Labs like to fish as well as hunt.
Personally,...I wish you'd post even more pictures of them!
I think Labs are the BEST "all around" dog you can own! Sure some breeds "might" out hunt them in the uplands,...but hunting your dog is really a small amount of time you end up spending with your dog, and in the companion department Labs have no peers! Plus,...they hold they own (and then some) in all types of hunting!
Here is a picture of the first two roosters of 2002. I sure am proud of Bart.
I am telling him what a good job he did.
COYOTE CALLING WITH A LABRADOR RETRIEVER.... I use Bart as a coyote calling dog. While calling, he is on a very short leash tied to my belt. The leash is so that he can't bolt and get in front of the rifle's muzzle. He sits beside me watching, sniffing, and listening. He often sees the incoming coyotes before I do and when they are coming in from upwind, he smells them and lets me know with a very quiet growl. Bart has very good eyesight and can see distant movement before I can. Bart is very alert when we are calling just like he is when we are dove or duck hunting. Happiness is an all-purpose Labrador Hunting Dog!
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Bart fetches trout. Went trout fishing up in the Bridgeport area with Bart. It was late season in 2003 and the water levels were very low and just right for dry fly fishing. I had been taking Bart on our coyote hunting and fishing trips. Bart is very good at spotting coyotes and other critters that come to the call. I had been letting Bart trout fish with me. I usually fish upstream with a attractor type dry fly. Bart watches the fly and when I hook a fish he gets all excited. He jumps into the water and tries to chase the hooked trout. Usually the fish are pan sized and I can lift them out onto the bank and let Bart 'fetch' them to me.
Well, on this fishing trip, I finally decided to let Bart actually fetch the fish out of the water. I was fishing the Little Walker River and all I had to do once a fish was hooked was to play it for a short time. Bart would chase it, but as long as it was below the surface, he couldn't keep track of it. So as soon as the trout became tired enough so I could bring it up to the surface, I would just hold it there. Bart would see it and go over and grab it. He would get a good hold and head for the bank. About 10 feet from the shore, I would join him and have him deliver the trout to hand. This really works well and is a lot easier than a landing net. When you have a Labrador Retriever, they want to retrieve and it doesn't matter much what it is.
Tide is not as good at fetching trout. He wants to get ahead of me and he scares the fish. Bart stays right at my side and watches the dry fly for the strike. When he sees me hook a fish, then he goes into action.
Fun to have a fishing partiner.
Good Hunting & Fishing... from Varmint Al
Congrats...that is very cool.
