Fishing all by your lonesome

[JackM]

I started fly fishing all alone. No one got me into it, but myself. I read how-to books and articles and practiced on the stream. Eventually, I met other anglers and we planned trips.

Even when I fish with others, I always take the time to be alone. This is why I love to fly fish.

 

[tztrout]

Pretty much the same for me. Eventually I got my brothers and some friends into it (all have become addicted!) My teenage boys have been fly fishing and tying from an early age. But each of us go our own ways on our family fishing safaris. The solitude is a major part of the draw.

 

[pete41]

yep-loved to fish alone-especially at night-just you and mother nature,not a believer but it could make you believe there is something special beside yourself.[unless you walked up on a skunk].

 

[fishbaithohaha]

Carry a good flashlight, cell phone, and a whistle, when fishing alone.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

I love to fish alone, but I also like to take the time on some trips to help and guide friends who are getting into it. Seeing my friend land his first "big" wild brown this year (on a fly I tied for him to boot) and netting it for him was just as rewarding to me as catching my own.

There are plenty of days where I go out to a stream I know no one else will be on just for that purpose however, and I too started fly fishing alone and fished alone almost exclusively for the first year I fished.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I fish alone yeah
With nobody else
You know when I fish alone
I prefer to be by myself

 

[DaveS]

Although I don't do it much any more, I do sometimes enjoy a day all by myself. To fish as hard or as casually as I please. Stopping for lunch, or pushing on until sundown. I've had some great outtings fishing alone. Landed some great fish.

Doesn't matter to me if you believe that or not.

 

[MathFish]

I'm also in the camp of solo fly fishing. I find that I am more focused and dialed in with the surroundings when I'm by myself. I carry a whistle around my neck, my cellphone in a waterproof case and a Delorme GPS that has an SOS button and an email function. I do realize that if I slip and bump my head that all that gear won't do me much good then...

But when I head out in a secluded stream solo, I really feel like I can breathe. It is like a reset button for me for the stressors of life.

I also second the enjoyment of taking out a friend to help them learn the little bit I am able to teach them about fly fishing. It's great to see them light up when they hook into a trout.

Damn I love fly fishing!

 

[ryansheehan]

Fished by myself for many many years , taught a friend how to fly fish about 5 years ago, he's an addict like me now. I now rarely fish alone but when I do its amazing how different it is.

 

[rrt]

Hey, Jack, are you the same guy I used to have "discussions" with about this kind of fishing/topic?

 

[LongLineRelease]

Like others said I learned to fly fish when traveling with a group. But with the exception of a couple of group trips a year, I do most of my fishing solo. probably 95% or more.

Fly Fishermen seem to be a gregarious lot. When my wife and I drive along spring creek road I always comment to her about seeing all of duos and trios of fishermen fishing just a few feet apart, basically attached at the hip. That always seemed strange to me. On the few instances where I fish with others we give each other plenty of room, sometimes fishing out of sight of each other.

 

[Vaughn]

Count me among those who enjoys fishing in solitude most of the time.

 

[jifigz]

If I didn't fish alone I wouldn't fish enough. I make it out a lot, I can't wait to always have others come along. I love being alone in many aspects of life. In fact, I had a great time fishing alone this morning.

 

[krayfish2]

For the first 15 years of my fly fishing, 95% was done alone. Yes, it afforded solitude but many times I had wished someone else was there to share in some of the stuff that I got to witness / experience. Over the last 15 years, I've found myself fishing with a group mostly. I'm a person that frequently says "I freaking hate people" but really enjoy fishing as a group. I'd rather fish with a good friend or three nowadays but will do a little solo fishing from time to time for solitude.

 

[UncleShorty]

foxtrapper: My whole family done give up on me
And it makes me feel oh so bad
The only one who will fish with me
Is my dear Old Grand-Dad...

 

[Dave_W]

Another mostly solo guy here.

I prefer to fish with friends, but it is often hard to coordinate trips when folks' busy lives can match up. It's another reason I like the jam(s) - its a rare treat for me to have so much fishing time and so many buddies to fish with.

Moreover, I rarely fish for an entire day. I get out fishing a lot, but it is usually a couple hours here, a half day there, and often spur of the moment.

 

[Beefheart]

For me, fishing alone was always the test. I was lucky enough to learn fly fishing from a much more experienced friend. He was always willing to help me find fish, decide which fly to use, remind me how much tippet should be between my indicator and nymph, give me a hand when that blood knot wouldn't cinch after five attempts. He also always encouraged me to go out and fish the same beats alone.

So, my solitary fishing was always the test to see if I could do it alone. In the early days, I'd undoubtedly spend a third of my time tying knots, untangling knots, sitting on the bank trying to figure out what to do. But, I started to catch fish by myself, too. More often I'd get skunked, but things did start to click out there on the water by myself.

Since those early days, I've moved to a different part of the state and had to leave my fishing friends behind. Arriving here in Lancaster County at the beginning of the summer, I was lucky enough to have a lot of time to fish. So, I fished the Susquehanna for smallmouth solo about 90% of the time. What a contrast now six years a fly fisherman to tackle a new river alone! Surely I had some of the same struggles as my early days alone on little stocked trout streams, but learning what I did of the Susquehanna this season on my own was again a test of my mettle. The personal challenge is what I love about fishing alone.

 

[Acristickid]

Do and enjoy both- alone and with friends.

Catch more fish by my self- can go where I want , when I want for as long as I want. If I want to go to a different stream 15 minutes after getting there, I can. Or at least I think I do.

Most of my best days for numbers and size have been alone.

 

[brookieaddict]

Retirement has opened up the best spots and best times with little to no pressure, almost heaven.

 

[steveo27]

Yep. I taught myself how to flyfish. Growing up, we always fished with spinning reels. Me, my brother, and old man did a lot of trout fishing, then everyone grew up and we started doing our own thing.

Flash forward a bit, I wanted to learn a new skill. Im a self taught fly fisherman. Lots of reading and videos and practicing.

I fish solo A LOT. Not really by choice though. Every once in a while, I can convince my old lady to go. She usually just walks if she does. I have 1 buddy who Ive been working with trying to teach. He has a ****** work schedule and ******** boss who usually makes him work most weekends. I work Monday-Friday, so our schedules rarely align.

Same goes for camping. I do a lot of solo trips and fish during 90% of them.

The freedom of being able to go where I want when I want is cool, but sometimes it gets lonely,