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Etiquette 101: steer clear of other anglers and head for your own solitude.
move onto the next, in hopes that it will be quiet and empty. I like to leave my fellow anglers alone. They are probably out doing the same thing I am: searching for the peace that comes from fishing in remote locations. Alone.
Now I do understand that some anglers like the social aspect of fishing with a group. I have done the same sometimes, enjoying the company of friends just as much as the fishing. That’s fine, but when I see one guy fishing an area, I leave it to him and move on to the next locale. Ethical anglers must respect another’s solitude, and take all measures necessary to preserve their peace. The last thing this lone angler wants to hear is, “Are you catching any?”
The time to initiate small-talk, if that is the intent, is to wait until a person comes off the water and returns to their vehicle. I have done this before, when I don’t mind just watching someone fish. When they are done fishing, I make an approach, always assessing whether or not the angler wants to chit-chat. My first question is usually, “...you giving up?” If they say yes, then I know it’s okay to interrupt. If not, I tell them, “Okay, I’ll let you get back to it.” On most occasions,
I just wave as they pack their things up and leave, letting them approach me if they want to talk.
Picking the Right Gear
One basic step of siting your own spot starts with Maine’s favorite outdoor tome, the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, published by DeLorme. This big, easy to read resource clearly shows rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds throughout the state. The next step is finding out where state biologists are stocking fish. This surely will get an angler on the right path to finding where the fish are located. It’s easy to check fish stocking re- ports from Maine fish hatcheries that shows both the previous stocking trends, as well as current numbers. In your search bar, enter “Maine fish stocking report” to find Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) website, then click on the cor- responding report. Scroll through all of the waters to find several locations in an area you’d like to fish so you have plenty of room to wander.
I have also often called fisheries’ biologists in a par- ticular region and asked about the fishing quality for a particular body of water. They almost always have given me awesome advice for whether or not a place is
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