When I started to fish for trout, I had no guidance so I struggled along the stream in Gatlinburg Tenn, using corn with a Zebco rod and reel. I had seen other fishermen using corn as bait on that very same stream. It seem ridiculous to me to use corn, since fish are not vegetarians, but it did work.
Then an experienced angler showed me how to use Berkley salmon eggs and they were far more effective but I wanted to try flies as that appeared to be more rewarding. My grandmother bought me a kit for tying flies and I plunged in. However, I struggled for several years trying to catch my first fish on my home made flies.
Then one day along Rt 441 on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains Park, I decided to try a small terrestrial fly that I had created myself. I cast it into the foamy waters at the head of a small pool and bam, I had a hit! I had just caught my first brookie or “spec”, as I later learned that they were called, on that small terrestrial fly. What an exciting event that was to catch that beautiful fish all decorated in his bright fall colors. Just think, I had fooled him with my own creation! From then on, I have been hooked on fly fishing.
Fortunately for newbies or even experienced trout fishermen, today we have a series of free “how to” classes right here on Trout University.
That brings me to the point of this blog which is stream etiquette. I was reading about stream etiquette in one of my favorite blogs about fly fishing The Trout Zone
It seems that there are many fishermen out there today who do not know about stream etiquette or they choose to disregard it. I once saw a father and two teen age sons fishing with corn where only artificial single hook fishing was allowed. I have seen fishermen walk across the very pool where I have been fishing, and on it goes. I have blogged about fishing ethics but more has to be done to include rules on stream etiquette.
Is anyone out there aware of a code for fishermen to follow, or do we need to develop one, or will people just ignore it, I wonder?