What Happened to Fisherman'Etiquette?

Over the years I've seen the rapid downward spiral of fishing etiquette on our steelhead streams to the point of almost non-existent.  We all want to have a pleasurable time fishing and most fishermen (and women) will do their best to try to make room to accommodate a fellow fisherman.  However, on those occasions where there just isn't any more angling room, please move on. DON'T move in.  This subject NEEDS to be preached more and more and more on ALL Erie trib forums.  It's just common courtesy folks and it is way beyond annoying!

If there is people then there is fish, if there isn't then there is a good chance there is nothing, what I have learned unfortunately, me and a buddy walked a good half mile if not more and didn't see a thing, the only place we saw fish we had to crowd guys unfortunately. Wish it was different, we did wait our turn though and to my knowledge didn't push any one out of their spot

More and more people means more and more fishermen.  The streams don't change size.  Same story with any limited resource.  Add the internets to that and what was once a small, local, word of mouth fishery becomes a free-for-all of people who read about catching steelhead and drive on out there to try it.  The guys who have been doing it for many years will always resent the influx of new people who don't "know the rules" in those places.  Not much to be done about it.  
 
If it makes you feel better, there will always be chunks of people who don't have any interest in the sport of your choice.  That at least limits SOME pressure on the fishery.  I know where those streams are, have read enough to get the correct gear and go stand next to some other stream fishing guy and snag a big dumb PCB infested trout in the face, but I choose not to.  One, because I'll save my monthly allotment of PCB eating for walleye, two because wading around streams with big loopy poles doesn't excite me, and three because fishing elbow to elbow with a bunch of smelly fishermen is something I'll only tolerate on a head boat in the ocean where I'm catching something awesome like grouper.  And only then barely tolerate.  Because fishing is about enjoying nature, and that's really hard to do when you are jammed together with a bunch of littering aholes.  :)
 
For the guys that love the sport and those who have been at it for a long time (and have likely taught many others how to do it right) it is a shame that so many people being up there jacks up your enjoyment.  But there isn't much that can be done about it, outside of a nice plague or apoc killing off a bunch of people.  Cross your fingers I guess.

Local_Angler
However, on those occasions where there just isn't any more angling room, please move on. DON'T move in. 

Exactly. Especially so on the smaller creeks. On many smaller waters if I see that there's already vehicles.....I go elsewhere. Because: a.) there's simply not enough room/water/fish around for multiple people, or b.) the fish have already been worked over. This isn't limited to Erie. Back in the summer I really wanted to fish this one really small creek, but upon arriving I saw that somebody else beat me there. It's always good to have a Plan B.......
 
Just recently I heard of a small creek in Erie that had about 15 vehicles along it. And this creek only has enough room/fish for only maybe 4 people at most if you know each other and don't mind fishing close together!!!! FIFTEEN CARS?? Just stupid! If you see there's already a vehicle or two, go somewhere else......
 

fisherofmen376
The problem is some guys think if there's a crowd then that's the best and only place to catch fish.

Yeah. I'm fine with that
 
Then ya gotta love the people that try to move into your spot after you catch a fish in a spot they wouldn't think to try....
 
Other than the usual people from PA/OH/NY, I've seen plates this year from WV, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Michigan, Ontario, and who knows how many others were around. Just an observation

Sometimes the people are there because the people are there. Doesnt always mean there's more fish. Same with fishin in the big pond. Sometimes the boats are there because the boats are there, doesn't always mean they are on a big school of fish.
 
BH

ain't nothing new under the sun, Kiddies
 
I think it was Jiggy Jim that coined the phrase many years ago   "the Manchester  mentality" in regards to crowding .
It was happening  in all parts of the creeks way back when ..it's nothing new 
 
My tactic for some knuckle dragging oaf that crowed me, was to pretend I was a clueless rube  (think Jerry lewis "disorderly orderly") that didn't know how to cast .
a handful of times  casting over them/tangling their line  and "Jerry Lewis like"  apologizing , they generally determined they didn't want to fish next to a retard (it often pays to be dumb...like a fox) 
 
 
..L.T.A.
 

It's not that hard to figure out if you wanna sleep in late and still expect to get into a good hole your dead wrong..and deserve to wait. Be the first on the water if someone else is inconvenienced by you then they shouldnt have slept in that extra half hour or so if I fish walnut I'm in a spot by 5:15A.m. so I'm not the one who is being rude trying to squeeze into a tight spot at the first light because I didn't want to get there early enough