Etiquette at the Ditch (a tutorial)

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Finlander

This doesn't just happen at the canal, wherever the fishing is good at the time, right now it's the canal. Back ten years ago it was the backbeachs, had two seasons of the best bass fishing I've seen and no crowds then the word got out. It all changed the parking lots would be filled with trucks with NY and NJ plates, the beaches looked like a picket fence with all the poles. Great fishing easy access
= crowds. Even 15 minutes blitzs we all have seen the beach go from one or two to more the 50 in minutes. It's fishing! All I ask is use some common sense and a little courtesy, goes a long way and we can all get a long.

Yes, it did happen on the back but there was difference. You had a truck and could just move and, most likely, find fish. At the Ditch, if you are not a biker and the Biker brigade shows up and jumps in your bootmarks you are SOL. The "leapfrogging" thing annoys the crap out of me. Yes, I do have a bike. No. I do not use it at the Canal. My preference is to walk, which now is out of fashion. i cannot compete with the 10 speed crew so now I am relegated to the 0'dark 30 hours. Not that I mind. I'm still finding fish and still having fun. So we have to change with the times I guess. I like the solitude of middle of the night fishing. Always have.

[bloocrab]

Originally Posted by piemma

........The "leapfrogging" thing annoys the crap out of me. Yes, I do have a bike. No. I do not use it at the Canal. My preference is to walk..........

Funny you should say that. I do have a bike and use it occasionally at the CCC. However, what I've found is that I fish far less when I bring my bike as opposed to when I don't. A very common mistake made by many, is that they fish more with their eyes than with their gear. You simply can't do this in the wee hours, you have to FISH to find em'. Although the mobility does have it's moments, I just find that I do more riding and looking than fishing, and when the fish are down or simply not showing, I'm missing out on everything but the gossip.

I must add though, the bike does help alot in getting to spots that are far from the vehicle or possible parking. It is nice to be able to fish a far away spot a lot sooner than on foot. I too, get a kick out of the gossipping gangs...