I was just wondering how long you guys stay on the water and fish. I always fish with my Dad, and since I'm only a teenager and it's his boat, he always decides how long we stay out. Usually we get on the water at seven in the morning, but by ten we leave. It's really frustrating because I think if we stayed out all day until sunset, we would catch more fish. Since we only stay out 3 hours, we're lucky to get two.

Finally, my questions: How long do you stay out on the water? If we stayed out all day do you think we'd catch more fish?

If I go out the minimum is usually 3 hours.  But if all I have time for is a quick close trip then that is what I take.  Cant catch fish at home...only on the water.

I go for how ever long I want...usually just go..comeback for a little scack and then back on..but I live on the water so it's easy..

I stay until I catch some fish!

That's my attitude, but it usually doesn't work out.

I stay until I catch some fish!

thats my motto too.  I dont want to go home skunked.  i have to catch atleast one.

Until the fish stop biting ;)

My normal morning schedule is ... on the water by 5:00, usually off noon or so...... but if the fish are biting I'll stay longer, much longer

If I go night fishing, On the water by 1:30 am off by 9:00

If I'm going out to fish and relax on the water, usually only two things will make me come back in- darkness or hunger. If I bring food then I'll stay out longer. I have never caught a decent bass after dark so I have no incentive to stay out at night.

Hey PFR its good to see you on the boards  Anyway my life and work schedule dictate that If I were retired I wouldnt need a house in the summer thats for sure

I get on the water usually by 10 AM and leave by 3 or 4 PM.

Went today and left at 2 PM.  Water temp was from 87 to 91 degrees F and the air temp was at 100 degrees F!  Was at a newly opened(June 10th) State managed public lake;  one bite, no Bass :-[.

Dan

i usually fish from about 6-6:30 am to noon time...try to get off the water when the water skiers start buzzing around and the boat ramp get's too crowded

My usual outing is to get on the water by 5:30-6:00 AM and stay for at least 8 hours or until the pleasure boaters wake up and get busy, which is often around noon. Alternately I'll get on the water around 3PM and stay until dark or a little later. In the winter it is generally dawn till dusk.

During the week my trips are 3-4 hours at the most and I'm basically just going to keep up with what the fish are doing.

It's rare for me to be out less than 6 hours.Today I was out for 9 hours.I think it's pretty much common sense that you will catch more fish if your out longer.Sometimes you may need to go home if you start to loose interest or become exhausted.

If it's during the week I just have fun and fish as long as I can. Usually a few hours after work.

Every weekend one day is my serious day.

I'll try to get on the water around 6am and fish until 7 or 8 pm. Usually this is a road trip that starts about 2-4am depending where I'm headed.

I try to get as much time there as I can.

An average trip for me, during the week, is 3 or 4 hours.  On weekends, 8 to 9 hours.  

of course if you stay out longer you will increase your odds at catching something. I usually am out from 6 to 8 hours if not longer if i can try.

As long as I can convince my wife to let me , I try to get to the lake by 5:30-6am and usually stay til around noon.  But if i can i'll be out the whole afternoon.

On the water by 6:00-6:30.  Off by noon -1:00.  

i stay until my friends get mutinous and force us to go back to shore...

I'm with Spencer, as long as my wife lets me!  With 2 young kids, it seems like there is always something going on that forces me off the lake.  I'd fish from dark to dark all weekend if I could.  Might take a little cat nap in the boat in the afternoon sun.  Can't do that much now that I have kids.  So now I usually get out around 5ish am and tell my wife I'll be home by noon.  Then I fish to about 1pm and she calls me on the cell phone and I tell her, I'm on my way home right now...and shoot over to the boat landing!

My signature says it all..... Seriously!

If I am on vacation at my cabin or for the weekend I'll go out around 6 AM and stay out till around 5 or 6 PM. On the lakes around where I live it depends on if I am not working that day. Then it is usually from 6 AM till about 3 PM or a couple of hours in the evening.

Bob

On the water at 5:15 AM.At the ramp at 10:30 AM.

A short trip for me would be 6 hours. A long trip would be 14. But ususally, 8 to 10 hours..... and then forced off by dark :-)

BTW, have you ever seen little kids crying, kicking, and screaming as there parents drag them away from the amusement park ??? That's me when I have to quit fishing :-)

Peace,

Fish

BTW, back in the day, when I was younger, and a bit tougher, I used to go out on one morning, in my 12 ft aluminum, fish all day, and into the night. At some point I would curl up in the space between my benches, sleep fpr a few hours, then get up and fish until the next night. I have done a whole bunch of 32 to 36 hour trips, in which time I never stepped out of my little alminum. Ahhh youth :-)