Fishing Solo or with a partner?

[Anton Kanagasuntheri]

since none of my friends fish, solo for me! but I do enjoy the cmpany of my OFC buddies

[JohnF]

Interesting responses, albeit pretty predictable. Further proof we're all pretty much the same way down deep.

 

Seems to me we all need some alone time, whether fishing or just goofing off other ways. I don't count working as alone time, whatever your job, because no matter how much you love your work, there's always a degree of stress involved and we need some real down time to release that. We even need time away from family, friends, kids and spouses to unwind and get the attitude adjusted.

 

I seriously doubt that any of the hobbies I've had in my life have been as good as fishing for loosening up frazzled nerves and renewing the spirit. For that to be done best I think we need alone time. I for one really look forward to those evenings when I can drive out to a quiet spot on the river hoping no one has beat me to it, hide the car down a brushy trail and go wading in the creek for a few hours. Then it's just me, the grasshoppers, the bass and occasionally a deer or muskrat. Sometimes I get so relaxed I don't even fuss about finding a lure that works. I just keep throwing and cranking the same thing once I find one that feels good to my arm, getting off on the rhythm and the solitude, trying different casts and retrieves just for fun. Time loses all meaning and it often takes a few man-eating bugs to remind me that the sun's gone down and I'm about to be stuck a mile or so down the river with no lights, darkness fast falling and a long walk over invisible slippery rocks ahead of me.

 

Some folks will describe fishing as very spiritual, even transcendental. On reflection that's probably a pretty accurate description of some of our fishing experiences. We get to, for a few really wonderful moments, commune with nature at nature's own level, not ours, forgetting all the trials and confusion of our hectic lives, and just being (and I know this is going to sound trite) - just being one with nature. Think about it. I hope you've all been there. And I sincerely hope none of you have become so innured to the hunt for meat that you've lost that feeling of just being alone with one great fish in the water, straining to break off your line while you play him, finessing him to the net, kind of An Old Man and the Sea thing.

 

But all that being said, or at worst pontificated, there's lotsa fun to be had fishing with a good buddy, your spouse, your kid(s), or mebbe just someone who shares your enthusiasm for it. Rob (nature boy kayak drivin' artist friend. Below is a sample of a Rock Bass he immortalized. It's hanging on my office wall.)

 

 

Anyway, Rob and I will often head out with (or without) our waders, our lightest ultralite rods and a shoulder bag holding a few lures and a bottle of water to wade the creek for hours. Even then we're essentially alone because we just naturally look for separation so we don't overwork and spook a pool. We usually hit the first one straight on, the first cast often resulting in a nice bass, then one of us splits off to the far side and starts working down that shore while the other forges ahead at a little faster pace to the next pool. Before you know it we're literally hundreds of yards apart, often out of sight of one another for several hours. It always seems to work out that whoever's driving that night hangs back and eventually the bugs and the darkness conspire to drive the driver back to the car to idle down the road nearest the river. When the one still fishing sees lights waiting up at the road that's the sign to get out of the water and head home to drown some ice cubes in good scotch. That's when we tell all the lies about what we caught and the one that got away.

 

Rob, with his artist's eye is forever saying we need to, we have to, take a camera when we go so he can record some of the images he sees. We always forget though and he spends an ounce or two of Famous Grouse describing the perfect shots he missed, how a certain bass or pike looked in the red glow of sunset, or how I looked in profile, pole bent to the max, concentrating on keeping a hook in our next story subject. That's how we invariably finish our twilight fishing forays, Famous Grouse on ice, telling lies and truths, sitting around a cedar fire by the pool in my yard - a grand way to end a grand day.

 

So I guess what I'm saying is that fishing is a very personal experience, whether alone or in company, and it doesn't matter too much whether you start out with company. At some point it's just you, the water and the fish. I suspect that it's not too dissimilar on a boat. Betcha the distance from the casting deck to the tiller seat probably grows to a football field every now and then.

 

Alone or in company, it's all good, isn't it? And it really makes the next day easier to tackle. Most of you know what I mean.

 

JF

[sharper]

Fishing with friends is the best. Some one to share the big catch and memories with.

[pokerdemon4]

I miss fishing with my dad. He's too far away.

[Victor]

Time spent fishing is always good times for me ... regardless if I go alone, with friends/family

 

I like it best when i get a balance of both, once in a while I'd go out alone, just sit there peacefully and time for myself to think. Sometimes I'd really enjoy spending time with a few buddies, yaking about the 50lb carp that got away, or the one time that I saw a mermaid while boat fishing ... aside from all that, I also love to get some father & son time on the water.

 

Actually you know what, as long as I'm sitting on the shore/boat instead of the office chair, I am happy

[ccmtcanada]

I'm with Victor....it's all about balance. When I get tired of my fishing partner I just shove them overboard and take off.

 

Anyone wanna hook up this weekend?

[Greencoachdog]

I'm with Victor....it's all about balance. When I get tired of my fishing partner I just shove them overboard and take off.

 

Anyone wanna hook up this weekend?

 

What time Cliff?

[ccmtcanada]

What time Cliff?

 

Anytime.

[Sinker]

I miss fishing with my dad. He's too far away.

 

 

That makes 2 of us man! Its really gonna suck once hunting season comes around.......

 

Sinker

[duber]

It's all good and all have different pluses and minuses.I find each person I fish with have different enjoyment factors for me .

 

I have buddies who like to reel fish in but thats all they put into it.When I take them out it's more of a social event , but I also feel pressure to put them on fish.

 

I love to take my girls and family out but I really feel pressure to but them on fish and make it as good of a expierince as possable.So the fishing is limited but the family time is priceless.

 

I have a couple buddies that are really into it and I really enjoy fishing with people that are really into it.I feel that when we hit the water we will put out a 100% effort and will be succesfull.I know those two guys will put up with ,bugs,heat,cold,rain etc. to do what we set out to do.I learn from them and we figure stuff out together,its not a compitition all the time.We are not afraid to get skunked to learn something new or fish somewere new.

 

I also fish alone once in awhile witch I enjoy and usally take that time to try something new or a spot that is new to me.

 

All in all I like to get out on the water period!

[Reef Runner]

I prefer fishing with other people, bit out of necessity most times, fish alone.

 

I like fishing with other people....that like to fish that is. When I have the opportunity to go fishing, I am usually out on the water from sunrise to past sunset. If a 14 hour cast-a-thon is not your forte, you shouldn't be in my boat. I always feel like I have to "warn" newbies that this is an all-day thing. There are not alot of people I know that enjoy fishing as much as I do.

 

I do enjoy taking other people out as well. I love the feeling when they get a technique down, cast properly or bring in a fish into the boat. Those days are my technique tutorial, knot tying seminar and catch and release info session days.lol. Which leaves me little opportunity to hit it hard myself.

 

Every weekend (that I'm not studying ) I like to get out and wet a line. None of my friends fish, I take them out once in a while, but they get bored real quickly. So I usually go off on my own and hit the water HARD. This allows me the opportunity to practice and perfect new techniques and strategies and I am usually rewarded with more fish on the plain fact that I'm concentrating on fishing and not yaking. It is nice to share the experience and a laugh with someone.

 

reefrunner

[jwl]

I get bored quickly fishing by myself, so those trips tend to be shorter..I am lucky I can go like 2 blocks down to the Upper Niagara from my house, or am withing 15-20 minutes or so of lots of little inland creek spots ect to fish..or take about 30-40 minutes to head down to spots on the Lower Niagara. Then there is my trailer, I wake up grab a coffee and always take a few casts off the dock before heading out in the boat for a bit.

 

It's nice like many others have said to get up as the sun is coming up and nature is waking up around you to get out on the lake and be pretty much the only boat out..I try for an hour or so, see what I come up with and head back in to see if my kids want to go out and such. After spending a few hours with 3 kids in the boat I do however sometimes like to take time out for myself and do a bit of trolling or somehting. But the novelty soon wears off, I like having company to fish with for the most part and have a few pretty hardcore fishing buddies who will stay outany where any time, any weather..(well maybe except a huge wind and lightning storm on the water we are pretty hardcore nut jobs but not stupid..lol)..nothing like fishing for steelies out in the boat in January in the middle of a snow storm

 

Plus who hasn't caught a huge fish before when being out solo??? and ya just think to yourself..." man I wish someone was here to see this one"

 

Most often than not, I would have to say that I like fishing with company, be it a good shore trashin day or out in the boat.....I like the competative edge between some of my good fishin pals..on our quest to get the first, the most, and or biggest for the day just to rub it in...I also like the family aspect of taking my 3 daughters out over the years fishing..and now I will be teaching my older girls a bit more about how to operate the boat, they will be studying for the PCO test, sometimes when it's just me and wife in the boat, I like the company while she just kicks back , reads a book or somehting, looks around at what different people do to thier cottage and trailer properties while I fish.

 

I guess because of my business and spending many hours on the road travelling all over Ontario solo for the most part for a day's work, I spend too much time alone there, so when I am not working I want to talk to some people...not just the voices in my head

[ozaibak1]

I enjoy the company of others, however my best fishing experience was waking up at 6am at a cottage, takin the boat out cuz the others were lazy sots, and catching more bass more quickly than i ever have.

[spinin jay]

All I catch are big fish,like\................................................/,never small,never get skunked,never had "one get away" ..................I fish alone.

 

 

just kiddin,,,

Time and places for others.River fishing I enjoy by myself,couple mile walk away from everyone is good but sometimes a buddy is good and fun.New to boat fishing and feel safer with someone else,just incase,.

 

My main fishing buddy is my Dad,so I always enjoy whatever happens,don't wanna take those times for granted.