Here are 6 unspoken rules that will help to remove the heartburn that comes from arguments.
1. Don’t Crowd other Anglers. Leave ample room between you and fellow anglers either when wading or boating. Fishing cheek-to-cheek usually results in tangled lines and creates a lot of unnecessary stress.
2. Rest the water. Boats running around put down fish as do lures constantly hitting the surface. If you’re not catching much then rest the water. After a quiet spell the fish will come out of their safety zones and resume feeding.
3. Be clean. Pack out what you packed in and the environment stays clean. Hanks of mono tangles birds and fish that eat pieces of soft plastic bait get clogged digestive tracts. Also be careful not to spill oil or gas when boating at local fishing spots, particularly at the gas dock.
4. Boaters should yield to wade fishermen. Shore-bound anglers don’t have the ability to access deep water or to move around quickly like boaters do. Sometimes it’s their turn, and if the fish are blitzing off the beach then boaters should give way to shore fishermen.
5. A careful approach. Be careful how you approach the water. In a river, silt or mud kicked up by clumsy wading spooks fish downstream. Walking behind anglers prohibits their casting, and shadows can spook fish.
6. Walk around so you don’t louse up an angler working a fish.
A little thoughtfulness goes a long way, and it makes fishing at local fishing spots a lot more fun than it already is! Check to learn more how fishing and boating help to conserve our waterways!
Photography: Pheasant Acres
