What are your fishing goals for 2019?

[haggard]

What's on your (chum)bucket list for the 2019 season?

 

A few from 2018 that I didn't get to, so they're pushed out to 2019:

• 1st time catch a bass on a jig (came close in 2018, he chased it to the boat) 
• 1st time catch a bass on a topwater lure
• 1st time catch and cook something. Maybe a trout, crappie or striper.
• learn fly fishing
• catch salt water species #2 (first was striper in 2018)

 

What's on your list?

 

 

[A-Jay]

My 'goal' will most likely remain the same for the fore seeable future.

 And that is to do what I can to stay healthy & physically fit enough to go fishing.

The rest will take care of itself.

A-Jay

[slonezp]

Spend time with dad

[MN Fisher]

2018 was a 'bust' year for me - only got on the water three times and caught nothing more than 'throw-backs' (sunnies, crappie under 1.5lb, bass under 2.5lb)

 

Items on the list for 2019

1. Complete the modifications to the canoe (underway as we 'speak')
2. Get on the water MUCH more often
3. Work cover more via pitching/flipping - I KNOW the bass are there, just didn't have the rig to go after them
4. Visit more lakes - Little Long and Whaletail in my area are two I haven't hit yet
5. Learn/use a couple new techniques I've not used before - Ned rig and Wacky for a couple

That's about it for now.

[Glaucus]

I want to catch a 4lb SMB*. The Illinois state record is 6.7 and before that it was 5.5, so I don't want to get too crazy thinking I'll catch a (or some) 5's, but 4lb should be a good target. Of course bigger is absolutely welcome as well.

 

Other than that I pretty much do everything I want to do within realistic expectations. The only other thing is that I've never fished with my dad but he wants to get into it with me this season. 

 

*I may have already caught a 4lb SMB, but I have no way of knowing what either of these fish weighed because I didn't have a scale on me and I didn't measure. I caught them this year. If anyone has a guess on their weights please let me know. 

 

[Mike Boitnott]

My goal for 2019 is to spend more time on the water Period.

 

Would also like to accomplish my offshore fishing game.

 

Improve my fishing logs for 2019 capturing as much info as possible.

 

Ensure that I am utilizing my tools such as Navionics Apps and Maps to gain as much information as possible before an outing.

 

My final goal is to study as much information as possible to utilize my electronics to the fullest.  

#FishSmarter #EscapeTheOrdinary

[NittyGrittyBoy]

1. Spend more time on the water. 

2. Fish outside my comfort zone. 

3. Quality over quantity

[RHuff]

To win $$$ by doing something I enjoy doing

[rtwvumtneer6]

2018 Accomplishments:

-Gained confidence in moving/reaction baits

-Entered (and won) first tournament

-Established a handful of confidence baits across several techniques

-Accumulated a rod/reel arsenal that I'm confident I can cover almost any situation/condition on my local fisheries

-Broke my PB on public and private water

 

2019 Goals:

-Organization (tackle)

-Efficiency (time management)

-Enter 3-5 tournaments and cash 2 checks

-Become more consistent in number of catches - improving my skill with my current techniques and not trying to learn it all at once

-Outfish my partner from the back of the boat 30% of the time (may seem low but he kicks my tail!)

-Fish 3 new lakes +1 guide trip (headed to Texas over Halloween)

-AND... Effectively skip a jig!

[Heartland]

No goals, I try not to mix business with pleasure.

 

[Koz]

My fishing goal this year was to catch a bass of more than 7 pounds. With just a few weeks left to go in the season I topped out this year at 6.8 pounds so it looks like my goal will be the same for next year.

 

If I have to pick another goal I guess it would be to fish slower when the situation calls for it. I almost exclusively bank fish and have access to hundreds of lagoons in my main fishing area alone keep moving and cover ground if nothing is biting. I need to bring a chair, sit down and slow my pace.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Can anyone link the similar thread from last year for reference?

 

My goals for this year:

 

- Continue to work on compartmentalizing fishing: I am obsessed, as it is part of my personality. I daydream of fishing constantly. I want to continue to get better at being present in the moment with other aspects of my life and continue to learn to suppress my urge to obsess about everything surrounding putting fish in the boat.

 

- Fish a tournament as a BOATER (that means acquire a “full-size” boat). I sold my Basshound turned mini bass boat in early December to make room in the garage for something bigger.

 

- Win a tournament: Last year it was my goal to catch a limit in a tournament, I did that successfully and even placed 3rd several times as a co-angler.

 

- Place top 8 in my club/make the state team: I would have made the state team this year, but I blanked on a tournament and I didn’t have a chance to fish another one to take its place. This will probably be my most difficult goal. Med school isn’t the most conducive to tournament fishing.

 

- Catch a fish on a Hinkle Shad: I got bit by the big swimbait bug in the late fall and I want to learn how to make them produce.

 

- Break 7 lbs: Won’t be a new PB (current is 8-8 lbs) for me but it’s been since I was 8 years old since I caught my PB. I wanted to break 6 lbs last year and got it done, so I am upping it this year. I’ve found a lake that has a high probability for a fish over 7 lb and plan to hunt one down.

 

[PhishLI]

The goal: To not knock my son-in-laws hat off during a sidearm cast=Learn to cast with my left. 

 

I'm a righty. I cast with my right and reel with my left, except for the righthanded Chronarch I have. I got it specifically to learn to cast lefty.  I have a long way to go. I will prevail.

 

The SIL has a Sundolphin that's 8.5 ft. A control freak, he needs to drive. This puts him in the back. Fine for him as he's a spinner only type just dinkin and dunkin wacky worms around. Dude is a bass catchin machine! Anyway, as long as we circle the lake clockwise, I'm good. Skipping and sidearm heaven. Somehow he ends up driving us counterclockwise often. So I'm left with overhead casts and pitching. Oh, the horror!  He aint gonna change. I'll learn eventually. In the meantime he can wear a fishing helmet.

[haggard]

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

The SIL has a Sundolphin that's 8.5 ft. A control freak, he needs to drive. This puts him in the back.

Gack! I love a small boat but you can put two people in an 8.5 footer?!

 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, haggard said:

Gack! I love a small boat but you can put two people in an 8.5 footer?!

 

It's kind of a floating box with two plastic seats.

https://www.sundolphin.com/fishing-boats-and-dinghys/sportsman/

[PhishLI]

5 minutes ago, haggard said:

Gack! I love a small boat but you can put two people in an 8.5 footer?!

 

No problemo. 7 rods, 2 large tackle bags, and my Scooby Doo lunchbox. Gotta have snacks.

[Vilas15]

I want to catch a fish big enough to justify a replica mount based on my own size goals. Could be a smallmouth 21", walleye 30", pike 40", musky 50". It also depends where i catch it because some lakes will just never get to a 50" musky so id consider a 47" a trophy. The cabin walls need some fish mounts!

[Koz]

1 hour ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Won’t be a new PB (current is 8-8 lbs) for me but it’s been since I was 8 years old since I caught my PB.

 

That reminds me of a conversation that I had with my 12 year old son this past year. He caught a bass just under 6 pounds and after congratulating him I told him that many anglers fish their entire life and never catch a bass that big. I then jokingly reminded him that his fish might be the biggest that HE catches in his entire life!

[J.Vincent]

My 2019 fishing goal is to just enjoy the sport and quit over analyzing everything.

[Bankbeater]

To go through my plastics and get rid of the ones that are torn up and otherwise damaged.  I have a bad habit of saving used plastics for jig trailers.

[N Florida Mike]

•Catch a new PB

•Set a new daily record for numbers

•Get my son back out on the water with me. He had an accident that hurt his back this year so we didnt get out together after that.

•Get the G-kids out with me more often

• Make new fishing buddies

• Reastablish old ones.

One of my best friends since childhood recently got a bass boat, and we have already talked about getting out in the st johns river system near us.

• Get better at one more technique sych as hardbaits.

[scaleface]

My goal is to catch bigger bass than I did last year . I might have to branch out and try   different waters . The big bass in my most fished  lake are all skinny . There are way  to many bass in the protected slot limit eating all the shad .

[Big Rick]

1. Fish more often  

2. Break the 8# barrier

[Arcs&sparks]

1. Actually go fishing more than like a dozen times.. Hectic year

2. Try jerkbaits

3. Break a PB Bass,  a week on the Stick Marsh in March will give me opportunity for that.

4. Catch a Moosehead or Rangely Monster Brookie

5. Improve my fly fishing skills. 

 

Regarding Fly fishing,  take a proper lesson before trying to learn on your own.  It’s way harder to correct your poor form if you’ve already been doing it awhile.  I’m sure Jb will help ya out.  I took a lesson at Eldridge Brothers in Cape Neddick,  he was a good instructor.

[Arlo Smithereen]

I want to participate in a few bass tournaments, I'm thinking some online challenges to begin, hopefully a couple trail tournaments as well. My goal for 2018 was to catch a 6 pound largie, I caught a 7.46# on Halloween day. I'd like to say my goal for 2019 is to get a 8 pounder, but I live in Iowa and the record is 10.5# or thereabouts, so I don't know how realistic that is. I also want to try catching a big flathead catfish. I've only caught channels, but I know the river near me has some nice flats.