Beach Fishing etiquette
- Thread starter Mark L
- Start date
bigbruce
Crew Member
Yup - these fish have survived several years in the wild and are returning to our rivers to spawn....only to be caught and photographed and most likely die before they reach their destination all to satisfy a horde of guys lining the beaches near the spawning streams. Great sport, eh?
banger17
Well-Known Member
Can you help me understand why it’s ok for you to fish in the ocean in your boat and intercept all sorts of salmon through the year but you throw the beach fisherman under the bus when targeting the same species you did 2 months earlier, just at a different depth, method and month on the calendar???
Clint r
Well-Known Member
Man, I used to fish the middle Shuswap river during salmon season and it was honestly shoulder to shoulder. Only takes one guy out of time to fark the whole show up
Fins -n- Skins
Well-Known Member
Wow now lets see there's you in your $75,000 fishing machine with all the high tech gear and electronic's compared to a guy on the beach with his spinning rod or fly rod and maybe some waders. Just remember its all sports fishing.. They are well in there right to fish just as you are and nothing stops you from fishing from the beach ?
bigbruce
Crew Member
There are several differences between beach fishing at this time of the year and fishing the ocean from a boat during the normal season. Boat fishers work in fairly large areas where the fish are pretty spread out. For the most part, beach fishers are fishing for spawners who are fairly concentrated in a small area while holding before they head up stream to spawn. Right now, there's a rather large concentration of fish holding along beaches near spawning streams that do not yet have enough water to allow the fish to come up stream to fish. I keep the fish I catch (within limits) and am not into catch and release with the attendant higher rate of mortality. Given that most fish returning to spawn are pretty well spent before they get to their spawning streams, I would guess that few of them are kept. So their caught, dragged ashore, released and ???. I've watched the hordes along the shore in Fanny Bay - lots of fish caught - it's easy - very few kept - very few of the released fish will make it to spawn.
No question that what you're doing is perfectly legal, and I suppose sporty for you. Not so sure how sporting it is for the fish. BTW, I accept and understand your criticism. I volunteer at a hatchery and we're very concerned right now because the water level in our creek isn't sufficient to allow the coho that we would normally see at this time of the year to get up to the spawning grounds - and to allow us to get enough brood stock for the hatchery. Every fish that is "caught" where the fish are holding near the mouth of the creek is likely one less that we will see in the river once the rains come (he said optimistically) and the river levels come up.
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SpringFever552
Well-Known Member
Beach fishing along the chuck is awesome..as is fishing 12 miles off shore WCVI
Hyde-N-Seek
Active Member
Wow, I guessed etiquettes are no longer the subject here. When is it ok to highjack someone’s post? I agreed with as long as it’s not overlapping fly cast from the other fisher, then it’s ok with me. Gears are different since we can cast a long way.
As for judging how or where we fish. That’s not our job. Fishery set the rules and as long as we follow the rule, we are all good in my opinion.
If you have any issues with locations or methods, please take it up to fishery.
FM.
As for judging how or where we fish. That’s not our job. Fishery set the rules and as long as we follow the rule, we are all good in my opinion.
If you have any issues with locations or methods, please take it up to fishery.
FM.
banger17
Well-Known Member
For the people who are concerned about hijacking threads...
To answer Marks original question on the original post - be respectful and give plenty of space no matter what type of fishing.
To comment on Bruce - why don’t you stop fishing in the ocean while the fish are commuting to the spawning grounds so when I beach fish and catch 2 it’s all even in the end? I don’t go out and troll riggers with bait so this is my chance at sport and food so stop yammering out of both sides of your mouth please.
To answer Marks original question on the original post - be respectful and give plenty of space no matter what type of fishing.
To comment on Bruce - why don’t you stop fishing in the ocean while the fish are commuting to the spawning grounds so when I beach fish and catch 2 it’s all even in the end? I don’t go out and troll riggers with bait so this is my chance at sport and food so stop yammering out of both sides of your mouth please.
spring fever
Well-Known Member
I haven't posted much this year because a house build and a guiding stint at Esperanza took me out of the picture however we finally have my wife's dream--- a house on one of those fishing beaches. Etiquette seems to be the watch word among the beach fly and spin casters- they gently release most of their fish-Very impressive !! BUT it really gets my blood boiling when I see a boat push right in towards the shore anglers and crowd their casts--I see it happen at least 3 times a week--all I can say is--it is a wonder the buzz bombs don't come out and a few shots off the window or side might be in order---give the shore guys a break!!
noluck
Well-Known Member
boucing betty's do the trick, to the side of the boat, seen this alot on the lower vedder
Burban
Well-Known Member
Boats should definitely not be drifting into casting range of the shore casters, that's just asinine. You're casting range should not overlap with theirs. Have some courtesy for the people on shore without a boat! Some of them aren't as lucky as you, and this is their chance to catch a fish too. When fishing on a busy shore give your fellow angler 20-30' or so and if its tight holler out and ask if they mind if you fish beside them. If they feel your crowding them, slide down to the end past them. Don't worry, you cant see every school all the time, and the fish will move around and eventually come into your casting range. Don't overlap casts with your neighbor. Common courtesy! If someone squeezes in too tight, politely tell them its courtesy to give each other some room, and if there's no room to slide down to the end or else pull up a log and wait for someone to leave.
What your witnessing is just poor fish handling. If not retaining, then any conscientious angler should be landing their fish in knee deep water and releasing gently. Next time you see that happening walk down and educated them politely. Beach fishing attracts novice anglers more often so its likely they haven't been properly advised in their early angling careers. You have to remember everyone fishing is not at the same level of understanding. What's the difference between trolling the Cap mouth and fishing the beach? Or trolling the mouth of the Little Q in the French Creek report thread? I guess all in river fishing falls in the same category. It all has the same impact if executed properly. If I see someone drag a fish up on the beach without retaining it, I will walk up and say something. You should too! Don't be rude, just educated them on the massive damage they just inflicted on that poor fish, and how its chance of survival just plummeted. They need to know!
I get why your worried about the staging fish at this time of the season. We're in the last quarter of the shore fishing season that starts in July. Most of our creeks are deathly low right now and experiencing the same conditions and its a valid concern. It is unfortunate, but at the end of the day if they are catching their 2 fish and leaving, its the same impact your making catching your 2 fish from your boat and going and tying up. You really cant responsibly make a blanket statement about shore fisherman like that.
(PS Yes I have a boat and fish salmon year-round, yes I fish the river, yes I fish the beach
)
What your witnessing is just poor fish handling. If not retaining, then any conscientious angler should be landing their fish in knee deep water and releasing gently. Next time you see that happening walk down and educated them politely. Beach fishing attracts novice anglers more often so its likely they haven't been properly advised in their early angling careers. You have to remember everyone fishing is not at the same level of understanding. What's the difference between trolling the Cap mouth and fishing the beach? Or trolling the mouth of the Little Q in the French Creek report thread? I guess all in river fishing falls in the same category. It all has the same impact if executed properly. If I see someone drag a fish up on the beach without retaining it, I will walk up and say something. You should too! Don't be rude, just educated them on the massive damage they just inflicted on that poor fish, and how its chance of survival just plummeted. They need to know!
I get why your worried about the staging fish at this time of the season. We're in the last quarter of the shore fishing season that starts in July. Most of our creeks are deathly low right now and experiencing the same conditions and its a valid concern. It is unfortunate, but at the end of the day if they are catching their 2 fish and leaving, its the same impact your making catching your 2 fish from your boat and going and tying up. You really cant responsibly make a blanket statement about shore fisherman like that.
Beach fishing etiquette applies to the fish as well as the anglers!(PS Yes I have a boat and fish salmon year-round, yes I fish the river, yes I fish the beach
)My only issue is these hero’s with their spent wild fish up on the beach....just to get a pic so they can post it on multimedia! Fishing isn’t about being a hero and bragging on the internet. Fishing is about fishing....maybe I see this differently than some. I’m sorry my daily fishing doesn’t need pics or a report on beaches or the freshwater.
I guess some people need to put wild fish in jepoerdy just to boost their egos. It seems this new age of anglers never had the right building blocks and ethics instilled on them from the start.
Seeing a lot of these loser heroes over the years a lot of the times you can see a progression from pics of every fish on the net...to stopping posting because their honey holes get gonged out with other angler.however some idiots need pics of every single fish just to fill some void within themselves..... The ocean is big....beaches and freshwater aren’t.
Again...just my thoughts
I guess some people need to put wild fish in jepoerdy just to boost their egos. It seems this new age of anglers never had the right building blocks and ethics instilled on them from the start.
Seeing a lot of these loser heroes over the years a lot of the times you can see a progression from pics of every fish on the net...to stopping posting because their honey holes get gonged out with other angler.however some idiots need pics of every single fish just to fill some void within themselves..... The ocean is big....beaches and freshwater aren’t.
Again...just my thoughts
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treblig
Well-Known Member
I am fishing in a zone for one wild and one hatch.... ( yes it exists ) you should have asked first if your taking a shot at me ..... where has the the manner gone these days. Again just my thoughts. Please do not derail this post.
gungadin
Well-Known Member
To the issue of etiquette: Etiquette on the shore should be no different than anywhere else. If some one hooks a fish near you, either move a good distance away ( move your boat) or bring your lines in. Every year I fish off the Campbell River pier, and it can get crowded. Some one hooks a fish, and the fishers near him stop fishing and assist if they can. Kelsey Bay is the same, although it is more of a gong show when a school of pinks move through, those with fish one are assisted by those not so fortunate.
wildthing
Well-Known Member
my take and i have not beached fish for a few years now ..
is give each other plenty of elbow room ...
either side or as stated wait for a slot to come open
boats stay off shore and out of casting range of the shore anglers ....
one tip i would like to say to most on the shore please please use a barbless small circle hook ...
i have seen so many use the treble supplied in buzz bombs and zinggers and its causes so much damage.
to under size fish.
and dont be afraid to try educate someone who's not doing it right ...
and although i dont fly fish please if your casting buzz bombs dont do it right next to a guy casting flies ...
give them 50- 100 yds or so of free shore line.
tight lines
is give each other plenty of elbow room ...
either side or as stated wait for a slot to come open
boats stay off shore and out of casting range of the shore anglers ....
one tip i would like to say to most on the shore please please use a barbless small circle hook ...
i have seen so many use the treble supplied in buzz bombs and zinggers and its causes so much damage.
to under size fish.
and dont be afraid to try educate someone who's not doing it right ...
and although i dont fly fish please if your casting buzz bombs dont do it right next to a guy casting flies ...
give them 50- 100 yds or so of free shore line.
tight lines
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