Win a Rod: Which Candidate Would You Fish With?

Thanks, David. Here's an entirely better way to approach the "vetting of the candidates" question:

Which, of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, would you most like to spend a day flyfishing with, and why?

And I'm so amped up on this question, I'm going to give a free Temple Fork fly rod to the best commenter.

Deeter

Comments

[Fat Guy Alex]

Palin over Biden because she is WAY better looking.

And of the presidential candidates, McCain hands down. Not because I like him more than Obama, but I don't think I could handle a whole day of Barack standing next to me talking about "planning" for catching fish, ranting about new ideas and change and waving his rod around poking it at the water "hoping" to catch something, all the while having no idea what he is doing and scaring all the fish away in the process.

[Evan V]

Probably Biden. Just so that when I, not he, bring in a fish, I will have someone filming. That way, we can catch the moment when he freaks out about not wanting to touch the fish.

[Blue Ox]

I'd take Palin with me, 'cause she actually knows a little something about the outdoors, i.e. fishing and hunting. Palin has caught fish, she's hunted and taken (and eaten!) wild critters. She can come with me, but she's gotta be in a bikini!
The other three could come with me, but I guarantee none of them would be coming back.

[Terry Gunn]

For what it is worth: John McCain is a fisherman and he and his family have actually fished here at Lees Ferry.

[mot]

i would choose Sarah Palin to be my fly fishing partner for a day. She's already an outdoors woman, so while she could provide great conversation to and from the river, she could be left alone to fish the holes and not need to be babysat.

Heck, I could REALY use a new flyrod, so here we go-

Sarah Palin would be the most pleasurable fishing "bud" of any presidential politician. I believe this because she seems to have a life other than politics, and could most likely carry on a conversation about other topics I also enjoy. Biden, Obama, McCain are pure politicians, and I don't think they or I could get along well. Obama would asume I was an idiot backwoodsman "clinging to (my) guns and religion". McCain would do all in his power to assure me my guns would not be taken from me. And Biden would chastise me for loving my guns so much. Sure Palin has a yankee accent that I normally could not stand for more than a moment, but I could get over that when faced with a day in the presense of any of the aforemention three. Besides, I aint that great of a saltwater fisher, and Palin does it for money, and I'll never turn up an opportunity to fish or hunt with somebody who knows what they are doing. That's how I've learned all I know-from other experts.

[Bob]

Oh, that was from me.

[Ken]

I would have to say that I would choose Palin because she hase been an outdoors person for way longer than I have, has a husband that is also very knowledgable about hunting and fishing. I am sure there would be a lot of info that could be sapped out of them as to where to fish, how to fish, and when is the best time to fish different areas. Of course this trip would hopefully take place in Alaska, which is also another pipe dream for me.
I could see my self fishing with her also because she is the closest candidate that I could relate to when it comes to being middle class and her speaking on a normal person's level.

[creek chub]

I would take Barack Obama. I don't want him to feel left out because no one here wants to take him.

[Labrat]

Wow...I gotta think on this one a bit.
I think Gov. Palin tops the list (you betcha!), but I think we need to get this trip planned before she has too many secret service agents assigned to her.

Snagging one of those guys on my backcast might be a bit of a faux pas.

BTW, someone out there needs to design a fly called an LPB (lipsticked pit bull).

[RiverGod]

Thats a easy question. I've been very lucky to fish with all kinds of people all over the world and I truly love what each person can offer you in a life time. I have also learned we are all the same. But its our exprearance that make us different.

I would like to fish wite each "Candidate"

You can tell Sen.Barack Obame is a fast learner, he's tall, thin and in excellent shape and would be the best at the end.

And Gov.(you betch cha)Sarah Palin would just be awesome in waders plus she already is and outdoorsperson and understands what its like being out in the cold. What I'm saying is that she knows how to dress and what to do in cold weather. You winter fisherman and ladies know what I'm talking about.

Sen.Joe Bidin would be next. But one must take taught of age. But the old boy looks like he can get around pretty good. Go Bidin.

And last is Sen. John McCain, I could tell him fishing with the kids or something. His age and health must be taking into account. I could only take him to about 22% of the places I go. He would just not make it. But some of the east stuff I believe he would be OK.

PS. My Question is to the "Candidate's"
is show me, not tell me, what are you going to do for this great country of ours. And I want to see it in writing. I don't need to know about anyone else but AMERICA and how and what are you going to do for AMERICA.

PSs. Please don't take this wrong of me but I believe we need to help AMERICA first before we can help someone else country.

PSss. Thanks the RiverGod AKA. C. Sampson

[Trevor]

I would rather take McCain over Obama. With Obama's schooling in muslim extremist schools, I wouldnt want him throwing TNT in the water trying to blow fish out. I prefer catch and release...

[Mike]

Obama in shape? He's a smoker ... probably can't jog around the Capital Building.

I'd take Obama and Biden - separate trips flyfishing for trout in an Au Sable River Boat. I'd sit up front. I'd be using an 8 or 9 weight, heavy sinking leader, and big weighted streamers. Of course, I would occasionally whack and snag them on my hard back and forward casts. They'd be all I'd probably hook all day ... several times at that.

OK, I am not that much of an ass, but I can dream, can't I? Actually, I'd love to spend a day on Alaskan waters with Palin, following her lead on the fishing. And an afternoon with McCain on his favorite fishing hole with just a hook, worm, and bobber, just getting to know him.

[Rob]

I'd take Obama

He's the only one that said he'd like to go fly fishing. Most likely all would be great, they didn't get this far in life by being annoying.

Plus, you would get the whole river to yourself (gotta love the secret service) :)

[Erich]

Palin, I don't know if she can cast a fly rod, but she probably knows a few good spots to get some monster salmon. Hopefully she won't let them destroy Bristol Bay.

[Kurt Iverson]

I’d like to fish with Palin, and in fact I’ve already invited her and her husband to hunt with me. They graciously declined. I invited them before she was selected to be McCain’s running mate, and I wasn’t being facetious; I really wanted to take them hunting – mainly to educate them (remember, Alaska is a small state and politicians don’t sit on a pedestal here like they do elsewhere).

You see, during the last Alaska state budget cycle, she vetoed funding that would have added 2 public use cabins to the state’s inventory. These cabins are heavily used and supported by sportsmen. In fact, sportsmen effectively create these cabins: they lobbied for the funding and were standing by with several dozen volunteers ready to construct them. This is something that’s been done many times in the past. For a measly $25,000 apiece the State would have obtained 2 cabins that would have lasted probably 50 years. The net cost to the public after they are constructed is zero; user fees pay for their maintenance. Palin’s own director of state Parks and Outdoor Recreation supported the project. Why would she veto it??

So I’d like to take the governor to one of these cabins to fish or hunt. I’d like to show her what tremendous value they have to the public, and I’d like to ask her point-blank why she vetoed the project. I suspect she vetoed the project simply because it was a mistake, and she didn’t know any better.

[cwels]

I'd take Obama. Of all the others, I think he'd appreciate the quiet of flyfishing, instead of the conquest.

[Bubbaman44]

I would love to go fishing with Sarah Palin definately. Not only would she know where the fish are but if we are not catchin any fish at least she would be something good to look at.

[Dave]

I'll go with Barack Obama. Because A) it looks like he's going to be the next president anyway, and I'd want to lean on him to keep it real, make sure he knows what we fly fishers care about B) because I think he might actually "get it" regarding the essence of fly fishing and C) because I'd like to see the rep of fly fishing turned away the Dick Cheney.

[Will]

I would take any of the candidates because they all seem way to uptight, especially Obama. Seems like to he would try to talk the fish out of the water.

[Joe G]

David Petzal once noted on his blog, that you really get to know a person on a tough big game hunting trip. I do not know how much Dave fishes, but I am sure he would agree a backwoods fishing trip could also be tough, and telling of a persons true identity. Who here has stood in freezing water, casting time after time for Steel Head. Or maybe you have hiked miles into the interior for a chance at a remote lake or stream. Maybe you have stood on a pitching boat at sea, waiting for that one chance at a monster. These experiences bring out the true person, the one we never see in civillized comfort. Heat, cold, hunger and fatigue,tell the true tales of a man or womans virtues, not a debate.

With this in mind, I say let me take them all, one at a time. I want to speak with them about their optimism, after days of cold and dissapointment.
I want to hear their ideas on conservation after a long ascent up a mountain, while gazing on a remote and hidden view. Are they helpful and supportive when all is low? Will failure and frustration lead to a defeated quitter, or a tempered optimist?

I have hunted and fished with many people in many places. It is my personal conviction that the outdoors can strip away the layers of a guarded soul, and allow us a glimpse at who people really are.

[Anselmo]

I vote for Kurt Iverson. If more people like Kurt got the policiticians off of their b*tts and into the places hunters and fishermen(people?) go, we'd see those resources cared for properly.

[Evan!]

Funny you should ask - I'm on the ballot in the US Virgin Islands so, I suppose I would fish with myself! Because I'm awesome! Would you care to join me?

yrs-
Evan!

[Eric]

I would much rather fly fish with Palin for sure over Biden for several reasons. Number one, she is much nicer looking. Number 2 her husband is a commercial fisherman for a month every year and I know Palin has fished for several species of fish in Alaska with her husband. Lastly the most important point for fishing with Palin and McCain over Biden and Obama is, the the 2 democratic candidates will tell you all about how they plan to catch fish and how it should be done and how they will even help you to catch fish too (food stamps), but the republican candidates will actually go out and catch fish by implementing their tactics instead of just talking about how they plan on catching fish and how everyone else needs to catch fish the way they do!The democratic candidates would also be upset if you catch more fish than they do, because they would want both fisherman to catch the same amount of fish. They would not want any kind of competition on the water, because the other fisherman might feel bad if he doesn't catch the same amount of fish!
Eric

[M.T.E.]

Flyfishing with McCain I like him but is this the bud you want to share a chilled India Pale Ale with after hours on the water....Obama, just as white men cant jump....get real were talk'n fly fishing... Biden...no need for tweed on the water....Palin the moose hunter, fish girl, used her political post two days before a statewide election to influence the open pit mine vote which I did not care for...Anyway back to fish'n, actually after fishing...were all men after all... I'd like to Rock her Pebble Open Pit World.

[Bob]

I would want to hunt or fish with Sarah and her family. They are " real Americans just like us". I would agree to fish with the politicians as a civic duty . They need to be educated in the facts of real world life and just maybe could be taught to be decent humans serving for the people and the USA.

[Nathan]

Call me selfish but I would chose Obama because I dont think he would have a clue what he was doing. Thus leaving more fish for me. Plus It might make me look like a better fisherman. Lord knows I need the help and the confidence.

[Mr. Creosote]

I'll recuse myself from rod contention here in favor of it going to a more worthy comment, but given a choice of the four I'd leave them all on the bank and take the two people whom McCain-Palin and Obama-Biden have in mind to fill the Interior Department cabinet post in their respective administrations.

That would tell me a helluva lot more about the candidates than taking the candidates themselves fishing. Judge them by what they do, not by what they say.

And judging from what I've seen of all of them so far, I think I'll just keep fishing by myself...

[Tyler]

Biden, and I would forget to tell him im leaving, and forget that Im the only one who knows how to get back to civilization.

[johnl]

Oh, in this case I have to pick either Obama or Biden, simply for entertainment value.
I know Sarah knows how to clean a fish, and I'm pretty confident John M does as well, but I would pay money and pass the plate for collections to see the look on BHO's face when I handed him a fillet knife for 10-15 pounds of floppin' salmon!
And Biden, well, he'd just talk it to death, and then impale himself on the hook.
Also, can you see either BHO or Joe B sitting in a canoe, or around the campfire with a "cold one"?
Again, would be funny as hell.
I'll be glad to accept the fly rod.
johnl

[joe e]

Palin, because i could talk hunting with her, probably be outfished and meet my first politician

[as moeggs]

"Say it ain't so Joe, I mean Deeter!" Another give away? I gotta win this time. I'd fish with both Mcain and Palin and tell them not to give up on Michigan voters. I think Palin could actually teach me a thing or two.

[Craig Holman]

The decision for me would come down between the two oldest candidate because I feel they would not only have the most but also the most interesting stories. And of the two elder statesmen, McCain and Biden, I would have to choose McCain.
The decision is clear and dry for me, McCain would by far have more interesting stories and aspects to his life that I would really enjoy hearing.

[Craig Holman]

The decision for me would come down between the two oldest candidate because I feel they would not only have the most but also the most interesting stories. And of the two elder statesmen, McCain and Biden, I would have to choose McCain.
The decision is clear and dry for me, McCain would by far have more interesting stories and aspects to his life that I would really enjoy hearing.

[jeff k]

F them all, i choose none and here's why!

McCain - i'm clumsy enough on the river and with his record of near deaths, i'm not sure i'd make it out alive.

Obama - he'd always want to "change" flies.

Biden - i thought i'd pick him since he's from Scranton PA (near where i grew up)but he just seems like a total douche.

Palin - ok she's hot, we know that but could you stand that voice all day "oh lookie i missed a trout, where's my 22 i wanna shoot some g-damn wolves"

jeff

[Brock, not Barack]

I'd fish with Palin. Reason #1 is she would look good in the front of my drift boat even on a no fish day, 4" pumps, knee high waders, and a pair of cut-offs, you know what I'm talking about Reason #2 she's probably the only one in the bunch that has ever seen a 9 weight bent over like a 12 year old alter boy. Reason #3 I would finally know if that wink was actually meant for me? It looked like she was staring me right in the eyes, darn right

[evan!]

so did anyone win?

yrs-
Evan!