The Lone Fisherman

[Mobasser]

For several years my grandson Aiden was my fishing partner. From the time he was age nine until sixteen, we fished together every Saturday.                                At age sixteen, Aiden took a job at a grocery store in town, and has worked two nights per week, as well as every Saturday all day.                     Between work, school and other things he's a busy kid. I'm very happy for him, but we can't fish together now because of his busy schedule.                                           My other partner Mike is 72 now, and goes with me sometimes, but doesn't always feel up to it.                           So, after all these years, this is how it's worked out. 95 percent of the time I'm fishing alone. Ive become the guy you see in the Jon boat, by himself, fishing slowly over a good spot, and hoping a good bass will strike.                                 One thing about fishing alone is you have no other distractions. Your mind is fully focused on the fishing, and this can be a good thing.                                                    There's been many past threads here about fishing alone. I'm wondering if this is  common with BR members?                                            Are you like me? Do you fish alone?

[A-Jay]

I fish alone, mostly. 

However, on the rare occasions my wife is up for it,

she'll wet a line with me.

Rest of the season, it's just me and Pro-V Bass

trying to make it happen.

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

Yeah, often I'm alone. I've been bank fishing with friends this semester more than in ones past and have certainly enjoyed that. I have a 'drive' when I'm kayak fishing and I've found that not many people are up for it. Early mornings, late days. I've had to decide how to strike the balance between how much I want to fish and how much I want to fish with others. When I fish with others, I do my best to put my selfish desires aside. If they don't want to fish as long or they just want to have fun, I accommodate them. It's just time spent with friends at that point. I think I've found someone this semester that actually matches my passion for the sport and maybe even fishes more than I do (impossible). I could see us tearing up some ponds if I find some more time on the weekends. I am well known as an avid fisherman here and talk with people newer to the sport. 

 

Family-wise, my Mom is usually the first to join and she's caught really nice bass with me. My Dad joins on very rare occasions. 

[Mobasser]

5 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I fish alone, mostly. 

However, on the rare occasions my wife is up for it,

she'll wet a line with me.

Rest of the season, it's just me and Pro-V Bass

trying to make it happen.

A-Jay

A- Jay, my wife will go on occasion also. She has fun, but doesn't have the same enthusiasm for fishing as I do.

[gim]

I fish alone about half the time, although I do take my dog with  as long as the conditions are acceptable. She doesn’t say much lol.

 

I do enjoy fishing with my Father fairly regularly as a partner. He’s 70 now but still in good shape for his age. I think he is more willing to go with me because I literally pick him up at his house, he just sits in he back of my boat and fishes, and then I drop him off at his house after we’re done. So the amount of work he has to do is very minimal. He did most of the work when I was younger because he had the boat to use. Even though he still has a boat, I kinda feel like I’m returning the favor now.

[MN Fisher]

Just me, myself and I.

 

Fishing is my time to get away from everything...if I catch something, it's a bonus.

[WRB]

Looking back I enjoyed both fishing alone and fishing with friends. My best friend to fish with was my son, Tommy like to fish night tournaments. Something about getting ready and planning for the event, the sun setting and being partners, the weigh ins etc. When my passed away 2 years ago my desire to fish went with him.

I also liked to fish alone during pre spawn on week days in not so good weather. If I wanted to bail out it wasn’t going to be an issue calling a partner and tell them I am going at the last minute, no commitment.

My wife doesn’t like to bass fish with me, she goes along just to be out on the water in good weather and enjoy the outing.

Now that I sold my boat and most of my tackle my only choice is to wait for an invitation to back seat. Being old all of my past fishing buddies are gone, moved or died. Still enjoy getting out to fish when the opportunity is offered.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

I mostly fish with an unruly cast of characters

 

Had a college buddy and a neighbor with me last Thursday 

 

today and yesterday I had my wife, brother, mom, and niece in the boat (brother and niece are in town for Easter)

 

 

tomorrow I’m fishing with one of my musician buddies that’s in town. We are hopefully going to get a striper, his dad is an authority on striper fishing in the Chesapeake 

 

[Bird]

I fish sometimes with a long time friend and occasionally with the wife but overall, prefer to fish alone.

I'm more focused and alert when it's just me.

[DitchPanda]

I have a buddy that I panfish  and walleye fish with...he's not a bass guy so we are meat hunting when we go. Got a good buddy whose also a member here...shout out @walt-14...but he's got like 46 kids ? so we don't get out as often as I'd like. My buddy Brian just got deep into the bass thing last year so since mid summer last year we've gone alot. That said I used to fish alone alot...I like being on my own time schedule, making all my own decisions kinda dying by the sword if you will. Today I got out by myself and had my best numbers day of the spring so far.

[LonnieP]

I always fish alone. Prefer it that way

[BrianMDTX]

About 99% of the time. The other 1% is when I’m not fishing! 

[volzfan59]

I fish alone most of the time. Sometimes my son in law goes with me, sometimes my wife goes but usually I'm alone. I'm pretty much a loner so I like being alone.

[NorthernBasser]

Majority of the time it's just me. My fishing buddy lives about 4-5 hours away. I love fishing with hiim whenever we get the chance, but I must say, I really enjoy fishing alone.

 

First and foremost, I'm a much better fisherman when I'm alone. Not as much noise in the boat. No talking. Just total concentration.

 

My job is quite loud and hectic, so having that alone time is also quite refreshing. 

[TnRiver46]

I forgot to add:

 

I don’t know if it’s just good fish karma or what, but I have taken people fishing in places they’ve never seen before and let them choose the spot. We’ve stumbled into some excellent fishing that way several times 

 

it’s usually somewhere I would drive right by and never fish 

[geo g]

For 30 years I fished with the same partner and life long friend.  My good buddy suddenly   passed away.   For the next ten years I fished with other fisherman from sites like this one.  I don’t like to fish alone, but when I do I always  wear an inflatable vest, CC for all the big gators and pythons, and always have flight plan with the wife, and life 360 ap.  Wife knows where I am every minute.

[ironbjorn]

I wouldn't fish if bass fishing wasn't a thing, and I wouldn't bass fish if I couldn't do it alone the majority of the time.

[Bankbeater]

My dad and I fished together every weekend until he passed away 8 years ago.  Now I fish alone except when my buddies and I do a road trip to a reservoir size lake. We try to do that 2 or 3 times a year.

[NavyVet1204]

At this point in time we have a seven month old baby boy and we take him along to the local park in a stroller while I fish so on one hand I’m alone, but on the other I’m not. The baby calls the shots on how long I get to fish for now and that’s alright. Pretty soon he will be holding a pole right next to me. My wife loves to fish also, but like others she doesn’t share quite the same passion as I do for it.

[fin]

I fish mostly alone and most of the people I see fishing, fish alone. I have friends I cross paths with at the lake, and we sometimes spend more time talking than fishing, but we’re almost always talking about fishing. If you don’t have someone you can tell about your catches, it takes a little bit of the fun out of it.

 

One of the guys I used to like to fish with started talking about politics all the time. I would change the subject and he would go right back to politics. I got to where I started avoiding him, and he eventually disappeared a couple years ago. Nobody at the lake knows whatever happened to him. I miss talking fishing with him, but I don’t miss the politics. And that kind of illustrates how I feel about fishing with others - I’m there to fish, not socialize or debate politics or whatever. That kind of stuff ruins the experience for me.

[GRiver]

My Dad was who I fished with 99% of the time, but since he has passed away, I fish alone. 
Like geo g, I have the inflatable vest, wife knows what area I’m fishing. 
It’s not that I prefer too fish alone, it’s I haven’t found anybody I really click with while fishing. 
It’s hard to explain, you know you have friends, then you have fishing buddies. 
Friends…. You stop by, have a beer, have them over for barbecue, talk about everything…… but fishing.

Fishing buddy…..you stop by have a beer. Have them over for cookout, talk about everything WHILE fishing.

 

[padlin]

I've had 3 fishing buddies over the years, the 1st moved to Vero Beach, the 2nd is now chair bound due to health issues, and the 3rd was my brother who passed a few years ago. Had one of the ponds to myself last week, other then a bald eagle who had better luck then I.

 

I like fishing by myself but do miss being with others too. Going to try and get out with my grandson for the 1st time this week, hopefully the wind will cooperate.

 

This does bring up the issue of always fishing with another in poor conditions for safety reasons. I think about it when I'm out there by myself in my canoe, the only one on the pond with 50 degree water. The whistle isn't going to help much.

[Jmilburn76]

I kayak fish and have been alone 99% of the time.

[Jaderose]

I fish alone and prefer it that way.  That is my time when I need to disconnect from the world.  No talking (unless I'm mumbling to myself), no phone, no distractions.  The lake I fish is small and full of stumps and laydowns so no pleasure boaters.  On a nice spring or summer morning, it is usually dead quiet except for nature.  It's paradise for me

[BayouSlide]

Alone, by choice, except on a rare few occasions.

 

With the exception of a very short list of friends, I also prefer hunting alone, though I bird hunt with my dogs of course. When you're by yourself you don't worry about having to please anyone else if the fish or game are no-shows. By myself I'm generally happy either way. ??