River Fishing Etiquette 101

[Str8line]

RIVER FISHING




Types of Fish

Chinook Salmon (King), Coho Salmon (Silver), Chum Salmon (Dog Salmon) and Pink Salmon (Humpy), Steelhead or Cutthroat Trout, and Jacks (usually immature Chinook).

Types of Bank Fishing

· Casting with corky and yarn, spoons or spinners.
· Float fishing, usually with roe.
· Plunking, usually with roe.

These different types of fishing don't mix. Try to use the same type of fishing as those around you. If you try to mix styles, it's a recipe for disaster.

Fish are living creatures; kill them humanely. Once you have decided to keep a fish, bonk it on the head and put it on a stringer tied to shore. Before casting again, fill out your catch card. If releasing a fish, don’t remove it from the water. Gently remove the hook, hold it by the tail facing up river, wait until the fish has regained its strength, and then guide it back into the main river. Snagged or foul hooked fish are not “fairly caught” and must be released. It is unethical and illegal to keep a fish not fairly caught.

Offering/Bait

Corky and yarn is the most common. Corky is usually size 8 or 10 mm (about 1/4 to 3/8 inches in diameter). Corky color is usually somewhere on the red end of the scale (red/orange). Yarn color is generally on the red end of the scale, but some folks use purple, white or black. Scent is sometimes used--usually shrimp oil or salmon egg.

Gear

One may use casting reel or spinning reel (a spinning reel is easier to cast). Whichever you use, it should hold at least 200 yards of 25 to 30 lb. test line. Leader strength should be just below line strength (most often between 15 and 20 lbs.). E.g., if using 30 lb. main line, use 15 to 25 lb. leader. The leader will break before the main line does. Usually leader is between 4 ft. and 6 ft. long. A rod used for salmon/steelhead should be 8 ft. to 10 ft. long, 1/2 to 1oz. lure weight. Hooks sizes usually range from No. 2, 1 to 1/0, 2/0, or 3/0 (commonly 1 to 1/0). Check the regulations regarding barbless hooks. Weight varies from 1/2 to 1 oz. Lead weight types used are ball, pencil or slinky (commonly 3/4 oz. pencil lead). Swivels used are single or triple.


Clothing

Waders may be neoprene or breathable, waist or chest high, and stocking or boot foot style. Stocking foot obviously needs boots. If wearing chest high waders, it is important to always wear a belt because, if submerged, they may fill with water and pull you under. The neoprene waders are warmer and worn in the colder months. Wear layers of insulation under breathable waders to adjust for water temperature. King County recently passed a law requiring people on the rivers to wear personal flotation devices.

Fishing the River

Cast across and slightly upriver, wait a moment to let the weight settle to the bottom, and then reel up one or two revolutions to take the slack out of your line. Keep a slight amount of tension on your weight, so you can feel what is going on. Let your offering bounce every 3 or 4 feet or so on the bottom. As your offering swings downriver with the current, follow it with the rod tip feeling the weight bounce along the bottom. When you feel something different, set the hook.

Casting

If there are a lot of people fishing an area, it is very important that the person fishing the farthest downstream cast first, then the next upstream and so on. This prevents lines from getting tangled. If you need to miss a rotation, turn away from the fishing area to let others know not to wait for you. When you are ready to fish, you will have to wait your turn in the next sequence to cast again.

If your offering stops, set the hook. If you feel movement, IT’S A FISH trying to get off. Alert those around you by saying something like, “Fish on.” This allows them to reel up out of your way to prevent getting tangled up with the fish as it tries to throw the hook. The person playing the fish should move either behind the line or downriver to play it to shore. Once the fish is out of the way, the casting rotation can begin again.

If you set the hook and DO NOT feel movement, you are hung up. Quickly pull loose with several quick jerks or you need to break off your line. If you are unable to free your line quickly, other lines behind you will get tangled up with yours. Braded line is difficult to break. Wrap it around your covered arm (for protection) and pull. Braded line will cut bare skin. When one uses a lighter strength leader than line, the leader breaks first and you get to keep your line.

Salmon Runs

If, when you get to the river, those fishing are standing less than 10 or 15 feet apart (combat fishing) casting out into the river, you might want to observe what’s what for a while.
Notice when and where they cast. Rotations should start with the furthest downstream first, then the next, and so on. Notice what happens if someone misses a turn; do they turn away from the fishing to let others know they are out of sequence--signaling not to wait for them to cast? Notice where they cast (just upstream?) and what they do just as the offering hits the water. Watch how they follow their offering downstream with the rod tip. How long is the leader and what colors of yarn/corky are being used by those catching fish?


First-Come, First-Served

When you are ready to fish, select a spot. If several others already occupy the spot you want, ask if there is room for one more. There is almost always is, but it’s still polite to ask. Those in particularly coveted positions likely secured them by arriving extra early. If so, someone will probably suggest where you should stand. The vast majority of the time everyone is there to have a good time and catch fish. They want you to do the same. If you want to join in and are already familiar with river fishing etiquette and casting sequencing—the experience will be enhanced for all concerned.

If your line gets tangled with another’s, one person must release and the other must reel in until the tangle is within reach. The person who reeled the tangle in must untangle it and toss the other offering back into the water. When the lines are untangled, say something like, “You’re free.”

If your line gets tangled with a hooked fish, you should not try to pull it free. Doing so may cause the fish to get off the barbless hook. Instead, open your reel to allow your line to go free. Your line may come off the fish; but, if it doesn’t, you will have to follow the person playing the fish away from the others in line. When someone near you hooks a fish, reel in immediately. When they move out, you can then continue fishing. Do unto others as you would have them do to you, as the old adage goes.

Combat Fishing

If someone moves out of line for whatever reason, don’t move into the vacated spot unless you are sure he has quit fishing that area. It may be a coveted area that the next in line is waiting to get into. If someone next to you moves out of line, it’s okay to move over a little until they return; but once they do, move back where you were. If someone moves out of line and it’s obvious they will return, it’s considered poor etiquette to move into that spot. If this happens by accident and you have moved into a preoccupied spot, just step back out and let them move back in. It’s just common courtesy.

It’s important that your offering be somewhat similar with others in size and weight. If you are fishing in a line, an offering (lighter or heavier than the rest will tend to move downstream at a different rate (larger tend to move faster; lighter, more slowly). Usually about 3/4 oz. works well.

When walking behind those fishing, remember to leave plenty of room for them to cast.

Knots

The most common knots used are:

· Improved Clinch
· Palomar
· Egg or Bait Loop

FISH ON!

If you bring small children along, don’t let them throw rocks, build minidams, or splash in the water. Sound carries a long way under water. Keep pets out of the water, too. Their scent carries downriver and can affect the fishing.

JR

[Str8line]

Nada

[Mike Carey]

nice overview. sorry for the duplicate posts, I tried to delete one but it wanted to make them both go away...

edit: so I shortened the second one by editing it. Hope that's ok. Tom/amx.

[spokey9]

That's a pretty good run down str8line. I'd like to add one thing about the "combat fishing", that's approach more like a chance to bs with fellow anglers. I say that because i've got a couple friends who believe fishing is a sport of solitude, that've i've taken out and they had a miserable time getting along well with others (i had fun tho, seems like i'm always meeting some cool ppl no matter how crowded a river is).

[Toni]

That's a pretty good run down str8line. I'd like to add one thing about the "combat fishing", that's approach more like a chance to bs with fellow anglers. I say that because i've got a couple friends who believe fishing is a sport of solitude, that've i've taken out and they had a miserable time getting along well with others (i had fun tho, seems like i'm always meeting some cool ppl no matter how crowded a river is).

Or dock! Some people are just not social and don't believe the more the merrier.

In my opinion, most people (80%) are decent folk, but when adding alcohol that percentage goes down.

[spokey9]

Yep, you're right toni. Dash is a zoo, but in '09 i did meet quite of few good folks there (last saturday i had a couple guys recognize me as the guy in the water from the last pink run).

[Matt]

In my opinion, most people (80%) are decent folk, but when adding alcohol that percentage goes down.

Can't say alcohol is entirely to blame. Some people are just crappy people. Heck, alcohol probably makes as many people NICER as it does more ornery, lol!

Nothin' beats any icy cold one on a hot day out on the water. My mountains are blue!!

[knotabassturd]

Certainly a li'l alcohol can hit the spot especially in summer. But specifically with Dash Pt and a few choice crowded places for pinks with kids around, I say nay nay to the Blue Moon, soju, 12 year old scotch, or any other alcy beverages.
When I'm with a small group of friends or people just getting to know or maybe on a river or area with a few guys I'm more than willing to partake in the flask as she goes round since it can help loosen up a crowd a bit and bring some comaraderie. But big crowds I think it loses its appeal and flavor. All IMO only:-"

[Bodofish]

I gotta wonder when a guy comes on with a first post like that. What about a Hi do ya do? My name is .......

I gotta wonder if he just a troll from one of the other not so friendly forums......

[Amx]

I gotta wonder when a guy comes on with a first post like that. What about a Hi do ya do? My name is .......

I gotta wonder if he just a troll from one of the other not so friendly forums......

That was discussed a little bit in the moderator's forum. Seems ok.

[rjn cajun]

I gotta wonder when a guy comes on with a first post like that. What about a Hi do ya do? My name is .......

I gotta wonder if he just a troll from one of the other not so friendly forums......

That was discussed a little bit in the moderator's forum. Seems ok.

This was my thought but not going to jump to conclusions. Ya`ll have a mod forum to sit and talk about us? I feel like I`m in school again. Yours is the teachers lounge and ours is the classroom.[lol]

[Amx]

Yup. [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... /devil.gif]d[/img]

[Str8line]

Arrrg

[Bodofish]

Arrrrg? Nice to meet you Arrrg. If you haven't figured out yet, this is a rather close knit group. Sorry if you think I'm probing but people don't just come off with a first post that sounds like you're the Grand Pooh Bagh of the river with all the does and don'ts.

So lets have it? What's your deal? I promise I won't bite.

[Mike Carey]

Tune in Kinks refrain "Paranonia will destroy ya..."

I was impressed at the amount of typing it took to do the post. My two fingers would have cramped up half way through.



oh, Amx, way to think outside the box. :bball:

[Matt]

Just my 2 cents.

More like 20 bucks$$

[Bodofish]

Tune in Kinks refrain "Paranonia will destroy ya..."

I was impressed at the amount of typing it took to do the post. My two fingers would have cramped up half way through.



:

I was impressed with the amount of typing too. The only time I've ever seen a first post that long has been from Trolls. I certainly don't disagree with what he has to say. In fact nice piece!

Call me paranoid but but I'd just like to here what the guy has to say besides the clip from the manual.

I still promise I won't bite.

[Toni]

A member since April 2010.A troll? An informative post for new people to fishing. With the salmon season coming up. How is that a troll?

Now why would he want to stay here when he tries to help and someone calls him troll because he posts a lot of information.

I totally understand his "Arrrg"
I will echo his Arrrg

[Marc Martyn]

I am personally all in favor of eliminating the number of posts that a person has being visible. Perhaps if that were done, the paranoia, superstition and fear would disappear. Then maybe, just maybe, everyone would be on the same level.....members of a fishing website.

This is not the first time that a new poster on the forum has been questioned as to what his motives are. Why should there even be a question?

This puts a moderator in an interesting predicament. When a new person posts on the forum, some members choose to chastise him and say that he shouldn't be posting in length since he is a "new guy". Some of the comments made towards these posts have been unkind and frankly rude. Now if a moderator were to delete the rude comments, then the poster making those comments would scream that their rights have been violated and there was to much policing. So what about the rights of the original poster?

I found Str8line's post very informative and well written. I enjoyed reading it. I'm sure others did also.

Once again, there are no requirements for anyone to make a post on this forum, except that it can't be offensive, vulgar or deceptive.

I'm in full agreement with Toni on this. So what is the problem?

[natetreat]

If your line gets tangled with a hooked fish you shouldn’t try to pull it free as you may cause the fish to get off the barbless hook. Open your reel to allow your line to go free, your line may come off the fish but if it doesn’t you will have to follow with the other fisherman and the fish away from the others in line as he plays the fish. When someone near you hooks a fish reel in immediately so once they move out you can continue fishing. The do unto others rule.

This is very important! I like the info, and although it seems self explanatory to a lot of us, this is stuff that new fishermen can get totally spooked about, or cause LOTS of headaches for everyone on the river.

I like it, like last year we had the thread about combat fishing etiquette, this year there are going to be a lot of new people on the site trying to dial in on the pinks. Stuff like this should be sticky in the river forum.

Some important things:

If you've got a fish on, call it out. That way people reel up and don't cast over you.
Reel up until until it's clear to cast again. Please don't cast over a fish that's running upstream, or any fish at all. I've lost quite a few fish to this. A lot of guys don't even realize they've caught up on your line until it's too late and then they don't know to let their line go free. Very disappointing.

I thought he might be from another forum, and joined to post up, and I say "Welcome!" Stick around, WaLakes is awesome!