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I am not sure were to post this question. I have noticed a lot of guys fishing alone in their boats. And was wondering why?. I am 61 and just lost my fishing buddy of three years last month. So I guess I will become one of them. But I was just wondering. Why there is not a spot on the forum for guys looking for other guys to partner up with and go fishing. It seems like a lot of work to launch a boat by yourself. Just a thought. Is there a reason to fishing alone. What am I missing.??
Just wondering.............
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Speaking just for myself. I sometimes fish alone because there is no one else in my boat with me.
Seriously, I enjoy fishing with friends that I've come to know and trust. Fishing time is special for me and I want to spend time with other fishermen who value the experience as much as I do.
I have fished with people that I didn't know well and it was mostly a positive experience but on a few occasions the other fishermen were not invited for another trip in my boat.
I think it's a good idea to fish with someone else along just for safety's sake. Launching and retrieving the boat is much easier if you have a partner. A simple fall out of the boat could be a very serious situation because some boats are very hard to reboard if you're in the water.
I always wear an auto-inflating PFD when fishing alone so if I do fall in and hit my head, someone will find my body and I can get a decent burial.
Mike
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There is an inactive thread for those who want to join with other anglers.
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=396989;sb=post_replies;so=DESC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]Link[/url]
You will notice that from time to time I post a fishing invite on here. I do it for several reasons.
1) My boat is extremely difficult to launch by myself
2) I enjoy the company of other anglers
3) I appreciate being able to at least share some of the expense of the trip
4) It is safer to not fish alone.
Downsides:
1) Some anglers have a difficult time arriving at the scheduled time to depart.
2) Some anglers do not enjoy fishing as many hours as I do.
3) It is always a small gamble whether or not we will be compatible.
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I'm sure you can find plenty of folks on here willing to share your boat with you if you offer it. If you like fishing with others and can find a good fishing friend you aren't missing a thing.
I'm sure there are plenty of reasons for fishing alone -- incompatibility, conflicting schedules, attitudes/anal behavior, enjoy the solitude, don't like the distraction or the pressure of other anglers' needs or desires, don't care for others disrespecting their stuff (boat, gear, etc.) or being ungrateful, and for some it ain't social time it's all about the fish. I've got a few other reasons but they're hard to make real sense of. I don't have a boat but those are some of the reasons I've seen and heard over the years.
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I fish alone 90% of the time, retirement leaves a open schedule that works well with getting up, looking at the weather and deciding to go for it. No commitments, no cancellations, no special requirements, no timetable, head to Willard and end up at East Canyon no problem.
Something that you really enjoy can become stressful or not as much fun when others expectations are not considered or met. Love taking the Grand Kids or my two sons or the wife for the rare occasions that I choose to share the day.
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Mainly i fish alone because time and time again my buddies don't have the same days off so basically fish alone. As well it's relaxing especially when hiking to lakes you can go as fast as you want.
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I can launch any boat on the planet under 25-feet long in under two minutes. Back it in, float it off holding the rope, pull it to the dock or bank, and done. If someone tries to help, it takes longer and bad things happen. Same with loading. Back in, drive it on, hook the winch, drive it out, done.
I often fish alone because I can fish better, focus better, pay attention to details, fish as long as I want, move when I want, use what I want, and not have to worry about anyone else's line. No riff raff around me. Those I do fish with are on the same page as I am, we fish as a team, and we do great.
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For me, I fish alone when its short trips, lack of time to plan ahead. A lot of my trips are spirit of the moment, I have two free hours lets go fishing type trips. If I have time to plan, I usually take someone along with me. Later J
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I fish alone mainly due to the guy I fished with a lot moved out of state, then the next guy that I fished with hasn't been actively fishing for a while and his schedule never coincided with mine. I will take the kids out on occasion but finding a friend that one can get along with for me at least can be difficult.
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Solitude, Solitude, Solitude !!! I am a full time Crisis Worker and when I am on the water, I want to be alone most of the time, very selfish of me !!!!
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I don't like sharing my beer. That's why.
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[#0000FF]Sorry you lost your fishing buddy. They aren't easy to replace. And when you get one broke in just right you hate to have to work on another one.
Here's a copy of a gag fishing buddy application I put together a few years ago.
Oh yeah, as you probably know, float tubing is the best of both worlds. You fish alone but you can also be in the company of fellow tubers...if you can stand them. If not, just boogie off to where they ain't.
[/#0000FF]
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Boatfisher, I think that's a valid question. And the answers others have already given pretty much cover me too. But the 1 most obvious reason I fish alone, obvious to me anyway, is:
1. The only fishin buddies I have are my 2 oldest sons. And they work very different schedules than me. In order for one (like on the Cutler Flotilla this year) or both of them (like at Hyrum 2 weekends ago) to go with me, it's something that has to be planned at least a few weeks in advance. I don't want to wait several weeks to go fishing, just so I don't go alone.
The safety aspect of having another on the boat is well taken. But since that isn't very often possible, I do my own risk assessment and management. I don't go to an unknown water for the first time, alone. I don't fish after dark alone. I don't fish in bad weather. And if the weather turns bad while I'm on the water, I head to the marina, or somewhere beachable as quickly and directly as possible. I keep all my safety equipment in good working condition, and close at hand (that's easy to do on my little Tin-Can [  ] )
Like another said, launching my boat alone really isn't even considered in the equation. I have a routine for launching and recovering and even when someone else is along, I stick to it. Maybe old Military habit of following a checklist before and after every flight, but it greatly reduces the risk of forgetting something. Like the plug....[:/].
Tube Dude, as usual has made the whole question a real hoot to read. In fact, Pat, I've "stolen" your application, and I'm gonna send it to some friends and family.
I wonder how many BFT'ers would be willing to fill it out, and post it.?
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
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I fish alone became I have a strange work schedule. I work 4 on 4 off and rotate from days to nights. Another reason is because I don't have too many friends! Or people that would want to spend a lot of Tim on a boat with me lol.
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Far too often my fishing trips come from an instant whim like I'm gonna go fishing right now or in an hour - whatever. It's kinda difficult to find a fishing buddy that goofy.
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Sweet solitude and the only sounds are natural. Just me, my thoughts, and the real world.
I like fishing with others too, but I don't really like planning things too far in advance.
It's also nice to make a decision without consulting the rest of the party. Just do whatever. That's where I get a lot of the release that fishing brings; just letting the day take me.
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I get asked this often because I fish alone alot and I am disabled.
I also fish with old friends and new people too.
I have a routine when I fish alone to launch my boat that is not too difficult but it does help if a courtesy dock is available.
I fish alone in bad weather and after dark, and I like to go fast. It does piss my wife off but I always tell her what lake I will be going to.
I did promise her I will start wearing a life jacket so if something goes wrong she can at least have some closure.
P.S. If something does go wrong, whoever returns me to my wife can have my St. Croix ultralight AND my LuckyCraft collection as a reward.
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I hear you on that one. I work in health care, and I'm also trying to wrap up school. It's nice just to be out in nature clearing your head sometimes.
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TopH2O fishes alone because other anglers want to troll!!
I fish alone quite often. Not necessarily out of my boat, but I frequently fish rivers and streams by myself. There are multiple reasons why this might happen, two of them are:
1. Nobody else to go with
2. To get away from everyone else
1. Sometimes, I just don't have anyone that can go. This might be because of short notice, or any other reason. But I still want to go, and I'm not going to not go because nobody else can go.
2. There are occasions when i simply want to be alone. Fishing (or even hunting) by myself is extremely relaxing. There is absolutely no pressure to make sure that anyone else is enjoying themselves. There is no pressure of making a decision -- I simply do whatever I want. Impulsive decisions are easy to make when there is no-one else to concern over the decision. Expectations can be kept to my own standards, and results can be appreciated no matter the outcome.
These are two reasons why I fish alone.
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