This is a true story but the names are changed to protect the innocent.
Got up pre-dawn. Hiked a mile to a pool in the dark. As greylight is just beginning to illuminate the river, I see a few fish rise.
Then, I hear voices and see a pair of wader clad flyfisherman about 100 yards up the trail. As they get closer I greet them with a hello. Then the amazing happens. These two idiots descend on the pool I am fishing. What? Idiot A barks out orders to idiot B on how to fish the pool…then marches right into the pool I was standing in front of. Marches right through some of the most productive water. I move over a few steps and fish a less productive area.
The lead idiot (idiot A…aka… alpha idiot) was also a jerk as he gave his less experienced friend less productive water. I found humor in this as the idiot A showboated by catching a tiny brown and being extremely vocal about it.
10 minutes later justice was served as idiot A was standing on a rock in the middle of the run. The water was about 3 feet deep. I never stand on the rock but often stand behind it as cover. Idiot A somehow lost his balance and fell into the water with a violent splash. I could see the guy was embarrassed, yet I felt to need to send one word that he could hear “Clown!”…hahhahahhaha.
I was able to hook up with a few fish which gave me some peace and then had a mini revenge on idiot A. I moved over to idiot B, who probably was not an idiot at all but only labeled that because of association. I sort of felt bad that his buddy gave him crap water so I gave him my stretch and explained were all the fish were holding and what they were responding to…hahahhahahaha. He was a nice guy.
I just dont get some guys. That alpha idiot is why the world is the way it is.
Being a fisherman is about both patience and tolerance.
I left the area and fished away from them. What helped me move on mentally much later was both a wonderful and horrifying sight. I heard the cry of an osprey and looked up as the beautiful bird picked a trout off the river. It circled around a bit with its trophy…crying and chirping with pride. I laughed out loud it was so wonderful. The horrifying part is that I have been seeing osprey on this river lately and this morning I think I counted 4. I am sure they will make quick work of those fish. Those birds are machines.
I would much rather share the river with the osprey than the fisherman. Gotta hang with the skilled beings to learn and improve.
My brother and I were in SE Minnesota in May 2014 and fishing in Forestville SP, Forestville creek. We were using spin gear at the time and came upon a lone fly fishermen (Orvis type with all the gear). We spotted him about 75 yards ahead of us and he was working a fairly decent riffle. We skirted wide around him and stayed in the woods trying to make as little noise as possible because we didn’t want to disturb any of the water ahead of him. After passing him, we proceeded to hike upstream for another 3/4 of a mile to keep some distance in between us and him because we figured he was going to be working his way upstream like us. I know my normal pace and I can leisurely knock out 1 mile in 30 minutes, even in a forested setting. We walked about 20 minutes so that put us right around 3/4 of a mile. We found a nice pool and started to fish. Literally withing 5 minutes we hear the guy marching through the woods and he crosses right in front of us through the pool we were fishing! And he looks back at us like he is pissed. We kept fishing and caught a few fish actually. We both just shook our heads.
@R_Ruff sounds like my friend and your friend might be brothers.
There is something that I have a low tolerance for on the water… that sort of petty competition.
I fully get how we spend so much effort getting to a spot and its a bummer to find another fisherman there, but such poor etiquette especially the intentional attempts at blocking success rubs me the wrong way .
Another angler today was fishing some choice water as I worked my way off the river. He could see my direction, and probably knew where I was heading. The second I passed him he decided to leap frog me and claim one of the most productive pools in the river before I got there. Hahhahahhaa. I thought it was both funny and immature. Its not to say I am not capable of beelining to my favorite pool…but I always find humor in guys who try to block you out of a chance a water that has not been tainted by another angler. Suburban fishing sucks…hahhahahaha. Its a rat race and the rats are winning.
I am fishing a reef and I notice a boat that notices me. So this guy changes coarse and decides he an his buddy are gonna fish my spot. I am ok with this for the most part, but they get so close that they are affecting my drift. Basically cutting into the productive water and limiting my presentation. They are that close.
So, I fire a few cast close to them…as a subtle…“hey…this is my casting range, you are on my turf”.
They dont back off…
So a few moments later they come in even closer. Knowing the spot intimately and the tide stage I reel in my line to watch the spectacle. I am thinking…the guys is gonna motor up on the reef. Sure enough they motor up on the reef and get stuck. A $50k marine vehicle stuck on a barnacle encrusted reef. I did not say anything just stood there and watched and listened to the fiberglass get ripped up by the rocks.
I sort of felt bad that I didn’t say anything, but i figured they would just ignore anything I had to say anyway. What would I know…I don’t own a $50k toy…hahaahaa.
That is Karma at work. Sometimes I’ll watch other people fishing a spot and wait for them to leave after they haven’t caught anything. Then I’ll wait a little longer, go to the same spot and catch fish that they didn’t! Love it.
I used to get upset, now I just enjoy the show, people are strange. Besides I am out to have an enjoyable time so why let a few jerks spoil it. I do my best to avoid these people anyways but sometimes it’s hard to do. Pack up and go somewhere else you will enjoy the day more.
I agree. I tried my best not to get angry. Successful…but noted the mark in time when i can no longer fish that river without the company of the bumpas fly guys.
Bumpases!!!
Insert some banjo and mouth harp music with a peppy tempo…
If they had asked to fish the pool i would have said yes…so whats the difference other than the truth of what happened.