About a month ago, after several unproductive outings at a favorite
location, my fishing partner was insisting that neither one of us would break the 20# mark before the end of the season. I bet him a steak dinner that "one" of us would.

Maybe it was just the motivation we needed. We had caught alot of fish this season. but it had been months since we had any striper over 25#.

Last week my friend caught a 28#, a few nights later I landed a striper over 30#.
So the bet was settled, or so I thought. Now he wants to go double or nothing, on one of us breaking 40#. This time I bet against it, but I'm secretly hoping I lose this time. I really wouldn't mind buying dinner anyway, because he has been a reliable and capable fishing partner for years.

Anyone else out there making friendly wagers on fishing?
Or maybe some not so friendly betting for $$$$?

Definitely have silent competitions with fishing buddies which sometimes leads to some healthy ribbing when he catches less or smaller fish. Usually I am getting beat though.

Putting money on it would put a little pressure that I would not enjoy. Dinner is fine though, probably do that occasionally anyway.

guy with smallest fish buys coffee.. :love:

guy with smallest fish buys coffee.. :love:

Hey Eb, didn't we actually do that quite a few years ago?

I bet a buddy that next fish buys breakfast.
2 pound blue was next.
After his steak and eggs, waffles, big o.j. and muffins I was out about 25 bucks.

At the beginning of last season my buddy and I put together a whole sheet of seasonal bets. Everything from first fish, first keeper, first blue, heaviest fish, longest fish,first spouse to catch a fish, most species, funniest non-fish caught ( I had caught a sleeping bag once- no body)- We proceded to have the worst fishing season ever. This season no bets and a much better year.

Haven't done this for a few years but just for fun my old Block Island crew would have an annual "Ice Cream Challenge" during our weekly stay at the island.

The rule was to head out for a casting session at dark and then meet back at the cottage at a predetermined time. If you caught a bass you were permitted to have a bowl ice cream, if all you had was a missed take or strike you only got one spoonful of ice cream, if you got skunked - no ice cream for you! Contest was strictly by honor code - but I'm sure some of the guys fibbed with a quart of Chunky Monkey or Cherry Garcia staring them in the face. I actually have a story written about one of these challenges posted somewhere online.

DZ

bring a portable grill and grill steak tips while your there :smash:


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Definitely have silent competitions with fishing buddies which sometimes leads to some healthy ribbing when he catches less or smaller fish. Usually I am getting beat though.

Putting money on it would put a little pressure that I would not enjoy. Dinner is fine though, probably do that occasionally anyway.

I would never bet money on fishing, for me that would take the fun out of it. But the friendly type of wager, like dinner, is just to make it interesting. Funny how after fishing for a few hours I start thinking and talking about all my favorite foods:drool:

I also play poker over the winter with a few guys, mostly just to socialize, have a few beers and some laughs. Not alot of money involved so it doesn't get too intense.

I never suggest a bet of any kind about fishing . I do sometimes enter tourneys which is kind of like betting but I usually only enter the ones for a charity or one that has a banquet you can only attend if you enter the tourney.

Now I have had people suggest things like loser buys the first round , etc and I will go for that.

In general (but not always) I catch more fish than most of my fishing buddies(not bragging , just making a point). I just wouldn't be fair to try to reach into their pocket by suggesting a money bet. Nobody I fish with needs incentives to fish harder. If we are there by the water , we are trying as hard as we can.

I also work really hard to get my buddies into fish so a bet would be more or less betting against my own actions. When I fish with other very good fisherman who can catch as good as anyone , they are all just busy doing their thing and making a bet is the furthest thing from their mind.

Now in reference to the betting a steak dinner , I have often made bets about losing weight where the loser buys dinner for the two of us. It definitely an attempt to provide incentive to lose weight and it just seems that making the prize something to eat is appropriate! :)

When I lived in Florida the first time, a group I fished in with in Stuart - we'd wade the flats, the beaches or fish out of our boats together - the person who either didn't catch any fish or caught the smallest usually wound up buying coffee or breakfast ... no betting, but fun all the time. It varied by day, but was enjoyable.