Times sure have changed for certain…as far as fishing and fishing etiquette are concerned on local water ways. For the sake of this blog, I’m talking primarily about the Feather River and Sacramento River here in Northern California. Although respect and river etiquette should apply on all waterways nationwide, it is my opinion in today’s fast paced times and the generational gaps that have seemed to have separated the respectful old timers and the gung-ho, younger boat wrapped beginner guides. All river fishing and boating etiquette has been lost, and a more free for all, do what you want demeanor has taken over. This has been making for an occasionally unpleasant experience while out fishing or enjoying either of the river systems previously mentioned.

I started my fishing guide career in the early 2000’s. The fishing guides that were actively guiding for salmon and striped bass on the Sacramento River and Feather River were older gentleman. “Silverbacks” we called them. Guides that had been offering their services decades before my arrival.on the scene. These men had a system, a protocol if you will. Rules of the river, keeping boaters accountable for their etiquette and level of respect for all boaters on the river systems. Treating the owner of a private 12ft aluminum boat the same and with the same respect as a professional fishing guide who owned and opperated a 22ft jet sled. And that’s just how things were. You didn’t argue or ignore the rules. You never even thought about being defiant or ignoring the rules. It was just how it was. Things ran smoothly like this. These were not navigation laws or “rules of the road” as we know them from the Coast Guard. No…more like unspoken rules of respect for everyone on the rivers that had to constantly be around each other…and it worked!

Veteran fishing guides on the Sacramento River who worked daily and earned their living on the river had in placed and employed a few common courtesy rules that made fishing enjoyable and kept all the boaters being treated equally regardless of their status. Fishing guides who have retired, or are no longer on the river working as well as some that have since passed away. Legends by my standards and certainly mentors in my early years of guiding. Names like Hank Mautz, Hardy Dunn, Frank Townley, Gary Maines, Bob Wigham, Jerry Sitton, Jeff Glavaris, Scott Kenyon, and salmon fishing guide Dave Jacobs to mention a few that called the Sacramento River their home. On the other side of the Sacramento Valley, Feather River fishing guides like Rick Bishop, Jimmy Zanocco, Jerry Bass, and Big John Enos held up the same level of respect for all the people sharing the river on their side of the valley. All influential in their own way as well as holding themselves to a higher standard of river etiquette, which has been all but lost and forgotten in their absence. These were river guide professionals that we could learn a lot from on how to respect others and fish quietly up and down the river. Times have certainly changed to a bigger more heavy client based fishery, with some guides opting to deliver a “cattle style” trip with six to eight anglers positioned in the sitting position while boondoggling up and down the river runs. Most have thrown all etiquette to the wind and developed a ‘its all about me” mentality on the water and it really shows. Racing up and down the river full throttle, waking every sized boat in the process…you know the type…” the heck with everyone else out here today, me and my six clients are more important than all of your clients.” We see it day in and day out… you show up early to your favorite salmon holding hole early in the morning and by the time you get chance to back bounce your offering to unsuspecting salmon a “dragger” boon dogs beside you and drives right over the holding water you have been trying to get to for 20 minutes…happens everyday out there now. Or on the other hand, you and several other anglers are boondoggling a productive run…you have the drift dialed in and weight perfect and then a back bouncer pulls in and slams the barn door shut to all drifting in that hole…happens everyday out there. Many of the top guides are very versatile and are ready to catch salmon many different ways, where others are very one dimensional and only employ one technique.

A few of the most common rules when boating on the Sacramento River and Feather Rivers in reguards to fishing and river etiquette would be as follows… 1) When approaching a fishing hole with fishing already in progress, It is common courtesy to come off plane (full throttle) and slow down as to not cause unnecessary excessive noise to the anglers trying to catch fish in that particular hole. As well as to not push a wake causing occupants of the other vessels to be tossed about and your fishing thrown off course. The object is to slowly pass to the side of the hole quietly, then proceed to get back on plane after passing through the hole. This is just a common courtesy that works, it makes sense, although now a days it is seldom practiced. 2) If you head to your favorite fishing hole and somebody is already there, too bad! First come first served, by the old school rules. You may ask to join in or start fishing above the other fishermen but don’t barge in like they don’t exist. 3) When In Rome….do As The Romans do!! Like the old saying goes. If you approach a fishing hole and salmon fishing is in progress take a minute to observe what fishing techniques or styles are being used by the current occupants and follow suit! If you witness anglers involved in “back bouncing” for example don’t come in the hole and start “jigging” or “boondoggling”. If you wish to fish differently then find a new hole that is engaged in your style of fishing. Very simple, very polite, and it makes sense.

These common courtesies and matters of river etiquette are almost non existent these days. Although there are a few old timers and salmon fishing guides that still adhere to the unspoken rules of the river. With the much higher volume of new boat owners and new comers in general to the Northern California waterways of the Sacramento River and Feather Rivers. It would be a great time to again practice these few simple rules. At least be aware of what is taking place around you while you are navigating on the river, and keep in mind how your actions may be affecting other boaters and their fishing ability. We all have to share the rivers and there is only getting to more of us. So I urge everyone to share the river respectfully and keep in mind we are all here because we love to fish.

Mike's Fishing Guide Service for Sacramento River fishing targeting King Salmon, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, American Shad and Rainbow Trout. The Best Sacramento River Salmon Fishing Guide and Striped Bass Fishing Guide on the Sacramento River.