How Often Do You Fish?

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

First off, there's so many great anglers on this board that I'm humbled, especially by the multi-species anglers. I'd love to be talented/experienced enough to be able to switch from catching musky to catching big bay of quinte walleye, to trolling up big lakers, or fly fishing for various species but I simply don't have the time to learn the patterns and techniques for all of those things (and for things like fly fishing because I don't have the time or any experience I don't bother spending money on gear that will just sit in my closet).

 

 

My friends and family think of me as a guy who is pretty obsessed with fishing, but even I only get out fishing once-twice a week if I'm lucky. Most of that time is spent trying to learn and improve as a musky fisherman and it leaves me with little time for targetting anything else. I grew up bass fishing from shore in the summers but never got into fishing seriously until last year when I bought a boat so I'm not very experienced, I'm not expecting to be great right off the bat and I'll continue to learn and improve over time.

 

 

I wonder how often everyone here gets out fishing? How long have you been doing it and how in the world did you guys get so good at several different types of fishing? lol

[davey buoy]

Lot's of time out,(Two or three Saturdays a month,and the odd Sunday.A few hours during the week.) and I'll have to say years of listening and trying new things. I have fished for as long as I can remember and still learning every day. The members of this board are always more than welcome to help with any questions.

Edited August 24, 2012 by davey buoy

[backbay]

I caught my first rock bass 50 years ago this summer up in Kiosk. My first pike and walleye, except they were pickerel then in 1966 on Lake of the Woods. As a kid, I used to read every page of Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream: I just couldn't get enough of hunting and fishing! There was a number of years I didn't fish as rapidly, but these days I take a 3 or 4 day weekend evey two weeks, and fish pretty much all day. I'm no expert, but I'm very comfy working jerk baits under any conditions.

Edited August 24, 2012 by backbay

[jimmer]

I always fished as often as I could, but moved to a lake 26 years ago so I could fish everyday if I wanted to. Seem to do more in the spring and July, then slow down a little for August and into the fall, but still get out a couple times a week. It is definitely more exciting to change up species throughout the year.

[Toad Hunter]

Well, not as often as I would like this year, baby on the way, "new" trailer, "new" boat (that has been a project of mine- only to make it better, still usable) pretty much has my time covered. The past few years tho I would get out 3-4 times a wk (some times more). I caught my first pan fish around 7 or 8 years old and my first "real fish" at 10 a "hefty" 3.6 lb largie that won my a derby in my trailer that year and would say I've been fishing for 25 yrs- my main species of target are bass and walleye and pike when on the right waters. And as I've told u b4 I've recently got into musky fishing with little luck .

[manitoubass2]

I'm out for an average of 5 days per week. But sometimes its shore fishing for 2 hours, other times it might be 13-14 hours out in the boat. I ice fish all winter too, and thats pretty much everyday.

 

My kiddos are almost always by my side though, and it gives my girlfriend time alone or to bead, so she likes it too. Are time together is after the kids go to bed and or before everyone else wakes up. I'm very thankful for that.

[pics]

I used to fish a lot more than I do now. Lucky to get out more than a couple of times in a month these days. Work hasn't been reliable enough to spend money on anything other than essentials. I do manage more trips in the spring than summer. If you have a trailer on a good lake or even a cottage or home, consider yourself very lucky.....

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

Well, not as often as I would like this year, baby on the way, "new" trailer, "new" boat (that has been a project of mine- only to make it better, still usable) pretty much has my time covered. The past few years tho I would get out 3-4 times a wk (some times more). I caught my first pan fish around 7 or 8 years old and my first "real fish" at 10 a "hefty" 3.6 lb largie that won my a derby in my trailer that year and would say I've been fishing for 25 yrs- my main species of target are bass and walleye and pike when on the right waters. And as I've told u b4 I've recently got into musky fishing with little luck .

 

 

If you wanna get out and try for musky either in Haliburton or around Belleville I'm up for it as long as I have enough notice to get the day off work and make sure I've got no plans with the gf.

[NAW]

First baby is due Sept 3rd. It's been busy getting ready for that. So this year, I've only made it out maybe 12 times in the soft water season.

 

Hardwater, I didn't miss a weekend.

 

As for how long? I was raised in Pickle Lake. I didn't eat baby food, to expensive. My mom feed me mashed pickerel and pike that my dad would catch daily in the river in our back yard after work. Been fishing my entire life.

 

Like you, I don't have the time or money to get in to various different species of fish. Been fishing Pickerel, Bass, Pike, Whitefish and Pan fish, and am happy with that for now.

[belippy]

use to go 3-4 times a week, but due to family and job. Now I got to go once a year ...... sad

[Live2fish85]

I try and get out fishing at least 2 times a week and then fish the weekends. I am lucky to have lived on Lake Erie for years and my parents still do. I caught my first fish when I was 2 or 3. My grandfather was and avid fisherman and always took me.

[mike rousseau]

2-3 times a week... Sometimes more... Like in the last 10 days I got out 7 times...lol

 

And I've been fishing since I could hold a rod... Started out catching rockbass in our boathouse.... About 20-23 ago....

 

And luckily my father is a great angler as well as my grandfather ( mothers father) who also built g loomis rods... so I'm third generation fishing the same old spots.... Like the "crab"... "Mary's hole"....lol... Etc... So that head start and basic knowledge of structure and how to read a river is comin knowledge for my family...

 

And I've expanded on what I've been shown by family by networking with other anglers and chatting it up at tournaments with the fellas that beat me to find out how....

 

I'm also lucky to grow up with the technology we have... My I can only imaging how grandpa would have done if he had an HDS unit 60 years ago... Those guys used to fish blind... No sonar... They would visually follow structure...

 

Anyways... I'm rambling...

 

Time to go fishing....

[Broker]

I usually get out 3-4 times per week, targetting bass and walleye in the summer, probably wont get out as much during the fall but hope to get out on weekends for steelies.

[Acountdeleted]

I'd been fishing ever since I could walk. Until I went to college I was probably a pretty horrible fisherman but back then I didn't need to be a good fisherman to catch fish, my dad and I could tie on whatever and catch bass.

 

Going to Fleming college I started learning about how to fish different techniques and find cover while learning about habitats and feeding habits of fish.

 

The more and more work I did in the field the more people I met who were able to teach me things about fishing.

 

Though 3 years in Thunder Bay spoiled me, I learned the finer points of fishing drop offs and jigging.

 

This year I have made it my goal to fish at least once a week, when I do its usually 6-8 hours. Since bass season I have only had 2 weeks I have not been able to achive my goal.

[motv8tr]

Not nearly enough...

 

Maureen

[fishermccann]

Fri. Sat. Sun. at the cottage and at least one day a week on the creeks around town.

[fishnsled]

Usually I'm out at least once a week, sometimes twice. A couple weeks of fishing vacations as well. Been doing it like many others here, since I was a kid. Learned the basics from Dad and most of my stuff from TV shows and magazines, books, was fortunate to work for a guy that fished for a living and learned tons of stuff there. That is probably where my fishing obsession exploded. Now a days the internet is a great resource and the people on the board here (and others) are awesome at giving advise and point you in the right direction.

 

Edit - You never stop learning. This year I've been learning all about the salmon and trout on Lake Ontario. Can't believe I've gone all these years and never explored it sooner. Time on the water is the best teacher I'd say.

Edited August 24, 2012 by fishnsled

[bobowski]

I usually get out at least once a week both during soft water and on the ice. Although, when I'm up north at the trailer its an everyday activity. I will fish for all species but normally I am targeting Bass, Walleye and Pike. Ive been fishing ever since I can remember. If I go more than a week without fishing I get serious withdrawals. Cant get get enough of it!

[Gregoire]

I've been really lucky this summer. Been going out once a week for salmon and once for musky, except for my trip to LOTW where we pounded the water everyday.

Started fishing as soon as I could hold a rod with my granpy showing me the ropes fishing streams for brookies in Nova Scotia. That soon turned into me spending the entire day casting for perch of the dock of my cottage on Hamilton Island outside of Lancaster. After my family sold that place when I was 6 I only got to fish once a year or so. When I got my first degree my dad took me on a fishing trip for walleye north of Mont Laurier in Quebec and that got me interested again. 4 years later I got my B. Ed and moved to Toronto. My girlfriends parents rented a cottage in the muskoka's and I pounded the bass for a week. When I got back to the city I noticed this huge lake to the south and started fishing the shore for pike. I landed some nice ones in the spring but found that it really slowed down in the summer.

Through this site I gained an interest in musky and was lucky enough to meet Fisherpete who taught me the ropes of musky fishing. Through him I met another fishing buddy who I go put for salmon with.

I an very grateful to OFC. this website has provided me with a wealth if knowledge and a great group of fishing buddies.

[Rich]

Pretty well everyday of my life since i was 11.. Before that maybe 40 times a year.

[hooked!]

I've been fishing as long as I can remember - started out fishing with my dad, grandpa and brothers on Georgian Bay. Spent most of my time chasing bass in the summer and panfish in the winter in the Kawarthas. I get out every other day or so. Thank goodness for patient parents - now that I have young nieces and nephews, I realize that fishing with three young boys likely didn't mean that much time actually fishing for my dad!!!

[Grimace]

I use to fish about 100 days a year but ever since my son was born 3 1/2 years ago and being extremely busy with work I do not get out much any more. I last fished about 7 weeks ago. I am not complaining, I would be a fool to, I would never complain about being busy at work or with family.

[limeyangler]

Way more than some, but never enough!

Edited August 25, 2012 by limeyangler