Choosing the right fishing friend

In my experience, choosing a fishing companion is rarely straightforward. You might meet someone, agree to spend a day on the river together, and quickly realise the outing is unfolding very differently from how you imagined.

I’ve found myself on the wrong end of this more than once. A formal interview is probably not the best way to begin a friendship, but there have been moments when I’ve wondered whether it might have saved some awkwardness later on.

I mainly fish rivers, and on a first outing I usually ask a simple question: do you prefer to fish alone, or together?

If someone is a solitary angler, matters are generally uncomplicated. The next question is whether they’d like to meet for lunch or simply fish through. When it’s the latter, I sometimes find myself wondering why we arranged to meet at all.

Sharing a rod, however, or taking turns fishing, is where things become more delicate. You learn a great deal, very quickly, about a prospective fishing partner. The true test comes when the fishing is slow, and that’s when it pays to establish a few basic ground rules.

My usual approach is simple: if one person catches a fish, it’s the other person’s turn. If a pool has been quiet, fishing it for what feels like a fair and reasonable amount of time before handing over the rod is generally the easiest solution. I often suggest something along the lines of, “I’ll fish up to the tree and you take it from there,” which tends to avoid confusion.

I recall one spring day when I invited someone to fish with me and it took a good hour and a half before I managed to prise the rod from his hands. That was probably my fault, I’m far too polite. I think the message eventually landed, but I don’t remember us ever fishing together again.

There are smaller considerations too. Missing a rise, for instance, usually counts as a ‘go’ for me, much like losing a fish, so I’ll hand the rod over. Getting hung up is another natural moment for a changeover, particularly if you’ve brought two rods.

Ultimately, understanding how a new companion prefers to fish makes the day far more enjoyable. And despite the occasional misstep, the good days have far outweighed the bad. Over the years, I’ve made some wonderful fishing friends simply by walking up the river, sharing a rod, and enjoying good company.