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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Two of my best partners have passed. Both had all the qualities listed below. How about adding to the list. It might be fun for those new to this sport to see what us old timers value in a partner.
Good precise caster, doesn't get snagged all the time
Keeps conversation short and to the point, focused on lure presentation
Good net man
Never swings a lure past your head
Willing to share,lures, try new ones
First to the gas pump with credit card
Doesn't quit
Keeps his end of the boat neat
Always has a positive attitude
Where on earth do we find such people? I fish alone a lot now, sure miss those guys.
Mudpuppy |
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Posts: 1828
| Can raise the spirit in the boat when things get tough.
Doesn't get discouraged easily. |
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Posts: 2327
Location: Chisholm, MN | Yup, the gas pump is always huge!
Doesn't spit chew or seeds all over the boat.
Brings me food!
Never late and doesn't want to leave early.
Keeps the phone conversations to a minimum.
I like when someone stands up and starts fishing as soon as we pull up to the spot and doesn't quit half way through.
Whoever is in the front is on trolling motor deployment duty. Put that thing down as soon as we stop!
I've been fortunate to have good boat partners for years!
Edited by Kirby Budrow 12/5/2014 11:57 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | doesn't get whiney when he can't see a weed ... |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | A big positive attitude, even when things aren't going so well.
Someone who fishes different than me...
Precise Casting.
Doesn't complain, or talk to much.
Pay for the fuel once in a while.
Brings my favorite Beer.... I'll bring some Awesome Sandwiches.
Isn't on the phone very much.
Fishes as hard as I do...Just don't sit there for no good reason.
Be fun to be around, be Funny, and Laugh at Some of my jokes.
Act like you've caught/netted a Muskie before... Don't freak out.
Jerome |
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Posts: 66
| Being in the boat with my dad or my kids -- no matter what they do. |
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Location: MN | Someone with the addiction as bad as you and preferably doesn't have a women who limits their fishing time. Staying positive, no one likes a whiner. Someone who is careful with their cast, no one likes a 7/0 stuck in em. |
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Posts: 345
Location: Poynette WI. | Understands lure selection and boat speed/positioning
good net man/woman
fishes hard
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | No complaining
Wants to be there as much as I do |
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Posts: 8782
| I agree with most of what's mentioned above.
It's all about collaboration. Stagger your casts, do not throw the same lure. Stay out of each other's way during figure 8's, don't cast way out in front of me leaving me nothing to cast at, and I'll do the same for you. We're out there to find the fish and figure out what they want today. I'm pretty hardcore, but I'm also out there to have fun. So don't get mad when you miss a fish or get a backlash. No temper tantrums. No whining. If you're going to switch lures, let me know what you are throwing so I can change up to something different if need be. Do not figure 8 my following fish and do not cast back at it. If we come back on a fish, whoever raised the fish gets first crack at it.
For the most part, it's just being courteous and working together.
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Esoxaddict, you really bring up some good points. Nothing makes me madder than some jerk short casting at the fish I have on the 8. Also a good point about not going crazy when a fish is on. Had both these things happen to me.
Mudpuppy |
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Posts: 62
Location: Minnetonka MN | When things aren't going well, has the instinct to either change things up, or say "let's take a break and come back and hit 'em later". |
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Posts: 157
Location: Lincoln, NE | Let's you know what's going on. If you're up front and they're watching the depth finder they should be letting you know when you're coming on or off structure or which direction it is, not just leave you hanging to blindly cast in the opposite direction as they pick apart the spot on the spot.
Casting angles. If you're in front angle your cast so the guy in the middle can angle his next. Don't cast perpendicular to the boat making the next guy short cast. The front guy shouldn't cast sideways/back and the back guy cast forward making the middle guy get bottlenecked and half to wait to cast.
Don't figure 8 someone else's follow unless they have an equipment malfunction and give you the go ahead.
Know how to net a fish and listen to the guy who's got the fish on the line and do what he says.
Doesn't throw the same exact lure unless you've already unlocked the pattern.
Not a whiner, quitter, or complainer. It's tough. You should know this going in or you would be bass fishing. If you're on a hard lake during late fall you should know it's only going to be tougher. You don't get 50 lb muskies the first 20 minutes of the first day of the trip. Keep a positive attitude and be ready to adjust. Never give up. If the musky beats you, the lake beats you, the weather beats you, at least you know you did everything you could have and it just wasn't meant to be, but if you give up, then you just 100% beat yourself (and everyone else in the boat) and it might have been very unlikely but that dream fish could have bitten 20 minutes after you left or decided you needed to have a cigarette and check Facebook.
If he catches a musky (especially a nice one) then his goal should be to try and get the other guys in the boat on one too, not just get another one for himself.
Don't fill the boat with walleye rods/multispecies gear. They don't get used, get in the way and just get broken in the chaos when a musky gets hooked.
If you only use one rod maybe don't bring 16 combos that get in other people's road.
Unhook your lures off your rod if everyone's rods are in one pile when going to new locations or back to the cabin/hotel. No need for a giant mess and someone's nice rod they take care of and spent a lot of money on to get gashed and gouged because of another person's laziness.
Have a team mentality. Don't be out for yourself. If you withhold information and don't brainstorm you're hurting everyone in the boat.
Not stubborn. Be willing to try other peoples ideas/tactics/areas they want to fish. Everyone should have a say (assuming they are equal levels of experience/knowledge, not a random guy telling a guide where he want's to go)
Contribute to the food/drinks on the boat. Don't be a mooch. |
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Posts: 89
| I must be weird, I always prefer to have both guys running figure 8s if we got a fish boat side that is repeatedly showing up, I never looked at it as my fish or his fish. I looked at the boat like a team and we are here to put as many in the boat as possible. We catch a fish.
Shrug,
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Posts: 8782
| Another thing we ALWAYS do is watch each other's lures. Sometimes because of the angle of the sun, someone else in the boat has a clear view of a fish coming in hot that you can't see. Many fish have hit the net because someone else saw them coming. If I start saying your name over and over, it's for a reason! |
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Posts: 63
| All good stuff. Many reasons listed here why I prefer fishing along much of the time. Nothing more annoying than your partner wanting to leave after a tough day, just before primetime. Hire out the lawn folks! |
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Posts: 43
Location: Central IA | I'd never make it with some of you. I'm pushing 60 with bad knees so I want a partner that won't get ticked when I need to sit for a bit.
I fish mostly with my son and there is a constant stream of BS flowing in both directions. One of our best days on the water this year was in a spring tournament. It was cold, rain started mid day and we didn't see a single fish but we laughed and talked for hours.
He catches 10 to my one but I'm ok with that because any day on the water is another good memory.
He could work on his request for assistance when he has a real horse on the line. Something like "Father, please get the net" instead of "I've got a big one, get off your butt old man and get the net".
Proud to say I haven't missed one yet. He also seems just as excited when I've got one hooked.
I do take better pictures... might be because I get more practice.
Edited by DMJones 12/6/2014 7:49 AM
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | Good conversations,likes to laugh, brings good beer and a flask. Likes to have fun and enjoy the total experience. Catching fish only makes it that much better. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Wisconsin | Reading all these posts reminds me how very much I miss my Muskie partner!! We took a trip to Hayward many years ago with no boat, really no equipment and a few spinning rigs, but we were totally hooked on it! So many great trips with him over the years, but he has since passed away, and I miss him so.
He was a great partner, for sure, and meets much of the listed criteria. |
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Posts: 63
| DMJones, nothing wrong with that style of fishing either. I fish with my dad as well, and a few others. Yes I fish hard. It doesn't bother me one bit when a person needs to take a break, or slow down. Its when they just quit, they are mentally defeated. Its not the same. Someone like you is exactly the partner I love to fish with because you appreciate it all. You have heart and you're still out there when mother nature is telling you to slow down. My hats off to you and you're welcome in my boat any time! |
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Posts: 393
Location: Hopefully on the water | Holy moly guys, lighten up Francis.... I want like to keep it real simple. Someone who helps with unloading/loading the boat and enjoy spending time with. Either my boys to show them the outdoors, my dad ( while doesn't fish as hard as long still enjoy being out there with him as someday that won't be a option), friends and family. Just enjoy being out there and the company of each other. Share in each other's successes, missed opportunities, and learning different things. While we do not catch tons of fish a year we have fun when we go out and come off the lake. Fish or no fish. Everyone being open to suggestions and with the boys....maybe we need to switch it up and bass fish for a while.
I just enjoy being out there with people that enjoy the sport as well. Enjoy any time on the water. Sorry but just saying I am not sure I would like to see the expectations for spouses after reading some of these.
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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | One that goes out drinking gets back 2 the hotel when u get up gets sick after a bumpy boat ride and passes out while your fishing.but still fun 2 have in the boat lol |
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Nothing wrong with taking a break, short walk on an island to stretch legs ect. Things that frost my cookie are: Take over an hour to photo an eagle, spend an hour and a half fooling with side imaging fancy electronics and still not being able to get the water temp. Not wanting to get started before 10 in the morning and waning to quit at 5 PM. Those things kind of bother me. Pushing 70 now and slow but I still have that burning drive.
Mudpuppy |
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Posts: 1220
| Even when you share ten hours in the boat, there's still fourteen left, plus usually a lonnnng drive to get there. Your trip is not just fishing time. You will often be surprised! |
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Posts: 1
| I agree with much of what others have already stated. Being a good partner might mean different things to different people and for this reason I think it is important that everyone in the boat does their best to communicate with one another. If I was doing something that may be upsetting a fishing partner I would hope that they would feel comfortable enough to communicate this to me so I could make any necessary adjustments. I think it really helps to view myself and any fishing partners as a team, and along with this team approach comes a level of mutual respect and understanding that everyone in the boat is working towards the same goal: catching more and bigger muskies. Viewing yourself as a team member in the boat also means being just as excited for your partner when they boat a fish. There is nothing worse than a fishing partner getting frustrated or down when someone other then themselves boats a fish. If everyone involved goes into the day or trip with a "we" approach instead of an "I" approach it should make the outing that much more enjoyable and hopefully lead to more big fish in the bag. |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | Likes to drink Yuenglings!! |
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Posts: 427
Location: Planet Meltdown | Curious / is muskie fishing while drinking kind of like playing pole or darts, do you get "better" after a few drinks? LOL |
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Posts: 216
| Nope. Net jobs can get a little scary when my partners drink, a lot.or should I say scarier.I cross my fingers and say a prayer every time one comes to the boat.Helps with the pain when they do lose one on ya tho.lol. After a fish everyone takes a pull off the bottle, big fish=big pull,and dump a shot in for Larry, or you ain't getting another one!! |
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Posts: 5
| Doesn't try to cast ahead of you when you are getting to the sweet spot.
Times casts with you so there is one bait coming in at a time.
Knows how to take good pictures. |
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Posts: 483
Location: NE PA | My dad and brother are great fishing partners regardless of what they do or don't do. we have fun, plain and simple |
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