Hello,

I’m thirty four years old and have not fished since I was eleven. I plan to make a come back! The trouble is, I was a course fisherman and want to try fly fishing. I’ve read all the books (well, three books) on fly fishing and am excited to give it a go. One thing bothering me is etiquette. If I turn up somewhere surrounded by fly fishermen, what should I be aware of? How close is too close to another fisherman? Is it just common sense? If I want to walk past a fisherman while he is casting should I wait?

Thanks,
Andy.

Check in which direction the anglers are fishing. If they are working downstream then go in above them and wait until they have moved down a way then start fishing down behind them. Do not go in below them.

If they are fishing upstream then wait and do go in below them. Give as much room as you can manage.

On still waters don't fish within a good distance, 100 yards is good but where there are platforms then simply make sure you are at least the distance between the platforms. On some still waters you are forced to fish from the platforms so you cannot err on this type of water. The worst thing is when somebody comes and fishes almost on top of you.

The late, great Bill Bartles was fishing at Ogston forty years ago and as usual was catching fish. An angler in a wheel chair with entourage insisted to his pushers that he wanted to fish right next to Bill. They pushed over and the angler started to cast.

Bill wound in and moved away a good distance. He was catching again in a few minutes. The wheelchair angler summoned his team to get him over to where Bill was. They complied, red faced and winded.

Bill wound in again and went back to his previous spot. He caught again. The visitor no sooner saw this and shouting wildly had his, by now quite tired, companions heave him back to Bill's side. Bill turned to the angler. Knelt down in front of him to make eye contact on the level and asked, "Will you either make your mind up or fück off?"

The entourage gasped and in horror chorused "You can't talk to Mr ...... like that! He's disabled!"

To which Bill asked (loudly), "What? In't fückin' 'ead?"

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Largely commonsense yes. Why walk past stop and introduce yourself you can learn a lot by speaking to someone who fishes there regularly. I've found most people very helpful if approached in the right manner. Give it a go don't be shy.
We all had to start somewhere and we're all still learning
Good luck

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http://www.tradeclick.co.uk

Welcome Andy, etiquette is sadly lacking on some fisheries, particularly when using boats.

The general rules would be as follows and based on "do unto others........:

1) Don't fish any closer to another angler than 25 yards unless invited to do so. You will find that when an angler gets a fish others tend to gravitate towards them and encroach on the decent gap to allow between anglers.

2) Wait for an angler to complete a cast before walking behind them and then walk well away from the bank so as not to disturb fish that maybe in front of him.

3) Even when allowing a reasonable gap don't cast in front of another angler's position. With an angler next to you it is best to limit your long casting to about 45 degrees either side of a line directly ahead of you. Short casts along the bank are no problem.

4) In a boat don't go nearer to a bank angler than 50 yards. Don't cut in front of drifting boats, don't motor up a drift where other boats are following you down, you can come in behind other boats but no closer than 50 yards.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

Hi andyb and welcome i would not worry to much about that as most of the flyfishermen are a great bunch of people,i would suggest you try a small stillwater first as you will find that it will probably have platforms to fish from,so there is not a problem for you to work out if you are to close to another fisherman, as for hanging back while another fisherman is casting i suggest you wait as he might not have seen you coming along.hope that helps, just get out there and enjoy.
Gary

As with most things in life, the fact that you are questioning "how close" means you already have a good idea of what is a reasonable proximity. Having said that, if you start slapping the next angler on the back of the head with your fly line you might want to back it up a bit

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Now sporting a respectable hair cut for a limited time only!

Good Etiquette'

Can be demonstrated by showing a gentlemanly courtesy to others; it's common-sense, and politeness. If we all practised good manners and etiquette, as we go about our daily living; then the world would be a much nicer place!!

The post, by Billyflynn, and Sewinbasher, says it all! - You would do well to follow their advise!!

Hope you enjoy the noble art of fly fishing!

Mostyn

In addition to all the good, commonsense advice already given, a fair guide is to show to others the consideration you would like them to show to you. 'Do as you would be done by.' TC