How to Plan a Solo Fishing Trip with Your Dog
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How to Plan a Solo Fishing Trip with Your Dog, a Guest Post by Kenneth Reaves*
Riding solo may be fulfilling, but let’s be real: it’s more fun when your furry best friend comes along. Not only does it give you time to bond with your dog, but you’re basically allowing them to unwind and relax too.
Image by La Miko from Pexels
The excitement of fishing with your pooch, playing in the waters, and traveling to a nearby fishing spot sounds thrilling! But going for a fishing adventure with your dog requires additional preparation.
If you haven’t gone on a solo fishing adventure with your four-legged companion, then you should plan it as soon as possible! Here are some tips to help you have a fun, safe fishing trip:
Solo Fishing Trip with Your Dog: Preparation
The first recipe for a successful fishing adventure is to be ready. Pack your necessities, fishing equipment, and your dog’s supplies. Next, consider the weather, your destination, and how much water you and your travel buddy will need on the trip. Being on the lake or river may be relaxing, but the sun can be intense any time of the day, so make sure you have enough water to bring with you.
These items should be included in your dog’s travel bag:
- Collar and leash
- Dog food
- Dog treats
- First aid kit
- Poop bags
- Food and water bowls
- Favorite toy
Solo Fishing Trip with Your Dog: Choosing a fishing spot
One of the most important things you should consider is the pet policies of the fishing area. You wouldn’t want to end up with a fine and failed fishing trip.
Once you’ve confirmed that dogs are welcomed in the area, the next step is to study the area. Take note of the surroundings that may potentially distract your dog, such as public roads, strong currents, deep pools, river crossings, busy places, and the like. With trained, obedient dogs, this may not be a significant problem. But even the best K-9’s can be stubborn at times! Therefore, make sure your pooch knows the following basic commands: sit, stay, heel, come, and drop it.
Dog treats
If there’s anything you should not forget, that would be your dog’s treats. Treats have two functions: to go hand-in-hand with your commands and to calm your frightened dog.
If you offer your dog some mouth watering snacks, then they’ll be more likely to obey. On the other hand, dog treats may help calm down a dog that’s terrified of water.
Fishing on the shore
Now that you and your travel buddy have arrived at your destination and found a perfect fishing spot, what’s next? If you’re in a populated area, keep your dog on a leash attached to something sturdy like a tree. Make the leash long enough to give your dog some freedom.
Additionally, if you’re fishing in a remote area and you have an obedient dog with you, let them play and take delight in the waters. However, you want to make sure to keep your dog away from hooks and raw fish.
Fishing on the boat
Having your canine companion as a boating buddy comes with additional responsibilities. For one thing, you need to protect them from the water by letting them wear a life jacket. While dogs can generally swim, some may be scared once they fall out of the boat.
Make sure to keep your dog calm and still on the boat. Hand out some treats to keep them at ease.
Solo Fishing Trip with Your Dog: Conclusion
Fishing with your canine best friend is a beautiful experience, especially if the trip is well-planned. However, a dog owner needs to take some extra steps before going on a fishing trip. It may be challenging, but everything will be worth it in the end!
For savings on fishing licenses, even if you leave Fido at home, see this 50-state comprehensive guide to savings for seniors.
*Author Bio
Kenneth Reaves is a passionate angler and traveler. He owns Perfect Captain, a website wherein he and his team share their professional fishing tips and recommendations.
(Solo Trekker also recommends giving your dog a wide set of options for solo vacations with you. For example, see our thoughts and tips on how to travel with your dog. Alternatively, see how to share a staycation or even when winter comes, taking your dog skiing )
(Solo Travel offers more tips on traveling with your dog:
5 Tips Traveling with Your Dog
