The Ultimate Fishing Buddy
My favorite fishing buddy has never complained, always allowed me to fish without reprimands, helped me point out rising trout, and never wanted to leave a fishing trip early due to boredom or plans to go home.
His name is Zeke. He is a chocolate labrador retriever.
bred for water
If you fish, hunt, or spend a lot of time around water, chances are you have a Labrador Retriever. The advantages of owning a Labrador are that these dogs are non-aggressive, friendly, athletic, loyal and love the water. They are great fishing buddies. Did I mention they love the water?
The intelligence of the Labrador retriever is well known in the dog community, and keeping your pup stimulated with a training regimen of search drills will pay off once he’s allowed to go in the water or out in the field. Providing games that use his natural instincts, such as retrieving a stick, will keep your Labrador happy day in and day out. And when he accidentally drops his fly box in the river, he’ll be glad he trained her to look for it!
Labrador retrievers are bred to be water dogs. Their coats repel water and insulate them from the cold. A Labrador’s otter tail is shaped just right for use as a rudder; helps steer and balance the dog in the water.
start young
I recommend introducing your pup to the water and trout at a young age so he can adjust to your weekend fishing trips. It’s not uncommon for a Labrador to dislike water at first, so don’t be too surprised if this is the case with your dog.
I started fishing with my lab, Zeke, when he was only a couple of months old, and it’s still fun to watch him tremble with excitement as he anticipates greeting the trout dangling from my hook.
Zeke is very aware of when I start packing for an outing, and I reassure him by saying, “You’re leaving.” If he is not welcome on a particular trip, he must distract himself to avoid being too disappointed.
Although still a puppy at heart, Zeke has grown into a great fly-fishing dog. He avoids jumping into a huge hatch of caddies on the Madison or a melee of mayflies on the South Platte. His temperament allows him to get along with every four-legged creature he meets, and only downtime between fishing trips prevents him from constantly wagging his tail.
Many of my closest fishing buddies take great care in deciding what they will call their four-legged fishing buddies at a young age, and it’s fun to be out on the river and hear, “Come here, bear, (Sage, Madison, Drake , Winston , Hopper)”–all popular names for fly-fishing dogs.
In the past, when he wasn’t fishing on a weekend, he’d usually kayak, not by choice but by Zeke’s influence. When kayaking, Zeke had complete freedom to swim and have fun. Many other kayakers keep dogs, mainly to help them search for lost paddles; in fact, dogs are encouraged to go to the Golden Whitewater Park to swim in the Class III rapids with the kayakers.
Perks: meet QB and raise money for trout
One of the joys of owning a trained eight-year-old Labrador (well, a half-trained Labrador) is being able to walk him off-leash in areas like Denver’s Cherry Creek district. On one of those occasions, we passed a restaurant and Zeke got distracted by a customer on the patio. The man who called out for a quick hello and a bite to eat was none other than Jake Plummer, the quarterback for the Denver Broncos! Talk about someone who loves Labs!
Another reason I’m happy I trained Zeke early is the rewards I see now. He is just one of the few dogs allowed to attend the annual ISE International Sports Show, and he is definitely one of the main attractions at our Trout Unlimited booth each year. He has helped increase our fundraising efforts by 200% since he started attending! Nothing like a big labrador retriever with a doting smile and crocodile tail to attract many of the thousands of attendees to our booth for a photo shoot with his kids.
Tips for taking your dog outdoors
Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise before any extended trips or outings and consider the effect of that activity.
Be aware of how weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, etc.) affect your dog.
For unexpected situations, pack first aid supplies for your dog and a towel as well.
Check with your destination to make sure dogs are allowed.
Bring the dog license and identification tags for your dog.
After each trip, examine them for any abnormal behavior, cuts, and ticks.
It is very important to keep your Labrador hydrated after a lot of activity.
Most importantly, be responsible with your pet when you’re around other people in the water, and be aware of them when you’re in the water.