It's getting crazy busy already on the Missouri and being out there myself, watching folks navigate the roads, ramps, and river, it's obvious that people are living by different rules than the rest of us. I try to be empathetic. I try to understand why someone would do what they are doing while EVERYONE else is following suit, and what I realize is that not everyone knows those unwritten rules we call etiquette. I watched a couple guys the other day while putting my boat in, who clearly are new to the sport and maybe just need a little help. The problem is, if you say something, you risk the chance of looking like the asshole. No matter how hard you try to soften the delivery, people don't like to feel like they are be criticized; especially when they are engaging in something new, and they already feel vulnerable. So, here's what I'm going to do. I am going to write a series of blog posts to help out. What I would like from you, is to share this with folks you feel could use the help.
The first thing I want to talk about is the boat ramp. Before I do, however, let's revisit what etiquette is. Like I said, etiquette is really just a bank of unwritten rules that most often are unique to a specific region or culture or group of people that are shared by those locals, that help keep order. I like to think of it as the grease that lubricates the wheel that keeps things running smoothly. Without it, you get friction. Friction causes things to heat up and eventually blow. I watched a good friend of mine, who is a guide who rarely loses his shit, stand up on his cooler in his boat and go ballistic on a group of guys who cut in front on him and dropped anchor. All the other boats were fishing down that run, pulling off to the side, rowing back up and fishing it again. That one boat was doing their thing, not paying attention to all the other boats and because of that, took away everyone else's opportunities for fishing in that stretch. That one boat was causing a lot of friction and finally...kaboom!
What happens when people don't follow local traditions and etiquette, is in the short-term, we get these blow-up or dustups or even people just shaking their heads and moving on, afraid to say anything and we think, "well, no harm no foul." But, the long-term effect of this is an erosion of etiquette where there are no rules and there's constant friction in our lives. Then you see some old guide walking across a parking lot with his head down, mumbling to himself, something about wishing he had his Ruger Blackhawk, .41 magnum on his hip.
The last thing I'll say about the definition of etiquette is that it's important to understand that it isn't something I come up with or even just the guides who fish the river day by day. It's a shared set of norms that are developed over time and in consideration of environmental factors, the people involved, the demographics of those people, etc. etc. The rules may change as the variables change, which means we all need to show a little grace when friction occurs. And if we want to get along, we all need to strive for a better understanding of the norms and a commitment to follow them.
Getting back to the ramp; I remember a day when I was floating up to the take-out with clients and witnessed something I'm sure I will never see again, and just illustrates how friction can lead to a potentially explosive situation. The take-out was Prewett Creek on the Missouri, which is the end of the canyon. It's a gorgeous float, so on the weekends, tons of rafters, kayakers, rec-floaters, and anglers like to float down to Prewett. As we approached the beach and the actual boat ramp, anxiety started kicking in as I was seeing dozens of rafts, kayaks and float tubes lining the beach, which wasn't allowing us a place to park my boat. On the concrete ramp, where boats should be pulling out, there was a truck towing small fishing boat with a motor, stalled out halfway up the ramp with a group of guys huddled around the trailer.
It was apparent, as we floated closer, that the trailer had a flat tire. The owner of the boat realized the tire was flat, after he got the boat loaded and started driving up the ramp. He immediately stopped and decided to fix the tire before moving off the ramp. In doing so, he blocked everyone else from being able to access the ramp or the beach to load up their crap.
The owner also didn't have a jack in his truck, so the group of guys huddled around the trailer were actually lifting the trailer, with the boat and motor on it, up off the ground so that the owner could change the tire. Classic.
As I poked the nose of my boat between a couple kayaks in order to beach my boat, one of my clients was already to the point of almost losing her shit. She immediately jumped out of the boat to start shuffling the various vessels out of the way so that I could pull my boat out off the beach. I ran to my truck to get in line behind the half dozen or so other rigs now waiting for the drunk guy on the ramp to change his tire. Oh yeah. I didn't mention the plethora of empties that included a variety of White Claws, and Busch Lites, spilling out from the cab onto the ramp.
Now waiting in line, I see the tire is changed and the dudes solicited as jacks dispersing, and then the drunk guy takes the flat tire and begins to re-mount it where the spare tire belonged instead of just throwing it in the back of his truck or the boat, taking another three or four minutes. Meanwhile, more and more floaters were reaching the beach and making their way to their rigs to get in line. The temperature on my forehead reached the boiling point as my furrowed brow creased deeper and deeper and then I lost my shit.
"Hey!" I yelled at the guy as I climbed out of my truck. "Just throw the damn tire in your truck and get off the ramp!"
"Can't you see I had a flat tire?" He rhetorically asks while frantically waving his arms.
"Yeah, and everyone else here sees you had a flat tire too and now they're all waiting for you to get the hell out of the way so they can load up their gear!" My arms now matching his.
At that moment, the guy grabs the tire iron from the back of his trucks and starts heading my way, again taking even more time to get off the ramp. He's got the pointed end in his fist, waving the wrench end at me, digging deep into his redneck vocabulary for every adjective that would describe exactly what he thought of us d-bag guides that are fucking up his river. I promptly jumped back in my truck telling him to just get off the damn ramp to which he must have had a moment of clarity and retreated to his truck and headed out.
I know, I could have been more patient or even offered a hand and this interaction would have gone very differently and sometimes, I do. I see someone struggling and I figure that me helping will just move things along quicker. And then sometimes, people are so clueless that I feel like I need to make a point. Maybe, that will sink in, and we all gain a better understanding? I'm not sure that ever works out. In this case, a little common sense would have gone a long way and that's probably what you're all thinking. "Doesn't most of this come down to common sense?" Yes, but that just leads us to a place of wondering how someone could be that stupid and that's not helpful either.
Let me just point out a few things that would make all of our lives better that some of the new boat owners or newly impassioned rec floaters and anglers could benefit from to resolve some of the tension that happens on the boat ramps.
One of the most common things I see that really frustrates folks is someone pulling into a fishing access site, seeing there's nobody on the boat ramp and just backing in their rig without getting anything ready like unstrapping the boat, getting your gear from the truck to the boat, etc. Meanwhile, there are a half dozen other people getting their boats rigged and ready to go so they can drop in and get out of the way. Bottom line, get your boat ready before backing in so you can get in and get out.
Take some time to learn how to back a trailer. I know, it's tricky. A little practice time in the yard goes a long way. Not everyone is a pro, but this can help expedite the process.
Before you decide to drop in, look around and see if someone has been waiting and maybe ask if it's ok if you go in or if someone else has been waiting longer. A little courtesy goes a long way as well.
At the ramps that are wide enough to drop more than one boat at a time, don't use the entire ramp. Go as far to one side as you can so someone else can drop in alongside you.
Once you drop in, pull your boat as far to the side as you can so the next person doesn't have to pull their boat all the way around yours. Make room for people.
On busy days, pull away from the ramp and park somewhere out of the way before rigging up your rods or teaching your clients all the cool guide tricks. Not only are you out of the way, but your clients will feel better too, not having an audience.
Don't park a single car in the trailer parking spots. I hate that.
Back your trailers into the parking spot. Two reasons; one is so it's quicker and easier for the shuttle drivers. The other reason is because it's so much safer.
Control your dogs. I love dogs. I don't like them jumping on or in my truck or boat.
If you see someone struggling, lend a hand.
Wait your turn. We're all in a hurry at the end of the day. Helping folks get their boats on their trailers while you wait can speed things up.
Clean-up...Some guides like to rinse off their boats at the end of the day on the ramp. If people are waiting...probably not a good style.
Take your garbage with you! The outhouses are not garbage bins. Someone has to pick your crap up for you. Don't be a jerk.
For the guides that haven't figured this out yet, there are better options for pulling out at certain take-outs than others on the weekend. We all know how busy it gets. We know the river and know where the busy take-outs are and how to avoid them. A little planning at the beginning of the day can save a lot of congestion at the end.
Yes, a lot of this in common sense and just common courtesy. It's going to be a busy summer on the Missouri and other rivers out here in Montana. Let's all do our part to grease the wheels and have a friction-free season. For some, that might mean forwarding this to someone you know who might not be aware.
Keep 'em where they live...
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