Burnout

[spsmith713]

Wondering if any of you have ever experienced burnout from fishing, kayaking or both? When I first got my kayak, I used to wake up every Saturday & Sunday AM and couldn't wait to load up and go.  Now, I just don't have the motivation.  Fishing is sort of the same way, even if I didn't kayak I would want to go fishing somewhere.  I hope & believe this feeling is temporary.  If any of you have ever had this feeling, how did you go about handling?

 

Thanks

Steve

[Scott F]

It sounds like you feel guilty about feeling the way you do. Fishing isn't your job is it? It's supposed to be a fun and enjoyable pastime. If you don't feel like going out, don't. Take a break for a while. Don't feel bad about it. When you get the urge to go again, go have fun. When it stops being fun, go play golf.

[spsmith713]

It sounds like you feel guilty about feeling the way you do. Fishing isn't your job is it? It's supposed to be a fun and enjoyable pastime. If you don't feel like going out, don't. Take a break for a while. Don't feel bad about it. When you get the urge to go again, go have fun. When it stops being fun, go play golf.

I probably do feel a bit guilty since I spent $1200 on the kayak and the wife makes sure I know it.  I actually used to play golf, but when it went from being 3.5 hours per round to 5-5.5 hours per round I had to find another hobby.  Thanks for the response.

[Trek]

  It's called slowing down. Nothing wrong with it. When I was younger I fished club tournaments, Federation, Weekend Series and all the opens I could. It got to be to much and I found myself always chasing the prize. Then I realized that I hadn't fun fished in years. You know catfish, crappie or even blue gill. I was always pre fishing for bass. So now I fish a small local circuit with a buddy but I also take the grandkids out and we fish for blue gill. We giggle more then we fish. Plus I travel to Canada twice a year and fish for walleye and big pike. I had to slow down to realize what I was missing from the sport I loved.

[BassinLou]

Take a break and identify what is interfering with your fishing. Only you know that reason. But, something changed. Good luck and hopefully you enjoy the water again. 

 

Edit: you posted your response before I posted mine. 

 

There is your reason right there. Guilt. It's not that you are burned out, but when something is weighing on your conscious, there's nothing that will ease your mind, until you face the issue. I suggest you clear the air with the Mrs. you do that, and you will enjoy fishing again. Sounds like there is no middle ground. You mentioned your wife brings it to your attention often. Talk about it and see how you can fix it. Goodluck bud. 

[Trek]

I probably do feel a bit guilty since I spent $1200 on the kayak and the wife makes sure I know it. 

I had a wife like that once. But only once.

[Bluebasser86]

Maybe broaden your horizons by pursuing different species of fish. When the weather gets really hot during the summer and the bass bite gets tough I start chasing big catfish, bowfishing, or night fishing. 

[ClackerBuzz]

whats the reason ur burned out?  

if it's a nagging wife you'll seriously get a 100 great posts from guys who have successfully been married 20+years and learned how to zip the nagging in cleaver, diplomatic and/or also smart aleck ways.

or are you not catching quality or quantity fish? 

i've also got burned out by fishing the same water over and over. part of the joy of fishing is exploring the outdoors and new destinations.  but i'd get burned out if i got a stitch in my side to learn a new body and only went there weeks on end.  the fire lights up as soon as i visit a different body of water or explore a new one.

[*Hootie]

If you live in an area where you have real winter, it won't be long till you will have about 3 or 4 months to get fired up again.

Hootie

[F14A-B]

Burnout .. Yep, one period I stopped fishing for 5 years...then I decided I was ready to re- vist a good ole sport....

[Catch and Grease]

Just take a break, like said before if you don't feel like going fishing the Don't go.

[Tony L.]

Winter is just around the corner. You'll be able to take a good break and wont have to feel guilty about it--- it is an easy and legitimate excuse to tell the wife. Lots of people simply dint fish during winter months. You can use that time to get involved in other things--- maybe a joint hobby with yourself and the Mrs. Its good for the relationship too.

When next spring rolls around, she is not likely to make you feel bad about the kayak because taking it out would be interfering with the hobby that you two are enjoying together.

[ClackerBuzz]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/135979-convincing-the-misses-that-my-fishing-addiction-is-a-good-thing-help/?hl=wife

[geo g]

Unless your fishing tournaments, take a break and fish only when you get the urge. Usually if your successfully catching good numbers, the urge is always there. With the hot summer days coming to a close, the bites should pick up considerable. That might get you fired up again.

[Justin Mott]

Burnout is natural. Its almost like the tide. Its comes in and it goes out. Everybody experiences it. What you have to realize that it is telling you that should be focusing on something else. Not that you should forget about fishing for the time being but that your mind is telling you that it is time to grow in a different area. Maybe you are supposed to be blowing a little money on that wife of yours, such as date nights or roses. Or maybe you have some other stuff around the house, friends, or work that you should be catching up on.

 

What I am saying is don't fret about about it. Follow the direction that you mind is telling you to go. Before long, you are going to come full circle and be right back on the fishing train. I've been through a few of these myself.

 

Justin Mott

[flyfisher]

are you fishing the same spots?  i know for me i like to mix up the lakes i fish every few weeks.  It helps to keep things new and you never know what kind of day you will have in a new area.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I fish year round in all conditions. It helps me to be proficient when the bite gets tough. I have had a time or two when I've taken a few days or a week off because I lost the drive to cast a line. Maybe it was due to a previous bad day, or because I didn't feel like loading up my gear. A few day sabbatical made all the difference. ;-)

[WRB]

When you played golf you didn't do that alone. Find yourself a partner, does your wife like the outdoors?

Sharing your fishing and or kayak experiences helps to motivate you, catching fish also helps.

The fall is a good time to be on the water with waterfowl, trees turning and better bass fishing.

Burnout isn't that unusual when you expect more than you can achieve, lower your expectations and smell the roses.

Tom

[spsmith713]

I think my burnout comes from a few things.  I just started fishing earlier this year and also bough the kayak about 4 months ago.  I think what happened is that I really did both of the activities too much.  I would kayak on both Saturday & Sunday mornings until around noon, then take my oldest son fishing until dinner time.  Then we'd eat and then go fishing again. That was on the weekends, we would also fish almost every night during the week.  

 

I also primarily fish the same lake in the same spots.  The lake I fish is heavily pressured, so it is very hit or miss.  For instance, no bites for 2 weeks then all of sudden I'll pull out a 5 pounder.  My wife hasn't gotten into the outdoors as much as I have as our kids are ages 7 & 4.  While I take the 7 year old fishing, she watches the 4 year old.  

 

All in all, I don't think it is a bad thing if I am slowing down on the fishing & kayaking a little bit.  One thing I have been doing is if the fish aren't biting, I won't fish as long.  When I first started fishing, even if the fish weren't biting I'd still fish for hours.

 

Thanks for  all of your responses, they were very helpful & insightful.  

[atcoha]

I stopped fishing for almost 10 years. Got burned out before we had kids, when kid #1 arrived, it did change my life. I did not start again until after my son, kid #2, and my baby girl, kid #3 was big enough to reel in a scooby doo zebco. We would fish a small pond for bream and anything that would bite.

Last summer, me and my son really started fishing a lot. Only from shore, no boat. Fished the bridges,piers and passes in our area. Bought us a couple of kayaks earlier this year, he went kayak fishing with me once...I went several times, finding a fishing buddy. Kinda bummed me out, but looking forward to the next month or two for some inshore. If he decides not to go, I'll probably get rid of them (hard le$$on learned)....anyway, I have really enjoyed getting back into fishing since last year. Forgot what I was missing.

I can understand getting burned out...Take some time away from it, enjoy some other hobbies or interests. When you are ready, grab your pole, and hit the water.

[Oregon Native]

Awesome answers....I had to slow down due to cancer in the family and acute pancreatitus on my part.  Only when I was curled up in pain did I not want to go.  When the kids were young we camped in the volkswagon camper bus two to three times a month and was awesome.  Went to different places...new adventures and they and I loved it....mom too.  Going to the same fishing hole for three or four months would be like eating at McDonalds for that amount of time......ugh.

Good luck