I can never say to myself "this is my last cast for the day" and truly mean it. It's more like a suggestion or a consideration than a declaration. Heaven forbid I get a hit and then all bets are off. Time wise, with discipline, it might be as little as 15-20 minutes and with the slightest hint of my lure being appealing, I could be there another hour or two and reluctantly will have to remove myself from the water. I'm like a junkie craving a fix, until sensibilities prevail.

 

How long does it take for you to make your last cast?

Good Question ~

Often depends on what time reville was held, if there's actually been any net, scale and camera use, and what the weather for the rest of the week looks like. 

Routine last cast involves quarter of a tank of gas, adding to the line up of rigs on deck by pulling 4 more out of the rod locker, staring at my gps lake mapping hoping light shines on my marble head, and then after at least one relocation, staying too long with no bites.

Either way, it's rarely just one cast.

A-Jay 

Declaring my last cast is known as “2 to 3 hour warning”

I concur, the last cast is a suggestion to promote an end to the days fishing. If it’s unproductive in twenty to thirty minutes, I will typically start moving towards the take out. But then again when there there’s always a few more last cast just in case the new area has something to offer, but that could last another hour!
The last cast is truly only that when the rods are put away.

Easily 20 to 30 minutes 

When I call this is my last, if you are in the back you better get 

ready because when my line is in I am strapping the rods down, stowing the trolling motor and cranking up the outboard.

Any where from 10 minutes to half a day 

I’ll say “last cast” and then blackout and come to 30 minutes later still slinging the spinnerbait. 

I’ve caught some of my biggest fish with my “one last cast” mentality.

 

I’m hardly ever ready to leave.

 

Even if the fishing isn’t the greatest.

 

There’s always the POTENTIAL to catch a big one.

My whole life has been one last cast.

When my wife puts me in the urn,.......... that's when my last cast is.......but seriously 20-30 minutes after I say last cast........

I usually end my day around 1. If we’re catching fish every other cast,  I’ll stay until the bite stops. When it’s time to go, either my brother or I will say “get your going home fish”. That means one more fish for each of us. When each of us gets that last fish, we’re heading back to the dock. To answer the question, there’s no set time. 

Since I’ve fished before going to work for so long. I’ve gotten good at last cast and meaning it and having to actually go lol. 

My last cast this morning was dictated by the exorbitant amount of recreational watercraft and the blazing sun.

 

Tsunami style waves and party barges on both sides means it's time to go.

I normally keep one rod out, just incase I have to wait for the slow disrespecting idiots to clear the boat ramp. If so, my last cast is normally 20 to 45 minutes around the ramp area. 

Ever since going rounds with cancer, my level/lack of heat tolerance has determined that my last cast takes place between 85 and 90 degrees. 
 

Once temperatures get cooler, my cutoff becomes when I start getting cramps in my arms. 

I go from a few more casts to about 15 minutes. Normally within 5 minutes though I will hang it up.

My last cast always sucks. Not far enough. Not in the right spot. Have to last cast again. And again. And again. 
 

Which pales in comparison to the “Ok, just one more fish and then done.”  😂

My wife would love to chime in on this question...

 

How long? Too long. 

The last couple of seasons, I'll call last cast when my bum shoulder goes from being sore to down right painful.  Then it's time to head to the ramp, but it'll calm down some if the ride is long enough and I can get a few more casts in before it starts screaming at me. Of course, there's always drifting and trolling, so it could still be a while.

On 7/12/2025 at 12:41 PM, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I’ve caught some of my biggest fish with my “one last cast” mentality.

 

I’m hardly ever ready to leave.

 

Even if the fishing isn’t the greatest.

 

There’s always the POTENTIAL to catch a big one.

 

Well, once again my refusal to leave caught me my biggest fish last night.

 

Stayed an hour later than my wife wanted but it paid off, at least for me. 

 

Caught a nice bass right at the boat in the dark. Jumped and fought like crazy, drenched me.

 

I could have stayed another 2 hours but I didn't really want to lose 50% of my fishing gear to a divorce.  LOL

I'm only a cast or 2 after telling myself " last cast " .

On rare occasion does the last cast produce a fish.

It correlates with how many times I hit the snooze button that morning multiplied by a unknown varying variable divided by how much more trouble will I be in with my sweetie for being late.

FM

When fishing with my Dad and Brother, someone will say, "are we ready to make the call?" (i.e., call it a day...)

 

Then someone else will say, "Yep, let's call it...." 

 

And we all begin to reel in lines, and prepare for departure back to the ramp.

It depends on how many fishy places I see on the way back.