How to Have Success on a Fishing Date

How to Have Success on a Fishing Date

Dating in the 21st century can feel a bit like a mystery. Everyone wants to plan a memorable date. An outing free from the typical awkwardness and weird pauses that can sometimes accompany those earliest endeavors. Knowing how and where to take a date can be difficult, which is why creativity and a bit of intuition can get you far in planning the perfect date.

Rather than settling on one of the many traditional options, look to your own interests and let what’s around you be your guide. Ditch a stuffy dinner at a fancy restaurant and opt for a fishing date instead. While fishing, any weird pauses or awkward moments can be diffused by the sounds of wildlife and the biting of fresh fish. Being outside will make you and your partner feel more relaxed right from the start, helping you to forge an important early connection.

Want to know how to have success on a fishing date? We’ll outline exactly how to execute the perfect fishing date, even if your partner has never been fishing before. Let the old ways of dating fall by the wayside and embrace a fishing date right now.

Why Choose a Fishing Date Over Other Outdoor Activities?

There is a myriad of outdoor activities that could boast date potential, yet many can be tiring, cumbersome, or require skill that your partner may not have. Additionally, most are not very romantic. A day of fishing is set to the backdrop of beautiful and romantic scenery. Simply sitting beside a lake or stream on a sunny day, listening to the gentle lapping of water, is romantic in and of itself.

Fishing can also incorporate other aspects of more traditional dates, such as setting up a picnic or taking a stroll. Often times, a great fishing date will include a picnic lunch or dinner and even a slow languid walk to and from the water source. A picnic, fishing, and a stroll are intimate without feeling fussy or riddled with pressure. Unlike going to a restaurant or a movie, the surroundings and the mood are relaxed.

In other words, a fishing date is a relaxing easy way to get to know someone new. The setting is romantic and the options for customization are endless. It will also cost you far less than a more typical date outing such as a concert or show.

How to Have Success On a Fishing Date

Now that you know a bit about why you should go on a fishing date, its time to touch upon how to enjoy the greatest success on your romantic outing. After all, the goal of a fishing date isn’t just to catch fish, it is to catch a glimmer of who your partner really is and how compatible you are as a couple. Here are a few key ways to enjoy great success on your fishing date. 

Be Realistic in Your Expectations

Whether you’re an avid angler or a total newbie, catching a heaping amount of fish isn’t the end goal for your or your partner on a fishing date. The goal is to have fun and get to know one another. Don’t go into the day expecting that either one of you will catch a record-breaking amount of fish. Instead, focus on just having a good time and helping one another. 

Whether you’re the teacher or the student, have patience, and enjoy the process. If you are an experienced angler, avoid seeming boastful or overly informational. No one likes a know-it-all, nor does your date want to feel inadequate. Remember, set realistic expectations.

The fun of a fishing date is not in the quantity of fish or the size of the species, it is about having fun with someone new. When on your fishing date, it is also important to plan for slower moments when the fish aren’t biting. Include a few low-key outdoor activities such as skipping rocks, going for a walk, or even laying back and watching the clouds float by.

Bring the Essentials

A successful fishing date is all about proper planning. You might think you can just throw a few rods in the back of the truck and call it a day. Unfortunately, a fishing date is going to need you to be a bit more thoughtful than that. There are a few essentials you need to plan for in order to have the best fishing date possible. 

For starters, make sure you bring along some kind of seating. You can either bring folding camp chairs, inflatable seat cushions, or even a nice blanket. You want to make sure that your partner is comfortable throughout the day. Sitting on a rocky bank might seem like your idea of a good time, but your partner may think otherwise. 

Second, you’re going to want to bring some lunch or dinner. Go as simple or as fancy as you want. Some people like to pack a multi-course meal, others like to bring a nice bottle of wine and some finger foods. Of course, you could always just go with picnic classics such as fresh-cut fruit, a nice sandwich, and a bag of chips. Our advice is to plan based on the time of day you’ll be fishing. If you’re going to be fishing right over lunch, opt for a casual lunch of sandwiches. If you’ll be fishing mid-afternoon or after dinner, go with finger foods and wine. A dinner time fishing trip will require a nice meal. 

Remember, in addition to planning the food itself, you’ll also want to come prepared with a nice blanket to sit on, utensils, cups, and napkins. The blanket could also prove a nice romantic setting for later in the evening as the sun goes down. You may also want to prep with some sanitary essentials such as wet-naps or hand sanitizer, especially if you’ll be handling fresh bait or fish. 

In addition to food and other picnic essentials, you’ll also want to provide the fishing gear. Don’t expect your date to have their own on hand, so make sure you have plenty of supplies to go around. Ditch advanced tackle that requires skill and opt for the basics such as fresh worms or a bobber setup. You’re also going to want to check local licensing laws in the place you plan to fish. Most states do require that all adults purchase a fishing license before heading out. The cost can vary, so check your local state guidelines beforehand. 

Don’t feel like springing for a license? Fear not, most states will offer a free fishing day or weekend where new anglers can fish for free. Just search “go fishing for free near me” and look at the results. 

Know The Right Time Of Day

One of the biggest challenges of planning a successful fishing date is knowing what time of day to head out. Obviously, you want to go during a time in which fish are typically biting. However, you may not want to inconvenience your date too much. For example, many fish are most active early in the morning, yet this isn’t exactly the prime time for a date.  Luckily, most fish also feed at night, making an evening date the perfect compromise. In our experience, a fishing date that starts just before dusk is romantic and ideal. 

In the early evening, temperatures start to dip and everyone feels well-rested. There is also a certain romance to a body of water, the setting sun, and someone you hope to cozy up to! Obviously, the season in which you’re planning your fishing date may dictate the time of day you head out. However, for much of the year, early evening fishing dates that go into the night seem to work best. 

Where To Have A Fishing Date

You know when now it is time to figure out where. Where should you take your date to enjoy the most success while fishing? Well, don’t go somewhere you’re unfamiliar with. Choosing a totally random or new location may seem exciting, but in reality, you should always plan your fishing date at a location you’re familiar with. This makes things easier in terms of planning and actually catching fish. It can also help to avoid unplanned annoyances such as swampy terrain or overwhelming crowds. 

It is also important to pick a location that is relatively private. Nothing ruins a romantic outing faster than being surrounded by other anglers or nosy passersby. Choose a calm and relaxed location that offers up more than just the opportunity for fishing. Yes, this is a fishing date, but you’ll earn bonus points if you go somewhere with plenty of grassy areas for a picnic or the chance to play a little frisbee. We find that parkside lakes are often ideal. 

However, the banks of a nice quiet river can also be totally romantic and relaxing. Rivers tend to have fewer people which means fewer interruptions and more private time together. Whether you choose a lake or a river, go someplace that is romantic, flexible, and conducive to actually getting to know one another while fishing. 

Relax and Enjoy The Company

Too often people go into a fishing date trying to show off their skills as an angler, often forgetting that a date is about having fun and enjoying the company of someone special. To have success on a fishing date, bring the essentials, do a bit of planning, and then let nature take its course. Just relax and have a good time. Don’t worry about bringing in a trophy-sized trout or impressing your date with your skills. A date isn’t about that. It is about truly getting to know someone new in a relaxed and easy environment bursting with natural beauty.

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