Fishing Dog Names for Your Furry Fishing Companion
Fishing Dog Names: Reeling in the Perfect Catch for Your Canine Companion
Looking for the best fishing dog names for your furry four-legged angler companion? We have you covered with a whole reel of fishy names that either reflect your dog’s love of fishing, or are oh, so cute and catchy.
Fishing for many pet owners is more a way of life than a hobby and who better to share in your passion for the great outdoors than your faithful canine companion?
It can be a great source of exercise for both you and your pooch and a great way of bonding — you’ve just got to decide on a fitting name for your fishing buddy.
Finding the Perfect Fishing Dog Names
Selecting dog names related to fishing can be an enjoyable and creative process — but it can also be frustrating with too many options to choose from. Some say naming your dog can often be much harder than naming a child. Your child will always tell you later in life if they don’t like their chosen name, pups don’t have that option.
Before you dive into the depths of fishing dog names, here are a few pointers to help you pick your favorites:
Try to choose a two-syllable name. This gives you more chance to draw out your pup’s name and change the pitch of your voice as you call your dog to recall. Voice tone and pitch play a key role in how you communicate with your dog.
Test out a few names before taking your pup on their first fishing trip to see which they respond to best. Younger pups are quite adept at changing their name in the early stages of training — remember, it’s how you say it.
Avoid names that sound similar or are the same as any of your fellow angler’s pooches. This will avoid confusion down at the lake or by the river.
Be patient and ask for input from family members, friends, or fellow anglers. Who knows, they may suggest the perfect name for your pooch, which you may not have even considered. Both you and your pup will know when it’s the right name!
Fishing Related Dog Names Inspired by Fish
Bass — There are both large-mouthed and small-mouthed sea bass, making it a suitable name for any fishing companion — no matter how much they yap or bark.
Blue, Bluey, or Bluegill — A freshwater fish, the bluegill makes a perfect moniker for any fishing dog with eyes as blue as the sea.
Bonito — For more speedy fishing dogs, the bonito is known to be one of the fastest fish around.
Catfish — Often thought of as a river fish, catfish can also be found in lakes. An ironic name for a dog.
Cobia — Own a brown or chocolate-colored pup? Cobia fish are usually a dark brown color with a lighter-shaded underbelly — perfectly suited for those brown pups.
Crappie — A popular freshwater fish and a cute name for a smaller pooch.
Flounder — A suitable name for those more watchful dogs, especially those who double up as a guard or watchdog, Flounder is a flat fish that’s unique in the way that both its eyes are on the top of its head rather than the side.
Goby — As one of the tiniest fish in the aquatic kingdom, Goby is an ideal name for smaller fishing-buddy canines.
Herring — Known for their beautiful coloring, herring could be used to describe a dog with a multicolored coat. Or a red herring for those red-haired dog breeds.
Jack — Inspired by an amberjack fish.
Mackerel — You could also shorten the name to Mack for a typical buddy-type name. Holy Mackerel!
Mahi Mahi — So good they named it twice. The Mahi Mahi is known for its unusual coloring and their blunt snouts.
Marlin — The Marlin is renowned for its large spear-like nose and huge size. The perfect fish-related name for larger dogs with an adventurous spirit.
Pike — Sounding like Spike, another popular name for pups, a pike fish has a flattened snout with a large mouth packed full of teeth. Ideal for those toothy pooches.
Piranha — If your pup is a relentless chewer, they don't come much more bitey than a piranha.
Shark — A big name for a big dog! Sharky can be quite sweet for little pups too.
Snapper — Smaller dogs can often be considered snappy, so why not call them Snapper?
Striper — Striper fish are instantly recognizable by their stout bodies and the horizontal stripes that run the whole length of their body. If your pooch has a stripy coat, this could be the perfect fishing-based name.
Snook — A popular sea fish along the Florida coastline. Other pooch-suitable names for the snook fish include sergeant (fish), robalo, or linesider.
Trigger — Known for being overly protective of their kin, this warm-water fish is often seen fending off divers from their eggs near coral during the nesting season. A fun name but one that also emphasizes a pup’s protective nature.
Trout — With a peppering of small spots found over the body of a trout, it makes the ideal moniker for spotted dogs who love to fish.
Walleye — The long body with a two-tone color always makes us think of the wiener dog, the Daschund.
Other fish species names you could consider include:
Grouper.
Haddock.
Perch.
Salmon.
Trout.
Swordfish.
Carp.
Wahoo.
Halibut.
Redfish.
Scampi.
Tuna.
Fishing Inspired Dog Names by Legends of Angling
If you want to pay homage to famous anglers of the past, consider naming your dog after one of these iconic figures:
Hemingway (Ernest Hemingway) — Better known as an author, Hemingway was also a keen big-game fisherman. One of his most famous works even described an angler’s fight with a large fish — The Old Man and The Sea.
Zane (Zane Grey) — Another American author who was just as well known for his love of fishing as he was for writing. Zane makes a cool fishing-related name for any pooch.
Wulff (Joan Wulff) — Known as the first lady of flyfishing, Joan won the national fly-casting distance title in 1951, previously an all-male competition. There’s even a Wulff School of Fly Fishing, which Joan runs with her husband in Lew Beach, New York. What better name for a wolf-like hound fishing buddy?
Other legends in the angling world whose name could be the inspiration for your four-legged fishing friend’s name are:
Lefty (Lefty Kreh) — American fly-fisherman/expert and photographer.
Roland (Roland Martin) — The American journalist who was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 1986 as a Legendary Angler.
Ray (Ray Scott) — A bass fisherman responsible for turning bass fishing into a competitive sport, with the Inaugural Ray Scott’s All-American Bass Fishing Tournament in 1967.
Isabella (Isabella Bird) — An English explorer who was also a keen angler. Isabella is often used to describe the coloring of some pooches, including Daschund colors.
Babe (Babe Winkelman) — American sportsman and broadcaster, host of “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets.”
Dog Names Related to Fishing
Different fishing techniques require distinct skills and tools. You could name your pooch after a specific angling technique that you frequently use:
Spinner — A method used by anglers known as upstream fishing.
Bouncer — From the bottom bouncing technique of fishing.
Blade — A superhero name, but also a vital part of fishing kit — used with a spinner and spinner bait.
Bobber — A funny-sounding name, but a piece of equipment that helps suspend a hook in the water with bait attached.
Mat — The dense vegetation growth found at the bottom or floating on the surface of a lake or stream.
Rod — The pole used in fishing and a traditional boy’s name, Rod Stewart, Rod Steiger…..
Slaunch — A term coined by US bass fisherman Mark Zona to describe a large fish, and could just as easily apply to a large fishing dog.
Fishing-related terms that can also make good names for a water or fishing-loving pooch include:
Fly — Fly fishing.
Troll — Trolling fishing.
Casty — To cast off.
Noodle — Noodling fishing technique.
Jug — Jug fishing.
Drift — Drift fishing.
Spey — Spey casting.
Flossie — a spin on the technique — flossing — that’s used to snag river fish, such as salmon, when they are otherwise not biting.
Ice — Ice hole fishing.
Fly Fishing Dog Names
For avid anglers, fishing lures and baits are indispensable tools. Why not name your pooch after your favorite?
Jig.
Spinner.
Crankbait.
Cricket.
Popper.
Swimbait.
Chatterbait.
Softy.
Wormy.
Minnow.
Bug.
Boat Dog Names
Often your fishing trip may involve a small watercraft. Famous boat names can also make great monikers for water-loving pups.
Bounty — As in, the HMS Bounty, the navy vessel famous for its crew’s mutiny.
Mayflower — The ship that brought the Pilgrims to America.
Victory — HMS Victory.
Nautilus — USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine.
Endurance — The explorer, Ernest Shackleton's sunken ship.
Beagle — HMS Beagle, the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world.
Ark — Noah's Ark.
Essex — The American whaleship that was rammed by a sperm whale and sunk, inspiring Herman Melville’s famous novel, Moby Dick.
Titanic — RMS Titanic.
Dog Names from Fishing Folklore and Myths
Consider naming your dog after a legendary fishing character or creature:
Jonah — From the biblical story of Jonah and the whale. Hope you catch more fish than Jonah saw whales when your pooch is fishing with you!
Triton — The son of Poseidon, often depicted as half fish, half man, or a merman.
Poseidon — Greek god of the sea.
Kappa — A famous sporting brand and a water creature from Japanese folklore.
Njord — Not the easiest name to pronounce, but the Norse god of the sea and fishing.
Calypso — A nymph from Greek mythology who detained Odysseus.
Bonus Fishing Dog Names Males
Finnegan.
Jack-tar — sailor.
Tacklebox.
Skipper.
Fisher.
Captain.
Hunter.
Gilligan.
Bonus Fishing Dog Names Female
Angeline — the female name for an angler’s line (a corny pun!)
Siren.
Minnow.
River.
Lure.
Nautica.
Tidal.
Mera — The Queen of Atlantis and wife of Aqua Man, the DC Comics superhero.
Piscia — inspired by Pisces, the water sign of the zodiac.
Offshore Fishing Dog Names
Offshore fishing can be a popular pastime for many anglers who prefer the open sea. Fish caught offshore tend to be big-game, and much larger than most freshwater fish. So, if your pooch has their sea legs, consider one of these names.
Buzz — Buzzbait is often used to get the fish biting.
Bunker — A compartment on a fishing boat where the fuel is stored.
Creel — A wicker basket that’s often used for carrying fish but can also be found used as a trap for lobsters or other crustaceans
Bailey — The metal ring that rotates as a fixed spool spins.
Chum — A method used at sea to attract the fish.
Hunting and Fishing Dog Names
Hunting and fishing often go hand in hand. Some of the location names for a hunting or fishing trip, or the equipment used can also make perfect names for your loyal companion on your adventures.
Swivel — A piece of hunting or fishing equipment.
Shad — After the sport of fishing or hunting.
Creek — A popular place to fish when on a hunting expedition.
Warden — An authoritative name that can refer to the fish and game warden of a National Park, or a pooch who thinks they’re the boss.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our list of names has given you inspiration. Whether it's the name of your favorite fishing spot, a classic fish name, or just something a little cute, your pup’s new name can be a symbol of their love of days out fishing.
The best fishing dog names can celebrate your passion for the sport and the bond you share with your four-legged fishing buddy. So, cast off and reel in the fishiest of names to fit your furry-angling companion.Fishing Dog Names FAQs
Which Dogs Make the Best Fishing Dogs?
While many dogs can be fishing companions, some breeds are naturally inclined to enjoy the water and the great outdoors — including:
Labrador Retriever.
Golden Retriever.
Poodle.
Portuguese Water Dog.
American Water Spaniel.
Irish Water Spaniel.
Lagotto Romagnolo.
What Are Good Water Names for Dogs?
Water and fishing go hand-in-hand. If your pup loves the water they’re probably going to love those fishing trips too. Some of the best water names for aquatic-loving dogs include:
Splash.
Neptune.
Aqua.
Diver.
Surf.
Marina.
Cove.
Buoy.
Reef.
Bay.
Finn.
Scuba.
How Do You Train a Dog To Be a Well-Behaved Fishing Companion?
Although most water dogs love to leap into any expanse of open water, it’s not going to do your fishing much good. Training a dog for fishing trips requires patience and consistency.
Start with basic obedience training such as sit, stay, and come, before gradually introducing your pup to an environment with water, fish, and other anglers. Reward any positive behavior with treats, although only in moderation.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Fish?
You may be tempted to throw your pooch part of the day’s catch as a reward for good behavior and keeping you company — but please don’t, cook it first.
Raw fish often contains a large number of parasites and bacterial organisms such as Salmonella, Listeria, and Clostridium. These may be transmitted to your pooch if not cooked to the correct temperature. Not only do they pose a risk to your pup but can also be a health risk to human owners.
How Do You Prepare Fish for Your Fishing Dog?
A much safer option when on fishing or hunting expeditions with your pooch is to offer them a little cooked fish later in the day. Remove any bones before feeding your pup — which may be a choking hazard — and keep it simple. Find out what dogs can and can’t eat before adding other ingredients.
Fish is generally easy for a dog to digest and contains many nutritional benefits, such as omega-3 and omega-6, which can be good for their skin and coat.
What Fish Should Dogs Not Eat?
Larger fish or fish with longer lifespans, such as swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, shark, and albacore tuna fish aren’t recommended for dogs. These fish accumulate large amounts of heavy metal — the high levels of mercury in their system makes them dangerous to dogs.