Managing Your Four-Legged Friends While Fly Fishing
First, I am not an expert and despite what it looks like on social media, my dogs are not perfectly behaved on the skiff. I love dogs. I love fly fishing. I love the opportunities to combine both. The act of combining these two passions, however, is not always a walk in the park. I want to share with you what works for us - me, Wilds (my husband), and Skip & Ann (my golden retrievers). I wrote “5 Reasons to Bring Your Pup Fishing” for Fly Lords a few years ago (linked here), but now that I am a dog mom to TWO golden retrievers, I feel that I need to expand on that topic and share some tips for how I manage to stay sane and somewhat successful while fly fishing with my dogs.
One of the most common questions I get asked when posting photos or videos of fly fishing with my dogs is “how do you keep your dogs out of the water while you’re fishing?”
My answer: It is an almost CONSTANT battle to keep them out of the water. If you want your dog to be the best boat dog he/she can be, you have to be consistent. Dogs have a hard time understanding concepts like being allowed on your couches at home, but not allowed on couches in a friend’s home, for example. A couch is a couch to them. The same goes for being on the boat. They think that being on the boat means swimming. It is tough for them to understand the difference between fishing and going to the sandbar to swim. That being said, it is extremely important to train your dog to only leave the boat on command. It can be done, and yes, they will still give into temptation now and then, but if your dog has a solid grasp on only leaving the boat when you say so, they can apply that logic anywhere you go on the boat together.
How do you achieve this?
It is going to vary greatly from dog to dog. I suggest utilizing your normal training methods in a consistent manner, whether that be positive reinforcement with treats or toys, or negative reinforcement with a stern voice or training equipment like an e-collar/shock collar. You know what works for your dog, and if you don’t, that is something you need to get dialed in before taking your pup out on the water. Trust me!
My goldens are well-trained, but insanely stubborn. They respond well to e-collars (or more harshly known as “shock collars”). I refer to them as “collars of knowledge.” If you know me and have been following me long enough, you know without a doubt that I would NEVER do anything to harm my dogs. These types of collars are perfectly humane, safe and effective if they are used properly. Skip and Ann run over to me excitedly when it is time to put on their collars because they know that the collars mean they are about to do something AWESOME. I personally love e-collars because they allow you to correct behaviors the instant your dog makes a wrong move and that is key for helping them to understand what behaviors are good and what behaviors are bad. E-collars also give you the freedom to more quietly reprimand your dogs. Stealth is important when fly fishing, so removing the added excitement and noise that comes with verbally correcting dogs’ behavior is beneficial. Again, make sure this is the right option for your dog before giving it a try, and of course, follow the manufacturer instructions that come with your e-collar. I will link the collars we have for Skip and Ann below.
I prefer the Dogtra 1900S collar which is a touch pricier. It has a vibrate option (which is typically all I need to get Skip’s attention), and 127 different levels of stimulation. And it’s waterproof.
The SportDOG YardTrainer 100S collar is another good option and about half the price of Dogtra collar. It has a beep function and only 8 levels of static stimulation. It is also waterproof.
The key is to give them a gentle reminder (beep/tone or vibrate on the collar, verbal cue, or other physical cue) the instant you see them thinking about hopping up or creeping closer to the edge of the boat as if they’re about to jump in. You want to stop them before they have a chance to do the wrong thing. If you’re pulling up to a bank or sandbar for some play time and swimming, be sure that they wait until you give the “ok” to jump out. For my dog Skip, it is a literal “ok” out of my mouth that tells him it’s ok to jump in. For you and your dog(s), this may mean consistently keeping them on a leash as you’re pulling up to the play/swim spot, and only releasing them from the leash once you’ve given your version of the “ok” cue. In time, they will get the hang of it.
Next, tone down your excitement!
This is something I encountered recently, and it was a valuable learning experience. I get SO excited when I spot a fish – physically and audibly. This is not good at all for fly fishing with most dogs. They mirror your mood and emotions. If you’ve brought your pups along on a sight fishing trip, tone down your excitement a little bit – at least until you’ve hooked the fish. Learn from my mistakes!
The Tried-and-True Method
If you are not interested in any of the above methods for making fishing with Fido more enjoyable, go with the tried-and-true method of exhausting your pup before you start fishing. This is also a great add-on to the above methods. Bring your dog along on days that allow for you to take them to a bank or sandbar for some fetch and swimming first. We don’t get to do this often based on the timing of the tides here in South Carolina, but if timing is right, it is an absolute must. Sometimes, if it isn’t busy, I’ll let them hop and swim at the boat landing for a few minutes before heading to our first flat. It helps! If they get all that energy and anxiety out before the fishing starts, then they’ll most likely be sweet, angelic balls of fluff snoozing at your feet on the deck for most of your fishing trip. Tired dogs are happy dogs.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
This may be obvious but bring plenty of water and towels. Our favorite water jug for dog water is the YETI Rambler Half Gallon Jug. It is the perfect size for dog days on the skiff and it’s reusable. I also bring a collapsible dog bowl (any brand will do) or any used cup or Tupperware container found floating around the truck if I’ve forgotten the collapsible bowl.
I thought of something else worth mentioning. How does one deal with a damp, salty, muddy pup in their vehicle at the end of a day on the water? Our go-to is the YETI Lowlands Blanket. It doubles as a dirt, water, salt, burr, and fluff repelling backseat cover. We have had it for over two years and it still looks brand new despite the extremely messy, hairy, heavy use.
Overall, to maintain some level of success and sanity while fly fishing with your dog(s) you need to lower your expectations significantly. Dogs will be dogs no matter what, and at the end of the day, this is really about them having fun, enjoying their time with you on the water, right? Do not expect that they will stay in the boat. Do not expect that they will stay still and quiet when you’re approaching a tailing redfish. You will be much more relaxed and in turn, they will be too. Ultimately, this can result in the perfect situation for having decent shots at or maybe even hooking and landing some fish with your dog at your side.
If all else fails, make sure you have your favorite beer or cocktail (my favorite - Ranch Rider Spirits Jalapeño Ranch Water) on board. You’re going to need it. Half kidding. :)
