It depends on the river and the fishing pressure, but I seem to take the mongrel with me when ever I'm wade fishing. I've stomped around the rivers and creeks in SW WA throwing line since I was in my mid teens, and thinking back, had a dog in tow the majority of the time. The dogs I've had have always been well manored and tend to nap on the shore until I move along. My current dog finds a shoreline shallow pool and chases pond skippers, so i guess they have never been in the way. I don't see it often, so am I the only one? Is it one of the seven sins in the fly religion? The reason i ask is, last fall i was kiting up to wade a low pressure tributary when another angler pulled up. I always fish oposite others and asked which way he was fishing, so I would go opposite. I opened the truck and let the dog out and the other guy said "your not seriously taking your dog". I explained I would fish down as he was going up stream and the dog won't be in his way. I go out of my way to let others enjoy their day on the river, after all, were all outnhere for the same reason...FUN. He seemed put off even knowing I wasn't going to see him all day. Opinions.....
As a woman who almost always fishes alone, I bring my dog. Sorry, but she'll bark if something scares her, warning me of a problem. I know this is a huge issue, but for me, it's a matter of safety.
Dogs are for hunting not fishing. Leave your dog home! I had a guy's dog, chase me into the river and break my $1000 rod last year. He never even said he was sorry! Next time, I will take a stand when confronted/ attacked by a dog and the inconsiderate owner who failed to train and restrain his animal needs to be taught a lesson. There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. If you want safety, carry a Sig Saur. I do.
As a man who almost always fishes alone, I bring my dog. He will bark if something scares him, warning me of... anything. This isn't a huge issue. Dogs bark. Safety is not falling in the river. Aggressive dogs should not be confronted, but their owners should.
There are clueless people every where after many years of trying to correct the worlds problems I have learned it just better leave these types of people in their state of stupidity and move on . No matter of what you say they will not get it. That said that f_ _ _er would have had four flat tires to enjoy at the end of the day!!!!!
I have never fished without my dog in Washington except when on the drift boat. Why would you not bring your dog when you go fishing. Isn't that what you do with a dog, take it places... you don't just leave it at home and throw the ball every once in a while. Seems some people are a little scared of dogs? as the comment above states. haha that good stuff
I like dogs. As long as they are friendly. I remember a dog on the N/F Stilly below lime quarry hole. He would bark at me all the time but I could never get him to come to me. I wonder if he is still there barking at people.
I just got a new dog a few weeks ago. She's a lab mix, about 5 mos old right now. I ABSOLUTELY plan to take her fishing with me, once I'm sure that she is trained well enough and mature enough to handle it. Half the reason I got her was so I could have a fishing buddy when no one else is able to go to the river. I think the only issue here is whether or not the owner has done a good enough job of training his/her pup to be able to handle being on the river without bothering others. I hope to see you all on the river one of these days with Masha. She's going to be the best river dog EVER! Jason
Often a dog reacts to people who they know are either scared of them or if the person is doing something intimidating. I have labs. They have fished with me since they were pups, they know how to be around me in rivers, streams, lakes, and the shore. The are polite, funny, and when need be, will alert me to something "funky." Last year I was fishing a trib of the Yak which felt a little like I'd taken a wrong turn and ended up in Deliverance-land. Sure as heck I was fishing, my back to the car and road and my lab starts barking. There is a guy with a semi-automatic rifle. This was on USFS land! I'm not a gun person, frankly with my eye sight you all wouldn't want me owning a gun. The dog did what she needed to do, alert me, and I was able to talk with the guy as I wrapped up my fishing for the day! Plus, knowing there are so many folks with handguns stuck down their waders....a dog is a lot safer!
What steps do you guys take to make sure your dogs don't interfere with other fishermen? While bank fishing at Ancient Lake last year someones Lab tried to retrieve my fly, and then later came back and got tangled up in my leader. The guy got the dog under control but I was still pretty annoyed.
Aintree? This river don't go to Aintree!: Honestly, I don't own a dog, and haven't really been bothered by dogs while fishing except in the City (Sacramento), where a few people feel like they don't need to obey the posted leash law and bring throngs of dogs to jump in the river - in some of the better fishing spots. But its scarce, I suspect due to $300/$2,000 fines (1st/2nd offense; no warnings) instituted about 10 years ago to cut down the conflict. Our former basketball-player, current mayor, who wears starched shirts and tie everywhere, has in his mind that laws are to be obeyed. As such, he isn't very popular with certain interest groups that break them ("occupy" movement, homeless encampments, or roaming dog owners). I thought the PNW cities were fairly strict about loose dogs but maybe not.
I have young children. One of them was knocked off of a trail we were hiking by a big happy lab mix last summer that was careening around a switchback ahead of its owner - who seemed like a very nice person. If it had happened around the next switchback, my kid would be dead. I've also had a couple of pit bulls bum rush my kids at face level - who knows what may have happened if I hadn't stepped in. The owner cursed me out for yelling at his dogs, again could have been not good. I would suspect that there are more than a few people out there that would have rendered the dog and or owners to a state of ROF (in pain, not laughing) had things gone a little differently.
I wish I could, problem is I have two labs and they like to go after fish more than I do. Had one trip on the Green in Utah and dog figured out when I had a fish on, and the next then I knew all I saw was a wagging tail whenever she topped out in the rapids. She had even gone through the hunt tests with ribbons and such for obedience, but the fish was just too much. Lucky to get her back and now they do not get to go.
I also had a lab that jumped in and chased a King Salmon I had hooked. A real carnival! My current English setter is too wild to take fishing. His favorite thing is to jump off high banks and crash into the stream! Old dogs make good fishing dogs. They follow their masters and like to lie on the bank in the sun. I have never had a problem with other peoples fishing dogs and usually scratch their ears. They always seem appreciative.
<What steps do you guys take to make sure your dogs don't interfere with other fishermen?> First you have to distinguish between fisher folk who bring dogs and others who use the same area. For me, I rarely fish around other people. Like I said earlier, I am out in pretty remote areas, by myself. My labs are fairly well trained (notice the equivocation, I mean, they are labs) and will come when called, wait when told, and stay. If I am going to be someplace where I know there will be a lot of fishermen, particularly those who pack guns in their waders, I will leave the dogs in the car and only fish for awhile. But, as we all know, public lands are public lands. Tons of other people using the resource for everything from swimming to birding are near-by. I've been to some of the eastern Washington lakes where there have been "frat parties" and beer cans doing aerodynamic tricks....I think the thing about fly fishing is it reached patience and hopefully we practice it with everyone we encounter.
my old dog went everywhere with me and he would either sit in the boat or find a sandy place to lay down. Last april he died. And I got a new dog that is even better on the river
I wish I could, but she hates the water. Which seems like it would be a good thing. Until she sits on the bank and wines, relentlessly until I stop fishing and come sit on the bank with her. Yea, she's spoiled.
