Loss of a good fishing buddy hits hard, but memories can last forever

I recently had a friend tell me that he used to fish all the time, but now he’s the last survivor of a bunch of guys that he called his fishing buddies . He said he treasures and often recalls the special memories and adventures of those days even though he doesn’t fish anymore. I felt I could relate more to his feelings than I wanted to.

The loss of a fishing buddy has always been a bittersweet experience for me. When one of these anglers I knew intimately for many years passes, I want to celebrate the event, but the personal loss hits me hard. Each time I recall what these folks meant to me it’s hard not to get emotional and feel a deep sense of personal loss. It’s a happy sad thing for me that takes time for me to get past.

I’ve lost a lot of buddies; each one represented a particular epoch in my fishing and life journey. One buddy was a guy who got me into striper fishing; another was the guy who always was off on a fishing adventure and recruited me for the craziness. The very flavor of each of their personalities and our relationships are embedded forever in what that time together felt like.

If any of them came walking around the corner right now and said, “Hey, Rog, you ready to load up the boat and go hit it? The fish are biting!“ it would seem as natural as breathing. Off we would go, not a second thought about it.

I think all of us who’ve been blessed to have buddies like this carry the loss as well as the joy of recalling a deep and wonderful relationship that strikes us to the core. I still grieve when I stop and think about these special friends. They shared some of my most memorable life and fishing experiences. They molded and helped shape my values and character – that’s no small thing.

If you’ve lost great fishing buddies, keep their memory alive – it represents the best of who we are as people and anglers. Be the best buddy you can be, too; your impact is greater than you might think. I’ve also found that it’s OK to grieve. Never give up.