When choosing a fishing partner the best way I can describe the process is like building a comedy team. And gauging from some of my fishing experience this analogy is more closer to the truth than I care to admit. Just like all the great teams of the past the two partners should have qualities that compliments each others styles. Like Laurel and Hardy, Jerry and Dean, Abbott and Costello, Tom and Jerry or Homer and Bart...Dooooh! For each Ying there must be a Yang. And keep in mind you are not confined to just one fishing partner either. After all the Three Stooges are still a classic comedy team.
Just like all the classic comedy team your future fishing partner most preveilant quality should be just dumb luck!! We have all had some experience in seeing a person with this hidden talent. Be it in some other early sports endeavor we used to participate in before our knees began to give way. Before the middle section of our bodies began to look more like we should be auditioning for Christmas Santa's at the nearest mall, rather than those stupid models for those ab-flex commercials. If you are detecting a hint of envy at this point you are correct. While I sit here drinking my diet coke and eating a low fat sandwich. Getting back to those fishing partners though, we all know one or two. He must have that special quality of the proverbial person who could fall into a hog pen and come out smelling like a rose!!
When given the worst lure in your tackle box and an old worn out pole and reel, with some frayed ten year old line. Could still manage to land a ten pound trout, that would break lose right at the split second it is over the boat. This is the most redeeming quality one should look for when choosing a good fishing partner. Now let's go over some other important characteristic to look for when choosing a partner!!!
Number 1: on the list is punctuality. There is nothing more frustrating than waiting for a hour at 4:00 in the morning for your compadre to show up, when you could be grabbing a few more zzz's yourself.
Number 2: He can't be a bum with no job or money!!!! If fishing with a mooch was your idea of fun, then you would invite your deadbeat brother-in-law. Other qualities referring to this quality will be covered later!!
Number 3: Is experience. This quality may actually outweigh the other two in importance. The only thing better than fishing with a guide is someone who has spent many a rainy day out on the water catching fish. Not only will he help put you on the fish like a guide. But a good fishing buddy will over time actually show you where his really hot spots are. Although once these secrets are divulged, as in the Mafia you may never leave this family alive!!! So make sure this is someone you a comfortable with fishing before learning these secret hot spots.
Number 4: Is a tough rule but important to always work out, which is why it is imperative to really get to know a future partner prospect before actually fishing with him. This rule consist of several parts so we will split this rule up into subcategories.
A) Under the ideal conditions your partners boat should be just the opposite from the one you own. This is another of the Ying and Yang rule of fishing. If you own a bay boat, then the person you would look for in a fishing partner would ideally own an offshore variety. This will enable your fishing team to cover more types of fishing waters.
B) If you own a beach house near lets say Galveston or Freeport. Then look for a partner with some connection to housing further south around Corpus Christi, or better yet a time share in Mexico!!
C) Have as understanding a wife as yourself, that will allow him to take off at a moments notice when the fishing condition are right. This can be another enormous potential problem, just another reason for taking great care when choosing your future fishing partner.
D) Personality: If you are hot headed, and at a moments notice will punch the lights out of the local bait dealer when he has run out of shrimp, or they are so microscopic that it takes six to fill up a hook. If you have been known to ram the boat ahead of you in line at the boat launch cause he is still loading his ice chest when it's his turn to launch. Then you partner should have the level headed qualities to diffuse these potential dangerous situation when they arise! If this is not the case then look for a former N.F.L player about 6ft. 8 and 300 pounds, to diffuse these situations in his own and sometime better form of negotiations. But be carful not to choose former player from a Texas team. A former Oiler will not show up on Sundays, and a former Cowboy may have trouble getting a license because of his felony records!!!
Number 5: is Taste, this will be the only rule that will contradict the Ying and Yang of fishing partner selection we discussed early. Not only will finding a fishing buddy with the same disgusting taste as yourself save time in a wide variety of fishing problems. It will also save money when buying food for fishing trips case in point. You will only have to buy two cases of your choice of beer for trips instead of four. And if day old bucket of chicken that has been sitting in the hot sun all day is your idea of the perfect afternoon snack. Then your future fishing buddy must also have a cast iron stomach to enjoy your delious sun baked chicken. Or else you may find this will cause trouble when trying to land those big trout and he is constantly hurling over the side of the boat! This will also save you time and money when shopping at the grocery store looking for Sardines pack in mustard and saltine crackers. Instead of buying the few regular cans on a weekly basis. You can buy them by the cases at a discount and spead the extra money on some favorite lures. Although you may tend to alternate with the other gourmet selection on occasion. There is nothing better with a cold Miller Lite and sardines and crackers. And if you happen to be a neat freak about your boat, as most of us are. But could care less how the motel room at the fishing lodge looks after a long day of fishing. Finding out about these potential problems ahead of time will avoided any unwarranted fist-a cuffs, except when deciding who caught the biggest and most trout!!!
So in review your ideal fishing partner should be a 6ft. 8in. 300lb millionaire. With an understanding wife, and a 30ft. Hatteras dock in Cozamel. He should always be on time with a bucket full of the Colonel's spicy wings waiting at your front door ready to go fishing at 4:00 o'clock in the morning!! Although this particular person may be hard to find. With some effort you may hopefully find some one with a few of these qualities. As for my self although he doesn't meet the height and weight requirements I will be giving Jim Carrey a call within the next few days. Maybe I can give him some advice on choosing his Hatterar and which exotic locations to dock it!!! I hope these little hints on choosing a fishing partner will help you when finding your perfect match. Just remember these fishing teams sometime last for a lifetime. And when you find a Compadre that exhibits a majority of disgusting habits as yourself, as Dean Martin would say that's Amore' !!!!!!
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