When I Fish Alone, I Prefer to be by Myself

[Troutmeister]

Like many others, I almost always fish alone. I mostly fish small to medium streams where it makes sense to only have one guy wading and spooking fish.

I just dont get the bro culture where 3 or 4 guys are fishing together often times in the same hole or run. Seems so counter productive.

 

[wildtrout2]

Where is it? Maybe I'll meet you! 🙂

No you won't. 😀

 

[NetWork]

One of the times I fish with someone else is when I am with a guide. Interestingly, while the guide does a great job of showing me a new area and putting me on fish, I never fish as well as I do when I am by myself. Having someone nearby in the stream talking/encouraging/being helpful is great, but it can also be distracting.

 

[JeffP]

Like many others, I almost always fish alone. I mostly fish small to medium streams where it makes sense to only have one guy wading and spooking fish.

I just dont get the bro culture where 3 or 4 guys are fishing together often times in the same hole or run. Seems so counter productive.

There are times during an evening hatch on a larger creek where its fun and helpful to compare notes out loud.

 

[DomR]

I fish by myself almost exclusively. It's nice to be able to pick up and go when and where I want and not be bound by others. That's not to say I don't enjoy the company of others, but time on the stream is sacred to me. It's nice to be able to work a stretch of water at my own pace and be able to pick apart the areas I want to fish.

I'm very much of the same ilk. I fish alone 99.9% of the time. Between job, commute, grocery shopping, I get enough socialization nonsense that I want to just relax, fish where I want, how long I want, and how I want without having to explain myself if I want to leave early or fish wets during a hatch, etc. I will fish with other people but I'm very selective, really haven't done so since my dad and uncle passed. I'll get my son out sometimes but he's off at college. Oddly that's really flyfishing for trout centric. If I'm fishing gear for catfish or even sunnies I don't mind buddies.

 

[greywolf]

Like many others, I almost always fish alone. I mostly fish small to medium streams where it makes sense to only have one guy wading and spooking fish.

I just dont get the bro culture where 3 or 4 guys are fishing together often times in the same hole or run. Seems so counter productive.

I have seen that many times over the years. 3 or 4 people all fishing the same run or pool and wonder why the trout are put down and don't bite

 

[troutbert]

Like many others, I almost always fish alone. I mostly fish small to medium streams where it makes sense to only have one guy wading and spooking fish.

There is a way of 2 people (not more than 2) fishing a small stream together than can work well. I read about this method in a magazine article long ago.

The 2 guys fish together the whole time. You take turns fishing. The first guy fishes until he's either caught a trout or he's fished a "decent" stretch. What is a "decent" stretch takes some judgment. Don't make your turn too long.

When the first guys stint is done, he says "You're up" and gets out of the stream and steps back out of the way, and the second guy steps in and start fishing. This way someone is fishing all the time. You're not wasting time.

While you are waiting, you do the kinds of things you often do anyway even if fishing alone. Drying your fly, changing your fly, adjusting your tippet. Having something to eat or drink. Taking photos. Turning rocks to look at nymphs. Taking the water temperature.

And the guy whose turn it is to fish, he FISHES. If he needs to change flies or dry his fly, etc. he doesn't do that during his turn. He says "You're up" and gets out of the creek, and the other guy steps right in.

This takes a certain amount of cooperation. But this can work if both people want to fish this way.

Some people CANNOT do this, though. I've found that out. Their personality isn't suitable for it.

In that case, it's better to just start where you parked your car. One guy fishes upstream. The other guy walks downstream a ways then fishes back up. You agree to meet to meet back at the car at a particular time.

The "hopscotching" type stuff is a disaster. And no one should ever just fish up the creek and expect the other guy to follow behind them all day.

 

[TimMurphy]

There is a way of 2 people (not more than 2) fishing a small stream together than can work well. I read about this method in a magazine article long ago.

The 2 guys fish together the whole time. You take turns fishing. The first guy fishes until he's either caught a trout or he's fished a "decent" stretch. What is a "decent" stretch takes some judgment. Don't make your turn too long.

When the first guys stint is done, he says "You're up" and gets out of the stream and steps back out of the way, and the second guy steps in and start fishing. This way someone is fishing all the time. You're not wasting time.

While you are waiting, you do the kinds of things you often do anyway even if fishing alone. Drying your fly, changing your fly, adjusting your tippet. Having something to eat or drink. Taking photos. Turning rocks to look at nymphs. Taking the water temperature.

And the guy whose turn it is to fish, he FISHES. If he needs to change flies or dry his fly, etc. he doesn't do that during his turn. He says "You're up" and gets out of the creek, and the other guy steps right in.

This takes a certain amount of cooperation. But this can work if both people want to fish this way.

Some people CANNOT do this, though. I've found that out. Their personality isn't suitable for it.

In that case, it's better to just start where you parked your car. One guy fishes upstream. The other guy walks downstream a ways then fishes back up. You agree to meet to meet back at the car at a particular time.

The "hopscotching" type stuff is a disaster. And no one should ever just fish up the creek and expect the other guy to follow behind them all day.

Dear troutbert,

I've fished with 2 other people on a small stream several times for 8 hours doing something similar. One guy fishes, one is on deck on the bank and the third guy trails to pick errant back casts out of trees. The fisherman gets to hook and hopefully land one fish and then people change places. LDR's and whiffs on strikes count too. Not everyone can do it like that, but I've done it several times in different states with different people with no issues. When streams are prime the action is constant and Frank Nale like numbers are easily attained.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[Skook]

Nothing compares to fishing with your dad, except fishing with your kids.

 

[jifigz]

I have "leap-frogged" small streams with buddies often and have been doing it for many years. Me and a buddy used to fish my favorite brookie stream like this. Sometimes it's almost more fun watching your buddy try to sneak that elk hair Caddis perfectly under the tree branches as it is doing it yourself.

We never used hard and fast rules and we just generally stepped aside/traded after every nice looking piece of water, fish caught, etc.

 

[dryflyguy]

I have "leap-frogged" small streams with buddies often and have been doing it for many years. Me and a buddy used to fish my favorite brookie stream like this. Sometimes it's almost more fun watching your buddy try to sneak that elk hair Caddis perfectly under the tree branches as it is doing it yourself.

We never used hard and fast rules and we just generally stepped aside/traded after every nice looking piece of water, fish caught, etc.

Exactly
If I'm hiking into a remote stream with someone, we've likely been fishing together long enough that we don't need to be pissy about making sure we fish equal water.
To me, friendship - and having a good time - is more important

 

[troutbert]

I have "leap-frogged" small streams with buddies often and have been doing it for many years. Me and a buddy used to fish my favorite brookie stream like this. Sometimes it's almost more fun watching your buddy try to sneak that elk hair Caddis perfectly under the tree branches as it is doing it yourself.

We never used hard and fast rules and we just generally stepped aside/traded after every nice looking piece of water, fish caught, etc.

Are you leap-frogging or taking turns? You mentioned both.

In my experience, taking turns works well. But leap-frogging creates a lot of problems. If your buddy goes up around and fishes the next pool directly above you, he will often spook the water you are fishing.

If he goes further up around to give you a longer stretch to fish, then you won't be able to see where he started. Unless he marks where he started. We have tried that, using a handkerchief tied on a branch over the stream. That can work. But then you are no longer fishing together. You can't see the other guy fishing and what he catches, or discuss things. So it would be easier to just fish different stretches.

Going up around means you are walking much further to fish the same length of stream. And on many streams walking on the land adjacent to the stream is tough because of thick vegetation. It's easier to just fish right up the stream. The whole leap-frogging process just gets too frenetic.

 

[caddisflyer]

We fish up to 3 people but usually one guy barely fishes and makes wisecracks while other two take turns. It is more a social outing but we enjoy seeing each other catch fish. Sometimes one guy is fishing dries and other guy is doing dry dropper. We normally work upstream. We can even fish same hole and guy with dry gets nothing and other guy catches a fish. Sometimes first guy makes a cast into a tree and other guy steps in and makes the cast and catches a fish. This is on a fairly small 20 ft wide creek usually, with a lot of trees. I have to say at this point seeing other people catch them is as fun as catching them. These are guys I have known for years so good natured teasing and coaching is the norm. Probably would be annoying as heck to some people. And I usually do fish alone so it is something fun on occasion.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I have to say at this point seeing other people catch them is as fun as catching them.

Same.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

For me I don't care either way, but there's certainly ways I operate when fishing alone and if someone disagrees with my fishing plan for the day and wants to fish a stretch of water that I don't think is the most viable option, then I won't fish with them. In my friends group when fishing a particular water body the angler with the most experience on that water calls the shots on what specific parts of it we will fish. This of course goes out the window with new water and/or water we are not familiar with.

I don't mind even just sitting back and providing tips, though due to my short fuse and the fact I tend to just dump a lot of info onto people I find that it is difficult to teach. Harder still because of how much feel and intuition is involved in this sport where you just have to know how to fish. It's hard to explain to someone how their casting mechanics are catastrophically destroying their forward momentum without taking a video of themselves so they can look at their casting in third person. I enjoy the notion of getting people into fish to see how well they can do and if they can take my teachings and apply them in a practical way. It can be stressful too when you have someone who is just so close to getting into fish but their drifts/presentation/casting range aren't quite there. I'm trying to fish through people vicariously, a much greater challenge.

As for the hopscotch/taking turns bit I think taking turns is the best method due to previous posts. This of course applies to small bodies of water. On a river like the Delaware we can all squeeze in and start fishing. My peeves for fishing with people is don't cross my line or fish in the window of water I am working or fishing close enough to where you are making me adjust the lengths of my drifts. And if I get a substantial fish get your flies out of the water.

I will say it is a good feeling to catch a bunch of fish in front of people, but I think every angler thinks that. I get the same rush catching a bunch by myself too.

 

[Bamboozle]

The many times in the past when I've fished a new stream with people (often times three), we usually would get dropped off along the creek and split up with the plan being the person who fished the fastest was the furthest upstream.

The reasoning behind this is so the faster angler wouldn't end up being up the a$$ of the slow methodical fisherman who gets REALLY #%!*+&!! annoyed when that happens to me, err... them. 😡

This wasn't as tricky to implement on familiar streams where most of us knew the sections well enough to know how long it would take us to fish a mile or two of stream. But even at those places, we'd get dropped off at our beats.

In my case, I'd rather be fishing the least productive section of a stream versus looking over my shoulder all day long. I have even gone as far as driving myself or having the driver (if we are in one vehicle) take me miles upstream just so I knew one of the others wouldn't catch up.

When feeling crowded, I've also bailed on the main stem of certain creeks and ventured up a tributary just so I could be by myself.

However, a lot of it has to do with who you are fishing with. I have a few fishing buddies who fish nothing but local warmwater creeks & ponds and stocked trout waters. These friends are so used to crowds at the limited options they have to fish that they think nothing of standing right beside you, casting a foot or two from where you are fishing.

It is annoying to say the least until like Popeye, "I can't stands it anymore" and I say something....

Bottom line, I guess you can call me Garbo...

 

[afishinado]

In my experience, taking turns works well. But leap-frogging creates a lot of problems. If your buddy goes up around and fishes the next pool directly above you, he will often spook the water you are fishing.

If he goes further up around to give you a longer stretch to fish, then you won't be able to see where he started. Unless he marks where he started. We have tried that, using a handkerchief tied on a branch over the stream. That can work. But then you are no longer fishing together. You can't see the other guy fishing and what he catches, or discuss things. So it would be easier to just fish different stretches.

Going up around means you are walking much further to fish the same length of stream. And on many streams walking on the land adjacent to the stream is tough because of thick vegetation. It's easier to just fish right up the stream. The whole leap-frogging process just gets too frenetic.

Fishing together and taking turns works well and can make for an enjoyable day fishing with your buddy.
But if both guys want to fish, "leap-frogging" also works well if you have a system.

I usually have an orange hat in my pack for fishing during hunting season, but anything bright piece of clothing will work.

I begin fishing and my buddy walks on the bank upstream a ways leaving good water for me to fish. He hangs the orange hat along the bank where he starts fishing upstream and I fish up to that point and grab the hat. I then work my way upstream to find my buddy. I ask him something like "didjaketchany?" and he usually says "cottafew" or something like that.

After we BS for a while I move upstream along the bank, leaving my buddy some good water to fish, and plant the hat where I start fishing upstream. Rinse and repeat.

Both of us have a good day fishing and no one ends up fishing in the others wake. Plus we get to stay in touch all day and also have a good time.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

The reasoning behind this is so the faster angler wouldn't end up being up the a$$ of the slow methodical fisherman who gets REALLY #%!*+&!! annoyed when that happens to me, err... them. 😡

I have one friend who works upstream so fast that you would think he was running a qualifying lap. We fished a larger river on Monday and he had waded across 100 feet of river and had started working his way downstream by the time I was finished rigging.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

And having a good sense of humor

What about an extremely warped sense of humor?

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I avoid the people who want to make it a competition.

Then you won't like me.