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I was flyfishing yesterday at un-named local river where access is difficult. We got there at first ight and enjoyed many hook ups on the fly with the pinks in the first pool above the tidal water. After about two hours with the bite really slowing down and as we were just planning to go further up the river for a hike, the first of 5 guys from Oregon comes through the bush. We say hello and keep the conversation friendly and topical. He stops in the pool we were just fishing and begins to fish. We ventured out on the hike up the river to look at the pools enjoy the fantastic scenery and see all the bear sign, wildlife and fish.
As we were walking back down we find all five of these gentlemen flyfishin on the pinks in water that was no more than a foot deep and the fish were clearly sitting on redds, digging and spawning. They were literally sitting right on top of the fish and casting out maybe ten feet past the end of the rod.
I let them know that they were fishing on spawning fish and that there were many pools available for fishing. They said that this was the best action they could get. Two of them looked to be accomplished fly fishers and the other three had most of the fancy geat but clearly had not tossed the fly too many times So here's my questions...
A. Should I have been more vocal and let them know how wrong their actions were?
B. Is the fishing of fish on redds an American trait? I see many videos on U-Tube of this same behaviour, but have not witnessed it more than a few times by locals on our rivers.
C. As we walked back down the river we found 10 other anglers who were only fishing in pools. All other anglers were Canadian. Should I have rallied the troops and sent the unwelcome poachers packing for their own country? (OK this one is a bit over the top, but dammit, it just wasn't right)
As we were walking back down we find all five of these gentlemen flyfishin on the pinks in water that was no more than a foot deep and the fish were clearly sitting on redds, digging and spawning. They were literally sitting right on top of the fish and casting out maybe ten feet past the end of the rod.
I let them know that they were fishing on spawning fish and that there were many pools available for fishing. They said that this was the best action they could get. Two of them looked to be accomplished fly fishers and the other three had most of the fancy geat but clearly had not tossed the fly too many times So here's my questions...
A. Should I have been more vocal and let them know how wrong their actions were?
B. Is the fishing of fish on redds an American trait? I see many videos on U-Tube of this same behaviour, but have not witnessed it more than a few times by locals on our rivers.
C. As we walked back down the river we found 10 other anglers who were only fishing in pools. All other anglers were Canadian. Should I have rallied the troops and sent the unwelcome poachers packing for their own country? (OK this one is a bit over the top, but dammit, it just wasn't right)