Does anyone bring their dog?

Does anyone bring their dog to the river when wade fishing? I carry mine in the boat but never have wade fishing. She doesn't really like water so she would just lay there and watch.

Years ago, Fly Fisherman magazine put a guy and his dog on the cover. That one picture produced a tremendous amount of negative mail. A LOT of people don't want a dog running into the water when they're trying to fish. I am one of them.

I took my Rotti and hiked up the trail from the hatchery towards Bowmans, she wouldnt cross the first very small stream that you encounter, its 2' wide and 2" deep she sat down and watched me walk out of site. I waited 10 minutes for her then had to go back and drag her across the creek. Same returning, Im planning a early spring hike in camping trip to the Chatooga I might take her to guard my camping spot, shes good at watching my stuff. But heck no I wouldnt take a dog that would go into the the water with me or run the banks and disturb me, others, or the serenity

Yeah mine just sits there. She's a lab but despises the water. This dog won't go out when its raining. Its kind of funny actually.

Too many gators where I fish. A dog wouldn`t last long.

Depends on the dog. I fished a lot in Wyoming last summer with a guy who took his lab everywhere he went. That was the most obedient dog I've ever seen. If he called it across the river to him it would come, otherwise it stayed near the vehicle. Caused no trouble at all. We used a side-by-side ORV to get to a lot of places; it would wait till he told it to before it jumped in the back.

I used to have a Jack Russell that I would take to the river below the house sometimes. He would watch the lure working and would start barking when I hooked a fish. He would also give me "the Look" if I went for awhile without hooking a fish.

In general though, no. Most of the fly fishing I do is back in the mountains, and I go to get away from everything and be peaceful. Keeping up with a dog all the time spoils that.

Plus, on a lot of the streams I fish, such as in the GSMNP, it's illegal to have a dog out there with you. You can have one in the campground, but not out on the trails or in the woods.

I got ran off by a man and his black chow looking dog at Soque a couple of weeks ago. I had a good trout in front of me that I was getting close to catching. This guy and his dog came up on the other side of the river, and then his dog came splashing accross the river at the top of the hole that I was fishing. Then the guy came splashing across. The guy started fishing the top of the hole I was at, then went around me and started fishing the bottom of the same hole, while his dog was sniffing my behind. I had a 4 lb rainbow tied up on a stringer that I caught earlier. It was tied up about 10 yards below me. The guy saw it and said "Hey, here's a dead one!". Then his dog tried to eat it. I just grabbed my fish and said, "have a good day" and left. I was fuming to say the least.

I take my GSP everywhere. he is a great fishing companion.

A dog will divide your attention away from your fishing and surroundings. If that is okay with you, fine.

Also be aware that dogs have been swept down rivers, their owners attempt to save them and the owner drowns. Happens just about every year in the west.