The fish just come when they will; a good fishing buddy is a treasure

Most of the anglers I know consider their inner-circle fishing buddies to be critical to their angling success – I know I sure do. I’m just as certain that these key relationships have dynamics that impact us in more ways than just catching fish.

Trusted fishing pals don’t usually come easily – few good things ever do. It may take decades of seasons and interactions with someone before things really click and the feeling becomes mutual and the chemistry works. I think that’s because there are levels of trust, comfort and reliability that have to be built into these relationships that just take time and testing. Once built, they can last a lifetime.

These special connections between anglers remind me of what it takes to make a marriage work, because it sort of is. Things like mutual respect, trust, confidence in the other person’s abilities, character, work ethic , goals, etc.

Sharing your most important passion and experiences with a like-minded focused person is one of the greatest joys in life. You see this deep-earned camaraderie in many folks in the special forces, and I was blessed to share it with athletes I competed against for an Olympic berth. The experience transcended everything else, because you had someone else who profoundly knew what it was all about. You “know” that person forever, and them you.

Having a trusted buddy means not having to think twice about whether they will protect or help you. You share your best fishing holes, lures, techniques and contacts holding little if anything back. (OK, a good buddy might hold back a few choice tidbits just for a chance at bragging rights. This is acceptable trusted buddy one-upsmanship!)

A good buddy is part of the family. That’s why it’s so critical in these situations to maintain a high level of trust. Losing someone’s trust can happen quickly and the relationship can be in jeopardy – especially if sensitive shared fishing information is leaked to others outside the relationship without prior consent of the angler who found/developed it. Non-anglers laugh about this when I tell them that this is a serious faux pas, but being trustworthy with a buddy’s hard-earned fishing information is no laughing matter.

Want to find a good fishing buddy? It’s not easy. The first step is to find someone who has a similar passion, vision and focus.

Sharing our dreams and passions with like-minded anglers is what it’s really all about in my book. The fish just come when they will; a good fishing buddy is a treasure. Never give up.

This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 1:02 PM.