i fish alone for 2 reasons.  one is i have my style of fishing that i like to do and someone else will have there own style.  i.e. i want to finese fish and he wants to cover a lot of water with search lures.   two if the person is just an occasional fisherman, and expecting me to put him into lots of fish,  i dont like that kind of expectation so i dont bring them along.  am i selfish or are others similiar?

well it all depends...if im goin out to do some serious fishing I will go alone for the same reasons as you....but 50 percent of the time I bring some one. And I love when they expect me to put them on some nice fish most the time I cant but I fell great when they pull a nice one in.

I fish alone for many reasons, I have always been serious about bass fishing and have little patience for other adults who don't take the fishing as seriously as I do. ALso my little bass boat when loaded would be too small for 2 people to fish comfortably. They only time I do not fish alone is when some one asks me to take there kids fishing......I love to see how excited the kids get when they catch something. Next year my daughter will be old enough to take out.......I can't wait.

i have to say i fish alone most often.  some factors make it awkward to have a partner. bank fishing for example,  the 2 people most usually need to get off well to be able to catch fish without annoying the other.  however ina boat theres a completely different circumstance.  i dont have my own boat, so most often i am the guest.  i like to go with the flow and compliment what my partner is doing.  in a boat, where neither of us are fimilar with the water, we are usually trying to put together a pattern and 2 people need to be willing to vary their stlyes to find what is catching fish.  sometimes i am just focused on fishing and sometimes i dont talk, my partner needs to understand this, and not be offended if im not talking all the time, its not that i am trying to ignore him, its just my thing sometimes!  other times i just have to fish alone for the peace.  ill never turn down a partner, unless its someone who will just destroy the experience, and usually ends up not going for the fishing.  me personally, i like to fish long and hard, and if i intend on frequently fishing with the same person, its important to find a partner whose traits are similar to your own, so the trip will be enjoyable for both of you.

My wife and son fish with me some,but I fish alone about 95 % of the time.As others have stated,I'm serious about my bassin'.I have a gameplan each time that I go.I love for wife and son to go(I'm hoping my son more and more...I'm being patient),but when others are along it's basically them fishing and me guiding,picking out backlashes,and just shooting the breeze.This morning, for example,I didn't do too well(3 dinks).Well,I took the opportunity to cruise around the lake with my fish finder looking for structure that I don't already know about and marking it down.That's as fun as fishing to me,but with someone along I wouldn't feel as free to do it.

I like to do both but there is a pretty short list of anglers that I get excited about fishing with. I enjoy taking a kid and teaching them some of the basics and watching them get excited about the sport. I usually don't fish a whole lot myself during these type outings. The other type is like to go with is another hardcore experience bass fisherman. Someone who brings something to the table, skill and technique wise, and can make some good conversation. We can work together to unravel that days pattern.  At this stage of the game I don't really seem to have much use for those who fall in between these two types. If I'm going to be hanging out with someone who is just so-so about fishing I'd actually rather go do something that they like.

My buddy and do A LOT of team fishing.  We have similar tactics and styles, though our bait choices differ somewhat.  We have been doing a great job getting on the fish every time we go out, never catching less than a limit (unless we bring our kids along.)  Fishing with someone that knows what they're doing and also compliments your style is fun, educational at times, and if anything else, faster to pattern fish.  We hope to do some team fishing on FLW tournaments and whatnot pretty soon.  Still looking for some sponsors, though it's coming.  All in good time

I prefer to fish with someone as long as the are willing to fish.  What I hate is to take or go with someone who wants to leave after 30 min. because they haven't caught a fish yet.

I prefer to fish with someone as long as the are willing to fish. What I hate is to take or go with someone who wants to leave after 30 min. because they haven't caught a fish yet.

I have this buddy and I took him once I was like whats the worse thing that could happen...well I planned on fishing a 13 hour day and 30 minutes in he wanted to go so I had to drive all the way back to the dock (on the other end of the lake and drop him off(waste of time) well im going on a trip later this afternoon and this buddy of mine wants to avoid his girl friend today so he asked if he could come with me..Ive been planning this trip 3 months. I laught when he asked ;D

I usually fish alone because I am the only dedicated bass fisherman that I know.  Usually, the only time I am fishing WITH someone is when my dad is catfishing and i'm bass fishing.  

I usually fish alone. It gives me time to think and fish the way I like. Sometimes a friend will come, but then I feel I must do and go where he wants. My wife and son will sometimes come with, but the wife doesn't fish and my son is still young and impatient. I hope someday he will love it like myself. Fishing alone seems to work best. It would be nice to have someone with if you ever run into trouble on the water though.

I fish more with other people now then I did for several years, but I don't know if I prefer one over the other depends on the day.  I have always gone by myself unless taken the dogs except if it's hot and seem to get into the natural aspects and feel of being outdoors alot more then with a friend.  But buds keep things livelier, offer a competative spirit and help launch the boat.

I fish alone most of the time but I certainly welcome taking my wife or son.  Obviously the overall tone of the trip changes when they're along, not that I mind. My wife loves to bass fish and she often outfished me which she loves to rub in.  My son OTOH isn't quite into fishing as much as me.  I like to take him if I know the fish are biting good and he's likely to easily catch a fish.

Otherwise, I wouldn't mind sharing a boat with someone of equal skill level or someone less skilled whose willing to learn.  The only type I wouldn't want to take out is someone completely unskilled in angling including rod and reel skills.  If I was guiding for money that would be OK but not for a day on the lake where I'd like to have a little enjoyment too.

Helping launch the boat is the reason why i always take someon.

I've fished by myself and enjoyed it but today I'm about enjoying life while catching some fish. Talking, kidding, and just having fun are all part of the experience for me. I no longer have that competive nature as I did when I was younger.  

sounds like we are  all in the same boat.   so what do you tell people who keep asking you to bring them along???  do you tell them the truth or something else

I usually fish alone, I had a partner, but he went and bought himself a boat. I have tried to take the wife and kids but if the fish arent jumping in the boat they dont want to fish. So usually I tell the wife I am going, and she used to get mad. I asked her why and she said that I didnt ask if she wanted to go. I told her that she has an open invitation. She wanted to be asked so I asked and she said No thanks. I said why did I even need to ask. She said I just wanted to feel included. Women huh.

I fish alone virtually all of the time.  The ony times I don't are when I have made plans to fish with someone else (rare) or when I hire a guide (rarer).

I used to have a fishin' buddy and we were very compatible on the water.  That ended when he moved and I have never found anyone else I can fish with from a boat.  

I need to fish when I want, how I want, where I want, and for as long as I want.  If I want to talk to someone, I'll call them on my cell phone, which I occasionally do.  I will take a youngster out fishing sometimes, but that is not what I call fishing with someone, that is teaching a kid how to fish.  I don't fish at all when training a yougin'.

i prefer and usually fish alone..i can start and leave when i want and i seem to concentrate on my lures more..i too used to have a friend that went alot but his back is in bad shape and he can't stay in the boat for very long and i got used to going by myself...

I mostly fish alone because my work hours make it nearly impossible for anyone to go with me. I work 4 tens Wed-Sat, until 2 AM. I had 8 fishing partners I grew up with but their declining health has reduced that to 3 lately, and those 3 have new Rangers, so they take me if we go together, which is fine. All are serious anglers, and we have it the top gun takes all the fish we keep. It keeps a little competition going which I think leads to more serious fishing. When I do have an adult guest I tell them the only way they will cut the trip short is catch another ride to the ramp, swim, or need an ambulance at the ramp, so nobody is going that is inclined to want to leave early because fishing is poor. I don't mind taking a newbie, especially a juvenile that gets hung up or lots of birdsnests; they need to learn sometime from someone. My preference is to go fishing with a really successful angler that fishes more than I do. Occasionally I do that for mutual safety if fishing at night. Come settled weather I'll take the boat to work and be on the water by 2:15 AM and fish until good light, partner needing to go to work, me to get some sleep.

Jim

I fish out of a 14 Old Towne Canoe.  I often stand and fish in it.  It's pretty stable, but still, it's a canoe and it has tipped.  I didn't get the canoe to discourage fishing with people but it does give me an easy way to say "no" to the occasional guy who asks to come aboard.

Don't get me wrong, I love fishing with others, especially when the weather cooperates and we're both catching fish, but I also like fishing by myself too.  I mean, I personally don't think there's anything better than getting out on the water by myself and fishing in the quiet, pristine sounds of nature.  Just being in the wilderness and taking in all of nature is one of the greatest rewards of fishing to me.

I used to always like some buds with me when I walleye fished. Now that I am obsessed with bass I like to go alone. No one that I fish with wants to spend over 12 hours fishing. That is mainly on days off and vacation.  Once in awhile I will share my boat with my girlfriends son and son in law. They are both pretty good companions. They do pretty good too so I don't feel bad catching fish when they are with me. If someone wants to go they know my routine and have to abide with my times and boat placement.  I have a 14 ft boat and carry about 8 or 9 rods and 3 tackle boxes so there isn't too much room for anyone else. lol  Time goes quickly enough and moving the boat to get a bait retrieved from a bush or something takes time. Not saying that I don't do it but  when one or two other guys get stuck it wastes my fishing time. Maybe if that perfect buddy who doesn't mind the back of the boat and can put in as many hours as me comes along I'll change my mind.

Bob

I fish alone more often than not for the simple fact that I go fishing at the drop of a hat.  I have been known to drive for an hour one way to fish for an hour.  It is not easy finding someone to be willing to do that on short notice.  I do enjoy fishing with others for the learning and teaching aspects of it.  One can only learn so much from fishing alone and reading articles.  The valuable bits of info are learned in person quite often.  Other than that, I will have to agree with the 'sounds of nature at sunrise' theory.  THAT is Heaven on Earth.... no comparison!

I enjoy fishing with someone.  I'm not much of a talker when I fish, but I do enjoy having someone to jaw with before and after.  I really like to fish with someone whose more experienced than me, because I enjoy picking up some new techniques etc...

However, I'm finding that I probably need to just start going alone.  Too many people have too many excuses and I don't like having to wait on other people.  Also, I hate to cut a trip short, if I'm going I'd just as soon stay all day.