Tahoe is the world’s best fishing dog.
The perfect mix of Labrador, pit bull and some who-knows-what hunting dog, his genetic make-up sets him up for fishing success from the start.
His Lab parts like being in the water, his pitty parts prefer perching on a stream-side rock, and his hunter instincts provide him just enough prey drive to stay focused on a riffle, run or pool for hours at a time.
Give Tahoe a soft, moss-covered rock, a babbling brook and a cool breeze and he’ll chill all day.
Unlike most fishing partners, he never judges your double-haul, hardly lifts an eyebrow when you snag a tree branch and doesn’t even wince when you hook him with your back-cast.
Tahoe kayaks like a champ.
Tahoe welcomes guests to the TU registration table with a friendly wag.
In fact, I would say there’s almost nothing wrong with Tahoe, except for one thing… Tahoe is my wife’s fishing dog, not mine.
But, you heard me right. I do have the world’ best fishing dog. His name is Jack.
Jack just doesn’t know he’s the world’s best fishing dog. At least not yet.
He splashes when he should sit. He barks when he should stay stoic. He chases sticks, bugs, flies, bats, shadows and invisible enemies with glee.
He charges into the stream to ask the closest angler nearby what fly they are using — not thinking for a minute about what he is doing to the trout that were rising in front of them just seconds before.
Jack will never be Tahoe. No dog could.
But I know that Jack will be my fishing buddy for the rest of his life, and that makes him the world’s best fishing dog, without a doubt.