Fishing can be both a social undertaking as well as a way to clear one’s mind in solitude. While both avenues have their merit, a good fishing partner is tough to find. Over the years I have had many fishing “acquaintances” come and go, but through it all a select few remain close both on and off the water.
Selecting a fishing partner can be a big undertaking. There are many questions to ask before settling on a new companion. Do they own a boat? Do they own a home near a prime fishing spot? How trustworthy are they? Will they spill their guts to the world if pressured for details of a big catch or will they take your secrets to the grave? While some of these are tongue-in-cheek questions, many are valid and should be considered. The selection process should be as thought out and important to you as choosing a husband or wife and not be something jumped into with reckless abandon. Let’s face it; there is a lot that can go wrong if things go sour. In a divorce you have the legal system to sort out those battles, but there is no divorce court for fishing partners!
A good fishing partner should, first and foremost, be someone you can trust. Let’s say you invest a lot of time to find and figure out a productive beach or wreck that consistently produces fish for you. At some point in time your fishing partner is going to want to join you at this spot. So when the day finally arrives and the two of you arrive at the chosen water, and hopefully things go as planned and the fish cooperate, what will become of your secret? Will you wake up the next day to find the name and coordinates plastered all over your friend’s Facebook page?
I find it makes life much easier if you set some ground rules up front. If your spot must say a secret because access is limited, the spot can only hold a single boat or whatever the case, make sure your fishing partner knows this in advance. A few years back I was given an opportunity to join a fellow fisherman the next time he planned to fish a spot from shore that had been producing extremely well for him. While I already knew of the spot and where it was located, I did not know how to access the somewhat tricky shoreline. He offered to show me how to access and fish it, but if he was to provide me this knowledge he asked that I not go back or take anyone their without his ok. However, if I figured it out myself without his assistance it was mine to do with as I chose. I declined the invitation and eventually gained access with a little leg work of my own and no harm was done; I caught a few fish and figured out a new spot.
A good fishing partner should be your friend, but not all friends make good fishing partners. Whether you fish by boat or shore, chances are you’ll end up spending a decent amount of time alone with this person. There are few worse feelings than being stuck on a small boat for a day with a person you can’t stand, forced to tough it out until you return to port. Similarly, working a stretch of shoreline with someone that just gets on your nerves is a sure-fire way to ruin an otherwise good night in the surf. I have experienced this on more than one occasion and I am sure I have been on the other side of the fence once or twice as well.
There are times when you don’t choose a fishing partner as things seem to fall into place organically. These are often the best arrangements in the end as the relationship was not forced; the two of you came together with a common interest and understanding.
So tread carefully when you choose someone to go fishing with next, you never know where things will lead.
