since we have been beating the water subjects to a froth from behind the screen , what would one consider a water hog ?
To me they like PIGS, come in all forms .. It could possibly be my second biggest peeve on the river ( litter junkies being #1 and snagger # 3 ) ..
Is there really such a thing as 2 sides of the river ?
If someone is directly across from you would it be acceptable for them to cast as far as they could to fish your drift, in time or not resulting in tangled lines every so often ?
 
Here is my view about sharing water:
If I wander to a section where someone is on the other side I will assess the water they are fishing first and either stay on what I would consider my side based on their casting or continue on..
If I am somewhere fishing and nobody is across then I will cover as much water as I chose.. If someone wanders down across then I will adjust to my side of the river or move..  I'm not going to continue casting trying to what I feel has become their side.. Am I wrong ?
If they feel the need to cast to my side I will make my thoughts known or move on..
Too often I find that folks don't think that IMO there are 2 sides to a river and feel they are entitled to bank to bank ..
 
So what do you guys consider a water hog ?
 
Granted, I'm bored just sitting around the house waiting for ice with little desire to fish the SR right now..

many times i find that i am fishing in what most consider elbow to elbow, for the most part i don't mind doing that realizing that to fish that way requires a "dance" to get your drift and not interfere with or be interfered with....so that said
my idea of a hog (with respect to water) is what i found last sunday morning on the SR....i was fishing a float as were all of the others spaced about 20ft apart.   then the guy 3 up from me decides that those of us down the hole are getting more hits so he starts doing uncontrolled hero drifts with his center pin rod held high giving an arching line that blocks the hole for a good 90 ft , the only way to fish while he is doing his drift is for the three of us to cast over his line and accomadate him (i'm not bashing pinning here, i was also using a cp).  so, luckily i wasn't the one that ended up in a tangled mess with his gear and after the guy one down from me and the hero had some words he decides to low hole everyone, then 5 of his buddies show up and start pushing up into the hole....that is water hogging
as for being opposite one another it depends on the circumstance, in most cases its fine (again requiring a dance)
Its awesome to have water to yourself, but in most cases it ain't happening on the tribs, so i just take it in stride as much as i can
what bugs me more is the azzholes who think they need to wade into a hole to fish it, them i'll snag.  :)
can you tell i'm alittle bored too, waiting for quitting time?
btw, i have pzzed people off not intending to by fishing in a way i thought was acceptable but they took offense....the one that sticks in my mind was on an erie trib, with only one hole to fish, i have fished it with as many as 30 guys on the hole...i came in one morning before daybreak, as i was making my way from down stream to it, another group was coming in from upstream...they got there maybe a minute before me.  i let them get spaced and tied up my rod (they were spaced across the whole hole at about 20 ft intervals) so, i picked the spot i had been the day before, walked over, and waited for daylight to start casting....the guy downstream from me blows a gasket....start b itching me out and asks if i am really going to do that...in the mean time atleast 5 other guys work in between his other buddies without a word...i said yes, we had a discussion where he expressed his displeasure and i told him he must not fish this stream often as we are not that close....he starts a monologue about what an a-hole i am etc etc......then he about crapped when two guys slid in between the two of us....i felt for him as they tangled up with him all morning

bigbear, I do agree with you about going in with knowing the expiations in front of you..
A conga line as Charlie aptly named it (well, I must say) is knowing and understanding that this is how it's going to be fished.. I been there , done that and understand..  It all works fine when everyone is on the same page..  Issues come to me when as you said the guy above or the guy across gets greedy and wants to be a water hog..  That's when I'm outta there and have no tolerance for that ..
 
My rub is when there is plenty room and someone from the other bank feels the need to cast 3/4 the way across the river dropping his fly/bait/float at the end of my rod and tangling lines..

As stated in different ways above, every situation is different. Water types, methods applied and placement and number of people all comes to play with this subject. General principle is what should apply. If two-few-30 guys can fish a hole comfortably so be it... if there are or is just one sore thumb, then it will screw everything up. Most anglers like to push the limits in tight situations... once an entanglement comes about, it should be kindly assessed and known that closer attention need be applied. Once that gets ignored, then the category of water hog and/ or sheer stupidity comes to mind...

How about when an inexperienced guy is fishing a seem completely incorrect... I will admit I can chuckle about it and maybe comment that id be hooking fish if I was standing where he is... but I let it go... what gets me are the folks that get frustrated and harp on it... insisting that the person doesn't know what they're doing and even go as far to try and squeeze in and swat any inch they can in to the prime zone... that is a true water hog to me...

agree db, I don't think folks have really the right to tell others how they should fish..
 
Maybe you guys are miss understanding my view of a water hog..
To me it's not so much the conga line or tight quarters experience..
It's the areas where there is PLENTY of room to share water with 1 or very few anglers and someone thinks they have the entire length they can cast to fish when another angler comes along from the other bank ..
Kinda goes back to Charlies thread but a little different.. It need not be a spey guy..
Honestly, I would not step in if I see someone casting bank to bank..
If I see them casting mid river width then yea I would..
If I am casting bank to bank (which I am only capable of doing with a spinning rod) then If i see someone wanting to step in across then I would adjust to my side of the river not try and time my cast as to hog his water..
 
 

Of course a water hog is anyone who disagrees when  "real" fishermen want to rotate a pool. I try to make judgements based on lots of criteria. I have rarely gotten any grief, so I guess I've done OK.   I did have the 2 guys complain when I fished across from them last Friday, but they didn't realize I was going to cast upstream 5' from the bank, while only taking one step from the bank. They were OK, and even told me I did a good job landing and releasing the fish. I wished them luck and moved on. I can and have adjusted to tight situations like Bear described, and really have no problems most of the time.  I've been fly fishing, and only fly fishing, for a long time.  You'd think a snob like me would be right into the way of Spey. If I still lived on the west coast, or traveled to Norcal and Ore. like I did at one time, I would. Here, it holds little interest for me. I've only been to New Brunswick and the Gaspe' a few times, and 9 footers did fine there. So, for the most part, it has no use in my arsenal. For me, choosing a method to fish that requires enormous amounts of room on a crowded river is selfish.  That's not to say it isn't effective when you have the room, or long rods can't do well at dead drift and short line fishing,  Same applies to pinners.  I've fished around some great ones, that absolutely amazed me how they could catch fish. They let me have room, though.  They made sure their drifts stopped above me. But, I try to give them at least  70-80' if there's room.  I've had some really great times in crowded conditions (not salmon/town conditions!!!!!)  so, I'll continue and keep trying to be more aware of what works and what doesn't.  I at least have reached the point with steelhead, that I'll step out and let others in. That really does generate some good will, as many of you here well know. 
   I fish very differently than you, HT. I fit into the category of Water Hog, according to your criteria. Maybe some day I'll elevate my ethics to your level. For now, I'll do what I think is best.

Far to many today have the me first and to heck with you mentality. It shows with  many of the subjects we discuss here from litter to outright illegal fishing to general rude behavior on the river--its sad,
 There is a common sense mannerism wherein one gives consideration to others that he would expect them to give back  that is slipping away in our society.
We  cant change it and deplore putting up with it- I choose to just move on when it happens around me. Life is too short for that BS.
    There was a time I stood my ground screamed and yelled and was willing to up the ante however they wanted- no more. I'm here for fun now.
 ( although a nice stand your ground  fistfight was once considered to be fun -getting too old)

Lol, you water hogger .. Some day you might reach greatness ( again lol ) but for now you'll have to settle for just being a fisherman in my criteria .
A driftboat coming down the run knowing he can plug the water better then the guy on the bank fishing it , so he does.. Water hog !!
Other boat sees guys in the run and asks if its cool to plug it if he thinks the guys might be ok with it or passes if not. Pretty good fisherman to me.
They come in many shapes and forms . Fortunately like you Fichy those experiences are few but not to be unexpected.

I am probably that inexperienced guy fishing the seam wrong.   ;0P  
To me a hog is someone who does not take the next guys fishing into consideration.  Does not matter if it is hero drifting, swinging flies,  or casting to the opposite bank.  With the exception of the hero drift I do not  have a huge issue with someone casting from across the bank as longs as they try to time it.    It is not  only for casting, BUT for landing a fish also,  more than once in the Conga line  I have had people  play a fish down to the backing when they could easily move down with the fish and free up the pool.  These would be the same folks that do not pullup when someone else is playing a fish.
 

Geez, that's a whole 'nother category and a half-  the drift boat hogs....
Speakin' of  boats, where's John? (a VERY non- hog drift boater- as good as there is )  I was hoping he had some great trips.  I've had guides park right above  where they saw me catch a fish and let line out to keep me out of the drift.  In a way that's much worse. No timing casts, nothing. You've been displaced, period. It also teaches the clients that it's OK to  be that way.  I know the stress of having to put people on fish, but there's little excuse for robbing bank and wade fishers water. If I see a boat trying to slide in  but is trying to give me room, more times than not, I'll slide down   and give them some space to fish their clients. I watched a guide plugging Sat. and he rowed a whole pool with the exception of the head 3 times. The head was the good spot, but I was on one side and 2 Spey guys had the other and he never rowed into our space except for the first time through. Maybe it was because we all stopped casting and gave him a good morning and take your time.  At least at this time of year, the majority of people are very decent folk.  I'm going again Sat.  Hopefully, I'll only find the good ones out.