In many of the rivers I fished when I was a kid...mid-70's and into the mid-80's...there were a LOT more fisherman out there than there are now...and everyone was WAY more polite and used far better etiquette than "fishermen" do on crowded rivers now.

I think there were a few differences...first, and most important, there were a lot more fish around.

People didn't feel the need to act like total douchebags to fight for a fish...everyone could catch a couple.

Now the rivers are full of douchebags running all up and down the river to be "first" and "best" at everything...which works fine amongst the douchebags, and annoys the rest of us.

Back then the guides were the ones to look to see who was doing it "right", and they had no problem setting people straight who were acting like douchebags...now a good portion of the douchebags are amongst the guides, and they spend all day racing each other all around the river and the rest of us get caught up in their crossfire.

Besides annoying the rest of us, I know the rest of the guides who aren't douchebags are even more annoyed by it, as they get lumped in with them since they all have the same stickers.

Fish on...

Todd