How many days did you fish in 2023

[gim]

4 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Still fishing - just checked the log. I’ve recorded 178 trips so far, maybe a couple blanks on the year which I didn’t log, so call it 180. Of those, 158 trips produced bass, 39 produced crappie. Obviously some days I catch or fish for both.

Those Indiana HOA pond bass must be living the dream now that you're done harassing them nearly every single day.

 

[casts_by_fly]

This year has the longest span between first and last trips.  I wet a line in every month except January.  My first trip was Feb 20th (we didn't really have ice last winter) and I was out in the boat December 9th.  Funnily enough, the water was warmer in Feb than it was 2 weeks ago by a couple degrees.  If the lakes stay liquid, I'll hit all 12 months in 2024 and start looking for early season smallies in Jan.

 

That said, I definitely had fewer trips in 2023 than 2022.  Family health issues in July-Sept knocked a lot of time out.  A 3-week holiday in May shot my spring a bit too.  I'm going to say I got out 25-30 times throughout the year, mostly 4-6 hour evening trips.  I had very few early morning trips this year and I'm struggling to think of some saturday morning or all day trips like I'd have taken in the past.  In 2022 I got out 2-3 trips a week from march to September.  I was about half that on average in 2023.  Next year should get better.

[gim]

I went 33 times between late April and mid October.

Ranged 2.5 to 5.5 hours per outing.

I try to go about once or twice per week so I can spread my season out over the course of 6 months rather than taking one or two week-long trips.  I have some flexibility when I can go that favor my preferred conditions, but not always.

 

I only fish from a boat.

 

For comparison, I went 31 times in 2022 and 32 times in 2021.  So really not that far off in 2023.

 

I feel fortunate to be able to fish as much as I do given that I'm a full time working guy with a family, house, and dog.  My wife is very tolerant of the things I enjoy doing in life.

[Zcoker]

Gee, that's a hard one. Can't believe that some actually count their fishing days but to each their own. I fish not only freshwater but saltwater as well, all over the state of Florida, in fact. So if I'm not out in the everglades going after bass, I'm on a secluded beach somewhere working a pencil popper for sharks or yaking baits out for the bigger fish or even in the Keys sharkin off the bridges all night. I reckon at least 2-3 days a week devoted to freshwater or saltwater, depending, of course, on my work load or what's running. I have to balance everything: work, family, saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing...busy busy busy but, hey, a busy life is a dizzy life! lol I'd say more of a percentage deal for me, like maybe 50-60% of 2023 was devoted to fishing in some form or another. The rest is, well, the rest is general life events. Now if you count researching and shopping for tackle, rigging up shark poppers, spooling up the big reels with over 2000 yards of line, crimping up leaders, then there's plenty more days to add to it! 

[gim]

6 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Can't believe that some actually count their fishing days

Why is it so difficult to believe that some people write down the number of days they go fishing?

 

I keep the date and location in a spreadsheet.  It takes 30 seconds to populate after each outing which means I spent a whopping 16.5 minutes recording it this entire year.  Gee, that's sure a time consuming process, isn't it. 

 

That way I can look back at it when the season is over and compare it to previous years.

 

I can assure you some people keep very detailed logs of their fishing season.  Much more detailed than what I do.

[Swamp Girl]

16 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Why is it so difficult to believe that some people write down the number of days they go fishing?

 

Agreed. 

 

I fished in 2023 from about mid-April to mid-October, typically from an hour before sunrise to about 9:30 a.m. In the evening, I'd usually launch around five and fish until a little after the Sun set. Evening fishing is problematic for me because coastal evenings aren't like continental evenings, where the wind dies. Windy fishing means more paddling and less fishing. 

 

I usually fished two mornings each week and one evening. So, that's six months, 3 times a week, and 12 times a month.

 

6 x 12 = 72 times

 

Like others, I wish I'd fished more.

 

6 hours ago, king fisher said:

I bass fished 12 days in 2023 and haven't cast to a bass since June.

 

And yet you caught the biggest bass I saw posted at BR in 2023. I'd love to see what you could catch if you fished more!

[MIbassyaker]

I keep track of everything because I am obsessed with data and can't help it. I concede, it is not for everyone. If I don't record durations, catches, sizes and such, it haunts me constantly afterward that I don't know what they were.

 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Not often enough🥺

Tim

 

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!

[A-Jay]

My Brown Bass fishing efforts & adventures are routinely concentrated early and later in the open water season here.  Mid-summer I'll make some sporadic trips, many of which I find myself in the Old Town Canoe on smaller water.  2023 will easily be remembered as "intense"; both on & off the water. 

I might have floated somewhere around 50 times. 

Which often averages out as 2 to 3 workouts per fishing trip. 

Probably will again this year too. 

Hard water season already feels too long.

That's a bad sign - it really is.

A-Jay

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

9 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

I keep track of everything because I am obsessed with data and can't help it. I concede, it is not for everyone. If I don't record durations, catches, sizes and such, it haunts me constantly afterward that I don't know what they were.

 

I aspire to keep better track in 2024. I want to weigh ALL of my bigger bass and keep a running tally. 

[softwateronly]

30 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Why is it so difficult to believe that some people write down the number of days they go fishing?

 

I keep the date and location in a spreadsheet.  It takes 30 seconds to populate after each outing which means I spent a whopping 16.5 minutes recording it this entire year.  Gee, that's sure a time consuming process, isn't it. 

 

That way I can look back at it when the season is over and compare it to previous years.

 

I can assure you some people keep very detailed logs of their fishing season.  Much more detailed that what I do.

I'm with @Zcoker.  It can be absolutely impossible to understand for some of us.  No judgement, just can't fathom it.  

 

scott

[gim]

7 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

No judgement

Too late for that.  Clearly judgement was already made.

 

If you don't want to keep track, don't.  Move along with your life.

 

I can't fathom why people buy so much tackle either.  But I'm not going to judge them for it.

[Zcoker]

49 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Why is it so difficult to believe that some people write down the number of days they go fishing?

 

 

Like I said, to each their own. I live in Florida the fishing capital of the world and I haven’t heard much of anyone doing it, or at least with the guys I know. Probably more prevalent in freshwater fishing up north? But, hey, nothing against it! If it makes you a better fisherman, then more power to ya!

[softwateronly]

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Too late for that.  Clearly judgement was already made.

 

If you don't want to keep track, don't.  Move along with your life.

 

I can't fathom why people buy so much tackle either.  But I'm not going to judge them for it.

I disagree, and that's fine.  Let's catch some fish.

 

scott

[Woody B]

I work too much.  I was thinking a couple weeks ago when I had Covid.......in 2023 so far there's been 8 days that I didn't either work or fish.  On a few occasions I worked and fished on the same day but not much.   

 

Days I didn't work or fish.  1.  July 4.  I was scheduled to work, but ended up getting the day off.  I was TIRED so I stayed home.  2.3.4.- When Mrs B had a heart attack.  I worked 1/2 day on the day I took her to the Emergency Room, but didn't work or fish for the next 3 days.   5.6.7.-  When I had Covid.   I considered going to a local lake the last day I was out of work but decided not to push it.  8. Day before yesterday.   It was 40's windy and raining.  I won't be able to go this weekend due to family stuff.   If all goes well I'll be back on the lake Jan 30 and 31.  That will bring my total didn't work, didn't fish days in 2023 to 11.   (8 already, then this Sat-Sun-Mon)

 

Edit/Added: Between working and fishing it's hard for me to find time to get a hair cut.  LOL

[T-Billy]

Around 100.

[ne_dan]

2 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Like I said, to each their own. I live in Florida the fishing capital of the world and I haven’t heard much of anyone doing it, or at least with the guys I know. Probably more prevalent in freshwater fishing up north? But, hey, nothing against it! If it makes you a better fisherman, then more power to ya!

We do it for surf fishing up in the Northeast.  That’s when I started recording everything and I carried it over to freshwater.  For surf fishing I usually record tides, air pressure, weather, location, successful lures, time of day and fish.  Freshwater record air pressure, water temp, lures, flow rate for rivers, weather, location, time of day and fish.

 

I keep a notebook in my glove box, it takes maybe a minute to write it down.  It is really helpful to look back and see what the conditions were like when you were on a good pattern and helps you pinpoint when it might happen again.

 

[The Bassman]

4 hours ago, gimruis said:

Those Indiana HOA pond bass must be living the dream now that you're done harassing them nearly every single day.

 

They're still dealing with me, just on another side of town. I'm still catching in Dec. Looking at 50* temps over Christmas. I don't keep a log but probably  somewhere in that 150+ outings range.

[928JLH]

Not enough.  Had to move out away from my wife. NEVER let a family member with fentanyl and meth addiction move in with you.

[RB 77]

Every year in the new years fishing resolutions thread I always answer the same thing; go fishing more! This year was not the case. I did have my personal best Tuna fishing trip and perhaps my best Jerkbait fishing bite I have ever had states side. I have exactly TWO hunts under my belt so far. So once again, next year I hope to have more days in the boat and the blind! 

[Log Catcher]

I had to fish a lot less than in years past. I got to go around 20 times this year. Most trips were 4 to 6 hours. Unexpected obligations kept me from going but these are winding down so maybe next year will be better.

[Bankbeater]

I racked up 49 trips for bass and 1 trip for panfish for a total of 50 trips.  Some weeks I went 2 or 3 times, other weeks I didn't didn't get out at all.

[haggard]

The downside: Got out only 8 times this year (2 ice, 5 fresh, 1 salt). One smallie, 1 largemouth.

The upside: Never had a bad day on the water

 

Next year: Better.

 

[Bird]

Never kept track but I'm still fishing so far.

Probably averaged 3 days per week in 2023.

Hopefully much the same in 2024.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I'd say over 250 days, or on average 5 days a week.   Sometimes as little as an 1hr, other times 5-6hrs.    I'm 16 months deep into trying to fulfill a lifelong goal so most of my free time is spent pursuing this goal which involves Bass fishing.    I don't know how much I'd fish if/when I realize my goal, but I'm sure it won't be nearly as much as now.   

 

I have the advantage of living about 30 secs from my home lake.  

 

The more days I go out on the water, the less I know about predicting when the fish will be biting.    To this point sometimes I'll be lazy and go out without a GoPro, and on one occasion without a cam this past year because I "know" the fish aren't biting and I just want to try out a new bait or something.   Sure enough I'll catch a toad or catch a ton of fish until I lose the only bait I brought.  

 

This is my driving motivator for trying to just fish every day I can, the fact is I don't have a clue why they chew some days, and other days they don't.    Every day is a new pattern outside of late summer for me.  

 

ETA:  1/250+ days were spent targeting non-Bass.......and ended up only catching Spots and a 10.5lb Channel Cat while Crappie fishing with minnows lol.    I can't make myself not fish for Bass if they're in the lake I'm fishing.   As a kid I could, but not as an adult.  Hopefully one day I'll stop being so obsessed with my Bass goals.