without a word or they leave their cowardly note on your boat.You're obviously the kind of person most of us don't mind running into while fishing. Don't lose any sleep even if these fools don't realize a lot of us go fish to avoid folks like them.
[signature]

I'm a tournament Bass fisherman and I have NEVER intruded on anyone's spot. Not all of us are that rude to be included with a blank statement as you stated. To begin with most clubs have rules against doing that. All you have to do is get their boat number and turn it into the President of the club and steps should be taken to prevent it in future events. I know cause I've had to handle these complaints for 15+ years as a President of a Bass club not that there have been a lot of them from our club.

Now fly fishermen is another story..........[][]
[signature]

Forgiven, I gotta say, I like your solution best of all!
[signature]

[quote Bassnbob]I'm a tournament Bass fisherman and I have NEVER intruded on anyone's spot. Not all of us are that rude to be included with a blank statement as you stated. To begin with most clubs have rules against doing that. All you have to do is get their boat number and turn it into the President of the club and steps should be taken to prevent it in future events. I know cause I've had to handle these complaints for 15+ years as a President of a Bass club not that there have been a lot of them from our club.

Now fly fishermen is another story..........[][][/quote]

Bassnbob, yer right about the blanket statement, it wasn't my intentions to accuse all tourny fisherman, my apologies.
[signature]

Yes there are many who need a good club to the head but one good thing is showing courtesy. I don't know the boating and fishing laws there in ID but here in UT if a power boat or jet ski gets too close I can snap a picture, take it to the DNR and they get a ticket.

I for one hate the rudeness that some have, especially those that guide. They should know better even if they are looking for a good tip. Common descency seems to have left a lot of people in the dust.

I thank you for your fishing etiquette even though some have no clue what that means.
[signature]

[quote Bmarsh]

Drowing flys, byington is a cluster at best. I could go on for hours about it. The best was this time last fall we roll up around 5 and there were 7 boats waiting to take out. So we line up and wait to take our turn. Well as we are getting ready to back up a nice new pickup pulls past everyone, backs down the middle of the ramp. I was a wee bit hot. So I backed down and blocked him in, climbed out infront of everyone, and tore into him infront of everyone. Asking him if he was some how better than everyone that was waiting since he had world cast on the front of his boat. He was hot, but 3 or 4 or guys took over from where I started and let him know he wasn't welcome on local waters if he wasn't going to be courteous.[/quote]

Outstanding and i think that's the best policy every time someone gets away with it they think its fine if you call them on it and you stand together as a group they learn fast
[signature]