A low holer's tale

[JasonB]

I think we've all had our experiences with being low holed, or any other myriad of rude, unethical behavior on the part of some other angler. Some anglers almost seem to take low holing to an art form, but for me there's one particular experience that will always stick in my mind:
It was a few years back, and I was fishing with my father up in Alaska. For some context, you have to realize that my father has had some ups and downs with his health and mobility; so much so that the whole trip had been cancelled at first as it looked like he would be unable to function at all without severe back pain and no ability to really walk, stand, or cast... let alone actually play any feisty salmon! Due to some luck, and a lot of hard work with a wonderful physical therapist he decided at the last minute that he could probably in fact handle a short trip if I was willing to really help him along. I jumped at the chance, figuring it might be one of the last times I may ever have to fish with him; while I spent a lot less time "fishing" than I normally might, and a lot more time helping him along, it was a really special trip for both of us. His health and mobility was doing better and better during the trip, and we both joked that fishing was apparently the best therapy for his condition.

At one point, he was feeling particularly limber and energetic and we decided to access a nice looking hole that was a bit more of an adventure to get to (for him). Hand in hand we inched along a low grassy field, and then I would return to grab the rods and net and stuff; about 20 minutes and we were just about to the hole when I spied another angler frantically rushing down the hill from his car towards the same hole. He literally raced us to the smallish pocket, and set up in the one obvious spot to work the hole well. I was livid, but my Dad kept a lid on things by reminding me that we were lucky to be there together at all, and that "fishing" was about a lot more than just "catching", so we focused on trying to fish the tail end of the pool without tangling up too much with the other guy's line. I still fume when I remember the whole experience, and fail to see how anyone can take much joy in cutting in front of someone who is handicapped to catch their salmon.

Well I just got a fishing report from my Dad (who's health has improved immensely in the last couple years), and apparently he ran into "our buddy" again. This time the guy was busy snagging silver salmon from a hole that several others were fishing, and my Dad called him out for dragging a salmon up onto the rocks to unhook and release it. "You're not supposed to take them out of the water like that. Unless you're keeping the fish, it's against the law to remove it from the water". The guy replied back in broken English that he "No understand... sorry, no understand". After almost a dozen foul hooked, and poorly handled/released silvers and pinks, my Dad grew more and more blunt with the guy: "Look, you're snagging fish. Why don't you just cut that out right now!" This much was well understood as the guy defensively insisted "No, no! No snagging, no snagging!" My Dad was starting to loose his patience, and was now yelling at the guy: "That's BS, and you know it! I'm watching you blatantly snagging fish over and over, while no one else here has been hooking a thing this whole time. You need to cut it out, now!"

Apparently, the host at the campground overheard my Dad yelling at the guy for snagging fish, and decided to call the game warden. Sure enough, the warden came, and quietly observed him for a few more fish and decided that he was indeed snagging. She came down to the water and told him he was done fishing, to pack up his stuff and come up to his car where she would be writing him a citation. Every once in a while Karma comes around to bite you, and it puts a smile on my face to know that the guy finally got a little bit of some of what he deserves. Hopefully the word my spread a bit as well to others who tend to push the line between "flossing" and "snagging"...
JB

[briansII]

Great story JB. Dad sounds like a great role model.

briansII

[Woodman]

More and more I find myself looking for someplace where the fish may be a little more wild, and maybe a good bit smaller, but there will be few or no other people around.

Last summer I was on a small stream outside of Sun Valley, Idaho. At the end of the day I returned to a spot I had caught a couple of nice fish in the morning. There was one car at the turnout, but no one in sight form a high vantage point over the river. I hiked down the hill and started casting a hopper-dropper downstream to rising fish. After about ten minutes and one nice fish, I see a guy coming upstream around a 90 degree bend in the river, about 100 yards away. As I stand watching in awe, he wades up the middle of the stream and casts over top of my fish repeatedly. Then he gets his fly hooked in an overhanging tree and walks right into the middle of the run to retrieve it.

As I pack up to move on, I mention that he just lined and walked on top of fish I was working.

"I've been working my way upstream for an hour, I can't help it if you jump in above me," is the response. The next person up or downstream was probably a mile away.

In my younger years an altercation may have developed...but I now realize it's just a trout. Being out there is its own reward.

[ryeflyguy]

Reminds me of a time when I was fishing a run from shore, a drift boat comes down the river and the clients start casting right towards where my line is entering the water. The guide and the clients all clearly saw me.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

90% of anglers have no idea there are fishing rules........sad fact.

[JayDubP]

90% of anglers have no idea there are fishing rules........sad fact.

So true.

Jim

[Ted S.]

JB-

Good story. Karma for sure!

[Bob Loblaw]

I was fishing Kennedy Meadows a couple of years ago about a mile and a half upstream from the resort. I found a great hole with a big fallen tree and hooked several nice fish at which point a guy comes and sits on the opposite bank about 20 feet away. He watches me hook another fish and as i was playing it he starts casting right on top of me. I couldn't believe what I was looking at he was so close we could literally touch rod tips. After I released the fish, i left the hole climbed up the bank and heaved a huge rock into the water. Almost gave the guy a heart attack. I felt bad after...for about 5 seconds.

[cdevine]

ha ha.... I love that Bob. Good for you. I think 90% of the anglers are pretty cool and 10% are clueless/aholes. Somebody who is an a-hole on the water is generally one off the water as well. I have made it a practice to hike far from my car or easy access points. Sometimes the fishing is better far away and sometimes not. But one this is certain. I'm often alone and I like that.

[Bob G]

Reminds me to try and remember that old saying..."Never wrestle with a Pig, because you both get muddy, and the Pig enjoys it!"

Best, Bob