Please Be Careful!

[hoglaw]

I've never felt comfortable fishing around lots of other people...just kinda defeats the purpose for me. But my girlfriend's family likes to go to roaring river. I was getting ready for a trial last weekend but left the office in Rogers to head up there for a fish fry Saturday night. I got to their camp and no one was around, so I went down to the river to find them. I'm on crutches so no fishing for me right now anyway.

We got down there and it wasn't as crazy crowded as usual, and the family was sharing a pool with a guy who was fly fishing and minding his own business. When my girlfriend's mother and neice (5 years old) started to leave, they walked through the fly fishing guy's backcast area. Now, I think you're always responsible for where your fly goes and you're responsible to know what's behind you particularly around a place like this where not everyone understands exactly what you're doing. But the guy had been making the exact same long cast for thirty minutes and was probably a little zoned out, so I certainly understand how this was a total mistake with some erros on both sides of the line.

But sure enough, they walk about 50ft behind the guy and he tags the little girl right in the tricep and breaks the fly off. She starts to cry and he's trying to figure out what happened, and I can see the blue wing olive in her arm from the rock I was sitting on. Girlfriend's dad runs over to pick her up and asks the fly guy if it's barbless, he says it is, and he tries to push down on the eye and pull with hemostats. Nothing doing. The guy then equivocates and says maybe it isn't barbless. It wasn't. Now, I know the old push down and pull with fishing line trick, but I'll be darned if I'm trying it on a five year old that doesn't belong to me - in front of my hopeful in-laws at that. So I kept my mouth shut and followed them to the ER where they had it out in no time. I think all they did is numb the arm and give it a dead pull with needle nose pliars. But I sure wasn't going to try anything like that.

Bottom line is if you must fly fish in a crowded place like roaring river where kids are running all over the place, please please be careful what you're doing. Also, if you're like me and you see a mom and a kid walking in a general area where someone is fly fishing, speak up and say something and don't assume that everyone knows what to watch out for.

[jdmidwest]

That should be the rule with anyone fishing. You should always be aware of your surroundings. You always check to see your backcast and make sure it does not go into a tree don't ya?

[junkman]

Thought I was back far enough one time but the guys hook on his fly scratched my eye lid. Like someone was watching out for me. could have been real bad.

[ollie]

Personally I let them know I am walking behind them. Cough really loud or just say "hey" and most people will know you are there.

[Murdoc]

I always do the feet shuffle in the gravel. Usually works. I got hooked one time up at Montauk in the palm of the hand. Hope our young girl is OK!!

[jasperflyfisher]

Go barbless at rr. Much easier to get out of you and the fish.

[JCWolfe]

I always tell a fly fisher I'm crossing behind them, that's because I fish. Probably never crossed those peoples mind. And yes that guy should have been more aware of his surroundings. Thankfully she was only hooked in the arm.

[mchunter]

I always try to watch behind me when I am fishing. I honestly feel though, that the people walking behind fishermen should be the ones paying the most attention. Who is the one concentrating on fishing and who is the one walking around watching where they are going? I have mindlessly walked closer than I should have behind fishermen before, but I always try to remember, respect and give them the distance it requires for them to fish. We as fishermen still need to try and be aware of what is happening behind us though, because we can't expect children to know what is going on and where they should be. They are just out having fun!