[Zuke]

Something of a "poll question". I've always wondered how my "time on the water" stacks up to others who are on the board. I suspect [hell, I know] that unfortunately, I get out far less than many of you...

So here's my question: On average over the '03 season, how much time did you spend on the water? How many days/wk, Hrs/day, etc.?

My answer is: Far less frequently than I wish...Tsunami and I have a standing time, every Tuesday night from when the clocks are reset in the Spring, until they're reset in the Fall. We usually fish from 5:00 to 9:00 or 10:00. I will steal maybe one or two saturday or sunday mornings from 5:00 through noon throughout the season...But that's about it.

3 Kids at home under the age of 7, and that dang full-time employment......

Thanks in advance for responses.

Zuke.

 

[MikeM]

Zuke,
I know the routine, I also have two, aged 10 and 7 and its a freakin whirlwind... but luckily this year I have been making more necessary fishing tme. A half a weekend day here a late afternoon there and I save as many vacation days as possible for a full mid-week day excursion. I was also able to get back to pre-kid routine of taking a 4 day weekend to fish up in Saranac this year...AHHHHH.
But its never enough Buddy.... Make the best of your time on the water and enjoy the sport and the company....
MikeM

 

[wnybassman]

With nearly 40 tournaments fished, time preparing for them, fun fishing for bass, and early in the season fishing for panfish, I have to say I am around 100 days on the water this year. Some days are only 2 or 3 hours, but many are 7-10 hours. No kids.

Before Spring hit, I had about 35 days on the ice to.

 

[Gregg]

Had 55 fishing trips this year 9 out of 10 were full days by that I mean at least 6+ hours. Tried to get out twice a week, one weekday (usually wed) and Sunday.

 

[earthworm77]

I was out 36 times this season, 10 were tournaments which were 6hrs or so. Most of my other excursions were between 2 and 4 hrs. Not much time but the numbers were there for me. Next year will be a lot different.

 

[JOHN G]

my numbers are similar to Gregg's...........we don't do too many short outings....and many were 8 plus hours.....

 

[Tsunami]

Zuke knows my fishing time because I fish with him once a week. I have an advantage in that I usually fish one other time per week, and it is usually a six or eight hour day. I am a teacher(insert time off joke here), so I do have more time. The interesting thing is that every year I find a bit more time to get on the water, and rather than satisfy me it makes me want to fish more. Is it love or a problem?
MikeM, which of the Saranac Lakes do you fish?
Tsunami

 

[Mr. Micropterus]

I probably had 100+ different outings. Many of them at least 6hrs. 10-20 at least 12hrs. Next year I am planning on keeping a more detailed log. I didn't log all my trips. I will for sure next season

 

[Wandy]

Fishing time increased

Lucky for me. My fishing time increased exponentially this year. Once I learned that there are bass in Central Park, NYC I got up there about 3 times during the week for 3-4 hours. My pitching ability and target casting definately improved. I would much have preferred being on a boat but i'll take what i can get with no transportation and having to rely on someone else driving.

 

[Bass Rat]

Time on the water was around 500 hours. 15 tournamentsand alot of practice. However a decent amount of travel. 7 over nighters and 5- 2 day trips.By the way I have 3 kids, a wife, a house and a job. And I still made sure everyone was taken care of.

 

[Zuke]

Ohh, now i get it...

That explains it....I can't catch squat because all of you already got 'em.

On a more serious note, we can probably all agree that the MOST critical factor in fishing success is "time on the water." It allows one to find and adjust to patterns, practice/perfect techniques, change techniques, EXPERIMENT!!!, fish THROUGH the slow periods, etc.,

Hey Bass Rat, clearly you are not as terrified of your wife as I am of mine.You are quickly becoming my hero....Maybe you can call her on my behalf? LOL

Tsunami, somewhere on these boards MikeM posted some nice photogs of Middle and/or Lower Saranac.....He, and others, allege that fish exist in both...Of course, I have no personal direct evidence.

I'm 6 lucky numbers away from all the fishing time I want...."Hey, you never know."

 

[SethV]

I fished 41 tournies this year. Those days, along with prefishing gives me about 130 days on the water....not bad for living in the arctic! When I lived in Oklahoma, I once logged 320 days in 1 year.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year....the kid is due Jan 21st....Yikes!!

Seth V

 

[Zuke]

Seth:

Maybe you can fish with one of those papoose things...Don't think I haven't thought about a bit more seriously than I'll admit....

Fishin's great, but it ain't nothing compared to having a kid to share it with. I'm happy for you.[By the same token, kiss sanity goodbye].

Zuke.

 

[Bink]

I got out once every weekend for a long day 10-12hrs and because I live so near a river at least two nights a week from 6 -8 P.M. I started in March and ended in early December.

 

[Bass Rat]

Zuke, You gotta work onthat "Pimp Hand". LOL

 

[Zuke]

Hell no...

Rat:

Not a chance....

That's sittin in the jar right next to my t*st*cles.


Zuke.

 

[Wild Bill]

Nicky,
Two questions: 1] do you find a pinky ring gives extra incentive for them to listen more carefully?
2] are you equal in your use of left hand as right, so they don't know where to expect to be coming from??....LOL, you bust me up "rat" :


My time on the water suffered hugely this year early, as my wife was fighting Cancer via Chemotherapy, but I did log in an astonishing number of 'backseats' this year with 21 different 'captains', with a large number of them coming being NYBass members. I thank you one and all, as each trip was real fun.
I am not a log-keeper, so putting a number of hours in would be impossible for me, as often I grab a rod and fish at times for as little as an hour , sometimes even between job appts. There have been days I made four or five visits to one pond during a one-sun -up time span....I go there many mornings at sunrise, and fish an hour or two, over my lunch hour, then again after work before my wife comes home, then sometimes even after dinner. I am fortunate to have a spot five minutes fro my home/office. When I go upstae for the week or so, I fish before breakfast, then right out, then fish till lunch, then right back out, then till happy hour and dinner, then back out again. I also do those long 'marathon days' too, as I do so savor the time spent on the waters.
My travels took me fishing into six states this year[NY ,NJ ,VT ,FLA ,CA,ARK] and I caught Bass in all of them.
It has been a real pleasure to share my time on the water with many of you this year, or to share my expolits with you all here on this forum. Good fishing to you all...and to a better year next one:beerchug:

 

[HookUp]

Water time

Most of my floats are in excess of 10 hours since I'm floating about 7-10 miles of river at a time.

I had over 50 days floating in yaks or canoes in '03

I also have a jon, which ate over 30 gallons of gas, from a 15hp.

I do not log days on water, but I do write on the calender days I have floated.

I estimate about 10-15 additional days in the jon.

Busy year this year, my wife keeps reminding me.

 

[Bass Rat]

Zuke-LMFAO & sorry to hear it

Wild Bill- 1- let's not get ethnic now! . 2 Yes I am ambi-pimp-exterous.

 

[wnybassman]

I also have a jon, which ate over 30 gallons of gas, from a 15hp.

Nice problem to have!! I remember at least one occasion this year where I burned more than 30 gallons in one day. LOL!! I went through about 7 or 8 gallons of oil for the year though.