How Do You Prepare For A Fishing Excursion?

[FrogFreak]

I'm curious, how much time do you spend thinking about your upcoming weekend fishing excursion? Do you have a strategy before you hit the water? How do you go about selecting what you'll do, where you'll go etc?

 

I work a Mon-Fri desk job and I know I start thinking about the next weekend at the lake as soon as I wake up on Monday. If I had some difficulty or have a question about what I saw the previous weekend, I hit the internet (mostly on this site) and do some research. I then review my fishing log to see what I did this time last year and I get all my gear set up for Saturday and Sunday. Then I plan out what I'm going to try and where I'm going to go on my local lake. I think my wife of 2 years is finally getting that this isn't a passing fancy. She married a bass freak. I even take her to the local tackle store on date night from time to time.

 

Oh, another thing the usually happens on Monday is I hit the internet and buy new equipment (lures, line etc) so they arrive before the following Friday. When I get to my lake place Friday night, I start organizing tackle, make sure all my rods and reels are good to go etc.

[cast_and_destroy]

I like to tie on my lures and have at least an idea of how I'm gonna fish the body of water but honestly I try not to over think it, I fish in the moment and try not to think of the future.

[AK-Jax86]

I'm a bank fisherman so stocking up my bag with appropriate lures and tools and water.

[Bladesmith,]

Before I leave for any fishing excursion I;

1. Check for local fishing reports and water conditions.
2. Check all my gear (including; boat, batteries, rods and reels, tackle and etc.)
3. Formulate my fishing strategy (subject to change on the water)
4. I have several dedicated rods (sometimes I change color patterns on lures).
5. Pack sandwiches and plenty drinks in cooler.
6. Throw stuff in boat.
7. Haul butt for lake!

I really do not like to have problems when I'm on the water so I go to some trouble to address possible issues before I get to the lake. I fish to have some relaxation and fun. It's no fun to have a reel working poorly, or a boat seat that will not swivel due to lack of lubrication, or things not working properly due to bad electrical connections. Most problems that occur on the water can be prevented by a little pre-trip maintenance.

[Sam]

Very detailed and double checking everything.

 

Always try to take care of the details.

 

Can take two days to get ready for a boat trip.

 

Usually can get together for a pond excursion in three hours or less.

 

I make lists to make sure the boat is legal and that I have just about everything I think I will need.

[derekxec]

lol i grab a couple lures and pliers and throw my pole in the back of the truck and head out but then again i fish pretty much everyday

[Bankbeater]

Check the weather forcast.

Check tackle to make sure all reels have enough line and are in good condition.

Go back through and read my fish logs to see what worked in the past.

Determine if I will be fishing out of a boat or fishing from shore.

[slonezp]

I just go. Fish gotta eat and I gotta fish.

 

If it's for a tourney, I spend 1-2 weeks planning which most of the time is done on the water. I discuss strategies the morning of with my son(partner) and hit the water running.

[slonezp]

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Can take two days to get ready for a boat trip.

 

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My boat is ready to hit the water before I put it away. After every trip it gets refueled and put the chemicals in the tank. Oil level is topped off and batteries are charged. The trailer gets a once over and it goes to storage. 

[rabidsquirrel]

I do way too much to get ready... It's like a 2nd job sometimes. 

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Grab two or three poles. Grab bank fishing pack, or duffle bags if going in boat. Load car and leave. Gotta keep it simple.

[BrianSnat]

In the spring, summer and fall many of my rods are right next to the front door (to the chagrin of my wife), or in the hall closet next to the front door.  I pick about 5 rods throw them in the boat with my tackle box, hitch up the boat and go.  The only thing that takes thought is where.  If the outboard is on the boat and I don't feel like taking it off (that sucker is heavy), I need to drive to a lake that allows gas motors (there are two within 20 mins and another dozen or so more within an hour).  If the outboard is off and it's just the electric motor, then I usually just hit the local lake which is LT a 5 minute drive. Unfortunately the rules there don't permit a boat with an outboard even if it is up and not being used.

[papajoe222]

First I'll check out a topo map of the lake I plan to fish. I'll mark key areas I want to hit based on the season. I'll also note the presence or absence of service facilities. Next I'll check out the weather forecast for, not only when I'll be on the water, but for a couple of days prior.  Once I have that basic information I can beging forming a 'loose' game plan and a back up to it.  Then it's time to organize a tackle bag with the lure types I anticipate will be most productive. For the other 4.75 days I just try to keep the shakes of anticipation down enough that it isn't to obvious to the ones around me that I'm loosing it.

[KMS64]

I bank fish the same ponds so I keep my backpack ready and my rods rigged.  My favorite pond is only 5 minutes from my house.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I turn out all the lights, put on a CD of soothing ocean sounds, sit cross legged on my floor and meditate for sometimes up to 4 hours.  If interrupted, I'll have to start over.  When I finally clear my mind of all negativity and feel that I am at one with the bass, only then will I be able to have a productive day of fishing.

 

Seriously though, I just go fish.  About a half hour before I leave, I'll put on a fishing show (got a DVR full of them) and tie on my lures.  9 out of 10 times, I tie a topwater on one rod and the other rod gets either a worm or squarebill/spinnerbait depending on the mood I think the fish will be in and I get to the lake as early as possible.  Oh, and I never forget to spray myself down with lots of but spray.

[slonezp]

I turn out all the lights, put on a CD of soothing ocean sounds, sit cross legged on my floor and meditate for sometimes up to 4 hours.  If interrupted, I'll have to start over.  When I finally clear my mind of all negativity and feel that I am at one with the bass, only then will I be able to have a productive day of fishing.

 

Seriously though, I just go fish.  About a half hour before I leave, I'll put on a fishing show (got a DVR full of them) and tie on my lures.  9 out of 10 times, I tie a topwater on one rod and the other rod gets either a worm or squarebill/spinnerbait depending on the mood I think the fish will be in and I get to the lake as early as possible.  Oh, and I never forget to spray myself down with lots of but spray.

Do you wear yoga pants? Mmmmmmmmm....

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Do you wear yoga pants? Mmmmmmmmm....

 

 

I find that while meditating, pants (especially yoga pants) are very restricting and impede the meditative process.  To achieve a truly zen-like state of mind, one much be completely free of restrictions like clothing.  Trust me, the bass know the difference and will bite or not bite accordingly.

[SirSnookalot]

lol i grab a couple lures and pliers and throw my pole in the back of the truck and head out but then again i fish pretty much everyday

Check the weather and tides for clothing and target species.

I fish every day and it always starts at the ocean.  If I'm going offshore my 3 rods and tacklebag are ready to go, no prep needed.

When I'm fishing inshore my target species and location dictates the rods I'm taking, any lure I need is already in the car.

Freshwater is done in the afternoons, I know the places I fish and what to take before I leave, I do carry a little bit of back up in the car in case I have to make a change.  I do not take a big array of baits, I keep things very simple.

Fishing everyday, I don't need any reports.

I don't keep a log either, what I did last year on this very same day has little bearing on today's action.  Water level may different, the amount of vegetation may not be the same, nor is the weather.  If I caught a memorable fish in the past I'm never going to forget what I used to catch it and for those 20" and under no point in keeping track.

[SudburyBasser]

I like to tie on my lures and have at least an idea of how I'm gonna fish the body of water but honestly I try not to over think it, I fish in the moment and try not to think of the future.

 

I'm with you. I may keep all my rods and equipment ready but I don't put much effort into planning a fishing trip. This is supposed to be enjoyable, not a job. I have one of those already.

 

If it's a tournament I put more preparation into it -- research and stuff -- but even then I don't go crazy with the prep.

[AK-Jax86]

I just prepared for tomorrow mornings 4a trip. I condensed my backpack so it's lighter because we do a lot of walking

[Hyrule Bass]

i dont prepare too much at all. all my tackle fits in one bag. on occasion i will actually take stuff out of my bag and put it into a backpack and take less. which is what i did yesterday, threw some plastics, hooks, sinkers, pliers, knife and scale into my backpack and hit up a pond. grabbed one spinning rod and thats all i took. it took about 15 minutes to prepare, it took me longer to drive to the pond.

[Jay Ell Gee]

I turn out all the lights, put on a CD of soothing ocean sounds, sit cross legged on my floor and meditate for sometimes up to 4 hours.  If interrupted, I'll have to start over.  When I finally clear my mind of all negativity and feel that I am at one with the bass, only then will I be able to have a productive day of fishing.

 

Seriously though, I just go fish.  About a half hour before I leave, I'll put on a fishing show (got a DVR full of them) and tie on my lures.  9 out of 10 times, I tie a topwater on one rod and the other rod gets either a worm or squarebill/spinnerbait depending on the mood I think the fish will be in and I get to the lake as early as possible.  Oh, and I never forget to spray myself down with lots of but spray.

 

Can't forget the butt spray!

[ToadTorcher]

Tidy the boat a little, check the electrical and do what ever tackle organizing I need to do from the previous fishing trip, then go! 

 

I just boat my boat this summer and the first time we took it out the electrical wouldn't work and we were stuck out on the lake. Ever since checking the trolling motor is a ritual before even hook the boat up!

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Can't forget the butt spray!

Ha!  I must've re-read that 5 times to check for spelling/grammar.  How did I miss that?!

[crw]

When I return from a fishing trip, I try to clean/fix (charge batteries) any and everything at that time.  I charge my batteries at least once.   When I want to fish, all I do hook up the boat.