One of my favorite parts about fishing is the solitude, and the peace that I find when out on the water by myself. Most of my outings are just me, by myself - but, that’s not to say that I don’t enjoy fishing with friends.
I try to take advantage of the times I do get to share the water with other anglers.
The dynamics when fishing with friends are very different from fishing alone, and having realistic expectations in mind before hitting the water can be a good thing. I know that different people fish different ways, and the many aspects of fishing will change depending on who I’m fishing with. Sometimes it’s the type of water, the pace at which we fish, or even how long we’re out.
Something to think about when you and a friend (or friends) hit the water is how to split up the water you’re going to be fishing. Nobody likes to be high-holed by other anglers when on the stream, so why would it be any different with you and your friends? The way you decide to split up the fishing may depend on the water you’ll be fishing. A small stream may require taking turns to fish, while a river could allow for everyone to fish at the same time. Below are a few ways that you can divide the water up so that everyone can have a good time while fishing.
Leapfrog
This is a great way to share a small stream, or even a river with plenty of levels or pools breaking it up. The idea is that one person fishes a casting point, level, or stretch of water either upstream or downstream (depending on which direction you decide to fish). Once they have reached the end of their beat, the next person fishes theirs.
Depending on the type of water, you may want to only fish one at a time - especially if there are skittish fish in the water. But, sometimes there are places where multiple people can fish their sections simultaneously. Keep your friend(s) in mind though, and don’t blow up their next section before they get to fish it. Everyone fishes at different paces, and we should all be respectful of that.
Split the Sides
If the water is big enough for a few people to fish at the same time, one simple solution is to split it in half, and each person fishes from one bank. Of course, this also depends on how easy it is to get to the other bank, and if it offers terrain that can be traversed without too much risk.
When fishing from opposite banks, try not to cast over where the friend on the other bank is fishing to. Sometimes it’s worth splitting up pools in a fashion similar to leap frogging, or even doing it in a way where one angler fishes close to them in one section, then farther in the next.
Mixed Styles
There are times where you may fish a creek or river where you may only be able to access one bank, but have enough space for both anglers to fish simultaneously. A way a couple friends could fish in this situation is to have different approaches. This can be tailored to the situation, as there are many different ways to do this.
One person could cast to and fish the closer pockets, while the second person could fish the further lies. This way (hopefully) nobody spooks all the fish as they cover a stretch, but if the first person does push fish off the near bank, the second person still has a chance at catching a fish that is holding a little further from the bank.
Another way is to fish different types of flies. For example, the person who goes first could fish a fly that present closer to the surface, while the one who follows up could fish a weighted fly. With the surface presentation going first, you have a chance at catching rising fish without disturbing others, then weighted fly will be able to fish deeper and hopefully grab the attention of other fish that aren’t looking to the surface for insects.
Building off of the previous idea, each angler could fish a different presentation. The lead angler may prefer a simple dead drift, while the second angler could come through and hit the water with some sasoi, or any other animation of the fly. What’s important here is to offer the presentation that’s less-likely to scare the fish first, then follow it with the more dramatic approach.
Combine The Ideas
Now that we’ve listed a few different ways to share the water with friends, we wanted to highlight that these ideas can be combined in different ways. Maybe the size of the group fishing could warrant a few people from fishing either bank, and possibly the anglers on each bank could benefit from the leapfrog approach on their side of the river. Or, maybe they can both fish, with one following the other as they mix up the presentations while they work along the water.
With bigger group sizes, there will always be some adjustments that need to be made to accommodate all the anglers in the group.
Split Up
One other option is to split up and spread out. There have been times we’ve fished with friends where everyone finds their own space on the river and maybe don’t see each other for a stretch of time, until we all meet back at the end of the access, or back at the cars.
If splitting up is something all parties involved don’t mind doing, then one person (or group) could fish upstream, and the other could fish downstream. It helps to set a time and spot to meet back at and check in - for safety reasons.
Of course, all the ideas listed are just that - ideas. The way you and your friends may decide to split up the water will depend on the water and the situation. You’ll find ways that work for the location, or for the friends you’re fishing with at the time.
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