A bad day of fishing is better... 2024
Eric J reply :
...than a good day of work and I am living proof!
It's my birthday and I'm off. I got out twice today, once in the am and then late afternoon on two local lakes. Nothing was hitting on ANYTHING except of course the lunker that stripped a spinner bait right off my line HA! In fact I lost four lures... FOUR! Fact is nobody, in a boat, on a kayake or on shore was hitting on anything... Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant...
But... I met some great people out today, A semi pro with whom I got into some great talk about fishing and some other folk.
Able to practice casting and finessing with my new rod.
Spent a day in the sun away from all of life's headaches.
Yup, a bad day of fishing but what a good day it was...
Eric J
YaknBassn reply :
Work sucks ????
ww2farmer reply :
Grumpy old man time................................I hate these lame sayings.
A bad day of fishing sucks. If I had known before hand the fishing was going to suck that day, I'd have chosen to work overtime, or go to the gun range. But you never know until it's done and over with.
I also loathe the "at least it's a nice day" crowd. A brilliant, sun drenched , warm, and windless day is misery if the fish are not biting.
Eric J reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 8:42 AM, ww2farmer said:Grumpy old man time................................I hate these lame sayings.
A bad day of fishing sucks. If I had known before hand the fishing was going to suck that day, I'd have chosen to work overtime, or go to the gun range. But you never know until it's done and over with.
I also loathe the "at least it's a nice day" crowd. A brilliant, sun drenched , warm, and windless day is misery if the fish are not biting.
HA! You and I need to grab a whiskey sometime. You can keep the overtime. I live for the outdoors. If I didn't have a rod in my hand I'd be on a bike, shooting a bow, swimming the surf or up in the mountains... So I'm cool with the day... 
haggard reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 8:42 AM, ww2farmer said:A bad day of fishing sucks.
Been skunked a time or few but never had a bad day of fishing.
Annoying, yes.
Bad, no.
MassYak85 reply :
I agree with the saying. Sure, sometimes it is used as an excuse but I honestly enjoy every minute on the water, fish or no fish. I enjoy the grind. I have gone sun up to sun down with no fish before and left having enjoyed the day. Like @Eric J said I just like being outdoors. I'm as happy getting skunked after a 14 hour day as I would be going for a hike. That being said when I go fishing I go with the mindset of catching fish or bettering myself as a fisherman. Some days when the bite is tough I admittedly will give up for an hour or two on actually fishing to try and learn more about the fishery. It's amazing what you can learn just going around and noticing where weedlines are, where rocks and stumps are, where the actual bottom deviates from the lake maps.
ww2farmer reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 8:53 AM, Eric J said:HA! You and I need to grab a whiskey sometime.
Now your talking language I understand.
But seriously tho....the way I am wired, unproductive days on the water (or in any venture) don't sit well with me. I understand some people just like the exp. of being out there.
I want to be a better bass fisherman at the age of 50 than I was at the age of 30, so I take each and every outing (bad or good) as classroom time. The frustration and angst of the bad days has led me to be the angler I am today. I truly love bass fishing, and I am not happy unless I am the best at what I do....within certain limitations. I get very angry at myself when I perform poorly in a tournament, I get very angry at myself when I am out fished BY ANYONE even in a recreational setting. It's a terrible personality flaw to have. I compensate for it by being very generous with the exp. and knowledge I have learned over 30 years on my home lake , often times bending over backwards to put people on fish, or helping them catch more and bigger fish out of my said home lake.
I don't come off as endearing, or nice, or... insert adjective here...., on the internet. Sarcasm, or smart-alecness doesn't translate well from my finger tips to the keyboard, But ask the dozen or so bass resource members who have met in person, on the water, or have spent time with me in the boat, and the painted picture looks very much different.
That's a long winded, and somewhat introspective way of saying...........I was busting your stones, but I am also not of the same mind set when it comes to poor outings on the water.
soflabasser reply :
A bad day of fishing is better than a day at home reading about fishing on the internet.
riverbasser reply :
Then only thing that doesn't set well with me is losing a big bite. Ruins my day no matter how well it was. Other than that I agree a day on the water beats most any other day
Boomstick reply :
I would not qualify that as a bad day of fishing, that's just getting skunked. A bad day of fishing is like you lost ten lures, dropped your favorite rod in the water and never got it back and a muskellunge bit your hand.
Eric J reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 11:59 AM, riverbasser said:Then only thing that doesn't set well with me is losing a big bite. Ruins my day no matter how well it was. Other than that I agree a day on the water beats most any other day
I can deal with losing that bite as long as it's not caused by something careless like a badly tied knot.
I once lost a rod while crappie fishing of all things. We were trolling and I didn't make sure the rod was set right in the sleeve. Just did not get there in time
:(. That absolutely sucked!
Oregon Native reply :
Interesting how we are all wired so differently and how we approach fishing. After almost being flower food a few years back I know appreciate every day out on the water. I too love to win tourneys but know it's not possible to win them all and am going to have those off days which make even the good days even better. I too like to go around and learn spots or graph. Using an aqua view is amazing but time consuming to the tenth power but oh so cool.
Anyway...tight lines all
TOXIC reply :
It's all about perspective. First and foremost, there is no such thing as a bad day fishing. ???? There are good days, better days and exceptional days.....but no bad days. Put that in your head and run with it. ????
TnRiver46 reply :
One time I dropped the “A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work” in a casual conversation. The reply I received was “people that say that ain’t never had their boat sink.” Food for thought.
BCline reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 9:23 AM, haggard said:Been skunked a time or few but never had a bad day of fishing.
Annoying, yes.
Bad, no.
I totally agree. I have been skunked, sunburned, lost, had tackle lost or destroyed and have even sunk a boat, but have NEVER had a bad day fishing.
jbmaine reply :
I'm also of the school of there is never a bad day of fishing. My wife and I were out yesterday and caught fish ( a bonus ). But we also saw loons, an eagle, a massive snapping turtle, A pair of LM on a bed doing their " lets get busy" thing ( It was so cool to watch, would never try to catch them). Got a lot of fresh air, saw nature at it's best. Had a great day. What's not to like?
Ratherbfishing reply :
On 5/15/2018 at 8:42 AM, ww2farmer said:A brilliant, sun drenched , warm, and windless day is misery if the fish are not biting.
For me it isn't misery but it's close. It still beats a hot, steamy (or cold and windy) day when the fish aren't biting. Last August I took my bro-in-law out fishing on my favorite lake. He had to buy an out of state license. But, of course, it was blue sky weather, a light comfy breeze, and 70 degrees with almost no humidity and he/we caught almost nothing. Oh! The agony of it!
N Florida Mike reply :
I actually would choose a good day at work over a " bad " day fishing. Otherwise, there's less money for the wife , family , and bait monkey. And "bad" is all about perspective. People starving somewhere is bad. When I fish and don't catch much it's just less good.
FishDewd reply :
A bad day of fishing beats not fishing at all!
Russ E reply :
only bad days I have had is if the boat does not work. if I am able to fish it is a good day.
Armtx77 reply :
I can always find something good about a bad day fishing or catching a wet butt while hunting and getting skunked.
Being in the outdoors, being part of nature, getting up at zerodarkthirty and having most of the world to yourself. That is why I fish, why I hunt.
We watch the weather. Buy the gear. Practice. Research. Have wives that hint at us and than flat out tells us we are spending too much money and too much time, fishing/hunting/etc.
I could never be a pro or a guide and I have the utmost respect for both of them. How you guys grind it out like you do is beyond me. I fish to relax and to beat mother nature every once in awhile. What do you do when you are not fishing?
Eric J reply :
On 5/16/2018 at 10:26 AM, Armtx77 said:I can always find something good about a bad day fishing or catching a wet butt while hunting and getting skunked.
Being in the outdoors, being part of nature, getting up at zerodarkthirty and having most of the world to yourself. That is why I fish, why I hunt.
We watch the weather. Buy the gear. Practice. Research. Have wives that hint at us and than flat out tells us we are spending too much money and too much time, fishing/hunting/etc.
I could never be a pro or a guide and I have the utmost respect for both of them. How you guys grind it out like you do is beyond me. I fish to relax and to beat mother nature every once in awhile. What do you do when you are not fishing?
I'm an Endurance athlete; Bike racing, triathlon, swimming. If I'm not on a bike or running mountains, I'm at the beach in the surf. At the age of 58 and a couple surgeries and a near death car hit while training for a race I don't train to race any longer. I just enjoy the riding, running, hiking for the joy of it. Leaving the competitive race scene gave me a chance to reignite my intense love of fishing. This is my first season back and I am LOVING it!
I also play tabletop wargames, some historical while others are Fantasy/Sci Fi... I'll sleep when I'm dead...
Eric J
geo g reply :
I fish almost everyday, either from the boat or the bank, and have for over 40 years. It is total relaxation mentally for me. No matter how bad a day I'm having, as soon as I make that first cast all the problems go away. It doesn't matter how many I catch, what size they are, or even if I only catch a few, I am relaxed, and at peace. I put some ear buds in, good music, and just focus on that line and the water. The only time the excitement starts is when I set the hook and it feels like a moving cider block. I love every minute with a rod and reel in my hand. The only thing that makes me upset is if the reel, rod, or line are not functioning properly!
Armtx77 reply :
On 5/16/2018 at 10:35 AM, Eric J said:I'm an Endurance athlete; Bike racing, triathlon, swimming. If I'm not on a bike or running mountains, I'm at the beach in the surf. At the age of 58 and a couple surgeries and a near death car hit while training for a race I don't train to race any longer. I just enjoy the riding, running, hiking for the joy of it. Leaving the competitive race scene gave me a chance to reignite my intense love of fishing. This is my first season back and I am LOVING it!
I also play tabletop wargames, some historical while others are Fantasy/Sci Fi... I'll sleep when I'm dead...
Eric J
Good on you Eric. 58 years old and running up mountains.????
I went to the McKinley Range 3 years ago to hunt ram and it about killed me at 38 years old and I drop 24 min 3 mile runs, 3-4 times a week...the altitude is hard to prepare for at sea level
Troy85 reply :
On 5/16/2018 at 11:37 PM, Armtx77 said:Good on you Eric. 58 years old and running up mountains.????
I went to the McKinley Range 3 years ago to hunt ram and it about killed me at 38 years old and I drop 24 min 3 mile runs, 3-4 times a week...the altitude is hard to prepare for at sea level
HA! Feel your pain, was up in Rocky Mtn National park this past summer hiking. That thin air is tough to deal with when you spend most of your life at or below sea level!
Bluebasser86 reply :
On a good night, I like my job, so I can't really get behind the saying because making money doing something you don't mind doing is pretty nice and I've had some awful days on the water that were worse than some of my really bad days at work.
shovelmouth83 reply :
i think it is only a bad day if you end the trip at the hospital... any time on the water is a great day.
lo n slo reply :
me and my friend decided to skip the gym and hit the lake this morning. i keep a 14’ jon boat at a small lake near the house. despite the threat of certain rain, the radar was clear at 6:30 and we were casting at 7:30. almost immediately it began a light rain. continued raining on and off for the next hour or so. we were hanging them and it was a nice break from the hot May sun. then i saw “it”, a gray wall of torrential, tropical rain about two hundred yards away and headed towards us. it was too late, no escape, neither covered boat slips, nor bridges, just the open sky. a run back to the dock would have been useless. so we fished on, laughing, cussing, and catching fish. i hollered a couple times as the water ran down the back of my shorts. my Skechers were swamped. it rained hard. after the great flood we fished on. thank you God for good friends, good fishing, and auto bilge....and for no lightning ????
N Florida Mike reply :
On 5/18/2018 at 7:50 AM, lo n slo said:me and my friend decided to skip the gym and hit the lake this morning. i keep a 14’ jon boat at a small lake near the house. despite the threat of certain rain, the radar was clear at 6:30 and we were casting at 7:30. almost immediately it began a light rain. continued raining on and off for the next hour or so. we were hanging them and it was a nice break from the hot May sun. then i saw “it”, a gray wall of torrential, tropical rain about two hundred yards away and headed towards us. it was too late, no escape, neither covered boat slips, nor bridges, just the open sky. a run back to the dock would have been useless. so we fished on, laughing, cussing, and catching fish. i hollered a couple times as the water ran down the back of my shorts. my Skechers were swamped. it rained hard. after the great flood we fished on. thank you God for good friends, good fishing, and auto bilge....and for no lightning ????
Been there, done that.
iiTzChunky reply :
I will take a bad day on the water getting skunked over my best days at work every single time. My new job really put a halt on my fishing. But now my son's out of school so my rod and backpack are riding shotgun for the next 3 months and ima put some hours in on that reel.
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