A Good Day Fishing?

[faded]

New here, just trying to get my feet wet (so to speak).....So I'll see if this gets any feed back.....What is a good day fishing?

Is it the number of fish you catch?

Is it the size of the fish caught?

Is it the fight of what you caught?

Is it just getting away?

Tell me...what is YOUR good day fishing?

Me...It's a few things..Getting away is nice....I am not a great fisher....I enjoy wading and seeing nature..and I enjoy the fight..I typically catch small mouth and the size is less important to me than the fight...I like them to hit early (plenty of line out) and enjoy the give and take of reeling them in.....So share with me what makes a good day for you...

[Dawgsquat]

Gettin' away is nice, but I have to catch a few to make it a "good" day.

[jdmidwest]

Need I say more????????

[faded]

Need I say more????????

I guess not.....though I am not really sure what you have said We all want to catch fish or we would not be going...I am curious as to if it is the number of fish ( is 10 good, or do you need 25 to make it good) or the size (caught 8 dinks but one hog the hog made the day), or is it something else that takes a day fishing beyond the threshold of good???

[jdmidwest]

Sorry faded, hit post and went outside to pick lettuce, pic did not load. #@%^& slow dialup connection. If SBC/Att would just upgrade one more station, I could have DSL. 20 minutes to upload a 444kb file and it cost $50 for the phone line and the dialup account.

Anyway, a pic is worth a 1000 words!

[faded]

now it makes more sense......It is always fun to take my girls out fishing as well...

[Al Agnew]

Basically, for me it starts out being good just being able to go. Everything else adds to. or occasionally subtracts from, that basic good. A lot of it is the destination. Lakes don't do much for me, so figure if it's a lake or pond, it doesn't add to the good. Rivers add to it. The prettier the river, the more it adds. The more wild and remote the river, the more it adds. Interesting riffles or rapids in a canoe or raft or driftboat, more points. Lots of people, subtract some. Obnoxious people, subtract. Nice weather--especially not a lot of wind, add. Otherwise, as long as I'm prepared for it, even bad weather can be an addition--I've fished in the snow and loved it.

Little things, peripheral things, can add. Wildlife seen. Wildflowers. Fall colors. Spring colors. Bird song. Eagle nests. Even the droning of insects.

Of course, some things like that subtract. I hate mosquitoes. I don't like getting into stinging nettles. But there aren't a lot of things like that which can subtract.

Good company adds. Occasionally, bad company has subtracted. Being solo definitely adds.

Camping on the river adds. Being able to see a sunrise miles away from the nearest access. Mist on the water. Stars reflected in the water at night. A nice scotch just before bedtime while staring at the fire. Night sounds...though occasionally, bullfrogs or whippoorwills that are too close can subtract. Having to do too many camp chores can subtract, but good food adds.

But what about the fishing itself? Partly it depends upon expectations. Fishing that is poorer than I expect it to be can be a subtraction. Fishing as good as I expect is an addition, however, and fishing better than I expect is a BIG addition. Solving a challenge is an addition. One big fish is a definite addition. A surprise catch is an addition.

That's just a very partial and limited list of what can add to a trip. I could spend days thinking of all the good stuff. Funny how the bad stuff seems a lot more limited!

[Trav]

As a guy that lives on the lake, Fishes upwards of 2000 hours a year, I would have to say that a good day fishing is being able to say you didnt skunk out. I have gone as far as jigging for bluegills after hours of catching nothing just to be able to say I caught something. And I never skunk out! Haha

A great day consists of more than two fish worthy of a picture.

A super day is when you have them all figured out and you catch them like one every 10 minutes!

Size does matter to me. No matter what Playboy says....

Of course I am a Trophy hunter.

[creek wader]

Basically, for me it starts out being good just being able to go. Everything else adds to. or occasionally subtracts from, that basic good. A lot of it is the destination. Lakes don't do much for me, so figure if it's a lake or pond, it doesn't add to the good. Rivers add to it. The prettier the river, the more it adds. The more wild and remote the river, the more it adds. Interesting riffles or rapids in a canoe or raft or driftboat, more points. Lots of people, subtract some. Obnoxious people, subtract. Nice weather--especially not a lot of wind, add. Otherwise, as long as I'm prepared for it, even bad weather can be an addition--I've fished in the snow and loved it.

Little things, peripheral things, can add. Wildlife seen. Wildflowers. Fall colors. Spring colors. Bird song. Eagle nests. Even the droning of insects.

Of course, some things like that subtract. I hate mosquitoes. I don't like getting into stinging nettles. But there aren't a lot of things like that which can subtract.

Good company adds. Occasionally, bad company has subtracted. Being solo definitely adds.

Camping on the river adds. Being able to see a sunrise miles away from the nearest access. Mist on the water. Stars reflected in the water at night. A nice scotch just before bedtime while staring at the fire. Night sounds...though occasionally, bullfrogs or whippoorwills that are too close can subtract. Having to do too many camp chores can subtract, but good food adds.

But what about the fishing itself? Partly it depends upon expectations. Fishing that is poorer than I expect it to be can be a subtraction. Fishing as good as I expect is an addition, however, and fishing better than I expect is a BIG addition. Solving a challenge is an addition. One big fish is a definite addition. A surprise catch is an addition.

That's just a very partial and limited list of what can add to a trip. I could spend days thinking of all the good stuff. Funny how the bad stuff seems a lot more limited!

Well said, Al. I am very thankful, every chance that I get to go fishing. I just enjoy the experience of going. Of course, it would always be nice to go out and slay them, everytime. But, that would raise the bar each time. Then there would have to be diappointment, sometime. I don't know who said it, but I borrow this quote quite often , ... "that's why they call it fishing and not catching".

[RSBreth]

Everything Al said, except the lake part. I love firing up the boat in the dark with the hint of dawn starting to color the eastern sky, then skimming along as the day breaks, no one else on the lake. The anticipation of the unknown day laid out before me. It's the same feeling as driving to a favorite access point on the river, listening to some good music, windows down.

I don't know why, but passing under the Kimberling City bridge like that early in the morning, feeling like I have the entire lake to myself, always makes me smile. (Even though I know when I pass by later it'll be like rush hour.)

Leaving my In-Laws dock in Beaver cove at 5:00 A.M., shooting across towards Point 5 on Beaver Lake makes me feel the same way.

Catching nice fish is a plus, figuring out the puzzle and all that, but it's not the only thing.