River Etiquette
Most any water that holds thousands upon thousands of walleyes (and bass) typically holds plenty of fishermen as well – especially on a beautiful spring weekend in Northwest Ohio.While some might say fishing “shoulder to shoulder” with hundreds – sometimes thousands – of anglers “isn’t for me,” these must be some who have yet to make it to the Maumee. Don’t let big crowds of people deter you . . . lots of fishermen most often means lots of fish!
When crowds get large, a few simple rules will take the guess work out of fishing close to neighbors.
- When wading, do not venture too far beyond the established line of fishermen. Wading beyond those around you (or holding back behind them) invites complications as people retrieve their jigs.
- Keep your casts roughly perpendicular to the bank – casting too far upstream or down increases the risk of hooking into others’ lines.
- Try to keep your rod tip relatively low to the water when retrieving – with or without a fish on the line.
- Continue to retrieve your jig once it hits the water – avoid letting slack build because you run the risk of having your neighbors retrieve into your line or getting snagged on the rocky bottom.
- Be alert to your surroundings. Yield to those around you who are attempting to land a fish.
- If you pack it in, pack it out – make the river more enjoyable for everyone and help eliminate litter.
