In reply to Post #15
my life is fishing & my immediate family
I am having a tough time atm and thought about ending things at one stage
I struggle to motivate myself to get fishing because my state of mind with whats going on in my life all of which is out of my control and things will change, but we dont know when, My Wife forced me out the other week in a horrendous storm for the night. It was soooo good to have the wind and rain in my face, i felt alive for the 1st time in ages, a couple of hours in the wind and rain Saturday evening on the river, again, its what i need. Motivation comes and goes mate, go with the flow
my life is fishing & my immediate family
I am having a tough time atm and thought about ending things at one stage
I struggle to motivate myself to get fishing because my state of mind with whats going on in my life all of which is out of my control and things will change, but we dont know when, My Wife forced me out the other week in a horrendous storm for the night. It was soooo good to have the wind and rain in my face, i felt alive for the 1st time in ages, a couple of hours in the wind and rain Saturday evening on the river, again, its what i need. Motivation comes and goes mate, go with the flow
In reply to Post #1
CBA is a definite affliction . . .I've had a good season weirdly by re-joining a lake that I'd thought I'd had enough of when I left in 2020 . . the lake has now slowed right down / winter is around the corner so the rivers are calling - I've def had my fill and will find it difficult to fish again until the spring. You 100% need to get into a groove and retain the 'excitement' for as long as poss - once you do it becomes habitual - well it does for me at any rate.
I've just got a winter ticket for a much smaller / moodier lake that's only 15mins up the road - doesn't have great winter form and I meant to do a day over the weekend but CBA applied . . . in my defence I did go for a couple of hours late afternoon and ended up taking a bait boat and marker rod instead, scanning the entire lake pretty much whilst it was empty . . .the primary reason for CBA to actual fishing is because I've only got session gear 'packed and ready' for the other lake (which has its own unique line / rig / bait rules) whereas this new lake is completely different and I need to spend time getting a completely different set-up / strategy in place and an organized 'day bag' so I can fish efficiently . . . to which at the moment I def CBA!
My river kit(s) on the other hand are primed and ready to go . . . just CBA to get up at 5am on a Sat morning
CBA is a definite affliction . . .I've had a good season weirdly by re-joining a lake that I'd thought I'd had enough of when I left in 2020 . . the lake has now slowed right down / winter is around the corner so the rivers are calling - I've def had my fill and will find it difficult to fish again until the spring. You 100% need to get into a groove and retain the 'excitement' for as long as poss - once you do it becomes habitual - well it does for me at any rate.
I've just got a winter ticket for a much smaller / moodier lake that's only 15mins up the road - doesn't have great winter form and I meant to do a day over the weekend but CBA applied . . . in my defence I did go for a couple of hours late afternoon and ended up taking a bait boat and marker rod instead, scanning the entire lake pretty much whilst it was empty . . .the primary reason for CBA to actual fishing is because I've only got session gear 'packed and ready' for the other lake (which has its own unique line / rig / bait rules) whereas this new lake is completely different and I need to spend time getting a completely different set-up / strategy in place and an organized 'day bag' so I can fish efficiently . . . to which at the moment I def CBA!
My river kit(s) on the other hand are primed and ready to go . . . just CBA to get up at 5am on a Sat morning
In reply to Post #17
The swapping gear around from full session tackle to day/short night kit was a massive pita for me and i was occasionally not arsed so it limited my fishing.
I got a ticket for a local water, not big fish but nice and quiet so I pushed myself to make better use of it.
I did some tackle duplication so I could just grab a spare bag and rod holdall and it removed all the faffing about.
Small rucky, quiver, bucket and chair, flask and butties... gone!
I have since modified the way I have my gear spread...
I have a session holdall that can go on a barrow with all my food, cooking, brew kit, sh1t kit, etc, that comes with for anything more than a single night whether carp or barbel fishing.
I have two rucksacks, both small aqua jobbies, one for carp and one for barbel. Neither are jammed full so I can take a flask and butties if a short sesh.
Nothing tackle wise in the ruckys needs to change.
I add a bucket of big feeders if going to the trent, and the bait bucket gets the appropriate stuff added.
I have a carp quiver and a barbel quiver.
I can swap between 2.75 rods and reels, or my heavier 3.5lb rods and reels.
I can swap between my 2lb set up with smaller reels and my 2.5 trent set up with bigger reels.
The swapping gear around from full session tackle to day/short night kit was a massive pita for me and i was occasionally not arsed so it limited my fishing.
I got a ticket for a local water, not big fish but nice and quiet so I pushed myself to make better use of it.
I did some tackle duplication so I could just grab a spare bag and rod holdall and it removed all the faffing about.
Small rucky, quiver, bucket and chair, flask and butties... gone!
I have since modified the way I have my gear spread...
I have a session holdall that can go on a barrow with all my food, cooking, brew kit, sh1t kit, etc, that comes with for anything more than a single night whether carp or barbel fishing.
I have two rucksacks, both small aqua jobbies, one for carp and one for barbel. Neither are jammed full so I can take a flask and butties if a short sesh.
Nothing tackle wise in the ruckys needs to change.
I add a bucket of big feeders if going to the trent, and the bait bucket gets the appropriate stuff added.
I have a carp quiver and a barbel quiver.
I can swap between 2.75 rods and reels, or my heavier 3.5lb rods and reels.
I can swap between my 2lb set up with smaller reels and my 2.5 trent set up with bigger reels.
In reply to Post #18
Duplication def the key . . . do this already (for rivers) but not for carpy short sessions / days only - its my mission this weekend (already have a separate brew kit sorted - priorities!)
Duplication def the key . . . do this already (for rivers) but not for carpy short sessions / days only - its my mission this weekend (already have a separate brew kit sorted - priorities!)
In reply to Post #19
agree, currently have a carp set for overnight trips, a zander set for my autumn/winter trips on the river, a light float rod for roach/grayling trips and a pair of light avon rods for perch trips like at the weekend. Variety is the key
agree, currently have a carp set for overnight trips, a zander set for my autumn/winter trips on the river, a light float rod for roach/grayling trips and a pair of light avon rods for perch trips like at the weekend. Variety is the key
My motivation for fishing has definitely been up and down over the last 30 years that I have been doing this sport. Life's circumstances often dictate the amount of time you can get on the bank and I have learnt to enjoy every trip regardless of the outcome. If I don't feel like going I don't go. If I feel the urge to go then that is what I do. It is a hobby/sport at the end of the day - it's not like work where almost everybody has to go each day!
Frustratingly I would love 48 hours on the bank at the moment but I am 3 weeks post ACL surgery so not a chance for several months yet I would guess maybe even longer. But when the time comes and my knee is strong enough you can guarantee my motivation will be soaring again!
Frustratingly I would love 48 hours on the bank at the moment but I am 3 weeks post ACL surgery so not a chance for several months yet I would guess maybe even longer. But when the time comes and my knee is strong enough you can guarantee my motivation will be soaring again!
I work outside all year and the draw of going out again at the weekend when we've had a awful week weather wise, means I CBA either.
I detest driving as well, and I'm only 50 minutes away from the venue, you can park behind pegs, and they're very comfortable. But I have to really make an effort to go.
I gave up for quite a few years when I stopped match fishing. We'd travel all over for matches, out all day, come home knackered and out again the next day. I wouldn't do it now, dread the thought. I've never really got that bug back TBH.
I detest driving as well, and I'm only 50 minutes away from the venue, you can park behind pegs, and they're very comfortable. But I have to really make an effort to go.
I gave up for quite a few years when I stopped match fishing. We'd travel all over for matches, out all day, come home knackered and out again the next day. I wouldn't do it now, dread the thought. I've never really got that bug back TBH.
In reply to Post #1
"I've got a week off ahead of me. I've got something to do Wednesday morning, but apart from that, the time is all mine—the kids and missus are at work or college.All my gear is in the garage, ready to go: fuelled, charged, and sorted"
"Do I need to give myself a kick up the arse?"
Thoroughly!
"I've got a week off ahead of me. I've got something to do Wednesday morning, but apart from that, the time is all mine—the kids and missus are at work or college.All my gear is in the garage, ready to go: fuelled, charged, and sorted"
"Do I need to give myself a kick up the arse?"
Thoroughly!
In reply to Post #1
I do know the feeling well! I've a busy family life with young kids so most of my fishing these days is after my night shifts finish-I go straight from work in the morning and throw couple of rods out, I kip on my bedchair in the morning then spend the afternoon there before packing up and heading home, I usually do this religious but I've talked myself out of it a few times recently , I've done the hard work loading the van sorting the bait and tying the rigs etc only to talk myself out of it when the morning comes! It's definitely more common once the winter comes and the mornings are dark and wet but I've even knocked it in summer a couple of times
I do know the feeling well! I've a busy family life with young kids so most of my fishing these days is after my night shifts finish-I go straight from work in the morning and throw couple of rods out, I kip on my bedchair in the morning then spend the afternoon there before packing up and heading home, I usually do this religious but I've talked myself out of it a few times recently , I've done the hard work loading the van sorting the bait and tying the rigs etc only to talk myself out of it when the morning comes! It's definitely more common once the winter comes and the mornings are dark and wet but I've even knocked it in summer a couple of times
I'm at the stage in life when I have more than enough outside of fishing to keep me sustained. I need to tick all the boxes on my to-do list to feel like i've earned it. That way, I enjoy it more.
Even when I do go, I need to really look forward to going. I don't want my angling to feel like a chore, like I HAVE to be there. I HAVE to catch that fish, or I HAVE to be on the end of that south westerly.
Even when I do go, I don't rinse the arse out of it. If I have a couple early doors then I'm happy to leave. If I feel after a couple of hours that it isn't going to happen, then I pack up. I can't remember the last time I did an overnighter. June? possibly July. I caught then, and I knew I would. No worser feeling than sitting there thinking it isn't going to happen. I normally just wait until I get that feeling, that urge, and only then would I stick the gear in the car.
I ain't one to sit there and chill out though. It has to motivate me, and I have to be working so I know that if I blank, I put 110% into those few hours.
I've learned over the last few years that there's more to life than fishing, and it's up to you to ensure that there's a balance. Sitting in a bivvy doing **** all sounds about as appealing as a helmet scrape these days.
Even when I do go, I need to really look forward to going. I don't want my angling to feel like a chore, like I HAVE to be there. I HAVE to catch that fish, or I HAVE to be on the end of that south westerly.
Even when I do go, I don't rinse the arse out of it. If I have a couple early doors then I'm happy to leave. If I feel after a couple of hours that it isn't going to happen, then I pack up. I can't remember the last time I did an overnighter. June? possibly July. I caught then, and I knew I would. No worser feeling than sitting there thinking it isn't going to happen. I normally just wait until I get that feeling, that urge, and only then would I stick the gear in the car.
I ain't one to sit there and chill out though. It has to motivate me, and I have to be working so I know that if I blank, I put 110% into those few hours.
I've learned over the last few years that there's more to life than fishing, and it's up to you to ensure that there's a balance. Sitting in a bivvy doing **** all sounds about as appealing as a helmet scrape these days.
In reply to Post #25
"about as appealing as a helmet scrape "
After three days in a bivvy that's a very necessary activity 😂
"about as appealing as a helmet scrape "
After three days in a bivvy that's a very necessary activity 😂
I went in the end glad i did, had a few fish.