A viral video recently showed a confrontation in Oregon, where a landowner confronted a fisherman for “invading” his property. The incident sparked debate on social media, with users expressing differing opinions about who was in the right. The video, which was likely uploaded by the fisherman involved, eventually went viral and made its way to the TikTok account Tikramptok.
In the video, a man can be seen fishing in a creek. Another man appears and asks whether he has permission to fish there. The fisherman claims he does not need permission, saying that “every creek in Oregon is navigable unless you have to get out and drag this over a dam.” The other man responds that it is a non-navigable waterway and that he is trespassing.
The two men continue to argue, with one threatening to call the Oregon State Police, while the other does not back down and says he should do so. In the end, the video concludes without the men reaching any resolution.
Oregon law states that any “waterway that is long, wide, and deep enough for a boat to move through” and does not require crossing private land to access is open for navigation. However, people are generally not allowed to stop floating and touch the ground.
Internet is Divided on Who is Right in the Oregon Fishing Freakout
Because the video appears to show a very shallow creek, users were divided on who was correct in this situation. One user said, “You don’t own the water or the ground under the water.” Another responded, “Wrong, some places people’s property extends to the middle of the river. Like this guy said, you can float all day, but once you step foot on the ground below the water, then you’re trespassing.”
Folks had differing views on the issue, with one user saying that “if it’s not navigable, it’s private,” and others arguing that “everyone in the comments doesn’t understand that laws vary by state, and it’s infuriating.” Another user said, “Why argue? Just say call the cops and ignore them.”
Cases like this can be controversial, as shown by how this video went viral. However, as stated on Oregon’s official website, “avoiding conflicts with landowners” and “obeying laws and common rules of decency at all times” is always the best approach.
