A Few Thoughts On Fishing Etiquette
It’s amazing what a little cooperation can do. Here’s a throwback shot of the cod fleet off Block Island way back in 2011 when the schools were feeding over a very select piece of bottom. Surprisingly, the bite was solid and everyone went home happy. OutdoorTom.com photo.
All games have rules and fishing is no exception. For the most part, fishing regulations are black and white. They are posted by the appropriate regulatory agencies and are not unbearably difficult to figure out if you spend a few minutes reviewing the guidelines. As in other games, however, anglers would do well to also abide by a few unwritten laws, etiquette guidelines if you will, that help establish an uncodified sense of order to the fleet while keeping misunderstandings to a minimum.
Consider, for example, the invisible force field that surrounds most fishing vessels. Although there is no hard or fast rule involving this mysterious phenomenon, there is undeniably a small area around each boat considered to be exclusive domain by all on board. The size of this area isn’t fixed; rather it is flexible and constantly adjusted to meet changing fishing conditions and the entrance to or exit from the fishing scene by other boats. Further, this private zone picks up and moves with each vessel wherever that craft may head. In most instances, this space at minimum provides enough buffer to prevent other boats from interfering with the playing of a hooked fish. Thus, there’s a bigger force field around tuna boats than around anglers seeking porgies, summer flounder, weakfish or stripers. It’s important to be aware of the need for a little space between boats – and to keep in mind that it is also a breach in decorum for skippers to crowd far less mobile bank fishermen.
In the same vein of thought, it’s a good idea to fish in a manner compatible with those around you. Anchoring in the line of a steady stream of drifting or trolling boats is taboo, as is trolling or driving through another captain’s chum slick. If you plan to fish in a manner that varies significantly from the prospecting methods of the fleet, move off and try your luck in a less busy area. When drifting or trolling, simply get in line and take your turn over the prime target area as space allows, then swing wide - to prevent spooking the fish as much as interfering with other boats - and run back up to the starting point. Weaving your way through the fleet to get back to the head of the line is just bad manners.
Racing full-throttle into a school of surface feeding game fish is one of the more infuriating violations of fishing etiquette. This major faux-pax generally puts the fish down, raising the ire of anyone who was in good position before the offending party blundered onto the scene. If you see fish working under birds or busting on top, slowly and quietly align your vessel ahead of the action or ease up into casting range without infiltrating the school. Done right, it takes but a minute or two before the fish surround your boat. You can then join the party without causing any undue mayhem or facing the glaring stare-downs of your fishing brethren.
- Bryce Poyer
