Do you ask if you can fish next to someone?

[Zerkalo]

From the Angling Times: The Ten Commandments of Fishing Etiquette

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF FISHING ETIQUETTE

A real no-no on the match circuit, but equally applicable to pleasure angling. To skyline someone is to stand in their peg above their seated position and give the fish the chance to make out a large silhouette against the backdrop of the sky. So, if someone’s fishing in close, or up in the...

www.anglingtimes.co.uk

THOU SHALT NOT… GO IN THE VERY NEXT SWIM​

To continue the toilet analogy, just like you wouldn’t squeeze into the adjacent urinal unless there’s no other option, you don’t plot up in the next-door peg on a small venue. It might be frustrating if the fish are there but give each angler some space and cultivate your own area, unless it’s the only peg left, or the space between you is large enough.

To me it's fine, even if you don't say hello or even ask, but asking and saying hello is always welcome.

 

[sporty]

just wouldnt do it

 

[Northantslad]

Sounds like it’s got busy down there Zerkalo ? Was it this popular before Covid hit ? Lovely diagram pal ?

You want to see busy Mick, take a trip to Highley.
Compounded 2 years ago with other areas going to BAA membership, heaped the pressure on the day ticket ones.
Then the recent boom heaped it on further.

Doesn't matter when you head down there, chap i know went on a Tuesday the other week, arriving 7.30am, and took the only peg left on a half mile stretch.
Arrived the other day personally at 6am on a Friday morning, to 4 bivvied up on the beaches, another night angler in the car park peg, two others who had arrived and got in ok. Add to that the 5 of us then getting pegs, then two cars of 4 anglers arriving at 8am and the stretch is full. And all this when the conditions and the form is poor!

Not a case of sour grapes as i blanked either, i am always happy as the pig in its favourite environment on the Severn, but and compounded by the old beer cans evident in some of the pegs and other rubbish, i can't believe i am saying it, but.................i may be falling out of love with some of these places. I didn't take up river fishing and specifically Barbel fishing to then experience the very circus i found on some commercials.

 

[tipitinmick]

You want to see busy Mick, take a trip to Highley.
Compounded 2 years ago with other areas going to BAA membership, heaped the pressure on the day ticket ones.
Then the recent boom heaped it on further.

Doesn't matter when you head down there, chap i know went on a Tuesday the other week, arriving 7.30am, and took the only peg left on a half mile stretch.
Arrived the other day personally at 6am on a Friday morning, to 4 bivvied up on the beaches, another night angler in the car park peg, two others who had arrived and got in ok. Add to that the 5 of us then getting pegs, then two cars of 4 anglers arriving at 8am and the stretch is full. And all this when the conditions and the form is poor!

Not a case of sour grapes as i blanked either, i am always happy as the pig in its favourite environment on the Severn, but and compounded by the old beer cans evident in some of the pegs and other rubbish, i can't believe i am saying it, but.................i may be falling out of love with some of these places. I didn't take up river fishing and specifically Barbel fishing to then experience the very circus i found on some commercials.

And I moan when there are more than four anglers on our stretch of the tidal Trent. Crikey, I didn’t think things had got that bad down there. ??

 

[Northantslad]

They have unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, i'm not looking for some sort of idyllic, exclusive utopia, people can fish where they like and i don't blame anyone for targetting such a decent and convenient stretch, just down to fish there or don't now and i am edging towards the latter and that's before i start to think what effect it might have on the actual fishing, both potentially positive with ready supply of food for the fish going in and the negative of the pressure on them.

 

[Zerkalo]

I’ve not fished Highley yet and only walked it on a weekend and it was busy then. Didn’t expect it to be so bad In the week but speaking to the people that were fishing I heard a lot of different accents, seems people travel from all over to fish there.

Reminds me of a time at Arley I was fishing a peg on the float and someone appeared in the next peg upstream only 10m. He saw me when I stood up as he was just setting up and apologised. I said “it’s ok mate. I’m only trotting, plenty of space” but he moved onto another peg anyway.

In an ideal world I’d be able to go to the Severn of an evening in Summer and be able to get on a decent peg as when I wake up early enough to get one I’m usually knackered by the evening.

 

[Northantslad]

Thats the thing mate, feels so good to say temperatures look like peaking later and lets fish into dark on this one, but after getting up at 4am to get the pegs, it gets to 3-4pm sometimes and that fish into dark loses its appeal. It can be the best time sometimes, but then you have to get the pegs in the first place. Think the piece i write next will be called the hardships of the day ticket Barbel angler!

 

[Total]

From the Angling Times: The Ten Commandments of Fishing Etiquette

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF FISHING ETIQUETTE

A real no-no on the match circuit, but equally applicable to pleasure angling. To skyline someone is to stand in their peg above their seated position and give the fish the chance to make out a large silhouette against the backdrop of the sky. So, if someone’s fishing in close, or up in the...

www.anglingtimes.co.uk

To me it's fine, even if you don't say hello or even ask, but asking and saying hello is always welcome.

The 11th commandment.....All tackle will be coloured Guru Orange!

 

[Fugley-fisher]

It's human nature to end up closer than you should, just put one car in an empty carpark there will be a numpty that will park so close you need a can opener to get onto your car.

 

[solwood]

If I was him I would have said hello, and probably wouldn't pick the next peg if others were available

If I were you I would have stopped Trotting as you were fishing the next peg

I often trott 2 to 4 pegs down on the Wey thankfully often no other anglers, but one stretch is popular so often have to cut short the trot

 

[Silverfisher]

You want to see busy Mick, take a trip to Highley.
Compounded 2 years ago with other areas going to BAA membership, heaped the pressure on the day ticket ones.
Then the recent boom heaped it on further.

Doesn't matter when you head down there, chap i know went on a Tuesday the other week, arriving 7.30am, and took the only peg left on a half mile stretch.
Arrived the other day personally at 6am on a Friday morning, to 4 bivvied up on the beaches, another night angler in the car park peg, two others who had arrived and got in ok. Add to that the 5 of us then getting pegs, then two cars of 4 anglers arriving at 8am and the stretch is full. And all this when the conditions and the form is poor!

Not a case of sour grapes as i blanked either, i am always happy as the pig in its favourite environment on the Severn, but and compounded by the old beer cans evident in some of the pegs and other rubbish, i can't believe i am saying it, but.................i may be falling out of love with some of these places. I didn't take up river fishing and specifically Barbel fishing to then experience the very circus i found on some commercials.

I’ve only fished Highley a couple times but must have got lucky as I picked the pegs I wanted the night before and they were free the next morning around 8 no problem.

Does seem barbel fishing can be a circus though quite glad we don’t have many here. The rivers around here do see quite a lot of anglers but only those stretches with not many pegs get what you’d call busy so you get the pegs you want more often than not.

 

[The Landlord]

I think @Neil ofthe nene has pretty much nailed it there. There's pegs & there's pegs. On a commy or certain club waters (ours has defined pegs with paving slabs/pallets that are numbered), you can't really complain if someone plonks themselves down on a vacant peg. The only etiquette there is not to fish in your neighbour's water. However canals & rivers are slightly different where the only "pegs" are a bit of worn bank or grass. Setting yourself up to close to another angler is a bit off.

 

[Northantslad]

I’ve only fished Highley a couple times but must have got lucky as I picked the pegs I wanted the night before and they were free the next morning around 8 no problem.

Does seem barbel fishing can be a circus though quite glad we don’t have many here. The rivers around here do see quite a lot of anglers but only those stretches with not many pegs get what you’d call busy so you get the pegs you want more often than not.

Those days gone there, was that long ago Silverfisher? Almost impossible now to get a peg first thing at times and certainly if arriving beyond 8 at most. Not that i do, as i say i/we get up early to get pegs if travelling, and even if based up there for a weekend. Overall a peg is a peg of course and if its available, but it does compound the feelings i think Zerkalo felt, when you do that and then someone has a lay in, then pops in next to you.

How did you mean pick a peg the night before? Took a look the evening before and then came back and fished it the next morning?

 

[Silverfisher]

Those days gone there, was that long ago Silverfisher? Almost impossible now to get a peg first thing at times and certainly if arriving beyond 8 at most. Not that i do, as i say i/we get up early to get pegs if travelling, and even if based up there for a weekend. Overall a peg is a peg of course and if its available, but it does compound the feelings i think Zerkalo felt, when you do that and then someone has a lay in, then pops in next to you.

How did you mean pick a peg the night before? Took a look the evening before and then came back and fished it the next morning?

Was only a couple years, late September in ideal weather so must have got incredibly lucky by the sounds of it! And yeah was camped there so walked it the night before then was having the first cast the next morning a little before 8.

 

[Dave Spence]

Done a little diagram. No problem when Peg 1 is trotting (can't trot from Peg 2). Ideal leger casting area is circled. It's basically in front of Peg 2 so their dibs when fishing it, but ideally cast to from Peg 1. Bear in mind sometimes there's a Peg 3 on the opposite bank.

Omg that's tighter pegging than the Trent at holme pierrpont ?

 

[icaughtafishonce]

If the peg is super close, or I'm with my lad (who's 3 and can be a bit loud) then I'll ask. Otherwise as long as it's not really close I won't. But broadly, unless there's no space, then I'll avoid being near other people anyway.

 

[Me and my lad]

Manners maketh the man...

Saying that I get cheesed off when I pay for a day ticket and somebody tells me they have a rig in my intended swim despite being 2 or more pegs away. I ask them politely if they want to move into the peg itself and I will have theirs. Only once did I see my bottom totally. Me and mynlad took two pole pegs on a lake only to be told by an angler 3 pegs away he was fishing in the spot. I put my gear down in the nearest to him of the two and told him unlucky. I addad thats what you get for fishing 6 pegs from one station....I was so annoyed I missed every bite and blanked

 

[Robwooly]

Wish everyone was as polite as you guys. I'm always float fishing and when I go to The Severn I'm always getting guys set up either side or directly opposite me. Especially if I am on the opposite bank to the holiday chalets, it's almost like some think they own the swim directly outside their cabin, don't get me started on the 'ghost' gear you see left in those swims especially after walking 40mins to get there. I rarely get asked if it's ok and have moved on occasion when someone has had the cheek to cast across, despite being able to look after myself I just don't want a barny on the river bank. I'll never set up opposite someone on a narrow stretch of river, even most the middle Severn is too narrow.

Best one is when you explain to someone setting up opposite that you are wading across mid river as it's sods law they will always turn up when you are back bankside having a cuppa, some people are well mannered but it seems there's more and more space invaders about each time.

 

[NoCarpPlease]

I do think that this year has been exceptional with the (welcome) return of many lapsed anglers and the whole furlough thing.

For example. I was told by the locals that the Bartonsham stretch of the Wye below Hereford town is packed out all week with Barbel anglers this year (won't be today as 3m on this morning )