Let's face it, when the weekend arrives and prime fishing time roles around, all of us want to get out there and, as the commercials say, "Just Do It"! But I don't know how many times that my revered fishing time has been spoiled by others, anglers and non, who insist that their own selfish desires supercede those of anyone else on the water.

On rivers, when the fish are running, there is always a mad rush for the prime holes, which are either completely fished out, or at least spooked by 7:00 am. Fishing shoulder to shoulder is not what my favourite passtime is all about. The only bonus is that if you actually land a fish, you might become the instant owner of numerous shapes and sizes of various types of terminal tackle, especially if you have to walk the fish away from the hole. However, if you're not the one with the fish on, you're just as likely to lose a length of line and whatever you have on the end of it.

So why fish the hole if the quarry is spooked and you have a 20-1 shot of losing tackle without the benefit of catching a fish?

What's worse is that many anglers see a spot where they want their presentation to be, and will walk right in front of someone else to cast there. I once saw someone try this trick, and to his shagrin, he was picked up and unceremoniously dumped in the water by the (somewhat larger) angler he had cut in front of. Good Show!

Another time, one fisherman was fighting a large salmon in a hole where everyone else had retrieved their lines and were waiting for the the battle to end before casting back out. But this one guy must have thought that he had found the perfect time to get his line right into the center of the pool. A friend of the angler with the fish immediately noticed the perpetrator, and asked him to remove his line for fear of getting it fouled in the fight and causing the loss of the fish. When the obnoxious person didn't, the friend merely reached out with his clippers and cut the offending line. Bravo!

Rivers provide a fairly restricted area from which to fish when compared to lakes and reservoirs, but that doesn't seem to stop people from performing incredibly insensitive, annoying and outright stupid actions that ruin someone else's fishing.

The prime offender is the lack of some anglers' ability to both control boats and think at the same time. And not only are weekenders guilty. I've had lines run over and been almost hit by pros during tournaments. Now, I don't want to paint a negative picture of the pros, because I know many who are experienced and proficient boaters. In fact, most of whom travel a great distance just to get away from anyone else during a tournament. But some of those who "run 'n gun" in well-fished waters seem to be more enthralled with the performance of their boat, and less with the fish or other anglers. Let's face it, a boat that can travel at a speed of 60-70 mph should not be doing so anywhere in the vicinity of other, stationary boats. And for those of you who do drive recklessly, may the lower unit of your 200hp become part of the nearest shoal!

You know, it's not rocket science for us to be able to think before we act. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:

When Fishing Rivers -

• take your spot in line and don't cut in front of someone else
• take your line out of the water when someone else has a fish on, and don't cast until the fight is over
• let others know when you have a fish on so that they can retrieve their lines and not foul yours

When Fishing Lakes -

• avoid other anglers by keeping a minimum distance of 50 yards or metres
• slow down when navigating around anchored or drifting boats
• remember that large wakes can lead to swamped boats and eroded shores

Wherever you're fishing always make sure that no garbage is left on the shore or allowed to float away. Remember that fishing is an activity enjoyed by persons of all ages, and the last thing we want to do is teach the next generation to disrespect others and the resources we need to fish.

Until next month...
(tight lines, get it wet, good fishin', see you on the water, etc., etc.).

Scott M. Binnie, Managing Editor