Duke tentatively jumped up to the bow of my Thunderbird, looking intently at the water passing by as we trolled along. “Oh boy,” I said to my wife Joann, “he looks like he is thinking about going for a swim.” Muscles tensing, Duke fulfilled my prediction and splashed into the cool spring waters of Lake Washington. As the boat traveled forward, I went to the side, leaned over, and grabbed the handle on the back of his life jacket, pulling him safely back into our boat. He gave me a look as if to say, “what did you do that for, I was just starting to have some fun!” Such is the life of going fishing with a dog. JoAnn had always wanted me to have a dog that I could take fishing, and Duke, our one-year-old Springer Spaniel, was just that dog. Trained for upland bird hunting, I’d introduced him to water early and he took to it. That said, hunting with a dog on dry ground versus having a dog on a moving boat are two very different things. While fishing with your four-legged best friend can be a wonderful experience, it does present some unique challenges that anglers should be aware of.
What To Know
When you decide to bring your dog along with you on your boat for the first time, it’s important to think through what is entailed (pun intended) for your fishing trip. First and foremost is – know your dog! What kind of training has he had? Has he been introduced to water? Can he swim? Does he obey your commands? Will he be a good partner at the boat launch, or a distraction and irritation to those around you? These are all important questions to consider before you bring your dog along for a day of fishing. Having your best friend along for a day of fishing can make the day that much special, or, it can be a huge headache, and possibly put your dog in danger. Let’s look at some basics to think about before you take your dog out on your boat.
You’ve arrived at the boat launch and there’s a couple of boats in line waiting to launch. It’s just you and your best friend and your expensive boat waiting to launch. Now what do you do? In my opinion, Fido needs to stay safe and secure in your rig. Letting your dog out to run around is a big no-no. Other anglers looking to launch are not going to be happy with a dog running around, no matter how well-behaved you may think he is. Dogs can be unpredictable, so keep him in the truck as you go through your routine prep for launching your boat. Or, if there is a place you can leash him up to stay and watch, out of the way of others, that would be OK. For me, I keep Duke in the truck where there are others around. If it’s just the two of us, I’m ok with letting him out. That’s because I know him and he is well-trained to commands and, most importantly, he obeys.
Launch completed and boat secured, your truck is parked. It’s time to go fishing with your buddy! The next critical question to ask is this – life jacket or no life jacket? For Duke, I treat him like a kid. Just because he can swim doesn’t mean he’s safe to be in a boat without a life jacket. Especially when we are about to put the pedal to the meddle and blast off at thirty miles an hour to our favorite fishing location. So, the life jacket goes before we get up on a plane. It’s one less thing for me as a boat operator to worry about. This way I know that he will be safe if something happens and he does go in.
Water Conditions
What about fishing all day, either anchored up or slow trolling? Our Lake Washington trip was the first time I took Duke on the water, and he decided he wanted to see what the water was like. Since then, he has never jumped into the lake on his own. I find that very interesting, and I now am OK with taking the jacket off if we are anchored or trolling. Of course, weather and conditions are also a consideration in this equation. I try to never take Duke on the boat if it’s not going to be a pleasant day. A puking dog is no fun and it’s not fair to the dog to be put through rough water conditions.
While you’re out on the boat there’s a couple doggy essentials to keep in mind. Dogs need a few things to be comfortable: shade on a sunny day, water, a comfy place to lay down, and maybe a treat or two (especially when you try to eat your own lunch!). They also need potty breaks. Finding a place to pull your boat up on shore gives you a chance to stretch your legs and let the doggy stretch his. Not to mention relieve himself. Of course, being a dog means some sniffing time is important. Just like fishing with kids, I think it’s important to not be hard-core when fishing with a dog. Give your Best Friend some “dog time”. I think it will make him more excited the next time you pull out your boat – yay! Another fishing adventure!
One word of caution when fishing with a dog. Expect the unexpected. I remember a trip on the Snake River doing a Cast and Blast Adventure. We had dogs on the boat for our chukar hunt, but first we were fishing for chinook salmon, side drifting eggs. I think you know where I’m going with this… at the end of a drift we brought in our gear to run back to the top of the hole. One of the anglers’ dogs decided that he might like the taste of fresh salmon eggs for breakfast. Before we knew it, this angler’s dog had scarfed down a baited hook of salmon eggs, all the way beyond reach. Unfortunately for the angler his day of fishing was cut short as we took him back to the boat launch for a trip to the vet for x-rays. The vet informed the owner of the dog to watch to see if the hook passed (not the most pleasant job by the way). While no harm came to the dog, it was an expensive reminder of what I mentioned early – dogs can be unpredictable.
So, by all means, take your dog fishing – you’ll love it and so will the dog – but be ever mindful and keep a close eye on your Four Legged-Friend!
