Advice on finding quality fishing partners
- Thread starter kvandreas
- Start date
I joined my local fishing club (Olympic Fly Fishers of Edmonds). I work a lot and have kids and elderly parents, so I don't have time to participate much. But they hold regular outings (both local waters and far away), host speakers, and have group tying lessons and stream cleanups.
Maybe there is a club like that in your area?
Yard Sale
Life of the Party
Agreed. Spend time(nd money) in your local shop. Also a good idea to keep posting here, a ton of good folks with knowledge. Maybe mention where you would like to fish and when. Most of us are happy to take a new person along.
Don't be afraid to chat people up at boat ramps too.
Don't be afraid to chat people up at boat ramps too.
Agrees with @Zak lot! When one has expectations, like you to have, finding the right fit may not be easy. We each have expectations, and many not meet them. But we can learn from many of them for the skills they do have. After 50+ years of fly fishing, I have yet to find a perfect fly fishing partner. But I fish with a number of great fly fisher people (guys and gals) and enjoy their company every time.
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Banned user
Steelhead
I read a fishing story years ago, and in that story, the author detailed his perfect fishing partner. When the agreed time to leave is, say, 6AM, the good fishing partner is early if he's there 5:15, on time if he's there at 5:30, and late if he's there at 5:45. That's my style, I always arrive early for things.
I'm lucky to have found a friend who's a good fishing partner here in the upper midwest. He is FAR more outdoorsy than I am (he bagged his third deer of the season two days ago), and has a boat, which is nice for lake fishing (very little lake fishing for trout around here, it's all bass/northerns/crappie/bluegill). Most of the time, we fish the many trout streams in Wisconsin. We're different people - he spin fishes most of the time, and usually will keep a couple trout for dinner, while I have a one trout per year harvest policy. But we get along great.
I'm lucky to have found a friend who's a good fishing partner here in the upper midwest. He is FAR more outdoorsy than I am (he bagged his third deer of the season two days ago), and has a boat, which is nice for lake fishing (very little lake fishing for trout around here, it's all bass/northerns/crappie/bluegill). Most of the time, we fish the many trout streams in Wisconsin. We're different people - he spin fishes most of the time, and usually will keep a couple trout for dinner, while I have a one trout per year harvest policy. But we get along great.
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Fourbtgait
Life of the Party
I had the greatest fishing partner for 9 years. She was always ready early, weather didn’t matter. She was fun, made me laugh, persistent. It didn’t matter what type of fishing, never argued.
My wife though felt she and I were to close, but just as sad as I when she died.
My wife though felt she and I were to close, but just as sad as I when she died.
Honestly just spend time on this site. Create posts and respond to threads. After awhile you will recognize like minded people and then it's pretty easy to send an invite to meet up on a body of water.
I had zero fishing buddies before joining the old page. Now I wish I had more time to fish with everyone I could! Lot of good people on here.
I had zero fishing buddies before joining the old page. Now I wish I had more time to fish with everyone I could! Lot of good people on here.
Bobber and jig or spinners , Oxbow or Dodge Park . At 73 it is to cold for me anymore. Springers mid May.
kvandreas
Smolt
I don't think I have many expectations actually, just finding somebody who will actually go. Out of the two fishing partners I have, one of them frequently cancels the night before or morning of and the other is currently leaving me on read. So, I agree there is no perfect fishing partner but somebody who responds and follows through is a bare minimum I would think.
A bit off topic but I think a lot of fishing partner conflict occurs when people share rides to a fishing destination.
There's few things more irritating than finding out one's fishing buddy is getting tired early, or has to be home early, when the fishing is going gang-busters. I've had it happen too many times.
Yeah...sharing a ride may make sense economically, but the more people involved significantly increases the complexity of any outing.**
** I certainly make exceptions for family...especially grandchildren who want to flyfish.
There's few things more irritating than finding out one's fishing buddy is getting tired early, or has to be home early, when the fishing is going gang-busters. I've had it happen too many times.
Yeah...sharing a ride may make sense economically, but the more people involved significantly increases the complexity of any outing.**
** I certainly make exceptions for family...especially grandchildren who want to flyfish.
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Bambooflyguy
Legend
When I fish local lakes, we meet at the lake. That way you get there when you want, leave when you want to. On farther lakes, we take turns driving, conversation and car pool lane!
According to the "code of the woods" these people aren't fishing partners. They are just people who might go fishing sometimes. I agree with DimeBrite. The people you meet on the rivers are folks who didn't cancel and actually go fishing. Those are the guys you want to meet up with and fish with.
Unwritten rules of being a fishing partner:
1. Frequently cancels gets scrubbed from the list after second cancelation for reasons short of death in the family;
2. A no-show on the morning of a fishing trip who does not call gets scrubbed from the list;
3. Cancels on the morning of the trip but does call gets a second chance if the reason for cancellation is satisfactory;
4. the person you are looking for is easy to be around, offers to chip in gas money if you're driving, and if going in your boat brings snacks and beer to share and helps launch and retrieve the boat, and never has to be back home at a certain time.
There's a lot of ways but here's how I met fishing buddies HERE (and the old site).
1. Gave a rod away to someone local--met in person and said "hey we should fish for some bass in the spring." Spring came around and we actually went fishing.
2. Show up enough here, contribute, and eventually you'll figure out who's local to you. Suggest meeting up and eventually it will happen.
3. Show up enough here, contribute, go to a talk about fly fishing. Suggest meeting up and eventually it will happen.
4. Help someone build a pizza oven, get invited on their boat. Show up on time and try not to get your line wrapped in their prop.
5. Show up enough here, contribute.
6. Show up.
1. Gave a rod away to someone local--met in person and said "hey we should fish for some bass in the spring." Spring came around and we actually went fishing.
2. Show up enough here, contribute, and eventually you'll figure out who's local to you. Suggest meeting up and eventually it will happen.
3. Show up enough here, contribute, go to a talk about fly fishing. Suggest meeting up and eventually it will happen.
4. Help someone build a pizza oven, get invited on their boat. Show up on time and try not to get your line wrapped in their prop.
5. Show up enough here, contribute.
6. Show up.
I met my best fishing buddies and friends when a fly shop opened in town and spawned a fly club. I started hanging around club members and 40 years later, I think and number of them they made the cut for fishing buddies and "fish holders" for my article photos.
Other fishing friends I met through WF when it was just beginning.
So if you can find a good flyfishing club, you can find some fishing buddies.
Other fishing friends I met through WF when it was just beginning.
So if you can find a good flyfishing club, you can find some fishing buddies.
I met my fly fishing buddy in a similar manner…I was going on a four wheeling trip up in the Sierras and a jeeping buddy said he was bringing a friend who was into fly fishing and asked if it was worth it to bring a rod…I said yes, and I was as well…we’ve been fishing together now for about 8 years
What gets my goat is wasting my fishing time explaining how to rig for nooks , coho , etc. and then they are a no show. I do not think I will train anyone anymore. My secrets will go with me when I check out.
JimTravers¤£a!!Travers
Steelhead
When dealing with others, I always make it very clear that when push comes to shuv they're gonna need to get out of my way immediately when I say so, as well as other demands.