Fishing with friends... Bad or Good?

[Bass_Akwards]

Okay, so I have this one friend who I fish with a lot.  Great guy.  We talk sports, fishing, girls, and whatever comes up.  We smoke cigars and have an overall great time on the bank.  I've fished with him 90% of the time the past couple years.

The problem is, I've started to notice how this effects my bottom line.  When we fish together, most of the time we're shore fishing.  He stands about 50 yards away from me and we fish and B.S.  on the same shore line.

This means I'm NOT fishing the water he's fishing.(because he's fishing it)  

Conversely, when he's not there, I can fish the water I'm fishing AND the water he WOULD HAVE BEEN fishing, if he was there.  Therefore, I catch twice the fish when I fish alone.

What REALLY sucks is, he's been bringing his two sons with him lately, so the entire shoreline is basically being fished by 4 guys, when, if I came alone, I'd have the whole shoreline to myself.  

Last night was the first night I fished alone in the last 20 outings and I absolutely CRUSHED it!  I fished where I usually fish, AND 50 yards down where my friend usually fishes, AND 50 yards down further where his sons usually fish.  I was smacking 3-4 pounders all night, on all three sections of shoreline that I usually can't fish because my friend and his sons are usually fishing it.

Am I a selfish basshole?  Where do you guys come out on this?  It's gotten to the point where I don't even want to call my friend anymore to go fishing because I want all that d**n water and shoreline to myself.  I feel like such a jerk, but after a night like last night (and most nights I fish alone) it's tough to NOT want to fish by myself.

Anyone else ever have this problem?

[Surgin]

To be honest there are times when I like to fish alone. Other times I would rather have a buddy or my brother with me on the boat.

I guess if I had to choose I would rather have a buddy there. IMO when your both on the fish it seems more fun.

I do understand wanting to fish alone at times. I just wouldnt lose a friend over it.

[Skunked in DR]

Do both.  Fishing with friends isn't always about the fish.

[EastTexasBassin]

I fish alone about half the time.  I usually catch more fish when I'm alone.  I'm much more quiet and I have 360 degrees of casting options.  Its more fun to fish with a friend, though.

[Dad_Golf_Fish]

There are times I won't fish if I don't have a friend to go with. I love fishing, but I don't do it for a living, I do it for fun. It's twice as much fun with a friend.

[aarogb]

    When I go to the lake I will usually take a friend along, but when I get out on the water he is usually in my way.  He doesn't know any better, but it makes me not want to invite him anymore.

     :-/

    I wonder if my cousin who knows a lot more about bass fishing thinks the same about me?

     

[DRhodes]

It depends with me, I catch more fish when I'm alone, but when you take a friend you have a challenge.

Like stated above, when taking a friend it's not always about the fish.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Like stated above, i catch more fish when i am alone. Not sure if it is the less noise or more concentration? But sometimes i just want to take my bro or buds and have a good time out with them as well!

[NewAngler]

To make a comment and not make it about myself;

You gotta weigh your options. More fish, or the comerodery (sp?)

I would split it up some, half and half, or lean it more to one or the other. I've noticed making and keeping friends as an adult is much harder than as a teenager- cherish the ones you got. Even if they steal your fish!

[The Yankee Fist]

Do both.  Fishing with friends isn't always about the fish.

Well said.

Split up the time, you'll enjoy the memories later on.

[Daniel My Brother]

My biggest problem with bringing friends is that they're usually ready to call it a day before I am. A lot of people get anxious for the ramp when you haven't had a bite in two hours. I don't.

That said, I always put the invitation out there.

[DINK WHISPERER]

My biggest problem with bringing friends is that they're usually ready to call it a day before I am. A lot of people get anxious for the ramp when you haven't had a bite in two hours. I don't.

That said, I always put the invitation out there.

Man that is exactly what happens to me! If the fish stop biting for 20min my bro or bud is ready to go! I call them the "wisher men"!!!!   ;D

[Koop]

There is a time for both, I like to fish alone and I like to fish with friends, just depends on the situation.

[JellyMan]

I fish with friends and alone. When alone, you just do what you want and not have to worry about pleasing anyone or moving the boat for others for snagged lures.

With friends, they must be "fishing literate". If they dont know what they are doing it really gets annoying and quite frankly dangerous. I fish in a 2 person canoe so if I take someone who doesnt know what they are doing, within an hour I want to throw them to the gators.

[JacobK]

i introduced fishing to my friends as a positive way to relieve stress, we all understand the need to fish alone soemtimes.

[AndyPlaysDrums]

I skipped work today, called a buddy of mine up who was just getting out of work, we met up and went out on his little row boat for a few hours this afternoon. The bite wasn't great, though I did catch my new PB:

Being that I work second shift, and am a full time dad during the day, "friend" time is extremely rare and valuable to me. Needless to say, we had an absolute blast! I only caught my one fish, lost another to my own stupidity, but what a great day!

Don't always worry about the count. Never take time with your friends for granted.

[Red Bear]

there are times where id rather just fish alone, but being with friends makes the trip more fun...

[Paul Roberts]

Depends on who they are, especially as anglers. I'm pretty intense in my fishing, and often am looking at particular, (even peculiar to many anglers) things. I think I fish alone mostly because my fishing goals are not always directly involved in catching. I'm out there to develop my knowledge base, not just pursue the same old stuff.

The flip-side is, I enjoy fishing with knowledgeable anglers who can operate on their own and add some knowledge and observations. When I fish with someone it's not very often a chat session. Fish like hell and share what we found.

Being connected with a knowledgeable group of anglers can be just great, allowing us all to keep tabs on the goings on in water's we share. None of us can be everywhere, so a good network can be valuable.

[fishfordollars]

I fish alone a lot.

Made the mistake of carrying a partner (He owns a boat) to one of my best spots late during a tournament day to try to upgrade. This spot was so good and consistent I only touched it when money was on the line. He has since beat it to death and even told several other club members about this spot and they have beat it to death. Never again will I put a fisherman with his own boat on any area I have taken the time to put together. It's not worth it.

I might add that this guy is a decent fisherman when you put him on them. He just cannot find them so he is notorious for the beat downs on other peoples fish.

[SirSnookalot]

Fishing with friends... Bad or Good?

Only you can answer that.

I'm strictly a recreational fisherman and get as much joy watching a friend(or anyone for that matter) catching a nice fish as I do catching one myself.

I've fished with a few poeple that I choose not to fish with again, but for the most part when I fish with other people it's more for the socialization than catching fish. Makes no difference who catches more, anything in my tackle bag is theirs to use and I'll even bait their hook, I just go to enjoy myself.

[Fish Chris]

Ya' know, its a weird thing for me. I have a lot of close friends, many of them "fishing friends".

However, I fish by myself litterally 99+ % of the time. I honestly don't remember the last time I fished with anyone. Couple years ago maybe ?

My excuse is AADD. If I have a friend with me, I might as well just leave the poles at home, as I can't fish, and socialize at the same time. Any distractions just completely kill my game.

Peace,

Fish

[madfish]

I fish often with 2 buddys, two of us have john boats and one has a kayak, so its fishing with your buds but also you are free to do/go where ever, we have alot of fun. But I wont hesitate to take out the canoe and fish with one of them either. But I also do enjoy my alone time at my favorite spots.

[joshuaryan]

To me it means more to catch a few fish w/ my Partner than catch a bunch by myself.  

[Fishing Rhino]

I hear you.  It is a compromise.  

I can do it either way.  I enjoy taking folks or going with them, but I also want to do it alone at times, particularly if I'm prospecting or experimenting.

Alone, I have eleven rods rigged and at the ready in my canoe.  That's two more than in my smaller one.

With another, we can only take a max of three each.

There's freedom in being alone, but there is cameraderie with a friend.  Both are important, so do both.

Fishing with a buddy on a steady basis is like being married.  Sometimes you get to know them too well, and you find things that annoy you, and vice versa.

The key is balance.  Don't wear out your friendship, and save some time for yourself.

[Bass_Akwards]

It might be different when you have a boat vs NOT having a boat.  When you own your boat, you're the boss.  You get to fish from the front of the boat or "allow" others to do so.

When fishing from shore you're basically screwxed.  The other night I fished alone.  I got there at 6:30 and didn't catch a darn thing fan casting soft plastics for about 30 minutes.  What did I do?  Moved down 60 yards to where i absolutely KNOW my friend would have been fishing (standing) I throw in and BANG!  A 4 pounder.  On the very next cast?  BANG!  Another 4+ pounder.  

The friend I fish with cant even cast as far as needed to catch these bass, but he would have taken up valuable bank space that I needed to catch those two beautiful fish.  

The next night I called my friend and we met over at the pond.  He brings his two sons who are very cool people but the entire bank line was now unfishable because I had my friend on my right, his son to my left,  and his other son further left.  I was stuck!  SUUUURE I can go to another bank, but thats not the point.  Besides, if i go to another bank I'm no longer "fishing with friends" so why bother calling them to go fishing in the first place?

I think fishchris might have it right but a good mix is always good too.  Still struggling with this one.