Right of way isn't the correct term, right rods to rocks is an agreement between friends. The actual rules are the collision regulations, with the person approaching the other boats Port side having to give right of way.
I find this fascination with counter clockwise to be a holdover from people who fish at lodges which make club rules.
In some local areas/tides the currents actually make it better to fish the terrain feature clockwise, and go out around after passing the sweet spot with your left rod to the land. The lightship is a great example of this, where you troll into and across the river before letting it carry you out, swing around to the North, and repeat. If you tried to fish counter clockwise you'd be pounding the currents all day.
Tunstall Bay is a great counter clockwise troll, while salmon Rock is a great example of a figure 8