Your 2017 Fishing Goals

[Catch 22]

Be thankful that I have to opportunity to fish when/where I want to  and maybe add a few new species to  my brag list.And to be a  good steward to the resources

C22

 

[BassGirl71]

Cool idea to write goals down here in the forum where everyone can see them.  Here are my goals for the 2017 season:

1. Stay in shape throughout the winter to be ready for tournaments next summer without getting fatigued

2. Learn to fly fish

3. Do a bit more fishing just for fun or for learning new techniques

4. Learn more about my electronics

5. Use the off season to study lake maps, Google Earth, etc.

6. Use techniques with which I am not very comfortable, such as drop shotting, so I can learn to rely on them and have confidence in them

[soflabasser]

I will remember the year 2016 as one of the best years I have had bass fishing in a long time since I was able to catch 6 bass over 8lbs (with one less than a ounce away from being a +10) and numerous bass over 6 pounds,all caught from land.The year is not over,so I will continue fishing to the best of my ability and hopefully catch more big bass in the few days left in the year.Also met one of my bass fishing goals to make 1,000 post on this forum to share some my knowledge of bass fishing and hopefully help a couple people in the process. For 2017 I would be very happy if I can convince my better half to join me fishing more often since it seems I catch more big fish when she joins me.Another fishing goal I have for 2017 is to catch species of fish that I have not caught before.Looking towards to what the year 2017 has to offer and hope everyone reaches their goals in bass fishing. 

 

Added info: December 2016 ended up being one of the best months of bass fishing I have had in several years. My top 5 bass of December 2016 measured a combined total of 119'' inches and a total weigh of +38 pounds. Most bass I caught in 1 day this year was 65 bass(have had several +100 bass days in previous years).Best 5 bass total in terms of length for the year 2016 was 125'' inches. My goal for 2017 remains the same.

[JRammit]

Goal #1... Finish my tackle box!..... i only fish homemade lures because it's so much more rewarding and just more fun to me!!... I have a ton of soft plastics and plenty of hard baits, but my jig and spinner boxes are empty..... Though Santa may be bringing me a few things to fix that problem

 

Goal#2... Learn to fish open water.....

i just got my first depth finder for my birthday last month.. A little Lowrance 3dsi mounted on my little 12' Jon boat.. Before I was limited to fishing what I could see sticking out of the water, but now I have no excuses

 

Goal #3... Learn WYH I'm catching fish..... Example: one day last year just after the spawn, nobody else could seem to catch anything, most were throwing spinners, swim baits, or senkos, all empty handed.... I slayed em on a 4 inch "Rapala style" jerk bait that day!... For some reason, anytime I found a big group of fry, I could rip that jerk bait through them and get bit....

 

I could have just assumed that I'm a better fisherman than anyone else on the lake that day ... But I'd rather understand WHY what I threw worked and what they threw didn't... So I did a little research, and while this may be common knowledge to some of you, I did not know that the males hang around to protect their fry... Obviously they protect the eggs, but I just assumed their responsibility ended once those eggs hatched...... So a spinner or swim bait cruising through their territory wasn't a big enough threat, and the Senko was completely off the radar.. But a jerk bait darting erratically through their gene pool crossed the line!

 

So for goal #3, I'll ask myself this question every time I catch a fish... Why???

 

[fishingram24]

1. Become more organized in the boat and home

2. Fish more 

3. Buy less, use some of the tons of lures I already have

4. Have fun and enjoy the time on the water

5. Go back to my younger days and listen to what the fish are trying to tell me and not force them to eat what I want them to

[fishingfan25]

My one goal this year is to finally crack 8 pounds here in MA. I've gotten 7 but i need that 8 pounder. I also want to buy myself a new kayak thats more stable so i can throw big baits while standing up

[ottosmagic13]

My goal in 2016 was to quit smoking: Haven't had a cigarette in 2 1/2 months. 

 

Reason I quit and goal in 2017: Raise my child (due 6/23/17) to the best of my ability. 

 

Fishing goals: 

 

2016 - Purchase and learn to use a baitcaster - met 

       - Set new PB in some category (three set: Largest trout on fly (1.4#), Largest SMB (2.6#), Largest LMB overall(3.0#))

 

2017 - Catch something bigger than 2# on my 5wt fly rod (i'd take bass or trout tbh) current PB 1.4 brown trout. 

       - Get better at tying my own flies and subsequently catch something on a tied fly.

       - Catch something on a swimbait/fluke. 

       - Up the PB numbers in several categories

 

 

[Bait Runner]

I'll give this a shot:

 

1. Never give up

2. Learn how to tie a few knots from heart (improved clinch knot, arbor knot, etc)

3. Catch a 5lb bass

4. Keep a fishing journal detailing weather conditions/time/where I fished

5. Get a baitcaster

6. Learn to use the baitcaster

7. Go fishing with my wife, my brother, brother-in-law

8. Learn to fish a jig properly

9. Learn how to tie a few rigs form heart (Carolina rig, Texas rig, etc)

10. Love my time on the water.

[Catt]

On 11/27/2016 at 11:36 AM, Team9nine said:

I fall into the Scott Adams (Dilbert) camp that says, "Goals are for losers" - no offense meant to anyone; just a quote of his.  He wrote a whole book about it. As such, I'll stick to my usual systems based method of fishing for another year. Don't expect any New Year's resolutions from me, either, when that thread pops up in another month or so - LOL 

-T9

 

Exactly!

Go fishing as often as I can

Catch as many bass as I can

Catch the biggest bass I can

As the Cajun's say, " c'est fini", that's it finished!

[Siebert Outdoors]

My number one goal in 2017 is to take my daughter fishing as much as possible and see if I can get her to reel in a 5+ lb largemouth at her age of 2 1/2-3 yrs old. 

[AnthonyBarnaoBASS]

Break my personal bass as i did this year, and explore new bodies of water while streanthing my relationship with others. 

 

Another would be to save up enough money to go on a big fishing trip on a trophy lake.

[Bassdestroyer]

Catch a fish.

[BrianinMD]

Learn how to run my new boat without destroying it....

[CaptMikeStarrett]

Catch some fat alberts with my buddy Capt Dave..

 

That is it.. easy 2017 right.

 

Capt Mike

[HoosierHawgs]

Not all of these are fishing related but here goes

1) Organize a meet up of the local Indianapolis area guys. 

2) 8+ Green Fish 

3) 5+ Smallmouth Green Fish 

4) Be on the water or in the field for 100+ days 

5) Pick Up My Guitar again and practice 10 hours a week 

6) Read At Least 1 Book A Month 

7) 3.7 GPA for my first semester of college next fall

Add: I'd also like to start a fishing and field journal so if anyone has any tips or can point me in the right direction with some thread links that would be greatly appreciated. 

[WTnPuddleJumper]

1)  Learn how to quit "dying by the sword"  meaning when the pattern I figured out in pre-fishing does not produce on tournament day,  being able to abort that pattern and try different ones that will produce.

2) fish slower and smaller

3) learn how to deal with current when tournament catfishing

4) continue to grow both of my bass trails

5)  raise a lot of money for the carl perkins center

6)  have fun

7) enjoy good times with fellow fisherman

8)  to daily thank God for all He has blessed us with.

[HoosierHawgs]

On 12/26/2016 at 3:08 PM, WTnPuddleJumper said:

1)  Learn how to quit "dying by the sword"  meaning when the pattern I figured out in pre-fishing does not produce on tournament day,  being able to abort that pattern and try different ones that will produce.

2) fish slower and smaller

3) learn how to deal with current when tournament catfishing

4) continue to grow both of my bass trails

5)  raise a lot of money for the carl perkins center

6)  have fun

7) enjoy good times with fellow fisherman

8)  to daily thank God for all He has blessed us with.

What is it that the Carl Perkins Center does? Just curious. 

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, HoosierHawgs said:

What is it that the Carl Perkins Center does? Just curious. 

 

A quick google search would reveal that they assist families dealing with child abuse.

Fishing can be a great teaching tool, and escape for anyone suffering mental illness.

[Scott F]

3 minutes ago, HoosierHawgs said:

What is it that the Carl Perkins Center does? Just curious. 

 

I thought they provided blue suede shoes to the needy.

[HoosierHawgs]

Just now, J Francho said:

 

A quick google search would reveal that they assist families dealing with child abuse.

Thanks! That is quite a noble goal of @WTnPuddleJumper to want to continue to raise money for them in 2017. Do you usually do sometype of fundraiser for them Puddle Jumper? If so, let me know! 

2 minutes ago, Scott F said:

 

I thought they provided blue suede shoes to the needy.

Good one

[Scott F]

You'd have to at least 50 to get that reference.

[J Francho]

3 minutes ago, Scott F said:

You'd have to at least 50 to get that reference.

I'm only 44, and I got it

[HoosierHawgs]

58 minutes ago, Scott F said:

You'd have to at least 50 to get that reference.

Old soul I guess. More of a 70's guy though. Zep, and the likes. 

[Yakalong]

Learn the electronics better

jig fish more

top one as always, fish as much as possible until the wife realizes that nothing is getting done on the "list" 

[Senko Junkie]

My main goal for fishing in 2017 is to learn more techniques and try different lures. I seem to always use my traditional baits that I have success with even when the bite is slow. I blame it on the Senko because that lil worm is addicting...lol

Goals:

1) Learn and practice the pitching and flipping tech

2) drop shot

3) use more swim baits

4) perfect my knot tying.......geez oh petes, this haunted me all year. This needs to be priority 1 ..lol

5) another goal of mine will take more than a year but I want a good start on fishing more of Kentuckys other lakes than just the ones in my area. I went to Dale Hollow for the first time and had a ball. So, this is more of a bucket list item, but fish more Kentucky lakes