When the rights of sportsmen clash with the rights of Aboriginal hunters or fishers

NS Salmon Fishing

I had an interesting experience the other day while fly-fishing for Atlantic Salmon on a well-known Fall run river.

 It was a great morning and I've posted earlier about the success of the trip. What I didn't mention was that shortly after landing the first fish of the day I was standing on the gravel bar taking a breather when a fellow walked out of the woods carrying a heavy spin fishing outfit.

 He was set up with the gear I would use for Bluefish or Stripped Bass fishing except for what looked like a one ounce, lead, Shad Dart on the end of the line.

I should preface this story with the information that the fraternity of anglers that frequent this river and its pools are steeped in the traditional courtesy of salmon fishers. Pools are rotated and peer pressure is brought to bear on those that don't know the unwritten rules or decide not to follow them.

 Pools are fished from the entry point with a pattern of a couple of casts and then a step, a couple of casts and then a step. If you raise a fish you take a few more casts or tell the fellow behind you that you've raised one and he should go around and ahead of you through the rest of the pool.

It is not a bad way to fish and very democratically shares a limited resource. If you start to feel crowded just fish on down through the pool and continue to fish your way down the river until you find a more isolated spot.

 My friend says the best fishing is always a hundred yards further down river than the other fellow is willing to hike.

To get back to my story, there I was face-to-face with what looked to be a poacher. He was surprisingly cheerful and seemed oblivious to my eyeballing his fishing gear with horror.

 As he was asking if there were any fish around, a salmon gave a crashing leap in the tail of the pool. It was actually kind of funny as he waved a dismissive hand at my gear, "You wouldn't want to get into a fish like that with what you're using. It might be alright for trout but this is what I use for everything."

We had a chat about his gear and it turns out that he was an Aboriginal person with the right to harvest ten salmon for food. He was under no or minimal gear restriction so could proceed to fish when, where and how he liked.
As he got ready to take a few casts another fish showed in a slow motion porpoise on the far side of the pool. There were lots of fish here and only three of us fishing. I suppose it could have gotten tense or confrontational but we were all simply exercising our right to fish on a glorious day in a magnificent setting.

Experience has taught me that there is fishing and there is catching. The two do not always go together regardless of the apparent advantages of tackle or technique.

 He wasn't geared up to fish the runs into or out of the pool only the deepest parts of the river so rotating the pool was as normal until we got to where he stood then simply went around him and continued to the end.

 He kept up a steady stream of banter and jokes. In a way it was like fishing with Jimmy Flynn, the famous comedian, lots of laughs and wry commentary.

Because the river was very low for the time of year it would seem likely that the fish would hold tight in the deepest holes and be easy prey to a deep dredged hook but that was not the case.

The river was also quite warm and the fish seemed to be lying closer to the broken, highly oxygenated water where the current tailed out into the pool.

 Brad and I had good fishing while he touched one fish that briefly hooked up and was gone within seconds.

 I found it pretty interesting to fish with this guy. There was the potential for conflict no question, but I quickly realized that the apparent disregard for the conventions of the sport even to the courtesy of rotating a pool were not out of mean spiritedness but simply cultural difference.

 His whole attitude toward the fishing was a little different. He was there to enjoy the day and did, but fundamentally he was there to harvest food. There was no selfishness about him. If a fish rose he'd point it out. If one of us hooked one he was enthusiastic in his observations of the skill or lack of it displayed.

At one point he gave me a fly he thought would increase my success because that pesky Brad was out-fishing me.

I've heard stories of negative experiences when the rights of sportsmen clash with the rights of Aboriginal hunters or fishers. In thinking over my recent experience a few things stand out.

The first is that even if there were no gear restrictions I'd still choose to use the lightest fly-fishing equipment possible to fish Atlantic Salmon for sport. If I were fishing for food on the other hand, my tactics would change instantly.

Secondly, the nature of my life and work is such that when I go afield for recreation it is alone or with select companions to enjoy a respite from the enforced sociability and collegiality of a highly structured corporate environment.

If I was hunting or fishing for food rather than sport my attitude would change. I would certainly try to create a team and seek to offset one's weakness with another's strength.

My gut feeling is that my ignorance of Aboriginal culture, social conventions and attitudes is typical not exceptional.

I would never choose the present system of two sets of rules and regulations for different citizens of the same country but that’s what we have. It is what it is so let’s make the best of it.

Crystal flash Blue Charm

I enjoyed meeting that fellow from Truro and fishing with him. It was a unique experience. He gave me some interesting things to think about and a darn good fly too.