# Define a Successful Day of Fishing



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

How do you define 'your' successful day of fishing?

For us its arriving safely to the water, no issues while on the water (terrorized by rec boaters), no tackle problems, no-one in the boat got injured, and getting off the water and home safely. Just being on the water with dear friends is a successful day of fishing for us. Its all about learning and sharing with other anglers you're close to laughing and just having a great time and not necessarily putting fish in the boat. Mind you, getting a fish or two is nice but its just being on the water making those casts, dragging the lines and employing new techniques/lures, and we're not at w-o-r-k but out making ripples on the water.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

That all depends on what the goal is for that particular day. If I'm just going to an area to "pond hop" and try new waters, then the only thing that make it successful is to arrive and fish (without car issues, etc.). Catching is pretty helpful too. 

Mostly, it's just getting away from the valley and having a good time.

When there is a specific goal in mind, then a successful day would be to achieve that goal.

Most of the time I just try to get out and fish...maybe try a new puddle here and there. This week carries a goal though...


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

I agree with Loah depends on the water and the objective for the day. This year I have spent a lot of time water hopping in the mountains and trying some new areas. Hiking from lake to lake trying to fish 3 lakes per day to learn a particular mountain range. Or riding up and down a mountain searching for water I have not fished. For some that would be time wasted exploring when you could be fishing area's you already know have good fish but for me that was productive time spent. Other trips I go big fish hunting so I define success on those waters as a fish over 20+ inches (I only fish for trout). Some trips I go to try and catch fish only on the fly rod and when I do that is successful. Others I take friends up to waters I enjoy so watching them get into some fish on old favorites makes that successful. When I can take my family out making sure they have fun, are comfortable, and catch a few fish to where they would want to go again would be successful. But I do like the saying that anytime spent in the outdoors cannot be deducted from a man's life. Getting out recharges my batteries I have some friends that fish only a couple times a year and it baffles me. Just not everyone has the "sickness" to the same level as us fanatics. Good post K2!


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## manysteps (Sep 28, 2009)

k2muskie said:


> For us its arriving safely to the water, no issues while on the water (terrorized by rec boaters), no tackle problems, no-one in the boat got injured, and getting off the water and home safely. Just being on the water with dear friends is a successful day of fishing for us. Its all about learning and sharing with other anglers you're close to laughing and just having a great time and not necessarily putting fish in the boat. Mind you, getting a fish or two is nice but its just being on the water making those casts, dragging the lines and employing new techniques/lures, and we're not at w-o-r-k but out making ripples on the water.


+10


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Good question......it's a tough one though.. :? 

I don't believe I've ever had a non-successful day fishing. Oh, not to say I always catch fish.
I usually set a goal or a location but sometimes things go haywire and I might be drawn to a same area that I may have fished 50 times before, but just in a different setting. 
I can't rate success based just on fishing alone....there's always the privacy factor, the learning, the searching, the different flows of the water, the time of day, cloudy or sunny, the wildlife, the scenery, the travel, the food, the company, etc. etc. 
So I guess what I'm trying to say is a successful day of fishing, for me, would be getting away from it all and enjoying myself....


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

I agree with the idea that it depends on your goal..... For example if my goal is to catch a Tiger Muskie and all I get is a SMB.... well it was a fun time but I was successful in reaching my goal. BUt I of course like every one else also just go fishing just to enjoy being out there doin my thing and if that was my goal just to get out and have a good time, well then I'd count that as success too!


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

.45 said:


> I usually set a goal or a location but sometimes things go haywire and I might be drawn to a same area that I may have fished 50 times before, but just in a different setting.
> I can't rate success based just on fishing alone....there's always the privacy factor, the learning, the searching, the different flows of the water, the time of day, cloudy or sunny, the wildlife, the scenery, the travel, the food, the company, etc. etc.
> So *I guess what I'm trying to say is a successful day of fishing, for me, would be getting away from it all and enjoying myself.... *


Pretty much the same for me. It's also a good day when I dont lose or break something.. :|


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

CATCHING FISH!!!!


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Good topic.

I guess the answer for me varies from trip to trip. Most of mine are after work/after chores 1/2 day trips where I mainly want to unwind and recharge the batteries. Certainly, catching fish is part of it and often a big part, but the ultimate goal is to unwind and blow off a ton of stress. Some trips are specifically designed to see new territory or to revisit old favorites. Some trips are more to visit or see the (non fishing) area instead of fishing. Finally, while most of my fishing is C&R, I'm not ashamed to say that occasionally, when the kids and I want a fish fry, some trips have a goal to harvest a specified number of fish. 

All this said, whatever the intermediate goal, the endpoint goal is to relax and have fun and I've found fishing really "does it" for me, so I keep at it. Hopefully, that never changes.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I agree that it all depends on the 'goal' of the day. Most of the time fishing is a bonus for me and the real point of the trip is to get outside and de-stress a little bit. That said, I really hate to get skunked when I'm really looking for fish. This time of year is especially tough since my favorite past-time is calling elk. I hate to use a trip to fish and get skunked when I could have been calling elk.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Just getting 1 fish is all it takes for me to have a successful day. It is a bonus when it is a lake I have never been to!


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## doody (Apr 2, 2009)

Simple for me,
Leaving all my worldly stress out of mind and spending time in this beautiful land I'm blessed to call home. I've had "successful" days fishing where I didn't even get a bite.

One cool story too, I was fishing the Ogden a few years back and a humming bird caught my eye flying / eating on a flower near the surface a few yards upstream and the exact time I noticed it and started watching it a big brown broke the surface an no lie took that bird back down with him. Probably the coolest thing I've ever seen while fishing.


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

A successful day of fishing. With how busy life is now days just going fishing is a success for a lot of people. To me fish numbers dont define success.
T.B


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Taking my Grandson with me and watching him have a great time is my successful day of fishing.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Catching at least one fish makes it successful for me... I hate the skunk and will do whatever I can to get rid of it early so the pressure is off. After that first fish, the rest is just gravy. I'm a numbers guy though.... I love catching lots of average or even small sized fish over fishing all day for one or two huge ones. Must be a patience thing, something I'm short on. When my daughter is with me... same thing. I want her to catch at least one so that I feel we've accomplished something. True, the time spent is just as important... but it doesn't feel as cool if we go and just don't even hook anything.


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

a suuessful day of fishing for me is to actually go out and fish and not be stuck in the ME again


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Successful day of fishing? 

Yes.


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## FC2Tuber (Oct 26, 2007)

Taking my kids out and just getting away from the valley = success for me!


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

It's successful for me as long as I have a good time. I don't necessarily need to catch a fish to have a good time, but I like it much better when I do.


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## bullsnot (Aug 10, 2010)

Honestly it's a moving target for me. Some days I am happy just to get away for the day and tipping back a few cold ones makes it great day. Other days I am out to catch some fish and would by lying if I said there wasn't at least a little disappointment if I don't.

Generally if I'm fishing by myself or with my usual fishing companions just getting out on the water is enough. If I'm taking someone new to fishing or my kids I feel a lot more pressure to get some fish in the boat.


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Successful day of fishing for me has nothing to do with catching fish. Last saturday morning a few of us met up on a river for some flyfishing. Nice cool brisk morning, smoke coming off the water...warmed up a little during the day, clear sky, and not a worry on my mind. Absolutely perfect day, very relaxing. In fact Tex ended up taking a nap on the bank. Successful? Absolutely...Did we catch fish? No.


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## fish1on (Jan 12, 2009)

Just having the time to actually go is successful enough for me. Summer time is my slow fishing period, too much traffic on the water to get to relax. 

My best days fishing are successful when judged on how much I relaxed.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

fish1on said:


> Just having the time to actually go is successful enough for me. Summer time is my slow fishing period, too much traffic on the water to get to relax.
> 
> My best days fishing are successful when judged on how much I relaxed.


Have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY Pat! Thinking when the hard deck arrives lets look at having a couple trips, relax and relieve the stress, watch and see if I can dive my arm into the that ice hole again catching them tasty paper mouths...


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