Fishing With Your Dog.

Man's best friend.

Who better to share time with when out on a fishing trip than....

....Man's best friend.

I don't know about your dog but any number of the pooches I have had in my lifetime have never had the ability to throw a five weight line let alone handle a level wind reel.

Something about the lack of opposable thumbs, has been a real handicap in making our faithful canine companions the perfect fishing partner.

Nonetheless, many a fishing trip has been made with either my dog or a bi-ped friends dog along for the experience. For me, dogs have always added to almost any outdoor experience, whether it be hiking, camping,bird hunting,mountain biking,or skiing.

Fishing, on the other hand is somewhat a different story.

In my mind, I have always dreamed of having that perfect pooch, the one that walks calmly by your side, curls up and takes a nap while you endlessly cast over and over for hours to trout filled waters. A dog that yawns, stretches, wags his tail and comes over to give your catch a sniff and a lick before you release your finny playmate back into its natural habitat.

Nice dream.

I don't know about you, but most of the fishing/dog fishing experiences I have had-- have not exactly fallen into the Hallmark Special dog category.

More like a Mel Brooks comedy.

The dogs I have been lucky enough to know, have always been somewhat overexuberent in their fishing adventures, doing happy things like:

1)Running at breakneck speed and leaping into a fshing hole--especially one that you have belly crawled or "stealthily" snuck up on so as to not spook the fish-- and then swam around in it, thanking you for finding such a wonderful place to cool down after racing up and down the river banks. Most dogs I have owned, have really loved the water, in fact, I used to have a Husky that would swim halfway out into the river, pretty much scaring away any fish in a three county area.

2)Eating dead fish carcasses, which invariably lands your dog at the vets office, where six hundred dollars later, "mans best friend" does not so much as offer one thin dime, or learn even the smallest stupid pet trick, that might land you a spot on Lettermen, to help you recoup some of your costs.

3) Rolling in dead things--or worse! Nothing like having your dog find something good and rank, up to, and including animal excrement, giving a good roll in it, and then coming to snuggle up with you while you try to cast.

4) The old "tangle up the line" trick. Sure, most of the time you can't get your dog calm enough to sit by your side, but want him to give you some room to cast a fly line, and he will walk on, over and through your line, until he has some sort of Chinese string puzzle created, that only a nine year old girl can undo. Better yet, he will "sniff" around right in your backcasting zone until you eventually land a #6 Green Butted Skunk deep within his fur.

5) Speaking of Skunks. Nothing like the eye jarring, nose alarming smell of a two in the morning skunk rendezvous. Your faithful friend is mighty proud that he has saved the fish camp from the nightime intruder. This is especially enjoyable when you yell at the top of your lungs for him to get back in the tent--and then yell at the top of your lungs for him to get BACK OUT of the tent.
This has happened to at least four different dogs, on four different fishing trips, and has left my camping rig and gear smelling like skunk for months. We have even given the old "tomato juice" baths right on the bank of the river, which only makes the dog smell like a skunk pizza. Not to mention, the bath "crime"scene which resembles some sort of sickening bloodletting ritual--which induces calls to 911 from nearby campers.

The dog also usually likes this new man/dog bonding ritual and of course wags his tail profusely while self indulging himself in a virgin Bloody Mary, thereby splattering you with most of the tomato juice.

6) Fish wrestling. For the most part, your dog can care less about your fishing experience, usually wandering about looking for any of the aforementioned fun things to do. On the off chance you can concentrate long enough to actually catch and land a fish, THEN suddenly he is on top of your fish, licking, "tooth tagging", and generally treating your catch like a s"squeaky toy".

If the fish is lucky enough to make it back into the water, that fish is sure to swear off eating worms for the rest of his days.

7) Dog flatulence. Do I really need to say anything else??

8) Wet dog syndrome. At some point on the fishing trip, both you and your dog have the exact same smell. All that racing around,splashing in water, rolling in cow pies, sleeping on "dog's best friends" sleeping bag, and playing with fish, has made both of you "olfactor-aly" bound together.Of course, neither one of you are aware of this, which to your dog friend is pretty much not an issue. You on the other hand, try to impress the waitress at the "backwoods diner", who suggests extra onions on your burger, just to make sure she can't smell the stench of stagnant water eminating from your booth.

These are just a few of the many pleasures of fishing with your dog, and I am sure you have some interesting stories yourself.

Man's best friend?

You bet. There is still nothing better than the companionship of our cold nosed, cow patty breathed, furry friends.

And any good fishing tale I have ever heard has been enhanced by the presence of any TAIL of man's best friend.

Happy Tails To You....