Fishing burn out

So question here do any of you guys and gals ever burn out from fishing to much? I know the answer is obvious just don’t go as much but I find myself always feeling if I don’t get a lot of bass on a trip I feel I’m in competition with my self. I average 5-6 trips on a 3 day off weekend. I’m not ready to quit by no means but how do you all go about fishing once a week whenever you can? We have no kids so time is endless and the wife works weekends when I’m off work and I really don’t care to vacuum the house to much ha ha

I find by day 4 of our Canadian fishing trip its about burn out time for me. We eat fish 2 times a day for the most part and just the thought of eating fish when I get home almost makes me sick. LOL We do mix up the ways we prepare them so its not fried fish every time so that is good.

I fish 1-2 times/week from mid April until mid October. I try to go when improved conditions are available, if possible. Like you mrpike, I mostly bass fish but I will occasionally target walleye, panfish, or muskies too just so I can mix it up.

If I had the option of going every day, I probably still wouldn’t but I would go more often than I do now. I’d rather spread out my time on the water over the course of a long period of time for shorter trips than go on one or two week-long trips. That’s just my personal preference.

I’m more worried about learning to live without fishing. I’ve been without a boat this year waiting for my new one on order.

For me currently, absolutely not. Years ago when I went 4 days a week I would sometimes get a bit burnt out.

With an addition to the family I get out just a fraction of what I used to and wish it was more. A few years ago by late July I generally slowed down fishing to only once or twice a week. The 80+ degree surface temps makes walleye fishing tougher and far more likely to kill released fish.

A week ago when I was out the conditions seemed perfect and I struggled to find much for fish other than a few dinks after not getting out and being on a consistent bite like I used to be. If someone would’ve offered me cash for the rig at the launch I probably would have let them land the boat and take it home.

Mr.pike enjoy the new boat and don’t get in competition mode with yourself. Fishing is not always catching. You will enjoy it more if you dont get to competitive. That’s why I quit tourney fishing and it is more enjoyable. I have a new boat as well and the more you use it the more you enjoy your purchase.

Jenson that’s just what I needed to hear. I did just a few local tournaments and it really turned me off and got me in competition with myself. Again thanks everyone I know that feeling as well were some days I’d like to just sell it all.

Never…

My suggestion. Challenge yourself to learn something new each time out. New body of water, new section of a lake, new tactic.

I drove around for over two hours one day this weekend when it was flat calm and scanned around just to try and learn new spots. Cracked a beer ( I don’t drink to often when I am captain) and went for a calm ride. I looked for current spots but also looked for areas the fish might move too.

New tactics is a big one too. I often challenge myself to catch fish in ways I am not as comfortable with.

Tourney mode is a different challenge all together can be fun if you want to learn from others . Can be annoying if you take it too serious.

Sounds to me like you have a good problem on your hands that you need to challenge yourself to find a new way to not get burnt out. Get out and fish out of your comfort mode.

I myself am always after the largest fish I am targeting. So I am always looking for the hiding spot.

With 2 little kids I am limited in the time I get out, so I don’t burn out on fishing….at all. However, I do find myself picking and choosing when I go so I still get plenty of time with them, and try and keep the FW sane and happy. When I do go on dedicated fishing trips, I do find myself a little more sensitive to the weather, at least after a day or two of getting kicked in the teeth by wicked weather lol.

i threw a fly rod in my boat for a change of pace

I definitely wish I could fish more as I also have two very young children. But I generally manage to get out once ever week or so. I agree going from fishing 3-4 times a week to one or sometimes less, I do find it harder to stay on the fish.

Getting back to the OP I don’t get sick of being on the water in the open water season. However by February I do get a little burned out from ice fishing.

I go when I feel like. Usually most weekends at least a little around the cabin. I dont dedicate a large chunk of my day fishing but often 2-3 smaller chunks while making time for other hobbies. I’m too burned out on fishing around the cities on week days (after 25+ years of doing so), but sometime do and definitely will if home for the weekend. I find mixing it up makes it more enjoyable. Fish my lake in the pontoon. Fish other lakes in small boat. And especially wade fishing streams. Fishing with friends too.

My fishing time has been severely limited these last few years. I’ve gotten to the point where I fish so little, that when I do go, I no longer have the drive to grind it out and go find fish away from the crowds like I always used to. If I’m only going to actually fish once a month or so, I want to go where I know I can get some numbers (don’t even care if I keep any).

Trying to remember why I liked it so much in the first place, and have some success to bring me back to it if things ever slow down. That being said, I don’t know that I could do a 4-5 day trip any more being away from it for so long now. 2 days would be about the cap until I get back in the swing of things more.

I always fished daily for a long time. And still go on stretches where I fish 4 5 or 6 times a week. But just like yesterday I wanted to wake up and get in the boat.
Instead I took the family on a long hike. We did 8 miles with my neighbors and between us 8 kids. It took all day with the young ones being 4 and 5. I dont really get burnt out, but I do frustrate my self on the water. A small break and change of pace makes it that much better when you get back out.
Hell I even golf most weekend mornings with my son and then we fish evening, keeps us both a bit more sane.

I probably get out fishing a average of 4-5 times a week in the open water season and 2-3 times a week for the hard water season. Since I gave up the tourney Fishing I don’t seem to feel much of a burn out from fishing. Every once in Awhile I find myself looking forward to a day off and just lay around and recharge a little. Like others have said. If you start to feel a little burn out – Step back a little from the pressure to always do well and simply just enjoy the outing.

What’s the opposite of burnout? That’s where I’m at this year with the utter lack of fishing.

Deuces wrote:

What’s the opposite of burnout? That’s where I’m at this year with the utter lack of fishing.

Feening or however you spell that

I don’t get burnt out but like others have stated that’s more related to the situation at home and work.

I would agree that fishing should be more about the experience though. I try and really enjoy my time on the water…..be totally present and in the moment. When I’m focused on that, the catching part doesn’t matter as much. What is amazing is I’ve become a better fisherman because I’m more observant and patient than I used to be.

I used to be a very good golfer….low single digit handicap. I got way too serious about it and was really hard on myself if I shot poorly. I stopped playing as much and changed my mindset to just being grateful to be outside and enjoy the downtime. I’m not as good because I don’t practice anymore but I truly enjoy the game the handful of times I play a year….whether I shoot 80 or 100. Kinda the same with fishing….I enjoy it whether I catch 2 or 20 fish.

In town I do not fish consecutive days. Out of town is usually only for a few days, if I went a week I would want to fish more than one species.

I dont fish as often as I would like to, maybe on average about 3x a month unless I take a fishing trip.

I will say that I’ve learned the fishing portion is probably the part I like the least. The preparation, the research, packing the night before, comradery with friends, being on the water and in the outdoors, having a few cold ones are all things I’ve realized are more enjoyable to me than wetting a line.

I’m out on the boat as we speak for only the 2nd time this open water season and I’ve spend more time swimming than fishing. I did hook into 2 nice pike earlier though so I at least got to scratch the itch.

I hear this from a lot of retirees. All their life they dream of having nothing else to do but fish and then when they have it, they find that it gets old. It’s one of the things I wouldn’t like about living in a place like FL. Yes, you can get out on the boat year-round, but because of this you have nothing to look forward to. Up here we are forced to take a break from open water and so it give us something to dream of.

My uncle retired early and moved up to LOTW to guide up there. He quickly grew tired of the 20 mile trip out and the just trolling cranks day after day for a few walleyes. No surprise on what species you were going to get. Either walleye or sauger. He would revel at the novelty of fishing off of his brother’s dock for small sunnies. lol. I don’t know how the LOTW guys can do it day after day.

It’s one of the reasons I like fishing off of my pontoon. I can troll, cast, bobber for any number of species, but when the heat of the days come up, I can just cruise around, anchor and relax, swim, etc.

With two kids and both now starting sports/activities I dont think I will get burnt out from fishing any time soon. I just enjoy it when I do get to get out. It has been helping that my girls have been begging me to go more often, which is a good sign to come at least.

I’ve been averaging 5 days a week since opener. I challenge myself with new lake or new spots. I like to find new fish, beat them up for a day or two until others start showing up on the spot, then once enough people start trying to fish the fish/spot I find a new school.

Lately I’ve followed a school of walleye from 6’of water on the sand/gravel to the inside edge of the weeds and now they’re pushing towards their summer spots as the water warms up. I enjoy the challenge!

Variety is the spice of life. I love to fish but it can’t be the only thing I have going on or I’ll take it way too seriously. I try to get out on the river once a week and mix in a new lake once a month. In between it’s mountain biking with my son, or taking my daughter out on the boat with more swim toys than fishing gear, or golfing with the boys, or whatever. Change it up, tunnel vision doesn’t work for me.

During the season I like to try and get out at least once a week, what I’ve found works best is changing it up, fishing different water, species, etc. Also got into fly fishing and rigged the boat for big water trolling, make at least one trip trolling to lake Michigan a year. Raised three kids so totally understand the time and money constraint thing too, take the kids and sit by a river or lake..nothing better then reeling a big carp in for sure. Have fun!

Retired last December so this is the first summer I can go any time. Fished opening weekend, came home for a day and went to Deer River area for the rest of the week. Last week didn’t fish. Went to Mille Lacs yesterday and will go to Alex area tomorrow. I pick and choose when to fish based on to weather, mostly wind/rain. I will definitely fish more bass and panfish with more time, plus a new boat last year with plenty of bells and whistles doesn’t hurt.

Netguy,

Congrats on your retirement!

Retired in March – haven’t quite figured out how to add fishing to the spring “must do” list.

Have a 7 day June family get-together near Grand Rapids with two boats; can’t wait.

Pete

I got burned out from fishing about 25 years ago and even sold the Lund Tyee that I had at the time (and I loved that boat). I actually quit fishing for a while but after a few years my desire and love for fishing came back. I bought another boat and now I’m on my fourth boat since I started fishing again.
Where once I wasn’t satisfied unless I fished from sun up until dark and I’d fish in every kind of weather, now I fish until we limit out or I’ve had enough for a day. I don’t have to catch my limit every time I go out to be satisfied and if the weather’s bad, I’m happy doing something else.
My wife and I and our two dogs usually head to Lake of the Woods or Devils Lake every week when the weather is good and maybe a week or two at Sakakawea and this year we’re going to Fort Peck for a week.
Funny thing is I enjoy fishing more now than I ever did before and I catch more walleyes now than I did when I fished really, really hard. Maybe it’s because for some reason fishing is more enjoyable for me than it’s ever been.

Thanks everybody for the replies. I think some of it may be how much I fish to me I will fish 2-3 lakes per day 4 hours roughly each trip so 3 days is roughly 36 hours give or take that’s a lot of time I guess I do need to slow down some. Funny thing Karry Kyllo The days I do a quick 2 hour trip usually are my best times and most enjoyable times.

I have to drive an hour to get on any solid river or lake, mainly P4. I had 4 months retir…..covid break last year and 2 or 3 days was enough for me. I would get burned out if I fished all week or in tournaments so I don’t.

Unless its gorgeous out(partly cloudy and 70), I can’t even go all day. Mostly because my pooch goes with and she needs a potty break. I love fishing and if I lived on a lake, then yes probably fish 4 to 5 days a week but as of now I’m good.