A note on ettiqute and common human manners

[FlyinFish]

So, I'm only going to get up on a small soap box here, I promise. Let me preface this by saying that all the fly fishers I've met on this board have been like none other and are all down to earth "blue collar fly fishers." Other fly fishermen I meet on the water can sometimes be grumpy and arrogant and full of themselves, but usually if I initiate the jollyness, they lighten up...

My dad fished the WF today. He doesn't fly fish. He uses a small spinning rig, a split shot, and a fly. Fly fishing just isn't for him. He likes to fish, but is more about the overall experience and usually more enjoys just having kabobs, so he doesn't feel much like bothering to fly fish, though I've tried... He came across your stereotypical cartoon fly angler in the wild trout section. The guy said "hi," my dad said "hi," and the next words out of the guys mouth were, "you know there's a thousand dollar fine for that."

First off, speaking to someone that way is passive aggressive, rude, and arrogant. My dad doesn't quite possess the colorful vocabulary that I would have invoked... He asked what "that" was and the guy told him fishing with that gear. First off, spin fishing is not illegal, and it is barbless, single hook only. You could fish a mini jig or a single hooked spinner if you wanted, or do what my dad does. My dad simply held up his rig and told him it was a fly...

Funny enough, from his distinct features, I know this * and I had run across him when I was first gear fishing the WF with flies and micro hair jigs. He approached me, when I as like 16, with the same sort of intimidating line.

My rant is all about saying, be nice to people out there. Just because a guy has a spinning rig, doesn't mean you get to talk to him like an a-hole. Sure I get weary and approach with caution when I see a bait fisher approaching, but I don't go treating them like dirt. They're still people, and they're innocent until they show me they're guilty of being an idiot. Fly fishermen can be intimidating and standoffish. When you have a small tackle shop dangling from your neck and off your chest, it's hard not to seem intimidating. It doesn't kill you to greet someone kindly and then keep a tight lip. I smile, say hi, comment on the nice day, and remark that it's my first time fishing this spot and I haven't found any fish yet. Simple as that!

Our locals are precious, but making ourselves into angry trolls with no human decency is not the appropriate way to act. Every year I meet more and more fly fishers that are down to earth, normal people. The sport is progressing in a good way, let's keep it going!

Rant over...

[midger]

Sorry about your Dad's experience, but as with all human nature, those types of reactions to a deemed wrong are all to common in every aspect of our lives. Flyfishing, skiing, running--doesnt' matter there's * all over the place. Hope it didn't get your Dad down and that he enjoyed the kebobs.

[beachbum]

Maybe we should go fish the WF and "educate" him! Sorry your dad had to deal with it, but human nature can be ugly sometimes.

[flybob]

Arvin, Harry is one of the nicest unassuming guys I have ever met, and a great Kabob cook!

It is too bad that there remains a stereotypical arrogance displayed by many flyfishers out there.
Like you, I have been lucky enough to hang with a great bunch of guys, I really think that if that type of aire was expected of me I would break all my rods and go back to poles!

Funny thing, I started in the SGWF wild trout section with a spinning rig, bubble and flies! And I was challenged once by the DFG, when I showed him my rig, he was kind of surprised, and asked if I caught many fish with it, YOU BET!

[1mocast]

Unfortunately, this type of behavior just reinforces the "elitist" label.

Thanks for reminding us to treat others like you expect to be treated.

[DubL HauL]

edit: inappropriate reference.

Hey Arvin sorry I didn't say Hi but you were busy practicing your cast looking good. Any fish?

Andy

[Papasequoia]

So then what happened? What did the guy say when he saw the fly? Try to say it was still illegal, or back down, or what? Bummer about your dad and all that - those types of incidents can ruin your day - but you left us hanging here. Enquiring minds want to know! Unless of course you came upon the scene and the guy is currently residing under a few feet of loose gravel and rocks, in which case, mums the word!

[FlyinFish]

Haha, no Papa, the guy is just fine and still very full of himself. I was busy in the surf this morning. The guy continued with a normal conversation, which means he's capable of not being a * when he wants to... Didn't ruin my dad's day at all. He was happy to shove it back in his face. What really surprised the guy was that he was throwing a dry fly behind the split shot and catching fish. How could that be? Surely only an upstream cast to rising fish can produce a strike on a dry fly...

Andy, sorry I missed you dude. I was a bit high on the leo rush and couldn't peel myself away. Only a few hooked, non landed...

[1mocast]

I used to run alot with John Barbier (he's authored his share of Eastern Sierra guide books). When I first met John, he was carrying two rods - an Orvis 8' 5wt and an ultralight 5' Garcia spinning rod lined with 4lb test, a fly, and a partially water-filled clear bubble. When the wind would kick up, he'd put down the fly rod and throw the spin rod (he fished lakes primarily - he didn't start hitting the creeks hard until he met me). And John would catch trout - a boatload of them. And he still C&R'd them... and he was still technically fly fishing as he was "fishing with a fly." I used to give him all kinds of gas about that. But had he challenged me - like he should have - many times, I would have been in the wrong because I was thinking in an "elitist" fashion.

The fly and bubble has introduced many to flyfishing, myself included. Last year at in the GTW, I met a nice family enjoying the outdoors with their kids. The kids were fishing in a barbless C&R lake with powerbait. And they were not catching anything...Here we are getting hits and catching fish. So I tried very nicely to tell the parents about the regulations and they seemed clueless the regulations and to fishing really. So I gave them some barbless flies, showed them how to set up their red/white bobbers, and told them what to do. The parents were grateful and thanked me. Later on, when we met up again, they caught some fish! The smiles on the kids and parents faces said it all...

Treat others how you expect to be treated...Show other fishermen that we are not "Elitist".

[FlyinFish]

The fly and bubble has introduced many to flyfishing, myself included. Last year at in the GTW, I met a nice family enjoying the outdoors with their kids. The kids were fishing in a barbless C&R lake with powerbait. And they were not catching anything...Here we are getting hits and catching fish. So I tried very nicely to tell the parents about the regulations and they seemed clueless the regulations and to fishing really. So I gave them some barbless flies, showed them how to set up their red/white bobbers, and told them what to do. The parents were grateful and thanked me. Later on, when we met up again, they caught some fish! The smiles on the kids and parents faces said it all...

Treat others how you expect to be treated...Show other fishermen that we are not "Elitist".

That right there has steered those kids down a path of flyfishing and off the course of becoming bait dunkers. They learned how much powerbait sucks, they learned how fun and effective the fly is, and they learned that flyfishermen are cool dudes. WTG!

[tenandtwo]

I think the "elitist" stereotype comes more from the fact that most fly fishermen are c+r and don't want people severely injuring and killing the fish we seek. I don't think even a snobbish fly fisherman would turn up his nose to a bait dunker taking up a fly rod on a water they share. My dad is a spinner guy, mepps and panther martins, I have tried to convert him, but he won't touch a fly rod (sounds a bit like your dad). He does still, on occasion, go trout fishing with me as well, and cuts off two of the hooks and flattens the barb on the third. He is fishing single and barbless, like me, but he is comfortable, and so it is cool.

Every sport has those that are too cool for the rest of us. Those are also the guys that drive "compensating" vehicles. A good rant here. Good input, I will make sure I never become "that guy". Just take care of the fish, have fun, and don't trash the place.

[Sasha]

Your dad should have punched him


Just kidding..... That sucks when someone acts like that. Personally, I had the perception that all fly fishermen had that type of attitude. It kept me away from it in my earlier years.

[fancyboy]

A lot of fly fishermen are hypocrites and full of rules that make no sense. It's fine to have personal rules, just know the difference between those and regulations. Very different animals. My grandfather had so many * rules about fly fishing I had to be reminded last summer that even a hopper imitation was off-limits and considered to be f@%king around. Let's keep it legal and considerate out there and I think that's all that matters. As a side note, it's hard for me to understand how someone who's got 3 flies dragging the bottom of the river on every cast with a pink plastic bobber floating along can criticize someone else for not being artful or considerate of the fish and their environment, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

[Sasha]

3 flies dragging the bottom of the river on every cast with a pink plastic bobber floating along

Dammit, I like my pink bobber 3 fly rigs

[DubL HauL]

A lot of fly fishermen are hypocrites and full of rules that make no sense. It's fine to have personal rules, just know the difference between those and regulations. Very different animals. My grandfather had so many * rules about fly fishing I had to be reminded last summer that even a hopper imitation was off-limits and considered to be f@%king around. Let's keep it legal and considerate out there and I think that's all that matters. As a side note, it's hard for me to understand how someone who's got 3 flies dragging the bottom of the river on every cast with a pink plastic bobber floating along can criticize someone else for not being artful or considerate of the fish and their environment, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

I am taking offense to your last sentence although rarely do I use three flies.

Andy