I just spent five days camping and fishing on the far end of an uninhabited island with my buddy, Zach Lannon. During the long drive home, I thought about what hadn’t gone wrong. After living, working and fishing together through adverse conditions in an isolated location, we didn’t argue, fight, huff or cry. Try that with a non-fishing friend.
How to Find That Elusive Hard-Fishing Friend
Fishing friends aren’t like golf buddies or bowling league partners. Anglers must work together, hours on end, rain or shine, overcoming incredible odds to find and catch fish. Things will go wrong. Disagreements muddy the water. A solid fishing relationship can survive set-backs that would end a young marriage.
To find a good fishing friend, I hold auditions, invite a prospect fishing, push his physical and psychological limits and watch the results. Few survive the first trip, fewer stick around for a season. I’ve lost friends and made enemies.
3 Qualifications for a Fishing Friend
So, what makes a good fishing buddy? Beyond mutual compatibility, there are three qualifications.
1 Patience
Friendships can be golden until one angler catches more fish than the other. For a true test, knock your buddy’s trophy catch off the hook with a bad net job. After hours on the water, an annoying laugh, bad habit, constant complaints or foul odor will cut like a thorn under the saddle. No road is entirely without bumps. On our island adventure, I was chasing mullet with the cast net and Zach kept yelling, “There they are! Throw the net! They’re getting away! Just throw it!”
I barked, “I’m not throwing the net until I see them!” No hurt feelings.
2 Skills
I’m not the best fisherman in the world and any partner should possess a comparable skill set. Who wants to stop and tie another angler’s knots? Nothing is more frustrating than watching a buddy lose a fish or miss a bite because his gear is out of whack. It’s even better when the partner’s strengths complement my weaknesses. I’m good with logistics, but I can barely operate a screwdriver. Zach can rebuild a fishing reel with a paper clip and bacon grease.
For some reason, reliability is a rare quality. Show up late, give up early, cancel unexpectedly or leave your gear at home and the relationship is over. Two heads are better than one unless one head is in outer space. A good fishing buddy should be ready to go as soon as the wind dies and fish until the sun goes down. He won’t eat all your food or use all your tackle. When the weather window opened four days before we had scheduled our trip, Zach and I scrambled to piss off our bosses and pack the truck.
3 Safety
Most important for kayak anglers, a fishing buddy’s got your back. They’re a safety net if things go wrong. They’ll talk you out of a bad idea or talk you into a good one. On our adventure, I was nervous about launching through the surf.
“Don’t be a wussy,” Zach said. All the excuses melted away and I pulled my boat through the shorebreak and paddled out. A few minutes later, I was hooked up to a 40-pound redfish. Thanks, buddy.
Good friends don’t let you do stupid things alone. | Feature photo: Ric Burnley
