What do you expect? 2024
hi_steel_basser reply :
I usually catch 3-4 fish, a limit day is good for me. I'm not talkin' about the days when everything goes perfect, or the bad days when nothing works, just the average trip. 
Valascus reply :
I am pretty much the same. I normally nail 3-6 fish on an average day. Days that I catch more than that are few and far between. Most fish are small to average in size ranging from the 1 lb to 3.5 lb range. The day I break the 5 lb barrier, I don't care if that's the only fish I catch that day. That will be a great day. 8-)
Catt reply :
Last year I averaged 16 bass a day, the limit on Toledo Bend is 8 a day, so I voted almost always limit out.
Alpster reply :
QuoteI usually catch 3-4 fish, a limit day is good for me. I'm not talkin' about the days when everything goes perfect, or the bad days when nothing works, just the average trip.
You describe my fishing pretty well. I used to catch more fish when I lived in the South, but I'm not complaining. I alway expect to have a good time.
Ronnie
dodgeguy reply :
5 -7 a trip on my home lake is average.i do know of a lake up here where 50 a day is possible and happens often but the size is lacking.it depends on where you are fishing.some lakes are known for #s and some are known for size.el salto in mexico is known for both.to bad i live in ny. ;D
Chris reply :
It depends on the water I am fishing and what size I am looking to catch. Some places I fish if I don't catch 20+ fish I feel that it was a bad day. Other places because of smaller populations and bigger fish 2 or 3 fish over 4 or 5 pounds is a good day one or two is more the norm. Most of these lakes have a slot limit or a large size limit. As far as under fish that are still keepers in the slot limit they are easy to catch and limit with. On an average lake with just a 15" size limit I am more of a 50/50 angler meaning 50% of the time I have a limit or a heavy sack of 3 or 4 keepers. Most of the time it is enough to cash a check it just depends on what the place normally kicks out. I try to fish to win so most of the time I am not really looking for a limit I am looking for the right fish to help me cash a check. If it takes a limit then so be it but I am more after quality fish. If I am after 3 good bites and I get them you can roll in with your limit of squeekers and still be sitting in second place. That is why I don't really worry about getting a limit I worry about getting on the right fish and getting good bites.
guest reply :
I usually lose count,or don't count..... to a certain point. I fish only private ponds and mini lakes which are full of bass. If I was to fish a lake then in my opinion I would be greatfull to catch 1. I believe fishing a lake is harder than fishing a pond. Just my opinion.
Tpayneful reply :
I have a three ring binder with clear plastic sheet holders that I put a log sheet and a copy of a lake map. Each time I go out I fill out the sheet and mark locations of fish before I go home. I looked over my log sheets for the year and figured out how many fish I caught. Since my lake is in my neighborhood I fish alot of half days or even just go out for a couple hours. So answering the question 3-4 fish is acurate but actually I have a better number that I like to use. Fish per hour is what I use to determine if I am doing good or bad. The first part of the year I was at about 1 fish per hour and the second half of the year I was at about 2 fish per hour.
Nick B reply :
1 could be a fluke
2 may be on to something
3 or more definetly on to something
wvubassfan reply :
If I fish most of the day anything under double figuers is a bad day. I like at least one or two in the 3#+ range.
CrazedL.IFisherman reply :
For me on Long Island in New York id say 1-4 bass for about 3 hours is average for me, the average size is somewhat about a pound and a half, even with all the pressure the island receieves i would be really happy to improve the average weight per catch and am working hard to do that, one 4 plus pound fish a summer is my usually my biggest for fishing around here, it seems every other summer its over 5LBS
=Matt 5.0= reply :
I voted "just being out on the water"
Rattlinrogue reply :
On an average day,I'll catch 2-4 bass and many times will limit out(but not all the time).When the fishing's hot,as with everybody else on the forum, the average goes way up.Problem is,most days are average days.
llPa1nll reply :
Honestly I lose track (unless its an exceedingly tough day). Usually my partner is the one who keeps track I can never remember.
George Welcome reply :
I find the answer to this question most interesting as you would be amazed as to how many clients inform me that they catch loads of bass on their home lakes. Whether from NY, Michigan, Nevada, or California, a common statement is that at home they catch 30 to 100 fish per day but they are only interested in catching the "biggun" here.
Of course, having fished many of the lakes that these people fish, I know othewise, but it is interesting to hear the claims.
Fortunately for us the Stick Marsh is a phenomenon of many fish and lots of big fish - However, there are days when pulling 10 out is like pulling teeth from a hen. Yesterday we fought the winds all day - the fish were in scorn of our offerings and something in the neighborhood of 8, with none exceeding 4 pounds, was all the lake had to offer.
squid reply :
ON AVERAGE...2-4. I AM VERY HAPPY IF I LIMIT OUT...MEANS I WILL BE GETTING A CHECK IN MY AREA....LOL
MALTESE FALCON reply :
I just consulted my log, and it was three. Most of my outings are only 2-3 hours because of my spine problems. There are those wonderful days when St. Clair will bless me with 20+ for the same time frame, but they are always followed with a double dose of pain medication.
Falcon
squid reply :
GOTTA LOVE ST. CLAIR
Shad_Master reply :
My philosophy is, if I had to catch fish to be happy, I'd be a miserable $*% a lot of the time -- I'm just happy to be on the water.
Daniel My Brother reply :
This is really a tough question. I revise my expectations every time out. I fish a private lake where 10 fish a day is a slow day. And I fish a larger reservoir where 5 fish is a good day. I expect to catch more in the early morning and late afternoon, but I still fish a lot of mid-day in the summer because I know the potential is there to catch something big.
When I'm fishing with a partner I sometimes get competetive and I usually catch more, smaller fish. When I fish alone I'll try new techniques, or target bigger fish, and often end up catching fewer or none at all.
Bass Smacker reply :
I hook up 3-5 fish a trip. But i don't count dinks.
It has to be 12" i will use the dinks as a indicator of what the fish are doing but thay just don't count
RiskKid. reply :
I'm mostly happy to be on the water. I seldom fish a whole day. Usually it's about three to four hours on a small state run fishing lake. It gets alot of pressure but I can usually get a couple unless the conditions are just impossible.
Pond Hopper reply :
I normally limit out and I would say 25 fish is a weak day. Granted I fish all day when I go but normal day would probably be 40 fish with a handful over 3 lbs or so. These are all private ponds though that not many people fish. I think some of my worst days were single digit fish.
fishbear reply :
fishing for me is like hunting,, it is the experience, not just the end product,, so being on the water is more important than catching fish.....
of course my buddies say that just means I am a real bad fisherman,,,, so I would say that ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
mjhutch1116 reply :
I am just happy to be out on the water. I enjoy the fishing, catching is the icing on the cake.
Captain Cali reply :
It really depends. There are times I expect to get skunked. I voted for "I'm just happy to be on the water."
senile1 reply :
I'm happy to be on the water. Many of my trips are limited to 2 - 4 hours, and on the lake I fish the most, I average about 3 - 5 fish in that time period. I have a pond and a smaller 20 acre lake that I fish where I can catch 10 - 20 fish in a two hour period. So numbers depend on the body of water.
KU_Bassmaster. reply :
Most Important ..... Anyday on the water is a good day so that's the way I voted.
I have different expectations for each lake I fish. I fish three lakes regularly .......
Lake 1 - Average 5-7. Many times more and many times less. My goal each time is to try to catch at least one 4+
Lake 2 - If I don't catch in the double digits it is a bad day. (99% dinks though)
Lake 3 - Used to be a great #'s lake, but it has got fished and fished and fished and fished the past couple of years. The only reason I go out there anymore is because there are rumors of 10 lbs bass. If I catch two or three I am happy, but I am also usually throwing pretty big baits
Bud reply :
If you practice C&R. How do you limit out???? If you turn everything loose you have no limit.
WishinIwasFishin reply :
I voted Happy to catch a fish....I'm just now getting into bass fishing and getting skunked stinks. If I am fortunate enough to just catch 1, that makes me very happy.
RottManK9 reply :
I'm happy if I catch A fish. A good day is usually 5 or so. I mostly bank fish so I'm limited by that.
guest reply :
HiSteelBasser - I'm going to assume that you were kidding when you said "Liar" following the category of "lose count or don't count"
These are actually two very different things. Someone who says he looses count implies that he caught so many he couldn't keep track.
"don't count" on the other hand is someone, like me. Who doesn't really care how many he catches. It's not that I can't keep track, it's that my priority is to have an enjoyable day on the water, catch a few fish, and go for a biggun.
I actually never realized that I didn't count fish, but people would say "how many did ya get" and I would stop and think, and unless it was none or one, I really didn't know. That's when I realized the numbers meant nothing to me.
ThomasL reply :
I'll start like this ,when my dad was alive we had a place on lake gaston at the VA,NC
border,most day trips between us would bring 10-15 bass.Since his death i have fished a private pond
around 7 acres,when i first started fishing it no one else other than the 70 year old owner who bream fished had never fished for bass.I could go in there and catch 10-15 in a couple hours with at least one
every time going over 6 lbs.I stood in one stop where cows entered the water with him standing beside
me caught on consecutive cast with a #2 mepps aglia a 5,6 1/2,7,and 7 1/2 pounder.Since his death
his son has it and has let several (work) friends fish it,its never been the same since.So to answer the question if i'm not catching 2-3 bass a hour its not a good day and i'll pick up the flyrod and play with the bream to catch something.
roadwarrior reply :
I consider a successful day, one bass over 5 lbs.
BucketmouthAngler13 reply :
I'm happy just to be out on the water. Its called "fishing", not "catching"
cbfishalot reply :
I'm always happy to be on the water and catching a fish helps!!!!!
Catt reply :
QuoteIf you practice C&R. How do you limit out???? If you turn everything loose you have no limit.
If you release every thing how do you know you caught at all?
ww2farmer reply :
I base my expectations on what the conditions dictate. I always expect to at least stumble and bumble my way to a few fish. I am happy to leave the lake with only a few fish if condtions are tough, and expect to not only catch a lot, but a lot of quality fish if the fishing is good. I get skunked from time to time......I am a fisherman.....therfore a liar ;D..........but it happens. I judge my succes at the end of the year, not on a day by day basis as there are always tough days. My goals for each year are also dependant on how much time I have spent on the water during prime times.
Pa Angler reply :
I would have to pick 2 catagories. Just being on the water and catching a fish go hand in hand with me.
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