I fish the Willamette, and try to be polite to the other fishermen and boaters. During a recent anchor set, I got a loud objection from an upstream-anchored fisherman (approximately 80 yards directly upstream) that he was fishing this area, and that we should not anchor below him. He insisted that if he hooked a fish, he should be able to release his anchor and drift down with the fish, and that we should stay out of his way.
My question is this: "How much river should an anchored fisherman expect to control?" Aren't all boaters subject to rules of the road, and maintaining control of their vessels? It seems ludicrous to me that anyone should expect unobstructed drift passage downstream in a crowded waterway such as the Willamette. Am I truly off base on this?
My question is this: "How much river should an anchored fisherman expect to control?" Aren't all boaters subject to rules of the road, and maintaining control of their vessels? It seems ludicrous to me that anyone should expect unobstructed drift passage downstream in a crowded waterway such as the Willamette. Am I truly off base on this?