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The Top Ten Signs You Don't Want to Get Stuck Fly Fishing With That Guy You Just Met on the River

By Tom Chandler 2/23/2009

Here at the Trout Underground, we know the quandry that occurs when you encounter another fly fisherman on the river. Do you nod and hurry by, or stop - and risk spending an uncomfortable hour in the presence of a babbling idiot/pathological liar/sociopath?

Ladies and gentlemen (and Undergrounders), we once again present the kind of hard-hitting, useful "how-to" content you simply won't find anywhere else:

The Top Ten Warning Signs You Don't Want to Get Stuck Fishing With That Guy You Just Met on the River
10.
While talking, he re-ties his leader with tippet pulled from the spools on your vest

9.
He's in his 30s, yet says he grew up with Lefty Kreh

8.
He's constantly mumbling about flying saucers spooking his trout

7.
Has fly line threaded through hook keeper, yet still swears he can "cast to the backing."

6.
First words out of his mouth are "What's your favorite fly rod?"

5.
Wearing his waders inside out

4.
Second words out of his mouth are "What's your favorite fly?"

3.
Wearing "I <Heart> Donnie Beaver" button

2.
Severed human head in the back pocket of his vest

1.
Wraps fly line around your neck on backcast, doesn't notice before forward cast

As always, the Undergrounders are welcome to add their $.02; together, we can make the world a better place.

See you on the river (though maybe not if I see you first), Tom Chandler

p.s. - Hungry for more "Top 10" goodness? Read our "Top Ten Signs the Recession is Hitting Fly Fishing" - now more true than ever...

AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

19 comments
[...] In a less-startling vein, a couple of less-than-optimal (euphemism alert) experiences on the river left me ruminating about the kind of people you run into on a river, and why you wouldn’t necessarily want to hang out with all of them: The Top Ten Signs You Don’t Want to Fish With That Guy You Just Met [...]
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how about the guy who just moved to town--in march or so , and has been every where to chase every big-time gamefish(big time to me because steelhead is about as big as i can financially go)and has fished your local rivers for years and "knows" all the spots....so you go fishin'--with him. he shows up in flip flops and cut off khakis. then wades 44 degree water---gritting his teeth a whole lot. you ... more can tell it is cold by the tone in his voice each time he asks what you're hookin' 'em on--next time you see him he waves you down from three blocks away an jumps out of the car in a pair of neo's that fits like a leatard(?) just to show you every thing he just kept in the stretch of river you fished with him last week!!!!!! damn- shoulda seen that one!
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AC: this guy looked like he should have known better, so much for etiquette. Thats when you add a little extra twist to your back cast, see if your fly can snatch the hat off his head.
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Mike Spies: My favorite is the guy (I am not bothered by GALS) who sees you working some fish and wades in about 15 feet upstream. The ‘No Clue' guys you meet on the river - and the best argument possible for population control. This happened to me on the Mccloud, lots of open water above and below me but this dolt had to fish right on top of me because he could see the fish I was working from the ... more bank...this guy looked like he should have known better, so much for etiquette.
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or... he complains about the size of your tiki.
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Damn........... would you just look at all the moths!
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He's wearing hip waders, the kind with the plain rubber souls.
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This happened to a buddy of mine as we were fishing a small stream in central Washington. Fortunately we were out of sight of each other at the time so I only heard about it later. ... A guy walks up to you on the creek and invites you over to his trailer to watch his favorite movie The Dirty Dozen. He says he loves it for the guns and violence.
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why do severed heads still get such a bad rap?
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My favorite is the guy (I am not bothered by GALS) who sees you working some fish and wades in about 15 feet upstream. The 'No Clue' guys you meet on the river - and the best argument possible for population control.
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Jean-Paul Lipton: If you see a guy open a fly box full of patterns tied with clownshoe colored boa, mohair and other craft yarns, might be a sign to back away slowly. But you probably already smelled him from a mile downstream anyway… This goes without saying. And unless you enjoy visits from the biohazard team, don't shake his glowing hand.
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Jean-Paul Lipton: Ha!I've seen #7 before.priceless.If you see a guy open a fly box full of patterns tied with clownshoe colored boa, mohair and other craft yarns, might be a sign to back away slowly.But you probably already smelled him from a mile downstream anyway… hahaha, The feather duster fly is also a personal favorite.
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Ha! I've seen #7 before. priceless. If you see a guy open a fly box full of patterns tied with clownshoe colored boa, mohair and other craft yarns, might be a sign to back away slowly. But you probably already smelled him from a mile downstream anyway...
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Ian: Says the fishing was better the first time he vacationed here 10 years ago - before all the tourists showed up. hahahahahahaha this is perfect. Number 10 and number 1 are also some personal favorites. He's one I experience constantly fishing from a low Bridge in Soldier Pond, Maine *** He sees that your casting to a certain pocket, and you can feel his casts getting closer and closer to yours----damn, ... more your lines have crossed.
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Zingers, bobbers, fish counters. Except for well- worn waders "ers" of any kind.
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Tom...rest easy for a few days ...I'm leaving in about 10 minutes for some "quality" time with Dave ...hehehehehe, so you will probably not get any calls until thusday. Please say a prayer for me, I don't need any medical attention at the moment but that could change by sunup tomorrow.
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Says the fishing was better the first time he vacationed here 10 years ago - before all the tourists showed up.
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Yeah, a lot like that. I hear there are even psychotic types out there who will call friends when they've got a fish hooked just so they can broadcast the sound of the Hardy reel. Crazy shit like that.
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TC, is that something like stopping by a fly shop and start talking to the guy tying about bamboo, and you get stuck with him the rest of your life? He even claims a room in your house, eat your slaw dog's, call you all the time when you are on a dead line. (just because he is retired and loves to rub it in) David
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