Does not share well with others
I rarely shared the banks of the Klawock River with anyone other than my family or friends growing up. So when I thought of fishing during my years in California, that was it. Quiet. Solitude. I walked farther down the tracks lining the Upper Sacramento River, and away from the trails on the Truckee.It is because of this that I don’t always fish well with others. It’s not that I don’t like people, I would just prefer to have my own experience because there is no telling what sets of rules, if any, by which the other anglers abide.When fly fishing, you don’t just fish the water in front of you. So if I’m at the river, and someone enters the water downstream from me at what they believe is a respectful distance, that is likely where I am swinging my fly, connected to it, waiting for the pull. Simply put, that’s where I’m fishing.Respectful distance is a relative term too. If I can cast, fly or spin, within 10 feet of the length of the fishing hole, that’s a one-person spot – two if I know the other person.If I’m at a fishing hole, I should be able to have a shot at the fish in the hole. That’s why I’m there and why I got there early. To have my potential fish cut in half by someone who scoots in without so much as a “Do you mind?” is impolite.The same thing goes in reverse. That person beat me to the river, who am I to divide his or her spot in half, especially since any decent angler is going to move up and down the run covering all the water.If someone does ask if I mind, of course I’m going to lie and say, “No, go for it” because at least that person understands common courtesy. They are probably someone with whom I could share a medium-sized run, but I’ll likely be moving on shortly because it’s not what either of us want.See column at:http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/020316/out_1266351742.shtml