Fair weather fishermen....

[ia_trouter]

Please allow me to vent some. Just endured a horrible Iowa winter. I've been excited for the "trout opener". This is Iowa so the season doesn't actually close, but most of the cold water I can range in a day trip is stocker water, and the water is 98% devoid of trout since last November. Not real trout fishing, but it's the southernmost Driftless and honestly all I really got semi-local. So I make it my paradise in between better trips.

So the trip date is set six weeks ago. It's hard for me to get a day off from work so I planned it out well in advance. Just got a text, "Hey buddy, it's gonna rain a half inch tonight, think I'll pass tomorrow". Seriously? I think I'll take a pass on scouting out the May crappie spawn like I always do on the local lake and inviting him at the perfect time so he can crush them. Maybe I should try to find a fishing buddy not afraid to get wet or throw a few dark streamers in dirty water.

Disappointed, and annoyed, ....thanks for listening.

 

[denver1911]

Used to fish with a guy that would bail out within a week of the trip about 3 out of 4 times. I still like him and would enjoy fishing with him, but I reached a point it was frustrating me too much. Rather than losing a friend, I just started only inviting him on trips that I wanted to take, that I would be going on whether he cancelled or not, and assumed he wouldn’t go.

 

[scotty macfly]

If you go fishing with me, we drive separately. Too many times I have had people ask if they could go fishing with me, full well knowing that I'm a die hard fisherman. We drive about an hour to our destination, get rigged up and start fishing. About 2 hrs later they say that they have to be home by 11am. And they are the ones who asked me to take them fishing, I didn't ask them to come along. So no more unless I know how the other fishes.

I must say that I have fished with two members from this forum, and they have been an absolute pleasure to fish with.

 

[mcnerney]

Dewayne

I feel your pain! I have been there and done that, but now days I mostly fish by myself, especially if it isn't summer.

 

[ia_trouter]

I have fished with a number on this forum. They'd probably loan my their good fly jacket if they thought it would cause me to suffer less but for a little longer and keep fishing. It's gonna be 50F here tomorrow so that's not it.

 

[srock]

Iowa Trunt hunter, you raise a very good point. I have narrowed my main fishing partners to persons who I can trust fully, and unless there is a death in the family, they go fishing regardless of the weather. Let me give a brief example. Last year, I planned to fish a bit north of your area in Southeast MN near Caledonia. You are probably familiar with this area. My buddy and figured that by April 12, 2018 the weather should be fair. Unfortunately, lastl year there was a freak snowstorm dumping 10 inches plus ice on SE MN right where we planned to fish. So, we went anyway, and fished as much as we could until rain raised creek levels to flood stage prior to the snow. I had a great time and would do it all over again. Although this year, we set the date for May 1st, so maybe we are softies after all. Best, SR

 

[ia_trouter]

It rained yesterday is what is really sticking in my craw. 50F tomorrow! Not perfect but it will be OK enough for a season opener. I probably need to tie up a few more dark buggers and just get over it tonight lol.

 

[srock]

Another quick point. Your post shows how important it is to find a good fishing partner whom you get along well with and who shares a similar set of fishing values and more broadly a philosophy toward life. Life is short and we often miss too many opportunities to not do something for relatively superfluous reasons. Then, as the years add up, we ask, where did all the time where I have not done much of what I had earlier wanted to do. Look in the mirror. We find simple excuses to not do something. I say this not to poke fun at anyone for I am guilty of finding excuses myself. This is why I tend to push myself to go on trips and go fishing when the conditions are not perfect because I know that someday, I will not be able to do these things and will wonder where the time went. Best, SR.

 

[k_e_v]

That sucks Dewayne but go have a great day anyway. At least fishing by yourself no one will make fun of your hat or gear

 

[bumble54]

I must be anti social, I prefer to fish alone, wander at will, in a world of my own and have no time limit. If I can see another angler it's too close, say hello when I'm taking a break but otherwise leave me be. One hour or ten, the fish decide when I leave, not the clock.
The only time fishing disappoints is when people interrupt and break the spell.

 

[green stick]

I live in the UK and haven't missed an opening day since I don't know when . We don't have such severe weather as you guys but we can have all four seasons in a single day. I remember days when the river was in flood and it was hopeless but I still went . A few years ago it was blowing a gale and I was dodging falling branches , one nearly wiped me out . I even have had a few opening days with rising fish . but no matter what I wouldn't miss an opening day on my favourite stream . As my old Dad says "your a long time dead son". He only stopped fishing when he couldn't walk any more . He still insists on fishing reports from me when I see him . He was 90 in February and he still wishes he could fish. I went this year (25th march) nearly froze and caught bugger all. But I wouldn't have missed it .

G S

 

[patrick62]

There are three guys I will fish with and one of them lives in Eastern Europe somewhere and I haven't seen him in 20+ years.

 

[Rip Tide]

My regular fishin' partner and I have fished together since 1969
We're a pretty good team at this point. No surprises.
I don't think that he's all that keen on sleeping in a tent, but I drag him off to some pretty good spots so he tolerates it.

 

[karstopo]

My fishing buddies and I are all fair weather fishermen. We seem to find any excuse to pull the plug on a trip. No one in our circle seems quite as mad at the fish as we might have been in the past.

 

[ia_trouter]

I must be anti social, I prefer to fish alone, wander at will, in a world of my own and have no time limit. If I can see another angler it's too close, say hello when I'm taking a break but otherwise leave me be. One hour or ten, the fish decide when I leave, not the clock.
The only time fishing disappoints is when people interrupt and break the spell.

There are a lot of people like you. If that is what you enjoy, then that is how you should fish. But the fact you post this forum probably implies you aren't completely anti-social. Even when I fish with a buddy. we generally spend most of the day several hundred feet apart. Occasionally taking a short break to swap fishing lies. Or at least productive fly recommendations. I guess the actual socializing occurs during the drive to the water.

Extended trips is where I have become completely gun shy. I can recall several trips where I scheduled around somebody else's plans during less favorable fishing times, then they cancel their reservation too late for me to adjust to when I actually wanted to go, leaving me with the expenses.

But hey this is too much negativity and I am supposed to be fishing today. The rain was actually a little heavier than I had hoped. I decided to go later in the day. I can do that because apparently I only have imaginary internet fishing friends lol.

 

[Joey Bagels]

I once went ice fishing with a friend in Wyoming. Hauled my portable ice shack, auger, heater, rods, thermos, and all the other stuff necessary to keep him comfy. Unloaded it all from my rig, hauled it onto the ice, set up, drilled holes, rigged rods, poured coffee, and saw a few fish. No joke, about a half hour in, buddy boy announces he’s bored and wants to head back into town to meet up with some other guys for a football game. I managed to not shove him through the 10” hole into an icy doom. That was 25 years ago. Since then, I’ve fished with a few good folks, some duds, and had a few bail. So I save myself ulcers and angst and go by myself 99.9% of the time. Even then, the company is only bearable about half the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ia_trouter]

Post of the day right there Joey Bagels.

 

[dennyk]

I mostly fish by myself and don't really notice not having anyone else around. I do have 2 buddies I fish with once and awhile. Due to our geographical locations ( we're 30 to 40 miles apart) we always meet at our choice of spots. Weather doesn't much bother us. These friends are a pleasure to fish with. Not discounting a beer and a burger at day's end!

Denny

 

[ia_trouter]

I mostly fish by myself and don't really notice not having anyone else around. I do have 2 buddies I fish with once and awhile. Due to our geographical locations ( we're 30 to 40 miles apart) we always meet at our choice of spots. Weather doesn't much bother us. These friends are a pleasure to fish with. Not discounting a beer and a burger at day's end!

Denny

This guy has been a pretty good buddy since I met him only a few years ago. I enjoy his company. I taught him to fly fish for trout and now he puts a fish beating on me on the water sometimes. He is very successful and his life is busy. He is SUPER high maintenance to try to schedule a fishing trip with, but we manage a half dozen per year because I make it happen. He knows I scout the crappie spawn and still thanks me for the most epic days he's ever had with a fly rod. He brings it up about every time I see him.

This was a good vent thread, but I feel like a real jerk for starting it now.

 

[Hellbender]

I almost always fish alone, for many of the reasons already mentioned. In fact, I usually do most anything alone for the same reasons. My wife says it’s because I don’t have any friends; I have many friends, Hardy, Loomis, Winston, Mustad, Metz...