you working stiffs. do you play hookie to fish?

[steve carpenter]

Retired now' Could take days off. Made the mistake of taking a cell phone. Was constantly called with emergencies. Love retirement

[Mobasser]

When I was working full time I ran a small carpentry crew. I couldn't take off because guys depended on me. I did  come in late a few mornings so I could fish.

[Fishin Dad]

I currently have 1216 hours of sick time banked up, for which I will get ZERO, YES ZERO compensation.  I have never abused the system like so many do.   It is a hard pill to swallow, but I was raised different than the generation after me ( I am mid 50’s).  However, you will usually find me with my Kleenex (not needed) in a deer stand for a full day sit around Halloween.  Magical time of year.   

[galyonj]

Of course.

 

I've done engineering standups and troubleshot customer issues with a rod in my hand.

 

My job's pretty dope. 

[padon]

i work in interventional radiology,( think cardiac cath lab) high stress especially now when every hospital in the country is short staffed.id never call in sick and leave my team hanging but sometimes the nerves get raw and i tell my boss im taking off thursday or whatever day works best because if i dont its gonna get uly in here. usually its in the spring when they are really biting.

[bloom]

I think I feel a sick day coming on, the lakes around here are so busy during the weekend, the week days are much better.

[Susky River Rat]

My next sick day will be when I go to get my new boat. I’ll be sick with joy to go break her in.

[TnRiver46]

I can’t take a single day but I take a week to go on fishing vacation every year to south Alabama Memorial Day week (yep, hot). I have to check traps everyday so just taking a random weekday off to fish doesn’t work. Now when the days are short in winter I’ll fish inbetween my stops off the bank but still have to be listening for the work phone. Similar to sports, in my line of work, “Availability is the best ability”

 

so yeah I’ve never taken a day off to fish, has to be all week instead! Haha

[JMac603]

I own a small water treatment business so even when I'm not working, I'm working. Took a trip to Oneida in May. One single vacation day. Had a sales call and diagnosed an issue with my tech within the first hour and a half on the water. This life isn't for everyone. Sometimes I think it's not for me, either. 

[FishTax]

I never lie, but do sometimes take time off to fish. I've certainly taken calls on the water and dealt with issues with rod in hand. I try to carry a Bluetooth so I can have both hands if I have to land one while on phone.

I probably would today but I think it's the hottest day of the year so far and I'm tough until real feel crosses 100, after that I love my work more than my fishing..

[Spankey]

16 hours ago, T-Billy said:

We used to accumulate unlimited sick time, and I rarely missed a day. Last year the company took that from us, without compensating us for it. They stole about 10k worth of accumulated sick time from me. 

In their infinite wisdom, they implimented a policy where we started with 14 sick days, get 7 per year, and can only roll 7 over, so it's use 7 or give 'em back to the company each year. I averaged about one call off every couple years in the past. It's 7 days per year now. SMH. Makes sense somehow to the bean counters I guess.

Saving my last three of 23 for Muskiepalooza this Nov. or early Dec.

That blows. We could accrue our personal time. There was a limit but don’t remember what it was. But if you retired or quit you could not take that with you. Vacation time was paid out to you when you left. Those hours/weeks were capped also. When I pretty much had my mind made up that I was retiring and when, I started using up all that personal time. Personal time you could take it in hours, 1/2 day or whole days. My last two years I got my share of fish, hunt and clays time in. But was able to to that in ways that I didn’t hamper production for anyone. My last two years I hit them hard for overtime on my working days. 

1 hour ago, JMac603 said:

I own a small water treatment business so even when I'm not working, I'm working. Took a trip to Oneida in May. One single vacation day. Had a sales call and diagnosed an issue with my tech within the first hour and a half on the water. This life isn't for everyone. Sometimes I think it's not for me, either. 

I can appreciate and envy the fact you have your own business. Good luck and success with that. Have a bit of experience with water treatment equipment and process. Kick myself in the butt sometimes for not going into business for myself some days. Should have thought about that harder when I was 30 years old. 

[casts_by_fly]

I too have a semi flexible schedule and work from home.  The main thing is the job gets done.  If that means that I do a couple extra hours during odd times to make up for being away at normal times then so be it.  Getting up early on a weekday morning and fishing until 9-10 gets some good hours on the water.  I've been known to listen to a global 'town hall' type broadcast from the boat with headphones in.  This guy ate while I was listening in one morning last summer.

 

 

18 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Sometimes, I could fish 'at work'. 

That was fun.

?

A-Jay

 

Bottom bouncing jigs I take it?:

 

[gim]

14 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

However, you will usually find me with my Kleenex (not needed) in a deer stand for a full day sit around Halloween.  Magical time of year.   

Technically that could be a sickness.  I often refer to it as Buck Fever that time of year.

[A-Jay]

44 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I too have a semi flexible schedule and work from home.  The main thing is the job gets done.  If that means that I do a couple extra hours during odd times to make up for being away at normal times then so be it.  Getting up early on a weekday morning and fishing until 9-10 gets some good hours on the water.  I've been known to listen to a global 'town hall' type broadcast from the boat with headphones in.  This guy ate while I was listening in one morning last summer.

 

 

 

Bottom bouncing jigs I take it?:

 

LOL ~ Not exactly.

More like blue water trolling & bottom fishing.

I'd post a few pics but the legal department mentioned the term self-incrimination.

Not sure what the statue of limitations on something like that is ???

We were young.

Nice bass btw

A-Jay

 

 

[Fishin Dad]

52 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Technically that could be a sickness.  I often refer to it as Buck Fever that time of year.

Haha.  I agree.  Having accrued all that sick time, they don’t ever even question when I take time off.   There are employees that abuse the heck out of it and it is annoying as heck.  Like one day per week.  It is unbelievable.  
Sitting in a tree stand with my bow hanging nearby, if that isn’t medicine, I don’t know what is!?!?

[bowhunter63]

In a Union I get 8 days a year without getting in trouble. Number 9 your done. So I am always pushing 6 or 7 

[Functional]

If the weather looks good in the spring or fall I'll give my boss a heads up I may not come in if it holds and make the call the morning of. I'll Make sure any meetings are moved or just have them via teams from the boat if I have to. 

 

Back in ny when I knew I was leaving my job and the stripers were running up the Hudson I called in sick a lot. We'd hike to a secluded spot next to the Hudson, setup a makeshift campfire and grill on it and make some makeshift chairs and spend the night fishing for them. Worth every single sick day. 

 

 

The one benefit of having significant health issues and risks is knowing what's more important and taking the time that's more valuable to your life. Same tone you gotta do it in a way you don't lose your job ?, or find a job that gives that flexability. 

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings and Happy Friday All,

 

Tempted, always.

 

As an engineer, I aspire to escape document purgatory when it is practical and possible. I do what I can to limit carry over leave too. When I'm on leave I want to be goofing off. As long as all the responsibilities as a Dad are managed, I'll goof-off by going fishing. As our young adults blossom I've managed to have more goof-off time.

 

Yes, I have arranged days off just to go fishing. Out here there is a significant difference in the angling experience being out on the water during a traditional workday. Aaah, so nice not having all the detracting aspects that are there during the precious weekends or Holidays. Heck, based on the catch quality and quantity the fish are more agreeable too on those quiet days. Special moments for sure.

 

For those taking care of business, we salute you all for doing what needs doing. It is permissible to make quality time to help with that work / life balance. Gosh I hope to change my balance in the near future by reaching that retirement transition. So ready to abandon the work portion! Be well and Cheers!

[NYWayfarer]

No. Since Covid my company has had a hybrid work from home schedule. It has done wonders for my fishing time. I can go before work and at lunch.

[BrianMDTX]

I wish. I’ve done conference calls working a Texas rig. On my day off. 

[N Florida Mike]

I sometimes fish between work stops because I’m commission only with my full time job . I don’t do it much in the summer or when we’re real busy. A big Part of living on a lake is paying for it. So I work 6 days a week.  Not complaining- I love working. My other  job is security at my church and I can fish the ponds there esp. early saturday morning. The chief doesn’t mind. He rather Id be outside than sitting inside in the AC anyway… and I can watch  the property because the the 3 ponds are in different parts of the 150 acres…

I have played hooky a few times to fish but not in a long time now…

[detroit1]

No. Always used vacation days . Also, no chance i (or any of the employees) could work from home. I turned 66 earlier this month and kinda planned on retiring the middle of Jan. next year. Not so fast mister. Now, i'm not so sure, i've worked for 50 yrs. (42 @ current place) and i  am so used to it, i don't know if i can quit cold - turkey. I may see if i could just work 2 days a week, and 1 would be monday. (no need to go fishing after the lake gets torn up on the weekend)

[slonezp]

No. I feel a certain responsibility to the organization that allows me to put food on my table. I have also worked in an industry, for almost 30 years, that is somewhat critical. All of my time off is planned. 

I currently work for a 3rd generation family owned business. I have been here a little over 5 years. The only days I have missed were planned or when mom was sick and when she passed. When you have a boss that says "Go be with your family" sometimes once or twice a month or more when mom was hit or miss, and when she passed, he said "Take as much time off as you need."

When you have a boss that, at a retirement party for someone with 42 years at the company, tells you how great it made him feel that he played a role in the retiree having the ability to raise his family and put his kids thru college.

When you have a boss that leaves you the F alone. <<<---Very important, at least for me.

I have no problem bailing if I feel I was disrespected. I've done it more than once. You hired me to do a job. let me do it. If I can't do it, shitcan me. I'm left alone to do what I want and how I want as long as I'm making money. I get whatever I ask for to run the store with no questions asked. Might see the boss in person maybe 3 times a year, if that. 

I'm not going to screw him.

 

I have 3 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of PTO annually. I can roll over all the PTO and 1 week of vacation OR, I can cash out all my unused time at any point in time. I can call accounting on Monday and ask to cash out all my unused Vaca and/or PTO and have it in my account on Friday.

[Darth-Baiter]

Today was brutal. I should have gone to work.

[BFS-Angler75]

Yes occasionally. The office culture at my job isn't the greatest, so mental health days are good to take.