There's a lot to be said for fishing alone.
I took my GF's brother to Uke several season's ago. The day we arrived I asked him if he'd ever helped launch a boat before. Yeah,yeah, yeah---like he's insulted I would ask. Of course he had. So we're launching off Seaplane Base Rd --I'm in the boat on the trailer, boat's unhitchded, tie-down straps removed, he's backing up my truck at a rapid clip but at least he's going straight and just when we're about five feet from the edge of the water he slams on the brakes. Like majorly pops the chutes on my truck, hard enough where the boat almost broke free of the rollers and ended up on the concrete! Nothing like a 7,000 lb boat falling off a trailer when it's still high and dry
I come unglued. I'm spluttering---WTF??? He takes it personally, hops out of my truck and is just about ready to ball his hands up into fists to protect his good name and virility which apparently, I'd called into question when I insulted his boat-launching skills
So I politely ask him to step aside, launch the boat myself like I've done 200 times before, and meet him over at Islands West. We get out on the water the next day and he starts breaking his plugs off on springs, one after another. I'd told him to get minimum 30 to 40 lb test---he showed up with 20 lb test. After breaking off 3 or 4 plugs he asks me if he can borrow my plugs. We're in a major bite, I can't just say "no", so I tie some of my 40 lb test on the plug (one of my best plugs!) and attach it to his 20 lb test crappy line thinking ---at least he won't break this plug off at the knot---he promptly hooks another spring and proceeds to breaks that one off, too, --- he had the drag cranked down tight as it would go.
So on the last night, I decide to pull out at Islands West in the dark so I don't have to compete with the guys heading out in the AM. I ask him to stand by the trailer on the launch while I go and get the boat. I'm edging the boat in towards the trailer and I lean out the wheelhouse window and ask him to walk out on the tongue and grab the bow line. He refuses. I ain't getting wet for your boat, he says. I tell him he won't get wet---the tongue is high and dry and he can steady himself on the winch tower. I do that all the timer, I tell him . He basically says F.U.---- so I am forced to use the main engine to guide me on to the trailer---I leave it in gear so I can hop over the bow and tie her up. While all this is happening I know it's a low tide, maybe a minus tide and sure enough, I hear that wonderful sound of aluminum on concrete. $ 150 prop destroyed.
So as we're driving home the next day I'm telling myself-- that's it. No more people on the boat. It'll be just me and the dog.
So last September a guy helps me put new bearings and disc brakes on my trailer--- I pay him and offer to take him fishing in exchange for his help. The guy chain smokes Marlboros so I tell him---when we're out on the boat, zero smoking, agreed? Sure he says. Done deal. So we get out on the water and he hooks a coho. We get it in the boat, he's all excited, and shoves a cig in his mouth and starts to light it. No dice, sez I. We had a deal, remember?
WTF sez he. Just one, ok? Look, we had a deal I remind him. I'll take you back to the dock right now and you can smoke on the dock. He gets all ***** and sulks for the rest of the trip and I just want him off the boat at that point, mainly because he showed up without a license or a punch card and when I said what's up with that, he launches into a tirade about the Freaking Greedy State and why should he get a license and a punch card when the fish belong to everybody etc etc
Not trying to hi-jack a thread here. Fishing is a real personal thing for me. I don't necessarily hang around water to socialize but I enjoy good company and sharing fine experiences.
I just got back from 7 days alone out in the woods drifting a river and camping in the rainforest. It's a problem-solving deal for me--relying on my wits and my past experience on how to get things done in a safe way. People say--you go alone---are you nuts?
I did a Spider Island trip last year alone---just me and the dog. I had a magic moment coming out of Miles Inlet one morning, the morning I chose to bust my Cape Caution move. It was a cruddy day, a bit blowy, but the tide was right for going past Slingsby. As I came out of Miles another boat came out behind me and passed me by going balls to the wall. I thought he was going to Bremner but he kept on going ---it became clear he was heading for Rivers Inlet just like I was
I tried to hail him on the radio, thought I'd ask if he minded running with someone. You know, for safety in numbers? No answer on any channel; then I felt a bit stupid yammering on a dead radio. Just shut up and rely on your own wits and experience I told myself. You waited for the right tide, you studied the weather. You don't need any hand-holding.
I think maybe finding a true golden fishing buddy who you trust and who knows how to behave in tight quarters is like finding a good women. They're rare and when you do find one, hang on to him (or her) because there's not a lot of good ones out there.
There's definitely safety in numbers (and sharing experiences is cool and sharing expenses is a big help). But sometimes the aggravation that comes with having close company is too high a price to pay and we come to find out that relying on our lonesome selves turns out to be a more enriching move that in the long run, builds stronger character.
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