Backcasts and courtesy

There was a story going around Falmouth this week that folks walking, biking, and rollerblading along the Shining Sea Bikepath were concerned for their safety when a group of flyrodders sent their backcasts across the path near Trunk River last weekend.

Gene Bourque, the fly man at Eastman's in Falmouth, cautioned that the story was reported secondhand and seems to have developed a life of its own, but it got me thinking about fishing courtesy, or ethics as you will, particularly when it applies to fly fishing.

No matter how we want to look at it, those backcasts that we fret over also create some potentially dangerous situations - and not just to the trees and shrubs behind us! It's pretty simple - look behind you. Bob Paccia (Shoreline Saltwater Fly Fishing Guide Service - Bflyfish1@aol.com), who spends a great deal of time with charters along the Cape Cod Canal, knows full well how important it is to pay attention to your backcast with all the traffic along the access roads.

Remember that fly has a hook which could injure man or beast as they go by. Last year, a flyrodder managed to hook a youngster on a bike as he rode by in West Falmouth. We can't afford to be cavalier about safety.

The reality is that flyfishermen need to give each other and every other type of fishermen more room. Gene did tell of fishing Bournes Pond one night and another flyfishermen took a position about 25 feet behind him and began to cast over him to get at the channel which runs through. Chip Gouger of the Fly Shop in West Barnstable suggests two backcast lengths when working from the boat or beach; that translates to about 60 feet, which is a reasonable starting point. If you get to a spot late and other folks have already arrived, that's the breaks. There is no reason to try and muscle your way in.

Accept the fact that all spots can handle a finite amount of traffic and have a plan in mind if you show up only to find a place already crowded. Or get there earlier!

One interesting phenomenon which afflicts all fishermen is what I call ``the creep.'' You know, a person hooks up and suddenly folks all around are shuffling towards the lucky individual - who is soon surrounded. Keep your distance and try to figure out what he or she did to hook up. Another aggravation is if someone hooks up and has to move off a spot to fight the fish, only to return to find someone else there. Show a little common courtesy and give them the spot back when they return . . . or better yet, leave it open to return to.

Boat fishing also has sets of rules. Allow a boat the proper distance to make a turn in the rips and keep off them, even if they're hooking up on every cast. If everyone is drifting, anchoring up across the drift will get you dirty looks and choice words - if you're lucky. Blend in and remember that even in a boat out on that big wide ocean, the spots which produce can be comparatively small and use common sense if the traffic is fairly heavy.

Captain Leslie Smith, of Backlash Charters on the Vineyard, has a pretty common sense approach, which is to avoid situations which could get sticky:

``I usually try not to put myself and my clients in a position that will cause a breech of fishing `etiquette', i.e. I try not to fish in a crowd unless it is the only option open to me. Courtesy seems to blow to the winds around here during a bonito blitz, especially during the Derby; tempers flare, lines get tangled, frenzied anglers run their boats over the schools driving the fish down. It gets to be too much. There have been numerous occasions that I have reeled up lines, gone over to an overly enthusiastic offender and tried nicely to explain that if they slow down, wait for the fish and act appropriately, they might be surprised in that they may actually catch a fish. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.''

A key is to speak to someone civilly; attacking them and using all sorts of interesting language won't cut it. An area where discretion may take the place of valor is when you see someone taking sublegal fish or exceeding their bag limit. Give the Environmental Police a call unless you're prepared to handle a hostile response. The number is: 1-800-632-8075.

From another charter captain, Kris Jop, comes some sound advice about getting along on the water as well as some interesting questions about attitudes which may be the source of some hard feelings: ``In general there are no rules related to fly fishing in the ocean. When people are anchored in navigation channels they cannot expect other boats not to intrude. In the flats where fish can are easily spooked, it's important to keep a longer distance from other anglers. Common courtesy suggests that in a narrow spot anglers ask those already in position if they can fish close by. No one can really prevent fishermen from coming too close but it's much more pleasant if everyone is given some space. Although the behavior of some fishermen would indicate they `own the place', they really must share fishing spots with anyone who wishes to be in the area.

Are we going too far in terms of trying to find our own personal `sanctuary'? Are we trying to promote a situation where guides meet on the boat landing and never disclose the places where the fish are? Why do anglers exchange information at fly fishing shows in the winter months and in the summer everyone excludes the `competition'?

Shouldn't fishing be a fun and interactive sport where people can enjoy sharing information? In my opinion, the ocean is big enough for everyone to enjoy its beauty.''

Jeff Smith, an outer Cape guide, had an interesting perspective gathered from experience and lessons well learned: ``I grew up in the west and learned to flyfish in the 70's from my father. My father taught me if I could tell what kind of gear another fisherperson was using, then I was too close. The next step would be to wind in my line and go up into the woods and around them so I didn't bother them and find a unoccupied space up or down stream. Nowadays, this practice is usually unheard of. I fish the beaches a lot and always try to find my own stretch no matter how many fishermen are out there. Part of the beauty of flyfishing is getting away from it all, including the crowds. . . .

I have had several beach strollers stop behind me while fishing the surf just to observe what I was doing not knowing that at the end of that long line was a 2/0 hook! I teach a one-day fly fishing school and always discuss ethics to those who attend. Out west, since the movie "A River River Runs Through It" came out, there has been an explosion in the growth of flyfishing and the amount of people on the water. It is our duty as seasoned anglers to spread these ethics in a positive manner. I can acutely remember the first time I played a round of golf and walked over another guys putting line. If he had never explained it to me then I would still be doing it to this day. Same goes for fishing.''

Perhaps Marcia Benson of Fishing The Cape in Harwich said it best: ``Fly fishing or fishing in general, is supposed to be fun - not a life-threatening situation. You can answer your own question (about fishing ethics) if you follow your own good judgement and remember how you as a fisherperson would like to be treated on the water.''

Chip concluded by saying that we would do well to take our example from the gentlemanly approach used in salmon fishing. Give everyone, participants, spectators, and passerby's, their due respect. Amazing how many situations where the Golden Rule applies, isn't it?

Dave Peros

Reel -Time

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