How often do you fish? 2024
beginningfisherman reply :
On average, how many times a month does everyone here go fishing? Do you do it all on the same lake or mix it up a lot?
Just curious to see how much everyone gets out.
LadiMopar reply :
On average,once the ice is out here in Frozen Yankee land, I can usually get out between 6-10 times in a month. If all the stars are aligned perfectly then that might jump to 12-15, but that is rare.
Have a few steady waters I like to hit, especially if time is limited, but every season I try to get out on at least 2-3 new ones. Winter is my time to do reconnaissance for new water, study the bathymetry maps (if available) and read any info available, then as we get closer to ice out to do the visual recon.
Hawkeye21 reply :
Being in Iowa I take a big break during the winter but will still get out about once a month to go trout fishing. The trout streams do not freeze over so I can get my fix in by doing that. Just yesterday I fished below a dam because there was open water. I didn't get a bite but it was nice to get out.
During the warm season I try to get out once a week and fish multiple locations. I fish online kayak tourneys so I try to find places where there are big bass.
the reel ess reply :
I try to make it about 4X a month, but it turns into about 2 due to volleyball tourney's and whatever else life throws at me. I've been in a funk since my dad died last spring and it seems a little less important than it used to. Besides that I was really on a roll catching quality size fish for a few years, but I didn't catch any big ones last year. My last really good fish was 2 Novembers ago and it was a new PB. At least I got to show my dad that pic. Got skunked yesterday after a week of 60-70 degree days. My first skunk in more than a year, even in COLD water. Not a single bite in a pond.
Troy85 reply :
I go just about every Saturday. In the summer when the days get longer I go about twice a week , I'll go Saturday and usually go out about once during the week after work.
beginningfisherman reply :
On 2/19/2018 at 10:59 PM, Hawkeye21 said:Being in Iowa I take a big break during the winter but will still get out about once a month to go trout fishing. The trout streams do not freeze over so I can get my fix in by doing that. Just yesterday I fished below a dam because there was open water. I didn't get a bite but it was nice to get out.
During the warm season I try to get out once a week and fish multiple locations. I fish online kayak tourneys so I try to find places where there are big bass.
I’m also from Iowa and I took up trout fishing a couple years ago as well. I live a few hours from the trout streams, but it’s a good time when I can make it up there!
What are your favorite Iowa lakes? I live by lake macbride so I’m there more than anywhere else but I haven’t had a lot of luck catching big bass. I’m always looking to try someplace new.
Hawkeye21 reply :
On 2/19/2018 at 11:30 PM, beginningfisherman said:I’m also from Iowa and I took up trout fishing a couple years ago as well. I live a few hours from the trout streams, but it’s a good time when I can make it up there!
What are your favorite Iowa lakes? I live by lake macbride so I’m there more than anywhere else but I haven’t had a lot of luck catching big bass. I’m always looking to try someplace new.
I'm a little over an hour north of MacBride. Most of the big lakes are well over an hour away from me so I don't get to them. I fish Lake Delhi, a local sportsman's pond and the Mississippi River by Dubuque and Guttenberg mostly.
I did make a trip to Lost Grove last year and plan to again this year. I also want to make a trip to Belva Deer and Brushy Creek at some point but they're both over 2 hours away from me. I'm thinking about fishing the KBF Open tourney in LaCrosse this summer. I may also fish the IKA tourney at MacBride in August too.
I have multiple trout streams all within 20 miles of me so it's easy for me to go anytime.
geo g reply :
I fish at least 25 days a month. I am surrounded by man made lakes that are loaded with bass and peas. I fish 5 days a week from the bank and one or two days from the boat. To me it is a form of relaxation.
beginningfisherman reply :
On 2/19/2018 at 11:34 PM, Hawkeye21 said:I'm a little over an hour north of MacBride. Most of the big lakes are well over an hour away from me so I don't get to them. I fish Lake Delhi, a local sportsman's pond and the Mississippi River by Dubuque and Guttenberg mostly.
I did make a trip to Lost Grove last year and plan to again this year. I also want to make a trip to Belva Deer and Brushy Creek at some point but they're both over 2 hours away from me. I'm thinking about fishing the KBF Open tourney in LaCrosse this summer. I may also fish the IKA tourney at MacBride in August too.
I have multiple trout streams all within 20 miles of me so it's easy for me to go anytime.
I haven’t had a lot of luck with bass on lost grove but the crappie in the spring have been good. Belva Deer hasn’t been spectacular for me either, but I’m not the worlds greatest angler by any stretch of the imagination. I hope to make it to brushy creek for a weekend this spring or summer because I’ve heard good things about it.
On 2/19/2018 at 11:37 PM, geo g said:I fish at least 25 days a month. I am surrounded by man made lakes that are loaded with bass and peas. I fish 5 days a week from the bank and one or two days from the boat. To me it is a form of relaxation.
Wow! It sounds like you’re living the dream! I saw from the member map that you are from the Miami area. Is there a lot of fishing pressure since you live in that heavily populated of an area or do not many people fish?
ohboyitsrobby reply :
Don't go a lot in December and January. Maybe 3-4 times a month. For the other 10 months I get out quite a bit, probably 15-20 times a month. I live real close to quite a few lakes and have a small river that runs thru my back yard so if I wanted to go every day for a little bit it'd be real easy.
crankbait2009 reply :
Once the water temps and outside temps rise, I usually get out every Saturday morning to early afternoon, and sometimes on Sunday. I'd go out a lot more, but I feel bad for my doggos. I don't like leaving them in the house all week long while I'm at work. So I try to hang out with them as much as I can on weekends.
Fishin Dad reply :
I don't work in the summer (teacher), so I do get to fish 15-16 times per month. I also have two girls who I love to spend time with. This limits my desire to fish even more. I started fishing some local tournaments, this motivates me to fish more lakes, pre-fishing for those tourneys.
Catt reply :
Not often enough! ????
All Day Fishing reply :
Once it warms up I will go on weekdays multiple times, especially once we gain daylight hours once we reset clocks in March. usually through winter 3-5 times a month. I have only been fishing for SM/LM bass lately, I need to do more river fishing for trout in the winter, probably going to catch much more than Bass haha!
A-Jay reply :
As soon as there's open water (usually 1st week in April or so) and until the hard water season (usually the last week in November), my mission is to go every day. However, I can't realistically pull that off.
So between un-fish-able weather and life events, I'm often on the water 2 or 3 days a week.
But when the weathers stable & bites on - it's quite a bit more.
Mid-summer calls for night ops which is actually a lot easier for me to pull off.
As for waters fished, I'm in an area with a ton; most pretty close.
So I rotate through them depending on the weather & wind direction - seems to make a difference.
A-Jay
Bankbeater reply :
After the ice melts I can get out about 3 or 4 times a month. If I can get away from work I can up that number to 5 or 6.
senile1 reply :
On 2/20/2018 at 1:29 AM, Catt said:Not often enough! ????
Ain't that the truth! Work and family obligations can really cut into fishing time. Retirement isn't that far off, however, and the paradigm will shift.
BCline reply :
Every day Monday - Friday for an hour during my lunch break and once in a while on the weekends.
soflabasser reply :
On average I fish 4-8 times a month, mostly on weekends. I am a multi species fisherman, and fish many types of fish, not just bass.
th365thli reply :
I work a 9-5 so im limited to weekends. I try to go at least once a week. My job is close to a lake and in the warmer months where the sun doesn't set until 7 or 8 I'll go after work and fish from the bank.
CroakHunter reply :
I'll go from the bank a few times a month, off the boat maybe once a month. 60+ hrs a week on nights plus 2 kids and a wide that think I hung the moon keep me from going too awfully much. In the summer I'll go for an he or so when it's still dark when I get off work to a small retention pond.
Catt reply :
On 2/20/2018 at 2:58 AM, senile1 said:Ain't that the truth! Work and family obligations can really cut into fishing time. Retirement isn't that far off, however, and the paradigm will shift.
LOL!
I am retired & fish less than before I retired ????
I do still manage 3-4 times a week but only because 50 steps out my front door is a bayou
That just keeps my trigger finger greased!
long island basser reply :
Spring, summer, fall, 3 to 6 times per month.
Winter, at best once per month.
Steveo-1969 reply :
I fish the same local river every time I go fishing, though where I fish on the river will change.
March - November I fish about once a week, either Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes I can get out on both days. December - February it really depends on the weather and the water temp. Last fish I caught was December 24th and I've only been fishing twice since then.
Way north bass guy reply :
I’m fishing 24/7 ( in my head) ????.
I’d say I’m similar to what A-Jay said for season length but not as many times a week due to that terrible four letter word - work!
I do get out several times a month in winter for an ice fish, but lately I’ve been more lazy when it comes to drilling holes and freezing my butt off.
If I never saw snow again, that’d be ok with me.
IndianaFinesse reply :
About 20 days a month, depending on circumstances of course.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 2/20/2018 at 1:35 AM, A-Jay said:As soon as there's open water (usually 1st week in April or so) and until the hard water season (usually the last week in November), my mission is to go every day. However, I can't realistically pull that off.
So between un-fish-able weather and life events, I'm often on the water 2 or 3 days a week.
But when the weathers stable & bites on - it's quite a bit more.
Mid-summer calls for night ops which is actually a lot easier for me to pull off.
As for waters fished, I'm in an area with a ton; most pretty close.
So I rotate through them depending on the weather & wind direction - seems to make a difference.
A-Jay
I noticed when I went to Michigan I stepped in water every 10 steps. I bet the umbrella salesmen make a killing!
FishDewd reply :
Weather and work permitting, 1-2 days a week ideally. I actually went fishing today. Skunked, but had fun! Today was good temperature wise, but the wind absolutely killed me. I have trouble fishing in wind, I can't detect bites or control my lures nearly as well. On the bright side, it was my first time fishing my new ML Carbonite rod! It performed flawlessly. On the downside, I lost my brand new red eye lipless crank that I just bought the same day I bought the rod lol. I am starting to really dislike crank baits, I always lose them. For some reason, it is a pond requirement here to have arbitrary random cement blocks/slabs in the middle of the water in what is otherwise a perfectly snag-free area. 
JoshFromBolo reply :
The winter months about once or twice if that and every other month about 4-7 times.
DogBone_384 reply :
On 2/19/2018 at 10:50 PM, LadiMopar said:Frozen Yankee land
Yankee Land !?!?!?!?! in Red Sox Nation !!!!!! Oh the HORROR!
I try to get out once or twice a week. More when my second job is slow.
We've had warm winter here and south Plymouth / Cape Cod have open water. I've been doing very well catching smallies so far this year.....
ww2farmer reply :
Every Thursday from mid April to early Nov. Usually all day, I am off on Thursday's during fishing "season"
Usually at least once a weekend, sometimes both days if I don't have to work Sat Am, or have any family plans.
And probably 2 evenings a week after work. I usually work two long days during the week (usually Weds. and Friday) to make up the hours I lost by having Thursdays off. If I don't work long on those two days, I might fish every night after work, and make up my hours on Sat., fish after work , and then fish all day Sunday.
The after work trips are all on Silver, and usually the weekend trips are too. Thursday's I like to go to Conesus, but will stay right on Silver if it's not been slow.
Darren. reply :
Bottom line for me... not enough time on the water.
As my boys have aged, life has been more complicated.
Three of four are driving, one uses my truck which is my
kayak transport.... Life.
I plan on getting time as the weather warms, though.
I'll be forcing some time, LOL.
Fish the Mitt reply :
Beings Michigan is top 3 in the contiguous US in named lakes (and probably top 1 or 2 if we count unnamed lakes or lakes bigger than 25 acres); and the fact that in Michigan you're never more than 6 miles from a lake, the possibilities are truly endless. It's often the biggest struggle of fishing for me - determining where to go.
As for how often I fish, like others have said, not enough. I would reckon a good 2 times a week on an average week. 3-4 times is a blessing, 1 is life.
BuzzHudson19c reply :
I haven't fished since just after Thanksgiving!
But once all the ice goes away up here I get out every chance I can. Twice a week I go out on the kayak to various lakes and rivers. Throughout the week I usually fish for an hour before work (4-5am) and sometimes after if I get out early enough so the wife doesn't notice, at random ponds.
geo g reply :
On 2/19/2018 at 11:43 PM, beginningfisherman said:I haven’t had a lot of luck with bass on lost grove but the crappie in the spring have been good. Belva Deer hasn’t been spectacular for me either, but I’m not the worlds greatest angler by any stretch of the imagination. I hope to make it to brushy creek for a weekend this spring or summer because I’ve heard good things about it.
Wow! It sounds like you’re living the dream! I saw from the member map that you are from the Miami area. Is there a lot of fishing pressure since you live in that heavily populated of an area or do not many people fish?
I live west of Fort Lauderdale, and about 5 miles from the Everglades. Even bank fishing I seldom see another person out there fishing. They are all working too hard to pay for the big house, all the toys, and cars they acquire.
Angry John reply :
Half as often as i would like and twice as much as my wife likes. I get out at least three times a week but most of the time its just a pond trip but in my yak or in a boat at least once a week.
CTBassin860 reply :
Once the ice is gone, it's 4 days a week. My pond is a mile from the house and on my way home from work. Sometimes I might only get an hour or 2 in.
Oregon Native reply :
Love fishing here in the winters...average about .....well January I got out 9 times and so far this month it's been 7. Try and fish at least three days a week....I'm blessed. Usually from my boat. So peaceful in winter....people around here aren't crazy bout rain or cold too much.
mattkenzer reply :
From Ice Out (1st of May) until the end of September, average 6-8 days per month.
Alan Reed reply :
This past year I fished 5-7 days a week. After work I would head out on the water and fish tournaments on the weekends.
boostr reply :
Spring thru Fall, every weekend and sometimes after work. Winter not so much unless you call diddeling with my aquariums fishing. My MTS really kicks in during the winter months...
Ratherbfishing reply :
I spend far more time "wishin' I was fishin'" than actually doing it. There are some lakes and rivers in Central Illinois but many of the best ones require a drive of about 2 hours to reach so I don't frequent those as often. But I'd say, between the months of April and November, I fish most Saturdays and some Fridays (all day) and about twice during weekdays (after work) at two neighborhood retention ponds (I know all the bass there by name). In all honesty, I probably wouldn't want to fish every single day but every other day would be doable (if I had the resources). Ideally, after I retire I would like to move either north to Wisconsin OR down to Southern Illinois where there are more opportunities.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
ice melts and the sun sets later in the day, i fish 6-7 days a week, after work during the week and full days on weekends
Florida Cracker2 reply :
I can walk out in the back yard or side yard and fish. Sometimes I fish for a half hour to an hour in the evenings in a jon boat and trolling motor. I don't fish much from my yard because my wife feeds the fish bread every evening at the main dock and forbids me from catching her babies. My daughter and her have given some of the 'regulars' names. 
I consider it saving for 'hard times'.
MichaelCopeland reply :
Nowhere near often enough. That would be a lot different if I had somewhere close enough to walk to everyday. Hard to get folks to take me. Can't wait to get my license back. Then I'll be able to go when I want to.
LadiMopar reply :
On 2/20/2018 at 8:24 AM, DogBone_384 said:Yankee Land !?!?!?!?! in Red Sox Nation !!!!!! Oh the HORROR!
Very funny DB! But not exactly the definition of "Yankee" I was aiming for. But then again North Central Mass is a completely different country from you folks nearer the "big city" of Bah-sten!
Heck you all even talk funny...must have something to do with the air quality inside Rt. 128! ???? ???? ????
Scott F reply :
I don't do short, bank fishing or wading trips anymore. I spent 5 weeks away from home last year on fishing trips. I got out on local lakes and rivers several times and I'd have done more but all the rain we had last year had my favorite rivers in bad shape.
Koz reply :
I haven't figured out the slow winter fishing around here so I get out once a month or so during that period.
By the time things start to pick up in the spring my son is playing travel baseball so that's 2-3 nights a week of practice and gone every weekend for tournaments. But once the days get longer we can get out there more. We have a dozen or so lagoons within 2 miles biking distance that we can hit any time. If we choose to drive there are a bunch more big ponds and small lagoons. So if my son is caught up on homework and studying we can get out there 3 times a week or so in the spring.
Once the summer hits then we're out there 4 or 5 nights a week. That's enough for me.
slonezp reply :
Every weekend from ice out to ice up and whatever vacation I can fit in between.
Bluebasser86 reply :
About half the days each month during the warmer months, 6-8 days a month during the winter months unless the weather is really cold or unseasonably warm.
AndrewJ reply :
Im lucky if I get in 2 - 3 days a month. Between work and my other hobbies (mainly softball tournaments), I just dont seem to get out very often. I mainly fish shasta which is about 30 miles from the house and my truck drinks fuel like I do beer in the summers, so that limits it as well.
N Florida Mike reply :
I don't go very often all day anymore but I do several hour trips 3-4 times a month. I also often cast for 15-30 minutes off the bank behind the house or in ponds between work stops.
Crestliner2008 reply :
Let's see here... Being retired and getting up there in years, I still manage to get out at least twice a week in either my boat or my buddy's boat. Between those "on the water" trips, I'll run the bank just about every day it isn't raining.
MaineBassMan reply :
Once the ice goes out, which is looking early this year, I go a minimum of 10 times a month from March or April (depending on Ice out) until the end of October.
LOTR88 reply :
Since I live on a lake in south FL I fish almost every day, some days only an hour before or after work and just about every weekend. I usually just fish the lake I live on.
fishwizzard reply :
I try to go about 3-4 times a week. A lot of those are very short trips to one of the little ponds by my house after work. My job is very hot/cold, so sometimes I don't make it out for weeks and some times I can go every day for a month.
Last season I spent a ton of time, maybe close to half of all my time on the water, at a single small pond by my house. It really payed off as my PB from that pond jumped up a full pound and my average size went up almost as much.
MIbassyaker reply :
In the last few years, what I've been doing is from May through September I make around 30-40 short kayak trips, usually 3-4 hours on the water in the morning to any of 20 or so regular haunts, small public waters I like to fish within an hour of home. Then, from October through April, I rarely get to fish at all...maybe 5 hours total, an hour here and there from shore, or maybe one last short kayak trip before hanging things up for the season.
Columbia Craw reply :
Last week I told the wife it was time to start the season. Daffodills ready to bloom and a couple cherry trees blossomed. It snowed to inches yesterday and we expect another inch tonight. I can actually walk the dog with a Spro frog on the snow.
burrows reply :
8 days a week
Yakalong reply :
Between march and November about 3-4 days a week
gimruis reply :
Unfortunately, I'm not retired so I can't realistically go 3-4 days/week during the season. If I'm able to, I try to go once on the weekend and once during the week in the evening for a few hours. A lot of it is dictated by the weather. Sunny, calm, warm weather in the summer brings out a TON of recreational traffic on our lakes here, especially on weekends and major holidays, so I often avoid those. One thing I've tried to do more is target days with inclement weather. I won't fish in a thunderstorm but you'd be surprised how many people stay off the lake when there's a little rain in the forecast.
We have this thing called winter in the north for 5-6 months and I don't ice drink so that's what I like to refer to as the off season.
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