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Fishing the swim next to someone

Christian Tyroll

Christian Tyroll

Senior Member
Afternoon all

Interested to hear other peoples views on this to work out if I’m unreasonable or not.

I’ve rocked up on a stretch of the lower Severn and am the only one fishing. Before setting up I walked the whole stretch which at a guess is a mile and half top to bottom. In the current conditions I think swim choice is much of a muchness. I settled on one because it had some overhanging bushes on the far bank (along with lots of the swims) and one of the only trees that would give my pasty skin a bit of shade.

Someone else has turned up to fish whilst I’m baiting up and picked the next swim about 20/25m downstream. Given the uniformity of the stretch I feel like I probably wasn’t setting up on fish and was baiting with the hope something would make its way up to me over the session. Now I’m potentially just drawing something up to his swim, or if not the fish will be there first anyway.

On the stretch of the Wye I fish, I just wouldn’t do that to someone and no one’s ever done it to me. I’ve never had anyone do it on the Dove, or the Medway many years ago.

I like my space and also like feeling like I’m not fishing for the same fish as someone next to me.

Appreciate in certain water conditions rivers can be very peggy, but unless I’ve dropped in a hot swim I don’t think I’m talking about that.

On my carp syndicate someone would ask before setting up in the next swim.

What are peoples views on the ethics of this?

Maybe the heats just got me feeling particularly tetchy 😂
 
can see your point , but also - he might fish that spot regular and possibly be baiting it ? I do hate creating swims or cutting in only to find others not so willing but happy to jump in on or near my hard work I would chat with the guy- see if hes a regular and share info ?
 
I think I’ve left it too long for that this time Jon. That’s the approach I’ll take next time though.

Interesting point Simon, he wasn’t very friendly on the way past which might work with that.

I’ve lowered my opinion again, he’s got alarms on full volume that he doesn’t turn down when he tightens the line after casting. That’s enough for me for total character assassination.

I better leave it at that but still interested to hear other peoples views 👍
 
Christian Tyroll said:
I think I’ve left it too long for that this time Jon. That’s the approach I’ll take next time though.

Interesting point Simon, he wasn’t very friendly on the way past which might work with that.

I’ve lowered my opinion again, he’s got alarms on full volume that he doesn’t turn down when he tightens the line after casting. That’s enough for me for total character assassination.

I better leave it at that but still interested to hear other peoples views 👍
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Definitely sounds like he’s used to that spot for himself. Trying to drive you off with the annoying noisy bite alarm trick. Just have to accept that he’s prebaiting for you. A bit of extra attractor in the bait might draw them up from his spot 😁😁
 
Had it happen to me on the Dove, although the guy did ask. Having said that, the swim was only about 15yds downstream which I thought was pretty close to be asking to fish it when I was already there.



Off the subject slightly, I fished a match at Makins last year, and the peg to my left was 8m away.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Wonder down and tell him your mate started fishing that swim first thing this morning.

"He spent the best part of hour spopping in bait, before he got a call saying he needed to be home"

"Must have been important, as he'd put about 4 or 5 kilos in...."

🤣
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Or better still there’s a massive snag and you gave up fishing after you lost too much end tackle in that swim.
 
I'm quite gregarious EXCEPT when I'm fishing solo. A stranger rocking up nearby and using bite alarms would definitely result in me having a polite, but firm, chat.
I think like a lot of things these days "etiquette " has sadly disappeared from modern life.
If I want to fish surrounded by other anglers I would go to my local "commercial". Instead I wander up and down the bank seeking fish and solitude.
 
I was in a similar position many years ago. I'd baited a few swims from the top stretch to bottom,on a narrow venue...

I dropped into a swim & was fishing under my feet, & I hold my hands up, I didn't see a guy fishing opposite me until I lowered my rig in!

Then all hell broke lose, after he asked me to move on... It was more about his tone & way he said it that got me to bite back 🤦‍♂️

Another angler came up to diffuse the situation.... My fault for being too preoccupied on my stalking & not looking to see if anyone was opposite me, but not guilty in the way I reacted to his manner & tone.... I still gringe to this day thinking how I reacted to him, then gringe even more as it was only over some fishing! 😂
 
The problem on a lot of club waters is that most clubs state a 20-25m distance between swims so very hard to complain.
Bottom line is communication between anglers before fishing.
I have to say though that those of you who think 50m is reasonable need to come and fish down in Dorset ;)
 
Someone else turned up and dropped into the other swim next me, albeit he was very quiet and just doing some link ledgering by the sounds of it. Either way it wasn't what I was after for my first trip to the 'big, wild and lightly fished' lower Severn. I'll pick a stretch next time that is more off the beaten track and less well known for barbel.

What goes in Dorset Keith? Super close fishing?
 
I heard someone say something once along the lines of, 'not everyone cares as much about their fishing as you', I think as retort for people not having the same expectations on etiquette etc.
 
Unfortunately "reasonable" is a subjective view and to most of us that would include a degree of common sense and courtesy to fellow anglers. To some, and fortunately they seem to be a minority the attitude is "I have a right to do what I want and to hell with what anyone else thinks!" On one of the small venues I fish some stretches are so pressured that If you stand up someone is likely to be on your chair before you sit down again, on more than one occasion if I've been lucky enough to find myself in a fancied swim I've had people come and ask me if I'm going to be there long? To be quiet honest I do my absolute best to avoid any crowded areas and will continue to do so which Is quiet surprising as for many years I was a keen match angler and it didn't bother me a bit..........perhaps its an age thing.
 
I now fish manly club waters that are pegged, if someone goes in the next peg good luck to them they have paid the same as me, I have no extra special rights or entitlement. On syndicate waters perhaps it’s different, it was on the carp syndicates I fished. Not meaning to cause offence but this site is an echo chamber of barbel fishing the gold standard perhaps not the real world. Tin hat collected ready, flack jacket on.
 
Alexander Shepherd said:
I now fish manly club waters that are pegged, if someone goes in the next peg good luck to them they have paid the same as me, I have no extra special rights or entitlement. On syndicate waters perhaps it’s different, it was on the carp syndicates I fished. Not meaning to cause offence but this site is an echo chamber of barbel fishing the gold standard perhaps not the real world. Tin hat collected ready, flack jacket on.
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I'd like to stay in fancy syndicates and echo chambers then please 😃
 
Christian Tyroll said:
first trip to the 'big, wild and lightly fished' lower Severn.
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It was your first trip and you didn’t know what to expect and it’s quite possible you’ve perched yourself in an area known to do a fish or two.
These two anglers sitting either side of you we’re almost certainly banking on arriving to get your swim and are likely regulars.

Personally I wouldn’t of sat next to you if you had the swim I wanted but some people obviously think if they wait long enough and close enough, you’ll move and they’ll get in.

Regarding having a word, I don’t see how that’s going to achieve anything positive. Are they likely to move???? No! they are more likely going to tell you where to go unfortunately.
It’s sad when you can’t have some peace and quiet on a big stretch Just occupied by 2 people but you can only occupy 1 swim at a time and some people don’t give a toss so what can you do.
 
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Richard Isaacs said:
It was your first trip and you didn’t know what to expect but on these waters you are the stranger and it’s quite possible you’ve perched yourself in an area known to do a fish or two.
These two anglers sitting either side of you we’re almost certainly banking on arriving to get your swim and are likely regulars.

Personally I wouldn’t of sat next to you if you had the swim I wanted but some people obviously think if they wait long enough and close enough, you’ll move and they’ll get in.

Regarding having a word, I don’t see how that’s going to achieve anything positive. Are they likely to move???? No! they are more likely going to tell you where to go unfortunately.
It’s sad when you can’t have some peace and quiet on a big stretch Just occupied by 2 people but you can only occupy 1 swim at a time and some people don’t give a toss so what can you do.
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Cheers Richard.

When I go back I'll accept that it's busier than I'd ideally like. Between a carp syndicate and the Wye I've probably been spoilt and have avoided the realties of cheap and affordable club fishing. Just not what I expected on a river but as you rightly said, I'm the stranger.
 
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