Fly Fisherman's Rowing Basics, Part 3: Safety & Etiquette

Click here for Part 1: Oar Work

Click here for Part 2: Fishing from the Boat

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From giving priority to wading anglers and being courteous at the ramp to safety gear and water hazards, Fly Fisherman contributing editor and veteran fishing guide Blane Chocklett gives advice on to how avoid dangerous situations (and get out of them) and making enemies on the river. There’s often more going on than meets the eye, Chocklett’s decades of experience provide the shortcuts to keep your river days productive, enjoyable, and safe.

Transcript: 

00:00:15.270 --> 00:00:26.580: Hi everybody. My name's Blane Chocklett, and I've been a fishing guide for more than 30 years. I've spent most of my time in rafts and drift boats fishing by waters of the James and New Rivers in the state of Virginia. Today we're gonna talk about raft and drift boat basics. Whether you're fishing in Virginia or Montana, all these principles apply.

00:00:48.265 --> 00:01:10.050: Prepare before you launch. Sometimes launches can be very busy. Don't show up at the boat ramp. Park right in front of the launch and get your boat ready. Always pull to the side. Get everything ready before you go down to actually launch your boat. That way you don't make other people wait on you, which makes you maybe forget something or create an argument.

00:01:10.050 --> 00:01:27.270: Always be courteous to those coming behind you or that are in front of you. Public water is everyone's. We all wanna have a good time on the water. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated and we'll all have a good day while floating a river and dealing with wading anglers.

00:01:27.270 --> 00:01:38.220: It's important to try not to mess up their fishing day. Try to go behind them if you can. If the river's not big enough to do that, give them a wide berth and do not fish the water that they are fishing.

00:01:38.220 --> 00:02:08.910: Sometimes you'll have multiple boats on one section of water. I would rather anchor and wait for them to move through the water. That way you're not fishing right behind them if someone is ahead of you. Proper etiquette is to let them fish, especially if they're guiding. If that can't be avoided, what I like to do is row past them well out of sight before we start fishing again. Do not fish the same water. It's not productive for anyone and it will prevent anglers from getting upset with each other.

00:02:08.910 --> 00:02:18.510: Clean your shoes before you get in the boat. A dirty boat means dirty fly lines. Dirty lines means fly doesn't cast as well.

00:02:18.510 --> 00:02:36.960: An anchor is a must on the water. It allows you to be able to set up on fish. It allows you to rest, but it's also can be dangerous. Do not anchor and heavy current always carry a knife. If you do happen to get your anchor stuck in a rapid or under a ledge, you need that knife to be able to cut you free.

00:02:36.960 --> 00:03:05.310: Always have life jackets on the boat for each individual. Also have a throw cushion, some type of flare or whistle that allows you if you are stranded somewhere for you to be heard. Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to sweepers, log jams, low head dams. These all are hazards on the water. If you're fishing new water, make sure you get intel or scout the river before floating.