When your buddy is having a rough day and you're not...

[Ratherbfishing]

I feel like a bad "host" if I take someone fishing and I am catching and they are not so I do everything I can to put them on fish too. And I'll share the last of whichever color is working if I have to.  Life is too short for anything else.  But sometimes it just happens and there is nothing that can be done about it.  I will, however, sometimes ask my friend (who once made the statement "There isn't anything so hard about fishing.  I mean it isn't like professional baseball or anything...") if she still feels this way.  I believe everyone, including myself, should be reminded what crow tastes like.

 

[RoLo]

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

 

Better yet, I cut my lure off and give it to my friend to fish.

 

 

 

Before you cut-off your lure, make sure that your buddy will accept it.

Otherwise, there will be 'two' people not catching fish   

 

Roger

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

I fish with experienced, and unexperienced friends,and kids.I treat them all differently.With experienced friends I rarely offer help because they know what to do. I may offer baits I think would help them or offer for them to switch to the front.I make fitting comments like " log salmon " if they reel in a branch,or " if you can't join em, beat em," if they throw a short cast with a big splash.If they get hung up on a tree limb I might say " You after flying fish ?? " The only time in 40+ years I remember getting really mad at a friend was when one of them thought my favorite rod at the time was an ugly stick and did the butt to point thing and snapped it in half.He actually got out of the boat and swam to an island nearby to let me cool off.

• With the unexperienced fisherman, I don't tease them.I try to see what the problem is and help.Casting and setting the hook are the worst.Most of the guys I teach are so unexperienced that they know it and really appreciate the help.I have actually done the hook set and handed them the rod thing and they seemed to appreciate it. Nearly all this type will do what I suggest without complaint.When they get better then the teasing may start!? One exception was when I took a good friend bass fishing for the first time.He was a good fisherman but had never bass fished.His first cast he thought he had a fish and was so excited.I told him to set the hook son.He did and it put up a good fight for a cowboy boot!!? I told him to cast back over there and catch the other one!. He was disappointed and mad at me,but he stuck with it and got to where he would often out fish me.

•Kids. It's all about them ...

 

 

 

[Savage33]

I see this happen mostly when fishing shallow.  My two main fishing buddies don't bass fish every chance they get like I do.  So when we are flipping and pitching bushes I absolutely crush them every time because of my casts.  I can keep quiet and have little to no splash when my life hits the water.  They really can't pitch or flip, more of a sidearm cast with a huge splash and about 17 feet from where they wanted to hit.  And always away from the bushes.  I've tried showing them how to pitch, either they don't care to learn or they just don't actually try to learn. They see me pitching into the middle of the bushes and contstantly pulling fish out of them. But they don't try because they don't want to get hung up. 

 

Open water is a different story, things are usually pretty even between us. 

 

Ive seen a lot of you say to give them the same kind of lure, etc..  that may help but  if the fish are in a picky mood and I'm hammering them on a 7'6" MH with a 6.4:1 reel and they are using a 6'6" M and 5.3:1 reel, I think even the gear comes into play when you think about presentation.  I may be overthinking it and honestly this is the first time I've thought about that. Lol

[NHBull]

Happened this morning.

I agreed to take my buddy and son out for a couple hrs.  Buddy never fished and son only a couple times.  They got 8, all over 3 lbs.  I got zero....to busy tying line, and removing fish and hooks.....but it was fun

 

[whitwolf]

There's good natured ribbing and then there's being a selfish jerk. I quit fishing with a guy because he was happy and attempted to urinate allover me when he had a better day and was a miserable richard head when I had a good day. 

 

The above said I occasionally fish with a couple of folks that are good people and have a ton of fun. I go out of my way to help when things are tough on them( I usually let them subtly give me clues in how to help)  and If there's a child or someone new to fishing I don't wet a line. I make durn sure they catch fish (usually bream or crappie) and have the day of their fishing lives. 

 

I fish a lot by myself or with my wife. These are the days I fish, learn, and generally am more concerned with catching. BUT, there are days that you just don't catch them. I love being on the water and all that goes with that. I have FUN, catching them or not. Fishing and the water are where I want to be and through the years I have figured out what that means and how to be there.

 

Lastly, fish with the people you would go to the ends of the Earth for, help them when they're having a rough day, and a guarantee they will return that kindness in spades.

 

[GetBent]

When they catch more fish than me I just tell them it was their Capt/guide and laugh it off. As long as we're having fun I don't care who catches more- I'm just lucky it's usually me, but I have bad days. Keeps me coming back. 

[TOXIC]

If you want a challenge try guiding!!  

 

After you get past the controversy of "should the guide fish" and you have a couple of Tournament anglers in the boat, it can get interesting.  Peoples expectations when they hire a guide is that they are going to catch fish.  Never mind their experience level, weather conditions, etc.  I found that when "fishermen" brought their wives, I always had an easier time getting the wives to catch fish...why?........because they actually listened to what I was telling them and did what I told them.  The husbands tended to be more stubborn and that went up with the more experience they had.  

[FreddoB]

I share baits, I teach the teachable, and I love seeing a fishing buddy catch fish - period! My son was killing them the other day with Senkos and I wasn't. I asked him what "he" was doing that I wasn't and praised him for doing so well!

 

I tried to teach a stubborn buddy once that asked why I was catching all the fish while we were fishing shoulder to shoulder on a river for trout. I said to him, "Let's swap rods for a moment!" and he said, "OK, sure..." I followed with telling him exactly where to throw the bait, and he nailed the cast and his bait drifted right into the hole I pointed out. 1st cast was a 12" rainbow - BOOM! We switched rods back to their rightful owners and I explained that his setup was causing him issues. To heavy a split shot, to big a hook, to BRIGHT and heavy a line (remember fluorescent Stren?). But this friend I'd die for wouldn't change his setup. I just always caught more. Presentation and knowing where to put the bait are an angler's ticket. When a guy sees me fishing and asks, "any luck"?, I chuckle inside. Is fishing luck? Do we need buddies and mentors to teach us stuff so our "luck" gets better"? We need to hone our skills and that's why this forum I'm new to is so good...it's full of great information to meet that end!

 

I too as others have posted, would rather not wet a line when helping others learn and teach them. When I'm alone out there is when "I get to fish... and learn... and fish hard!"

[onetime]

22 hours ago, FreddoB said:

I share baits, I teach the teachable, and I love seeing a fishing buddy catch fish - period! My son was killing them the other day with Senkos and I wasn't. I asked him what "he" was doing that I wasn't and praised him for doing so well!

 

I tried to teach a stubborn buddy once that asked why I was catching all the fish while we were fishing shoulder to shoulder on a river for trout. I said to him, "Let's swap rods for a moment!" and he said, "OK, sure..." I followed with telling him exactly where to throw the bait, and he nailed the cast and his bait drifted right into the hole I pointed out. 1st cast was a 12" rainbow - BOOM! We switched rods back to their rightful owners and I explained that his setup was causing him issues. To heavy a split shot, to big a hook, to BRIGHT and heavy a line (remember fluorescent Stren?). But this friend I'd die for wouldn't change his setup. I just always caught more. Presentation and knowing where to put the bait are an angler's ticket. When a guy sees me fishing and asks, "any luck"?, I chuckle inside. Is fishing luck? Do we need buddies and mentors to teach us stuff so our "luck" gets better"? We need to hone our skills and that's why this forum I'm new to is so good...it's full of great information to meet that end!

 

I too as others have posted, would rather not wet a line when helping others learn and teach them. When I'm alone out there is when "I get to fish... and learn... and fish hard!"

 

Yes, fishing is luck, and about a million other factors, I'd rather be lucky than good any day of the week!

[spokey9]

Would it be wrong to ask him to unhook the fish you're catching since he ain't busy?

[FreddoB]

@onetime Hey Onetime - I totally get it but it makes me wonder if the big money bass tournament winners cash checks solely based on luck? Please know I don't follow the tournaments or intend to. But I know that if I could fish day in and day out without getting tired of it, I'd "know" what works like the back of my hand more than the angler that doesn't fish often at all. I suppose luck comes into play at times, it has to. Just saying that experience and skill has to help in some way.

 

My wife wonders if a fish finder is cheating? Is knowing the layout under water we can't see a good thing?

 

Please know I'm not trying to get your goat because you believe there is a lot of luck to fishing. I was just suggesting that skills must play into the sport to catch more...  

[onetime]

1 hour ago, FreddoB said:

@onetime Hey Onetime - I totally get it but it makes me wonder if the big money bass tournament winners cash checks solely based on luck? Please know I don't follow the tournaments or intend to. But I know that if I could fish day in and day out without getting tired of it, I'd "know" what works like the back of my hand more than the angler that doesn't fish often at all. I suppose luck comes into play at times, it has to. Just saying that experience and skill has to help in some way.

 

My wife wonders if a fish finder is cheating? Is knowing the layout under water we can't see a good thing?

 

Please know I'm not trying to get your goat because you believe there is a lot of luck to fishing. I was just suggesting that skills must play into the sport to catch more...  

Checks cashed are not solely based on luck, but based on many factors as stated earlier. You are correct in your thinking that time on the water, knowledge of your waters, skills, research from fine forums like this, etc. has a lot to do with success. Fishing for most of us is just "fine tuning" anyway, no? We all know what to throw, when to throw it, and how to throw it, we are all looking for that little edge that will catch us more/bigger fish. Usually that "little edge" is luck, that's why people say "hey any luck" so to answer your question, it's not all luck, but it probably plays a bigger role than one might think. YMMV

[SuperCorona]

My wife loves to fish for crappie and bluegill so we go out at least once a week.  I always try to position the boat so she has easier access to where I think the fish are that particular time.  I don't want her to have to cast into the wind if possible.  Never fails that once we get set up, the wind shifts or the fish are not where they should have been.  Two weeks ago she was in the primo spot and caught nothing but little ones.  I was fishing out the other side of the boat and nailing slabs.  I could sense her frustration so we switched seats.  She had a blast catching some big ones and had a big smile on her face the whole time.  That's worth more to me than anything.

 

I do the same for my son when we go out.  I want him to catch fish and pass the bug on to his son.  My first grandson was born last week and I can't wait for the day to come when I can take him fishing.

[sully420]

This happens to me quite a bit all I really do is give them the tools and my reasoning for what I'm doing and let them try to learn. It's really hard to teach somebody presentation, people are always convinced that it's just a bait and if they have that bait they'd be catching them. But most of the time they're just not willing to pay attention to the details or to pay attention to what you're doing that's putting fish in the boat. Like lightly presenting the bait into the water, paying attention to where the grass is or what the targets are and then altering your presentation. Anytime I bring friends on the boat I want them to catch fish but sometimes the best thing you can do is it just keep catching fish until they start paying attention and asking the right questions.

[Bassun]

The first thing I tell anyone on the boat, before we cast the first line, is that if it's on the boat - use it.  I generally have more gear than whomever is with me, and I want them to know 100% they can use anything.  Usually, lure wise, they say they are afraid to lose it.  I have said the same thing to everyone I've fished with for years, "I bought it expecting to lose it."

When I take any of my buddies out, we generally start fishing as a team trying to build a pattern.  There is always a rivalry to get the skunk off the boat, so first fish get's to dig a little right off.  After that it kind of depends.  Generally we will harass each other over numbers, but if after a short while if someone is getting skunked things get serious about getting them on a fish.  We talk through what's working, where it's working, what colors etc. Generally we don't harass each other too much if one is getting skunked.  I've handed my set up over, stopped fishing to try to get them on a fish, traded positions, etc.  If I have a guest on the boat, I feel obligated to do whatever I can to put them on fish.  

Now, if we are both catching fish -- then the smack talk grows.  One of our better days, I was staying up by like one fish most of the day, I started calling for the net on every fish.   It started legitimately, with a decent fish... then a slightly smaller fish that "Fought like he was bigger"... then I got into dinks.  And called for the net about half a dozen times before he refused to net anymore, lol.  A few fish later, I hooked into a good one - and you would think that crying wolf would have bit me... and it did until he heard it rip off my drag, and saw my rod doubled over.  Instantly, rod down, net ready.  That's just how we are - it's all fun and games - fishing IS supposed to be fun.  But, when it's a good fish - we get serious fast.  (That's not to say I haven't lowered my drag on small fish to make it sound like I've got a brute on before, lol.)

With two of the guys, my nephew and brother in law - we have an uncanny habit of one catching more, the other catching the bigger -- even if we are fishing the same thing.  What's odd is that it swaps between us so it's not just technique, it's just "luck" of the draw.  But, regardless of who's on fish, we are always talking through where, what and why to put us BOTH on more fish.

[Bucky205]

It happens to all of us that fish a lot. I’ve had kids first day fishing land more fish.  Sometimes it just works out that the bite is more suited for a different technique.  No adult males I fish with will cut you any slack; it’s part of the fun.  If it's a less experienced person you’re introducing to the sport, they deserve special consideration.  Otherwise, "maybe you can get your little sister to show you how", or “set the hook like you do when were crappie fishing”.   And if it is your wife, or little sister that out fished you, it’s going to get really rough.

[quanjig]

Wow, been a while since I've played in the general forum!! Couldn't help but see a bit of "jeez, really??!!" In the responses, even when in jest!! I fish a buddy tournament series and have had the same partner for over 10 years, I want him tod catch just as many fish as I do, if not more. We bounce ideas of each other constantly through the day, giving the most stupid minute details about each and every bite we get!!! It's fishing, why wouldn't you want your buddy to do well and have a good time??? Glad my circle of fishing friends is small, some of you guys would really not be fun to fish with, sorry....