fishing with strangers

[Brian Griffing]

I would look at a guy who started fishing right next to me on a stream like I would look at a guy who sat right next to me in an empty movie theater. Or a fellar who climbed a tree right next to me in the deer woods. "Are you serious, buddy?" I'm not anti-social in the woods, but I would just see that type of crowding as very strange, and frankly, rude.
On the other end, a quick hello, a short exchange, the usual "How they biting?" or "Any on the surface?" is generally acceptable and polite conversation before walking far enough away that you are at least out of sight on a mountain stream.
That being said, I have never experienced anything remotely rude or out of the ordinary from another fisherman in the park. Kayakers are another story.

[BlueRaiderFan]

Do you have a beer or some good bourbon in hand?

[Gerry Romer]

As I've discovered with my son, the only way to fly fish together is if one of you is right-handed and the other is left-handed. Then you could, arguably, fish side-by-side. Otherwise you're talking about dueling casts and hooking each other... in addition to the trees.

Gerry

[jross]

well hopefully things go according to plan I'll be down fishing next week. So if you see a large feller fishing intently or if said big boy comes up to you and says "Hi" it could be me. I don't know what I'll do I might avoid you (probably not) but I won't follow you around!

I won't be wearing all black though... after reading another post I'm afraid that I might get pepper sprayed by people singing really loud!!

[russ]

If you see someone, by all means stop and say hi. Unless that guy is in the process of catching a fish. Then go about 30 minutes up river and start fishing. If the other guy catches up to you, then he is fishing too fast and doesn't know what he's doing anyways so he probably won't be offended.

The only problem with this system is you may end up fishing behind someone too

[jeffnles1]

Originally Posted by Gerry Romer

As I've discovered with my son, the only way to fly fish together is if one of you is right-handed and the other is left-handed. Then you could, arguably, fish side-by-side. Otherwise you're talking about dueling casts and hooking each other... in addition to the trees.

Gerry

I'm quite fortunate that I am left handed and my son is right handed. We fish together all the time. I'll take one side of the stream and he takes the other.

When the stream gets too narrow to do that, we alternate runs. He'll take one, I'll take the next.

It seems to work.

I enjoy sharing the water with someone else. I'm not too sure I'd like it if I were fishing a run and someone I didn't know splashed down right next to me. I have struk up conversations on the trail with other fishermen and ended up fishing with them for the day. Ususally this involves chatting on the trail, and meeting up again on the trail later as we moved up or down stream to other spots. Typically, I try to be far enough away from other anglers on streams that we don't see each other unless we peer around a bend in the stream.

My son is the exception. We usually stand shoulder to shoulder and have a great time doing it.

Jeff