What I look for in a fishing partner.
Having the right person to fish with can make your day productive and your time on the water enjoyable. For myself, fishing with delighted positive people are the folks I select to be my fishing partner. Normally I choose one angler that shares the boat, or the banks of the river with me. After fishing with this human for long periods of time, you begin to establish rapport with that chosen individual, leading to proper communication and time well spent on the water.
When choosing the person to be my fishing partner, they must possess several qualities, such as.
- Responsible. There is nothing worse than getting cancelled on at the last minute, especially when I put my time, money and effort into planning a trip. To me, there is nothing harsher than a flaky person who does not respect my time and efforts that go into pre-planning a fishing trip. Often, I will add gas to the boat, buy new lures and make lunches a day ahead of the trip. It frustrates me greatly when a fishing partner does not respect that and cancels last minute. My fishing partner shows up on time, contributes to gas money for the boat, helps cover the costs of bait if fishing a lake, or buys his own bait for the day. I understand things happen, but if happens more then twice for no good reason, I will select another person to fish with going forward. As they say, “time is money”. I appreciate people who waste neither my time, nor my money!
- Organized. It is always disheartening when your fishing partner shows up unprepared and unorganized. Their tackle is in shambles, their reel is falling apart and has three-year-old line, and or, their rod is not suitable for the fishing conditions at hand. Have you ever seen that when your partner shows up? I sure have, and it is frustrating when they are not on the same page as you are. The fishing partner I choose has his line re-spooled with the proper test, and strength. He or she has their gear in working order and is completely ready to fish the day ahead. His lures are in order and he has modern, quality gear with a back up set-up ready to go. Normally when fishing a whole day in the jet boat, I bring two rods fully spooled with fresh line and service my reels the night before the trip, making a hundred percent sure that everything is in proper working order well before the trip. I have two rods and reels with me the whole day in case I break something or blow a reel along the trip. If one rod is inoperable, I have a back up to fish with the rest of the day. Its very disheartening when you break something and do not have a backup. Being organized and ready to fish is especially important when I choose a fishing partner.
- A good steward of the resource. I choose to fish with people that are always ethical and respect the resource. My fishing partner follows all rules and regulations set out by the governing body and treats the fish caught with the utmost respect possible. For example, they gently release the fish rather then “throwing” them back in the water. It is important to me that my partner does not cheat in any way, follows all written laws properly and sets a good example, both in person and online. I strive to be a role model for younger anglers, so my fishing partner must employ these same ethics and philosophies as I do. It is important to keep a healthy fishery; to leave the fishery as intact as possible for future generations to enjoy. It may sound silly, but my partner must have a fishing license, and know all the applicable laws according to what body of water we are fishing. All fish MUST be released means just that! When fishing where barbed hooks are prohibited, my partner must know that and follow the law, just as I do. Both my fishing partner and I will care for the fishery, protecting every watershed the best we can.
- Same Skill Level. At the start of my fishing journey, I chose to fish with a partner that was at the same skill level as me. We both knew the basics of sport fishing a river, and we had mid-range quality gear at that time. Our casting abilities were about the same, and our skill levels matched up nicely, which made for enjoyable trips all over Alberta. We both fished our local river about the same amount of time, so our skill set progressed equally. Since then, I have become an advanced angler and have spent countless hours honing my skills on the river, not only from shore, but from all different types of watercraft. I do however, like to guide and fish with beginner anglers often, but when I am fishing with a friend or partner, I chose to fish with other anglers who are at the same skill level. Here are some of the things I look for in a partner with the same skill level. Must know how to net a fish properly as to ensure the “trophy” does not get away. Being a good “net man/woman” is a skill all in its own. Must know how to take proper images of the fish once the fish has been netted. There is nothing worse than looking at the images taken later, only to find your head is cut off the image, or the fish is not completely in the image or someone’s finger is blocking the shot taken.
- Positive Attitude. Being positive and having fun is the reason I am there, the fish are a bonus! I dislike fishing with negative Nelly’s, as it normally makes for a long day. I will always choose, happy fun people to fish with over negative people every time. If I fish with someone who gets upset easily, gets frustrated quickly and ruins my experience, it is highly likely I will not fish with that person again. We all have our bad days, and of course, there is exceptions to this rule! I love to fish with people who make me laugh, tell jokes along the trip, or have funny stories to share that make the day fun. I have a positive outlook on life, so it is important to me that I surround myself with others who share my positivity. Often, I will make up my own “fishing” related lyrics to songs and sing them out loud while I am fishing or tell funny jokes and stories while looking for the next fish. I like a partner who can do the same, be serious out there as well as be happy and fun. I do believe that positive energy leads to catching more fish, as the fish can feel your vibrations through the line. It may sound silly to you, but it is how I see it. Being with another angler and having as much fun as possible, while being safe and smart on the water is how I choose to fish. These are the kinds of fishing partners I want to spend a day in the boat with, or a day on the banks of any river or lake.
What types of people do you choose to fish with? What makes a good fishing partner to you? I understand we are all different, so your comments and feedback are always appreciated. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know who you choose to be your fishing partner.
Thanks for reading and hope you have a great summer out there on the water.
~Mike
