Retirement and fishing

[Ratherbfishing]

The other day I did some "ciphering'" and, give or take a few weeks, I'll be eligible to retire in about 3 years.  I plan to work part time after this but only about 20 hours a week.  Anyhow, barring any unexpected events or expenses this will open up a LOT more time for fishing.  I have heard stories of where people fished so often that they became so utterly sick of it that they sold their boat and never fished again. It does give me pause to wonder how my fishing habits will actually change.  I don't intend to burn myself out but it would afford me the opportunity to fish WHEN I want to and, to lesser degree, WHERE I want to.  The answer will likely vary from person to person but for those who are retired, how did it change your fishing practices?  And was it for the better?

[Wayne P.]

I am rarely on the water on weekends anymore. Don't have to deal with the crowds.

I pretty much fish when and where I want to anytime I want to. Don't have to let bad weather make it uncomfortable, I can chose what weather patterns I want to fish.

For tidal waters, I go when the tide is best for the period of time I want to be there.

Been doing it that way for 11 years.

[DrMarlboro92]

I'm not retired, but I recently left my career and went back to school, but could only get enough grants to go part time. What this means, is im in a situation close to what you are describing as what your retirement would be like. A few hours of school a week, a small chunk of money to live off of, and tons of free time. 

This past spring I was going to claytor so much I have it down to a science, and yes, I burned myself out a bit. The biggest thing I found, is even though I absolutely love fishing, going fishing 4 days a week every week was just a bit much. I didn't do anything rash, and just waited it out. After a couple months it became a fun occasional thing, and now I'm back to fishing several days a week. The key is balance. Don't force yourself to go, and if you don't feel 100% like going, dont. Just take a break that day. Make sure you keep it a hobby and not something you feel obligated to do, or something you feel you are forcing. Several people I know who did what you described locked themselves in a rhetorical round about saying "I said I was going to fish more when I retired, now I'm retired and have fished so much i don't want to fish, but I told myself I would" eventually removing the enjoyment. Just ease into it when you get there, and see how much you can handle.

Hopefully this is insightful even though I'm young and not retired. 

[Ratherbfishing]

1 hour ago, DrMarlboro92 said:

I'm not retired, but I recently left my career and went back to school, but could only get enough grants to go part time. What this means, is im in a situation close to what you are describing as what your retirement would be like. A few hours of school a week, a small chunk of money to live off of, and tons of free time. 

This past spring I was going to claytor so much I have it down to a science, and yes, I burned myself out a bit. The biggest thing I found, is even though I absolutely love fishing, going fishing 4 days a week every week was just a bit much. I didn't do anything rash, and just waited it out. After a couple months it became a fun occasional thing, and now I'm back to fishing several days a week. The key is balance. Don't force yourself to go, and if you don't feel 100% like going, dont. Just take a break that day. Make sure you keep it a hobby and not something you feel obligated to do, or something you feel you are forcing. Several people I know who did what you described locked themselves in a rhetorical round about saying "I said I was going to fish more when I retired, now I'm retired and have fished so much i don't want to fish, but I told myself I would" eventually removing the enjoyment. Just ease into it when you get there, and see how much you can handle.

Hopefully this is insightful even though I'm young and not retired. 

No offense intended whatsoever but HOPEFULLY I'll be in a little better position than "poor college student", "under-employed" or "just scraping by" (was there once...actually several times).  But regardless, you are right.  There'll be no reason to go if I don't want to go.  And I KNOW I won't go after a cold front or on a weekend.  

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Wayne P. said:

I am rarely on the water on weekends anymore. Don't have to deal with the crowds.

I pretty much fish when and where I want to anytime I want to. Don't have to let bad weather make it uncomfortable, I can chose what weather patterns I want to fish.

For tidal waters, I go when the tide is best for the period of time I want to be there.

Been doing it that way for 11 years.

I'll go fishing at the drop of a hat & I'll drop the hat!

Been doing it that way 05!

[Ratherbfishing]

2 hours ago, Wayne P. said:

I am rarely on the water on weekends anymore. Don't have to deal with the crowds.

I pretty much fish when and where I want to anytime I want to. Don't have to let bad weather make it uncomfortable, I can chose what weather patterns I want to fish.

For tidal waters, I go when the tide is best for the period of time I want to be there.

Been doing it that way for 11 years.

Okay, so through my own fault (clicked submit twice), there are two identical threads going. 

I definitely won't go on weekends where I, too, hate crowds and/or if the weather stinks.  I may have to move to a better location where the effort of going fishing doesn't have to be a real chore.

[lo n slo]

good for you brother

i was able to retire at 52 after 30 years of service with the city water works. that was almost 6 years ago. i do carpentry work with a friend on the side now. we still hit the gym each morning too. i fish alot too, never get tired of it. fishing is my passion. i dont drink, gamble, hunt, or chase wild women. i fish.

glad to hear you plan on doing some kind of work. i believe physical activity is good for the body and soul.

git r done

[scaleface]

Since I retired I started  a business , now I get to fish less .

[Wayne P.]

I get asked occasionally what do I do since I retired.

My answer is "I do two things, I either go fishing or I don't"

[Dwight Hottle]

Retirement fishing is easy. You get to pick your agenda rather than have it dictated to you. I go as often as I want but I still have to listen to mother nature for the wind/wave report before I can commit. I avoid weekends & crowds 99% of the time. You won't burnout as long as you go when you want & not if you don't as Wayne P. suggested. Just keep fishing fun & the rest falls into place. I moved close to lake erie after I retired so I could fish as much as I want for smallies.    

[Catt]

22 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

I get asked occasionally what do I do since I retired.

My answer is "I do two things, I either go fishing or I don't"

If it appears that I am ignoring you...it is most likely because I am:

1. Busy fishing

2. Thinking about fishing

3. Talking about fishing

4. Reading about fishing

Or I'm just plain not interested in what you are talking about!

[WRB]

Since retiring I fish less often, fewer lakes and for shorter periods of time.

The problem is two fold, health and priorities. My health is OK my spine isn't. Priorities, family and travel. My wife and I like to travel, when I was working my Job paid for world wide travel, now we pay for it. Our family has dwindled, all my brothers and both sets of parents are now gone so our immediate family is our son and daughter, we spend a lot more time with them now and that requires travel.

I fish about 1day a week, before retiring about 3 days a week.

Tom

[beardown34]

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

Since I retired I started  a business , now I get to fish less .

lol

[scbassin]

I have been retired since 2005 & all I do is bass fish. I get to pick when I want to go so there is no harsh weather & usually no week-ends during the peak seasons. Here we can fish all year so I get a lot of time on the water & like Catt if I am not fishing I am reading about it or working my gear or boat.

[A-Jay]

 To the OP:

Working Part time is not really quite retired - you are still on someone else's clock.

Retirement puts you on your clock. It should look like this . . .

 

Things change dramatically at that point.

btw - when if comes to fishing after my retirement ~  I follow the @Wayne P. protocol . .

A-Jay

 

[Bankbeater]

I will probably be able to retire in about 8 years.  I can't wait to get out on any water I want when I want. 

[WIGuide]

I've got a LONG ways to go before I retire so there's a lot of time to change, but I don't see me fishing so much that I burn out. As it stands, I fish about 4 days a week and just wish I could be out there even more. There have been years when fishing season opens in May up here that I'll fish every day for that first month. It's my passion/obsession.

["hamma"]

As Im not technically retired, I guess Im not really experienced on its nuances. But my back injuries have taken me out of work alot of my life, (since my late teens) and I spent a good amount of it on the water as it's my passion. I love bass fishing, its my vice so to speak,.. And I strongly believe thats the key.,..is it your passion? or just a pastime for you?

  If you truely love the sport?,... I think you will continue unhindered without any hesitation whatsoever.

  If it's just a pastime? you may want to schedule your fishing ventures at a slower rate, like once or twice a week. Just so you dont get tired of doing it, Or "burnt out"

 Being my passion,..I dont see me ever burning out, like some stated,.. I eat, sleep, think, bass fishing. And when im deep in discussion with someone talking say,...politics, or other matters. In the back of my mind? im thinking fishing, the winds are westerly, theres a cloud cover? id be throwing a spinnerbait right now.  lol

[Hurricane]

I already told my wife that when I retire don't expect me to be around much lol..... I will absolutely be out on my boat fishing as much as I can..

[Ratherbfishing]

As much as I like the physical act of fishing, I appreciate the art of the sport in it's various forms-everything from a beautifully designed crankbait to wall calendars featuring fishing themes.  I think after I retire I'll plunk down a little $ on some wood working equipment and begin crafting things such as rod holders, display racks, etc.  I don't suffer from delusions that I'll actually turn a profit as there are just too many mass produced items to be found at hobby lobby, etc. but it will be fun anyway.  Until my vision goes.

[MRBAMA57]

Since being fully retired I go fishing anytime between Monday and Thursday on Lake Eufaula, AL & have a great time each and every time. Really close to having the 45,000 Lake all to myself!

[Firefish Alumacraft]

Im far from retirement but I work 24h on 48 off. I get a lot of fishing time, but my father worked afternoons for 20 years and we'd go fishing all the time in the AM. He just retired back in May and now that he's retired he's so busy, seems like everyone wants his time friends and family. We've been fishing less.  

[Bassun]

My input is slightly off, as I am not retired - but I have discovered something about me and fishing.  I love to fish, but I've found that I love to fish with someone else.  I used to go solo in the creeks, or to the lake - but now I find myself less interested in fishing alone.  I never thought I would be that way, but over the years I've discovered I have so much more fun when there is someone else around.

Now if I lived on the lake, I would probably go solo for a few hours quite often; but I have to travel about 45 mins to the closest lake.  Firstly, I hate loading and unloading the boat alone with a passion.  I feel like a goober having to back in, get out, drag the boat around, tie it off - LEAVE IT, go park, come back -- and do it all again when I leave.  But really, I just don't have as much fun alone.  And as I'm getting older, I am beginning to recognize (or maybe revalue) certain risks with fishing solo.  For example, I was on the water (with a friend) when the deracho hit  few years back.  Solo, that could have been much more of an issue...

The point I am slowly getting to is that whether you fish more, or less, fish for the fun of it -- as long as you have fun then you probably wont burn out.  

Now, as for your question about how it impacted retiree's -- every single avid fisherman I know who has retired did immediately fish more.  Often a LOT more - but then it slowed down.  Most ended up only fishing occasionally, and only at prime times.  Interestingly, their stories are never about recent trips - it is always about trips from years back when they had to work fishing in, vs being able to go at will.  I think part of it is how fishing has changed, but I think part of it is that it meant more when you took that weekend and had an amazing catch vs going whenever and catching fish.  Moments are special, if you can fish 24x7 I feel things lose a bit of their special-ness as its just another day -- vs that one fall weekend with your buddy way back when, where you decided to drive all the way out to Lake X and slayed the bass.

[fishingram24]

Two weeks to go until I retire after 41+ years and have enough time off to be done now. Actually picked the date to get in the best of Fall fishing where I live. My plan is to:

1. Never be on the water on a week end,

2. Only fish if the conditions are favorable, not to hot or freezing cold

3. Fish when I want to for as long or short as I want  

4. Enjoy my time on the water with my long time fishing partner who beat me out by 3 months!!

Fishing has always been my passion, maybe not as much as in my youth but it's what I have always done and will continue to do as long as I'm able. Just will be on my terms now.

[lo n slo]

9 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I will probably be able to retire in about 8 years.  I can't wait to get out on any water I want when I want. 

it will be here before you know it!