Days on the water - 2022?

I was fortunate enough to put a line in the water roughly 100 times this year, maybe 120. Most of those are quicky stops at bass and bluegill ponds, which I was able to hit consistently in a 2 hour free time window between daycare drop off and clocking in to work.

Probably 30 dedicated fishing days, mostly swinging my local river.

This was less than last year but better than my average year, feeling lucky my kids like to go sometimes and my wife holds them down when I go solo.
 
2022 was not a great fishing year for me, at least here in Washington state from a quantity standpoint. I did have a number of good days on WA lakes and at RWR but stream fishing, including my local trout river was less than mediocre. The reasons for this are many and probably much like many of yours. Fortunately, I did have two good fishing weeks in AK and BC each. I hope to maintain that in 2023 and make time to fish WA more this year as well.
 
I need a 2023 of healthy hip action. Ill submit in 2024
 
Oliver1329 said:
I fished over 200+ days this last year. My local river is closed from March 25 to Memorial day weekend, so basically that was the most time I took off from fishing. I still fished in other places but my local river is my go to. Now that I have turned 16 and have my license, this year I am hoping for more days fishing and expanding the places I go fishing. Hoping to get out of town to fish and try new species like carp. Hoping for my first carp this spring.
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Happy belated birthday!
 
I fished about the same number of days as most years. I mostly fished locally, which is typically not a full day, but a quick run to the river or a lake to fish for a few hours. During the spring, summer and fall I do this almost every day.

On hike in trips to alpine lakes, the fishing part is usually less time than it takes to hike in and out - 5 hours of hiking and 2 hours of fishing is pretty normal. I probably had around a dozen hike in trips last summer.

Days that were a full day of fishing camping at a lake or staying in a hotel near the fishing grounds, probably around 25. So, I would guess that the total number of days that I wet a line for at least a couple of hours were around 150
 
Stonedfish said:
Just curious how your year was as far as the number of fishing days goes.
Did you fish more, less about the same as previous years?
I’d say mine was a bit less than past years.
SF
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Less. According to the log, just over 200 outings last year, but only about 83 of those were actual serious “days” (using the term very loosely where a day is 4+ hours of fishing).

Working on the canoe tanked my fishing time.
 
I fished WAY more this year than I had the 2 previous years. It took me a bit to transition back to fly fishing after I sold my bass boat so I had a couple of lost years. Honestly, moving to C’da is really what got me back onto moving water. I have never tracked my days on the water. I basically fish every 3-4 days from January-September.
 
iveofione said:
A lot! It was my 84th year and 71st year of fly fishing and I did all I could. Early spring found me on local lakes fishing all of my favorite haunts. Krusty's retirement in late 2021 improved his status as part time fishing buddy to full time and meant more frequent trips than years past. Fishing in Idaho and Montana with East Side Scott for days at a time added to the total. The Obscure Lakes Program with Krusty produced some amazing days of fishing including one day near a highway that produced a grand slam of rainbows, cutthroat, tiger and brook trout and probably about 25 fish apiece. On 2 lakes that we have done well in before we completely struck out.

I think I fished in about 5 different weeks with my little sister Freestone including the 2 weeks+ annual birthday bash in July/August. We fished at least 12 of those days,maybe more, and had memorable days of creek fishing that involved miles of walking, wading and beating the brush for native cutthroat on dry flies. The most rewarding fishing of the year as it required our best to locate fish and present flies to them. We also fished the river and hammered smallmouth in the evenings after a tough day of stream fishing.

Two trips of Okonogan County for a total of about 3 weeks provided numerous opportunities at a variety of fish and our favorite general regs lake put big grins on our faces with fish over 20''. Big lahontans were on the menu at another lake and we did well both in spring and fall.

Two trips to a mountain lake produced obscene numbers of cutthroats, many on Olive Willy's. This was a lake that Freestone had to be escorted off of, she was catching so many fish on dries that she lost track of time! The lake was great in spring and the fish were even bigger in the fall.

Another mountain lake that we always frequent up a narrow dusty road produced far less than expected with smaller than usual fish. The return trip in the fall didn't seem worth the pain but we'll try again. Other notables were a hike in lake that Scott, Krusty and I wheeled our boats into-about a half mile walk. It hadn't fished well in recent years but all reports indicated it was returning to it's former glory. We confirmed that with several large fish and some impressive breakoffs. Going back in the fall with Freestone revealed some 20''+ fish taking flies in spectacular fashion right against the bank. Wonderful fishing!

Another put-n-take lake nearby maintained it reputation as a big fish producer in October. Mostly neglected after the first month of the season and only having one tiny spot to bank fish, the fish grow like crazy all summer and by fall are in prime shape. I fished this lake several times this fall with various friends and also alone and every time had excellent fishing for powerful holdover fish. Two years ago I met a lady on the lake that landed a 25'' rainbow, my biggest this year was 21'' but good numbers of fat 16'' to 19'' fish were present. On another nearby lake we fished that seldom gets any attention I caught my biggest tiger ever and think I may have figured out where the fish are at last. It will get another try in 2023, in 2021 I fished it for about 3 hours and got one bite- a 20'' rainbow on an orange/pink Booby.

Finally, the last fishing day of the season found East Side Scott, Krusty, Old 406 Kid and I on our favorite zipper lips big fish lake. It didn't disappoint as Krusty and I both caught our biggest fish of the year to wrap up a great season.

Now into my 85th year I am going to scale back my travel schedule for the new year. I have fished in Okonogan County for over 35 years now but the drive over 3 mountain passes has become really tedious. I do have 2 Montana trips penciled in and of course the obligatory trip or two to the NFCDA but by and large my goal is to fish more local water with my retired friends and spend less time en route. Small creek Tenkara is high on my priority list in the New Year.

Happy New Year and Tight Lines, Ive
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That’s inspirational for a guy in his late 40’s. I’m potentially only a Little over halfway through my fishing life😀
 
About the usual number of outings. Early and late season are my favorite for local fishing. When I fish a bunch I notice the physical toll and by November my casting shoulder was ready for a break. Probably for the best that winter hit like a sledgehammer. I will be good to go when the ice is gone.
 
More for me in my first full year of retirement. I tend to take the camp trailer and stay for a while. Reduces the amount of driving and fuel consumption and is a good way to learn how to fish an area. Plan for this year is to take the drift boat out more once it is refurbished in early spring. It’s a 1985 Clack and needs new gel coat.
 
Great thread. I hardly ever wander into the General forum so I'm a bit late. I actually started keeping a journal this year. I used to keep one back in the 90s, but stopped. Mostly because I was raising kids and working hard and didn't fish (or hunt) enough.

Anyway, I fished 40 days in 2022. 12 of those days were on 4 or 5 overnight trips. It was a great year for memorable/big fish as well as variety of species. And for the fishing buddies. It was a great year that reminded me I need to fish more. Maybe not the 100-150 (mostly local 2 hour steelhead stops) days like my pre-kid life in the 90s, but a good mix of local, day & overnighters (more floats!) in the 40-60 range. I have a new job so less PTO time available than last year so we'll see how it goes. 30 days, mostly local, is probably more realistic.

Good luck in 2023!
 
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