Too tired

[xped]

The plan today was to awake at 4:30am, get ready and make the hour long trek out to the lake...fishing to commence before 6am. I like beating the ramp traffic and getting those early bites.

Eyes open at 5:30am with my son at my bedside asking why I was not up yet and gone.

<Yoda's voice> Too tired, I was.

It's now after 8am and I'm sitting in my chair with a coffee reading this forum.

5 days a week, I get up early. Kids breakfasts and lunches, drive them to school/camps and myself to work. The only time I really get to sleep in or have an easy morning is on the weekends. That conflicts with my desire to fish at what I've always regarded to be the best time of the day to catch fish. Sometimes the desire to fish wins....sometimes sleeping in and enjoying sitting in my chair reading the news with a hot coffee reigns.

Anyone else struggle with this? Do you all just head out whenever the mood hits...early morning, late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, etc. I know I could have worse troubles in life!

Thinking about changing my mindset and fish whenever it's convenient rather than the most productive....but I still want to catch fish, too! I think I need to change my perspective a little and make fishing fit into my life and not the other way around.

That is all!

[Daboss]

After 40 years of hobby fishing and scores of crack of dawn skunkings and midday bonanzas, I refuse to lose sleep for my hobby.

[xped]

After 40 years of hobby fishing and scores of crack of dawn skunkings and midday bonanzas, I refuse to lose sleep for my hobby.

Ha! Great perspective!

[MichaelGA]

Take the kids to Carleton Place for the Kids Derby... doesn't start till 1130 and if you're a bit late it won't matter!

Move Move Move!

[mb_fishing]

xped - yep that's been me for the last 20 years. Now when I plan an outing it is for the entire day...6am (sometimes later in the morning based on location) until 10pm...then it seems I get my "fix" in. Being tired is one thing and then there is the guilt (driven by myself only) that I should be home doing stuff with the family or starting/completing a project. My advice is schedule your fishing time as you would tasks at work. If you put a fishing day in your calendar and everyone knows then they can make plans too. Sounds like that was the plan for you this time around...so you got up late. Who cares...the fish will still be biting. I tend to catch most of my fish between 10am - 2pm anyway so it does not bother me to start a little later. My 2 cents....

[lape0019]

I am fortunate enough to live a lot closer to the river and have fishing booked into the cake dear every Wednesday after work. I usually got from around 5:30pm to 10:00pm so it does not interfere with most of my duties. If I get out more than once a week, I give up other things that I enjoy and it seems to work for the family and me quite well.

If fishing ever starts to feel like a chore, I probably wouldn't go. It is my stress reliver in the summer months.

As for feeling bad about things that need to get done around the house, they will be there the next day and I can do them then.

As for

[campnfish]

If I plan to get up early to fish, I find it easier to have a friend that's going with you. That way you both kind of motivate each other to get out of bed by 6am lol. I usually try to do all my house work / projects / chores on Saturday, leaving Sunday for some guilt-free fishing.

[xped]

I don't have any guilt about chores not getting done on the weekends. Those tend to get done during the week. As well, I've got enough fishing buddies (including my boys and my brother) to drag my sorry butt out of bed. My biggest challenge is giving up the opportunity of sleeping-in for being on the lake for some early-morning fishing.

Sacrificing one like for another. I don't want to resent the hobby that's supposed to be pure enjoyment. Yes, I want my cake and I want to eat it, too!

I did get out on the water yesterday for 4:30pm...only a mere 12 hours later! I enjoyed it but the traffic on the water was a lot more to deal with as were the busy boat launches. Managed to bring in a pike and largie....nothing to write home about regarding size but catches nonetheless! It was a little windy for my 14 footer and I was getting blown around a little on the Rideau River.

I may reserve those dark morning adventures for special times rather than attempting to make them the norm as I've been struggling to do...much easier on the body!

[scarkner]

I am finding the same thing and find that I am targeting more species that bite hard at end of day rather than the start!

[zippyfx]

This has been my reality for the past couple of years and likely for the next couple as well. Time with the family is too precious so late nights and very early mornings are my times to go. I plan a couple of trips a year with friends to mix things up (sturgeon in Montreal in September and walleye @ quinte in November).

I have too much fun with the kids to give that time up. It helps that I can get by with 4 hrs sleep twice a week.