View Full Version : Fishin with dogs?
goose pit
03-04-2002, 12:15 AM
Just wondering how many of you guys take along your dogs when you head out? I will usually take mine bass fishin (he's good luck in tournaments) but not usually walleye fishin(he has a habit of gettin sea-sick in the waves and loosing his dog food in the bottom of the boat) So comeon post up, how many bring along the dawg?
eyedoktr
03-04-2002, 03:53 AM
I had a black lab that I took fishing all the time....until he decided it was more fun to jump in and swim around the boat. I couldn't keep him in the boat so I stopped taking him.
Wkndbum
03-04-2002, 04:23 AM
My Choc Lab loves to go fishing, especially trolling, he barks(fish on) a lot of times before I see it.
Pete, my black lab is a year and a half now. I had the same problem with him, too jumping out. My first outing with him was on Seneca Lake where he decided to take a dip. I had to pull up all the downriggers and dipsies and go back and pick him up. Now, I chain him up in the boat. This works real good for me; I've had no problems. As soon as I get back to the dock, I unchain him and he has to take a swim before I put him in the truck. He's sure a lot of fun to be with. Ray
moreyes
03-04-2002, 05:14 AM
I take my Black lab with, she is now 9 years old, she is very intense about fishing, she will stand staring over the side for hours she has fallen asleep standing there. She loves to lick fish?walleye is her favorite. Good humor, people are always commenting on her intensity.Waves do not bother her take across MilleLacs.
moreyes and Sadee
Juls_WI
03-04-2002, 05:42 AM
I take Jack, my Golden, with me, and all he does is sleep....unless the boat is moving fast. Then he likes to sit up with the wind in his face. If the boat gets near shore, he'll stand there and sniff the air...you can almost see the expression.."oh man, if I could just get to that tree!" lol
He's a good boy..;-)
Juls
walleye chop
03-04-2002, 05:46 AM
I love takin my Choc Lab Gus with me. He loves standing up on the bow when I'm motoring down the lake. I get a kick out of that tongue flappin in the wind but I usually end up gettin a slobber bath by the time the trip is done!
Water Dog
03-04-2002, 06:12 AM
My Chesapeake Bay retreiver is the first and last one in the boat .
Some days (Hootie) can't wait till the boat is launched and will jump into the boat when it is still on the trailer .
Hootie is a friendly spirit till it's time to split up the fish .
If someone reaches into the livewell he makes sure no fish is removed unless I am present . His favorite chore is guarding the boat . Nobody can bother the boat when he is aboard .
Wawajake
03-04-2002, 06:19 AM
Good thread !! I hope to get my 12 week old Golden retreiver to be a regular fishin partner by this summer or next. Was it hard training to get your dogs used to the boat !! I hope I don't need to carry him into the boat from dock always ! It might be hard for him to jump into a 14 ft aluminum from the dock , due to the sloping sides and slippery surfaces.
ANY TIPS ???
jake
I take my 7 year old English springer with me Bo,all the time!When im launching hes usually takeing a dip but when its time to go fishing he knows the routine and hops right into the boat.The only problem i ever have with him is that he wants to lick all the fish,lol.If i leave the livewell lid open he stares at the fish.One thing that i like about when i bring him is i can run 2 extra rods,gotta love that,lmao.Best of all he really loves walleyes.Last year i caught about a 12"walleye and when i threw it over the side he actually caught it mid air,it was hilarious seing that fish in his mouth.Needless to say Bo practices catch and release and he let it go.TightLines,Kdog
Dan(MI)
03-04-2002, 06:39 AM
I occasionally take my black lab with me. The trouble I have is when we're trolling and she decides to jump in, I hate that. When its cold it really sucks because she shakes all that cold water on me.
I screwed up training her for bird hunting. I would take a fishing pole tie a weighted bird wing on it, cast it out and she would find it and bring it back, now she associates every fishing pole with the retreive.
Oh well
Still beats going by yourself.
Dan
PS she loves ice fishing when you throw back small fish, she'llstick her head in the hole trying to get them back for you.
Xplorer
03-04-2002, 06:45 AM
I have been taking my 11 year old springer Maggie since she was a pup. She loves to fish and just be in the boat, she is up front with her head and nose up in the air and those ears flapping as we run down the lake. Maggie also loves to lick fish, wonder whats up with that?? She will almost fall overboard (and has a few times:) )when we are bringing in walleye's or smallies.
She's never gotten sick and is a real trooper. When we camp up on the islands in Voyageurs park, many times when we get ready to head out fishing she will have already jumped in the boat and be waiting for us.The only time I dont take her is if I'm gonna be out trolling on Lake Superior where there's no place to really let her off if she's gotta go. Every stop she's gotta take a good swim and drink down half the lake it seems. She's a great fishin dog!
Xplorer
vetspet(ind)
03-04-2002, 07:15 AM
could be dangerous...i have many stories about fish hooks in the mouth....if live bait, they will often swallow hook...that gets expensive....have had two "prop" injuries...a real mess, but both dogs lived...watch for heat stroke, esp black dogs....was fishing a shore once and a golden retriever was allowed free access to all the fishermen...he kept puttin his nose in everyones tackle box...i couldn't believe the owner gave him free reins....nothing happened but i expected trouble and was angry with the intrussions...angry at the owner...not the dog....steve
mnwalleyekiller
03-04-2002, 07:29 AM
Funney you asked, Every tournament I fish my partner brings his brittney spanial. The dog is an unbelieveable fisherman and loves to watch you reel them in.
Get this, gull lake last may we were fishing a camas concrete tourniment. I caught two 29 3/4 inch walleyes a half hour apart. I decided to fly into weigh in and have the fish weighed pronto so they could be realeased. Well one took off from the dock and the other was acting sluggish.
My partner took over on the reviveing chore and the fish came back and swam off. Only to reasurface 25 yards out. With the white belly showing the dog took off the dock with no command. The brit swam out, grabbed the walleye and swam back to shore. Un real we had all kinds of people witness this and they were as amazed as we were. We kept that one and laughed all the way back out to our spot. WE were in first place on day one, we placed third for the final day
OH I did manage to snap a couple pitchures of this!
"Red Tail Chubs" gotta love 'em
Walleyesuick
03-04-2002, 07:56 AM
My black lab is always fishing with me in the boat, on shore, or on the ice. She gets as excited as me when I hook into one. She loves fishing with slip bobbers. She is glued to the bobber. I can tell when the bobber goes down because she starts going crazy. In an ice shack, she stands directly over the hole(so I cannot even see the bobber) until the bobber goes down. As soon as the bobber goes down, she starts her fish dance. She makes the day a lot of fun.
Don__SD
03-04-2002, 08:20 AM
He's my favorite fishin partner, He dosent wine, complain and he usually out fishes me everytime. God I love my black lab
Rick-Wy.
03-04-2002, 08:27 AM
My GWP, Zach, loves fishing. He goes with me always and it is "almost" sickening the obsession I have with my dog.
The only thing he does better than fishing is upland game hunting. He and my boat mates (including myself) get pretty excited with "fish on". He does like to kiss those gators. Reminds me a "little" bit of the fishing professional Jim Houston - but with whiskers!
Word about hooks: Just can't be too careful. Every time when I think I'm being safe something just a little bet careless happens and I'm reminded all over again of the risk. Any body new in the boat HAS to be made aware of things not to do when a dog is in the boat.
He did have problems his first time out with jumping out of the boat. Not only dangerous to him, but a pain in the butt at times. A little training right from the beginning will cure that.
George Eh
03-04-2002, 08:36 AM
I like to take my Corgi with me but I have to keep him on leash when under power. He likes to stand on the bow and has fallen in twice so now the leash keeps him under control but we also bought a life jacket for him. Truth be told we had to have it customized at the sewing shop because he has a long body and no legs but now it fits perfect and works. Vetspet is right about taking extra precautions but they are a part of our lives and love to be with us whatever we do. Take care and good fishing.
Peanut
03-04-2002, 08:37 AM
I've gotta border collie - same thing.
But, he's only about 15 months old, and he's learning. Hopefully this summer he'll round into form and become a long-term boat partner.
derrek.
CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!
"On Sundays some men go to church and daydream about fishing. Others go fishing and think about God."
SnellTier
03-04-2002, 08:41 AM
Hi Jake,
I have 2 Black Labs ... a 9 year-old male and a 1-year old female. The 9-year old goes fishing with us a lot especially when my wife and I are fishing in Canada.
I will start breaking in my 1-year old for fishing this year. It should be easy ... but she was a little young last year (I did not get her until she was 4 months old. I usually get them at 7 weeks but this female was a "refugee" from a home where the mom had a 3 year-old child and a 1-year old child and a 4 month-old pup and just could not handle it all.). If they know "sit, stay, come, off" and have ridden in your car a lot, it will be a piece of cake.
I don't take the dog with us if it is very hot or both hot and sunny that day ... the posting below about "heat stroke" is very real. It can kill a dog ... and the black coats of my labs make it an even greater threat.
Like one of the postings below, I also had a dog that I had trained by pulling a wing with my fishing rod. The dog would snap at everything on the end of my rod (even while I was casting crank baits!!), so DON'T do that. I train mine now by dragging the wing or bumper on the end of a short string or by throwing them after waving it around in front of the dog and getting the dog excited.
The only "goof" my elder lab has had was jumping in on top of a giant walleye I was trying to net for my wife. He just could not stand all the emotional excitment in our voices and had to be part of the action. Yup, we got the walleye. I got the dog in afterwards and lectured him ... and he knew he had screwed up ... he was hanging his head.
As far as training the dog, I just make sure he does NOT try standing on the gunnel ("Off! ... no stand!" is the command we use)and make sure he lies down where I can watch him while we are motoring ("Travel Time" ... is the command we use).
One more thing ... we keep all the hooks either IN THE WATER or IN THE ROD BOX. I have never hooked a dog and don't want to. I have had my youngest female try to retrieve a porcupine this year ... and that experience was one I shall remember for a while. She had 60 quills in her right front leg and 30 in her right rear leg. NOT NICE! Just in case, take along a small pair of wire or bolt cutters to cut the barb off ... you ought to have them anyway just in case you accidentally hook yourself.
My male LOVES to motor, loves to LICK fish, and really gets excited while we are playing and trying to net a fish. It is fun to watch. Fishing with him extends my "hunting season" outings!!
Good luck and enjoy!!
I take my two sister-dogs, about 1 1/2 years old, with when we only have two people in the boat. They are half lab, quarter golden and quarter husky. One really likes sitting by my feet and out fo the sun (she is black and the reason I got a bimini top - what a great boat accesory, for people or dogs) and the yellow one really likes to watch spinner baits. As vetspet said, you have to be careful, cause they don't know hooks are attached to those pretty spinning things :)
They are fun, and stay in the boat pretty good. Too darn good. I want them jump out of boat more! ha!
-Box
My two Rottweilers are the best co anglers I have found to date. They never complain about slow days and they always listen when I tell them what to do in the boat. If I could only teach them to drive or operate the foot pedal (correctly) on the trolling motor.
BRS1
ChuckD
03-04-2002, 12:00 PM
My yellow lab absolutely loves fishing, in fact he's my most reliable, enjoyable fishing partner and he always puts me on fish! Occasionally he'll jump in, when he is too hot and I happen to be reeling in a fish.
He also loves to ride on jet skis, 4 wheelers and snowmobiles. He's loved it since he was a puppy. My dog is a kid at heart, and I swear he's part human. He goes everywhere I go.....
eyecatcher_1
03-04-2002, 12:19 PM
Hey everyone, one question about taking your dogs with you. Do you ever have problems with the shedded hair getting in the bilge? Have been told this can cause a real mess. I have a 7 month old yellow lab that I would really like to take out with me, but don't want it to cause other problems. Let me know what you guys/gals think.
Jason
03-04-2002, 01:38 PM
My rot likes to let other boats know when they are getting too close. She wouldn't hurt a thing but she looks tough. Doesn't do real well if its hot though.
T-Mac
03-04-2002, 03:25 PM
I have 2 field bred Springers (females) that I take, but not during tourneys. One lies around and is no problem. The other bailed out a time or 2. Finally she bailed out at 50mph. I thought that would cure her, but it did not, as she loves the water like no dog I have ever seen. (She will swim continuously for who knows how long? I have let her go 45 minutes sometimes..she still doesn't really want to come in to shore! She will swim until I call her in. God knows how long it would before she came in on her own volition.)
So...now she is on a short rope tied onto a pedistal so she can't get up to the gunnel and "launch".
But they both love to be on the water....or IN it!
I thought you meant usin them for bait! Chihuahua's work well for muskie.
hotntot
03-04-2002, 04:43 PM
Triton, my 4 year old Black lab loves to go fishing, or any thing to do with water. He can be a pain in the you know what when it comes to landing the fish. He wants to be the first to touch the fish. When we get up on plane and cruising (40mph) he sits up on the bow and looks like a big hood ornament. He just thinks he's the coolest. He is.
HOT-N-TOT
water_wolf
03-04-2002, 05:15 PM
LOL reminds me of that In-Fish episode when Stange and Csanda are musky fishing when this lady on the end of a dock is going crazy. They motor in to have the lady tell a big muskie that swam up and "took" her poodle. They asked the lady what color the poodle was.
I love to take my Choc Lab (Autumn) with me on the boat fishing. The only exceptions are when its hot & sunny, or when I have more than 2 people in my boat. She behaves real good laying up on the casting deck at the front. Once we were fishing Silver Lake and we were close to some geese, that brought her attn level up a bit. She stood there with 2 paws up on top rail whimpering, looking back at me, looking at geese, whimper some more shaking a bit. She wanted those geese. My son says "fetch up Autumn" her whole body shook and she looked back at me biting her top lip. I said "NO!". she laid back down with the sadest look.
We always take her H2O bowl and plenty of spring water for her. Shes a great gal.
Rich Ferguson
bluelund
03-04-2002, 05:38 PM
I take my Golden with me every time I go out, I have dog proofed my boat and he is the second "golden" fishing buddy I've had and have not had a hook stuck in either one yet, knock on wood. I always tell my friends that he will be with us no matter what and so far have only had two people tell me to leave him home. I still wonder what they did on those days cuz they were at home and the dog and I went fishing. lol Both of my goldens have been very generous with their shedding and so far I haven't had a problem with a clogged bilge pump. I have found that sunflower seed shells are much harder on bilge pumps than dog hair. Hey Juls, tell Jack that if he needs a boat ride there is always room for him in my boat!!! Heck, if he will vouch for you, you are welcome as well. lol
Take care and good fishing,
Bob M
My Jack Russell "Tess", goes where I go. She loves the boat, cept when I put it up on plane.:-) Loves to go fishin, but seems like after we been fishing a while, she starts giving me that LOOK! :-) Not one more cast!:-) Gooda fishin partner as any. Dont give me any crap, and only costs me a McDonalds plain cheeseburger when we stop.:7
Ripstik
03-04-2002, 07:24 PM
I fish by myself alot and my springer "annie" was a great companion for me for fifteen years.I'm sorry to say time ran out on annie.Now I have another springer "dixie".She is three months old and I can't wait to get her in the boat.I'm sure she will provide the companionship I miss so much from annie.
WAeyes
03-04-2002, 08:23 PM
>LOL reminds me of that In-Fish episode when Stange and
>Csanda are musky fishing when this lady on the end of a dock
>is going crazy. They motor in to have the lady tell a big
>muskie that swam up and "took" her poodle. They asked the
>lady what color the poodle was.
Now thats funny! What color poodle ya using lady? LOL
WAeyes
03-04-2002, 08:29 PM
Please be careful fishing with your dog. I can speak from experience that it is no fun if your dog gets stuck with a hook. I had a German Shorthair try to bite one of my crankbaits. It was very close to a disaster. She only got one hook partially in her front lip. Could have been alot worse real easy! I do not like to fish with dogs because of this experience...please be careful with your dogs when fishing.
Phil T.
03-04-2002, 10:18 PM
Yup. I used to have a Brittany in my boat, but he had to be put down in his 16th year. I now have a Brittany/Springer/Lab mix who will be keeping me company on the water as well as the pheasant fields. He learned the bird game last fall.
My dog loves to go fishing. I fish alone alot and he is a great companion. He is really fasinated with the livewell and whats in it. I look for resorts that allow dgs just so he can come along.
Wawajake
03-05-2002, 06:00 AM
Thanks TomD
and all the rest for your tips, Looks like once my Dawson gets used to the Jeep rides (without puking) ,I will start him with boat in spring. I guess I won't be able to use my open rod racks much anymore too many hooks exposed!!, I guess I will have the rods leaning out the stern instead. You guys got me excited to try to train this partner for "FISH ON" !!!
thanks
jake
Have a brit. Loves the boat. Hates bugs, flys, bees, etc., one day my jig taps the back of her head and snap, lip hooked her. Only problem I have with her is when she needs attention, hard to run the tiller, hold the rod and pet the dog at the same time. What a pheasant dog, got a photo of her pointing a rooster in the snow. Always carry a disposable camera when fishing and hunting!!!
HEYE5
03-05-2002, 07:27 AM
My black Lab won't miss a fishing trip. Right about the heat though. He makes room for himself under the console in the shade. We let him cool off with a swim once in a while.
The sound of a stripping drag gets his attention and he has to come check whats coming in. He has that retriever mentality and will try to catch a throwback in the air if he can.
The baitwell is his big attraction and he continually watches the minnows. He finally realized that if he pulled the bait net out like we do, he can have them flopping on the floor where they are easier to keep an eye on. Kind of a pain at times but well worth the price of admission. If we take the net out, he puts it back in
if the lid is not shut, waits a while.....and drags it out again!
Only problem so far is he hit the X-75 on the bow jumping from boat to dock last year and it only turned on once after that. It is at the "doctor" being repaired right now which cost me $100, but we'll be ready to go when a hole thaws.
HEYE5