What's a better payoff? Planning or no planning?

[Acristickid]

What's better?

Being surprised at a great day on water (headed out with lil planning and no expectation) or having your research and trip planning be rewarded with the hatch etc.

I've experienced both and tend to think rewards with no planning are the best.

I still recall at least 10 years ago coming back from a couple rough days on Penns and stopping on a lark at the J and experienced my first spinner fall (sulphers) on really the only water I had ever fished there a year before. It totally blew me away. I caught more fish in 2 hours than 3 days on Penns. Tons of bugs - 1 every square foot.

I used to plan a lot and get into getting all rigged up. Now I'm lucky if I don't for get stuff.

What do you say?

 

[pete41]

go fish--and play the hand you're dealt.

 

[Maurice]

Planning results in expectations and expectations can be met with disappointment, especially with the fickleness of hatches on marginal streams.

Thats why the good ones are always crowded, because they are more of a sure bet at the right times on the calendar.

So in the long run its good to know generally that you are going to to a place that has trout, and the possibility of bugs and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[steveo27]

I like to plan to the extent of knowing where I am going - the terrain, the water conditions, what kind of fish I expect to catch and how far I plan on walking so I can dress/pack accordingly. Short of that though, I kinda just wing it since the majority of the streams I fish a small freestones without any significant hatches.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Plan,but be flexible. Driven to creeks and found them to cold or blown out,low water,etc. The Jams are typical examples. One ridge over and the water maybe ideal.
Here, we often use info from friends fishing in other areas of the Gulf. Water depth,surface temps., baits or structure. Gotta find fish that are hungry. GG

 

[lestrout]

Yo acri

Sometimes the chase is better than the catch. I do plan to the extent that I never leave home without checking USGS for water levels (and sometimes temps) and the weather channels. This helps decide which watershed to invade. In the case of buying plane tickets to the Left Coast and Rockies, I start tracking the snowpacks about now to determine likely dates while plane fares aren't too scary.

That being said, serendipity is wonderful, whether it's finding a new bug on the Beaverkill or a new pool or run on a small freestone.

Since I tape my stream notes and Excel the recaps, I especially enjoy reprising past exploits (if any) and use conclusions from them in planning future runs. So for me, it's a 3 part experience: before, during and after.

 

[streamerguy]

Some of my very best days were when my original plan was a bust for whatever reason(terrible conditions, other anglers beat me there, etc.) and my Plan B or C streams ended up saving the day, and making the day much better than originally expected. It's awesome how things work out like that.

Like Maurice said, planning and having specific expectations has the potential to set you up for disappointment and frustration. You pull up to the creek all pumped up and you find a chocolate milk colored raging whitewater river, or up around the bend there's 3 other guys fishing their way upstream. Have backup plans. Be flexible and willing to fish different waters or different techniques. Adapt and make the best of the situation. I usually always have a general game plan, but it often changes throughout the day and I end up sitting in the vehicle thinking where to go next. Sometimes you have to make risky moves......which don't always pan out, but it's satisfying when they do. If fishing was always predictable and easy, it would be boring

 

[pcray1231]

Plan,but be flexible.

Agreed. I'm a planner.

I very much enjoy planning something and then having it all work out. That said, nature throws curve balls.

The planning part leads to understanding, and successfully adjusting to those curve balls. If this happens, then do this. It's how you have a plan B and C. i.e. if you were planning on Drakes on Penns, but you find they're all over, well, hey, you know that they come a week or so later on BFC. Lets go there. And hey, we got 4 inches of rain. During planning, I noticed this site that maps precip totals. Look, 2 ridges to the east and they only got 1 inch of rain. Betcha the small streams are already fishable there....

Planning and understanding, followed by adjusting appropriately, is INCREDIBLY important to being successful. Some fail to plan and understand and just go where they know, because they've done well there before. Others do all the planning and understanding but then refuse to adjust. That's just as foolhardy.

My favorite days are when there was a plan, extenuating circumstances were successfully observed and interpreted, leading to a new plan, leading to success.

 

[melvinp]

The more you plan to have fun the more work it is.

 

[whheff]

Planning is good but be flexible and go with the flow, pun intended, when you get on the river. It is better to be surprised .

 

[rrt]

I like it both ways. I am always a little smug when a plan comes together and things work out. I figure I have accomplished something.

But, as a number of you have said, when you must go to Plan B or C and that works out, it makes for a nice time, too.

 

[Chaz]

My plan revolves around fishing streams I haven't fished before and fishing streams that I love to fish.
Streams I love fishing are important because I know what to expect both good and bad. Not that there is ever a bad day on the water.
Streams I've never fished before are well researched therefore I have a certain expectation, though there are always surprises both good and not so good.
In short I always plan my days on the water with a back-up plan if things don't go according to plan.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I was planning to go to work today but my car seems to have a mind of its own and drove me to a trout stream. I just go with it.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I find that I have more time to fish on "planned trips". Things that are scheduled well in advance.

But I also have plenty of days where I get home from work early and think, "well, might as well go fishin'", and lots of them have been wonderful days on the water. Just too short.

 

[csoult]

Both, some of my best local trips have been on a whim.

 

[UncleShorty]

Failure to plan is planning to fail...

But I'm an Engineer & you know how they are...

I like to know where, when and how I'm going. I like to know present water conditions, (It's no use driving 2-1/2 hours if ya can't wade.) I wanna know how to dress and what gear to take.

I guess I'm gettin' stodgy in my old age.

But I also believe in flexibility. Nothin's chiseled in Stone.

What you've got to ask yourself is this:

Is it going to affect my retirement???

Don't worry, relax, go fishin'...

 

[Reeder]

I rarely plan ahead unless I am going with someone. I usually change my mind several times about which stream I will fish while driving, and then when I finally do decide, I change my mind several times about which stretch of that stream to fish. That chaos has put me on some very nice fish on waters I would have never planned for.

 

[pabrookie94]

The only thing me and my typical fishing buddy plan is a list of streams that are possible or that we may want to fish. Most of my planning goes into what I need to tie. We're pretty much open to change at the drop of a dime which I find has brought a lot more success than riding out plan A that turned into a crap shoot.

 

[krayfish2]

Plan, plan and more planning.......then adapt. Check USGS gauges, check cloud cover, temps, wind direction / speed. The predictions rarely own out. I try to but myself on the water at times when I'm likely to hit a major hatch or multiple hatches. It gives me a starting point and then you adjust from there. Have I ever been caught with my pants down? Absolutely. Learn the hatches, their typical progression, fishable flow ranges and then roll the dice. 99% of the time, I'm having fun no matter the fishing success or weather conditions.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I don't get out too much so when I do I plan thoroughly. The odd time I just grab my stuff and go usually ends up not a great fishing trip catch wise. But I always have a great time on the water no matter the circumstance.