Bit of a Problem

[Bill Babler]

As most of you know, I fish the lower restricted area hundreds of days per year. I operate a powerboat with a draft at idle speed of about 24 inches. On plane I can operate at perhaps 18 inches, but for the most part need just a couple of feet of water to keep the prop from bending.

There are probably no more than a handfull of people that know the area as well as I do, and maybe less than that, that know it better. It is my home, and has been since the early 70's. I have been thru there over 10,000 times. I know the water.

If I am coming by a boat in a certain area, there is a reason for it. There is a reason why I am there.

To mess up or disturb another while fishing is something that I just don't do.

I however have to be able to manuver my boat thru these tight areas, without ridiucle, or have guides that are fishing the only channel throw up their hands and have there customers fly cast in front of me in a channel that is 12 ft. wide.

The channel off the Fall Creek Flat is one of those locations. At 1 generator or no generation, the power boats simply cannot get thru on the Fall Creek side. The water outside the channel is no more than 8 inches deep.

Most of the drift boat operators know this, and float the short water and cast to the channel. If they drift the channel, and cast in the channel and too the shore, there is no room. You simply can't have it all.

The time frame to idle past a boat in this location is no more than one fly cast. If the thru passage disturbs your fishing, you are doing something wrong, as the fish will eat in the wake as well as flat water. I have absolutely no problem with anyone coming past me in this slot, as I really should not be there to begin with.

This is the only Navigable passage to the upper area, and really should not be blocked.

As most of you know, I do spin cast trips, but I also will take in the area of 150 fly fishing trips per year in this area, and know what it takes to guide fly fishing clients. Lilleys' was guiding fly fisherman 15 years before any of the current fly shops were here.

There is plenty or room for everyone, but we must be aware of each others limitations. Is throwing a fit and trying to show someone else up over 1 presentation worth this?

I don't work a job and take a dozen or two guide trips per year, this is my sole livelyhood and I am a professional at what I do. This is my home water and I know it like no other.

I guarantee, I will never wake you or get in your way if there is any possible way I can avoid it.

Those of you that know me know how I operate.

[rps]

Bill:

I use parts of "A River Runs Through It" in my classes to teach voice, tone, and point of view to 7th and 8th graders. I praise the writing and the movie for the deep personal connection between the writer and the reader. I cannot read the passage about rivers and haunting aloud without crying

On the other hand, my friends and I have been fishing the White River for trout of extraordinary size for more than 30 years. My father used to use a guide named Woods for his trips. I think he stopped guiding and started doing something else.

In your post, you kindly and nicely are trying to make a point that standing and casting in the middle of the boat channel isn't cool. Do not believe you can teach or show the crowd. Instead use the criteria my friends and I use.

Ask once, nicely. If they answer with a sincere question, stop and answer it in detail. If they don't, run their butt over. They would do the same to you and actually understand that response.

rps

[FRENZEL]

Next time get about 60 feet out at 50 mph and then shut her down trim it up and push a tidal wave past the boat in the channel. Wave as you roll by nice and slow. The next time they will pray that you keep enough speed to keep it on plane.

[Terry Beeson]

Bill,

I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but I guess some of us waders feel the upper part of Taney is somewhat "our" part of the lake. No, it is NOT really "ours" or anyone's. But one reason I like fishing Taney from Outlet 1 down to Big Hole is due to the lack of boat traffic. It's hard enough at times to find a "spot" to fish up there with the "gauntlet" and fishermen lined up resembling opening day at Bennett.

I tend to get in a spot that is doing well for me and stick to it. I rarely move unless I see a spot where nobody is fishing and is easy to get to and looks promising when the fish have shut off. But I have a "shut up and fish" attitude on the water. I do not like to be "upset" with any distraction. My focus is on fishing - my cast, my presentation, my mend, my stripping, the take, the set, the fight... And a distraction upsets that focus... So I'm going to complain about it... Hopefully, just to myself and let it go...

But I will also say that the same scenario you describe can happen with waders as well as boats. Sometimes I wonder if people just don't understand or realize that a guy fly fishing needs as much room behind him as in front of him to cast. I've had guys walk behind me and almost run into my backcast. If I know someone is behind me (and I usually take a quick look behind me before casting) I will wait until he has waded through. But then there is the guy who decides he's going to stand behind me about 20 feet...

Again, not saying what you say is right or wrong. We all need to share the lake. I guess I'm just trying to give SOME explanation to why some guys have that attitude. And it's just and EXCUSE... not a reason.

If you do what you say (I have no doubt you do... just no experience) then a little under the breath grumbling and giving you a path is the right thing to do...

[loo10]

Interesting discussion........

I fish from my boat above Fall Creek the majority of the time.

I always feel bad when I have to move past another fisherman;

whether it's in the restricted area or even at Short Creek.

The days we can get away to fish are too precious and I hate

to disturb another angler.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to avoid it sometimes.

As Bill said, if you are in the channel...

where else am I to navigate my boat?

I motor down and idle thru but sometimes I have to pass pretty close.

My boat, when trimmed up, floats pretty darn shallow and I'll

try to fish away from you but sometimes it's very difficult.

Hate looks...flipping me the bird...or actually cussing me

isn't going to help matters.

I defend your right to wade

as strongly as I defend my right to fly cast from my boat's deck.

Believe it or not, my biggest issue lately has been

people in drift boats practically rowing right up my backside.

[Gavin]

Makes perfect sense to me...Dont block navigation channel, and dont get upset if someone has to use it while your fishing it.......

The same rule applies to wading anglers on float streams...I'll float behind them quietly if I can, but sometimes you have to go down the channel were they are fishing. It just happens..

Cheers.

[gonefishin]

I agree with Terry on this one. IMO the shallow water areas up there should be off limits to power boats no matter how well they may know the area.

[loo10]

I agree with Terry on this one. IMO the shallow water areas up there should be off limits to power boats no matter how well they may know the area.

Define "up there".

[FRENZEL]

So when there is 4 units running and 4 spots to fish near the outlets there should only be a 1/2 dozen fishermen in the trophy area??????I guess you also want it restricted to fur and feather flies only too. How about only bamboo rods. And silk line spun fresh off a spiders behind.

Lets be real here.

[Terry Beeson]

GF,

Just to be clear, I did not and do not say boats should be restricted from coming up there. I just said waders tend to think of it as "their" water. But sometimes I do wonder why a boat would come up above big hole if there are no units running...